CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Duke was very quiet, as he sat with Jake. He could see Wolf a few rows ahead and wondered if Megan liked the young man as much as he seemed to like her. He ran his thumb along the scar on his face, remembering when and where he got it. Wolf reminded Duke of himself when he was young. He had fallen for a girl who eventually broke his heart. When he got back from serving in Antarctica, all he could think about was seeing his wife, after a long year apart. She was supposed to meet him at the airport, along with the families and friends of his fellow Marines but she didn’t turn up.
She always had music playing, so when he entered their apartment and found it completely silent, Duke knew she wasn’t home. The empty spaces on the bookshelves and missing paintings from the walls caused a tight knot to form in his stomach. He ran to their bedroom and tried to steady his racing heart as he pulled open the wardrobe doors. All of her clothes were gone. His eyes scanned the room, coming to rest on an envelope on his locker. Duke remembered how much his hands shook as he opened it. She had met someone else and moved away, begging him not to go after her. He hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol from the day he met her until the day he read that letter.
It wasn’t until he wound up in jail, a year later, that Duke admitted he needed help. Even though he had stopped drinking while in prison, his anger would get the better of him and some of the fights he was involved in were life threatening. That was how he got the scar. It was Jake who finally got him out on parole and took him under his wing, trusting him with small jobs at first. Gradually, Duke proved himself reliable and responsible putting the past behind him.
Seeing Wolf anxious and excited about meeting up with Megan brought back old memories. Duke sincerely hoped things would work out better for the young man than they had for him. The sound of Jake snoring in the seat by the window brought a smile to Duke’s face. They had known each other a long time and he was grateful for the strong, steady friendship they shared.
Wolf couldn’t relax. Apart from the fact that he didn’t like flying, the thought of seeing Megan again had him on edge. He moved about so much in his seat, the woman next to him asked twice if he was okay.
“Sorry, I’m a nervous flier,” he said.
“Me too, here, have one of these. They are made from natural ingredients, herbs and flowers. They won’t make you drowsy.”
She popped the lid on a phial and held it over Wolf’s hand. Two tiny white pills fell out onto his palm. He thanked her, although he didn’t expect them to do any good.
“You might as well hold onto them, you look like you need them more than I do,” she laughed, dropping the container into his lap.
Fifteen minutes later, leaning back into his seat, Wolf noticed his breathing had become slower and deeper. He knew he would need to be observant and alert for any sign of trouble when he met up with Megan. The flight was his last chance to relax and let his guard down. Jake had warned him not to acknowledge himself or Duke, assuring him they would keep close at all times and be on hand if he needed help. Both men were known to the Alliance but they hoped that Wolf would not be under surveillance.
As the plane touched down and everyone filed off, Wolf kept his eyes ahead, not once looking at his two friends. The plan was for him to catch a bus to Munroe Street and wait for Megan. The men hired a car at the airport to get there. It was the only part of the journey when Wolf was completely on his own and he tried not to look too nervous as he boarded the bus. He paid careful attention to who got on with him but nobody in particular stood out. Wolf took two more of the herbal pills, wishing he could keep his heart from racing. He had been in dangerous situations before but his anxiety had not been so intense.
The journey to the bus station didn’t take too long, and soon Wolf found himself sitting at a window inside the cafe on the corner of West Munroe Street. Megan, standing in a darkened doorway, saw him looking out onto the street, scanning the people passing by. She hoped he wouldn’t recognize her, in case he was being watched. With cropped bleached hair, darker eyebrows and bright purple lips, she felt that even her own mother would be fooled.
Megan paused for a moment outside the door, taking a deep breath before pushing it open. Her heart skipped a beat as Wolf looked straight at her, then quickly turned his face back to the window. She walked to the counter, ordering a coffee to take away. The minutes dragged while the beats of her heart pounded in her ears. Panic was beginning to rise in her chest. Megan had to fight hard to resist the urge to run to Wolf. She didn’t once look back at him. Taking a piece of paper from her pocket, she discreetly dropped it in his lap as she passed by, on her way out.
Wolf saw something land on his jeans and looked up as the bleached blonde girl left the cafe. He unfolded the note and read Megan’s words. Careful not to draw any attention to himself, he waited five long minutes before going to pay his bill, scanning the faces of the other customers as he did so. Nobody stood up and when Wolf entered the street he walked back along the window to see if anyone else was preparing to leave.
Outside was a different matter, there were so many places to hide and observe someone. He knew that Jake would be concealed somewhere in the shadows, watching him. If they were being used, the drones that patrolled the cities and towns from the air, could easily find him. It was getting dark but maybe that would be to Wolf’s advantage. Making his way to an alley not far from the bus station, he sought out an old friend. He had his own plan, one that Jake knew nothing about.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Jake saw Wolf leave the cafe and walked behind him at a safe distance. Although he suspected he himself was being observed, he didn’t want to leave the young man alone. It was difficult keeping up with Wolf as he dodged in and out of alleyways. Some were so dark he couldn’t see what was at the end of them. It was in one of those that he lost him. Jake spoke into his earpiece to Duke, who was in the car. He was keeping track of a signal coming from a device that Wolf was wearing. The young man had been warned not to use his phone to get in touch with them, unless it was an absolute necessity.
Megan ignored the banging on the cubicle door and the irate voices. She was beginning to think Wolf had misunderstood her note, although it plainly said for him to meet her in the ladies toilets at the bus station. He was to call out her horse’s name as soon as he entered. After what seemed a very long time to Megan, a voice outside her door called out the name Pharaoh. She couldn’t make out if it was male or female but she knew it definitely wasn’t Wolf.
Chewing her bottom lip, she waited to see what would happen next. Beads of sweat rolled down her back, in spite of the coolness of the night. Pressing her ear against the door, Megan held her breath as the sound of women talking faded away. She knew the only people left in the toilets were herself and whoever knew her horse’s name. The silence was unbearable and Megan put her ear to the door. BANG BANG - the shock of which sent her flying backwards and she landed on the toilet seat.
“Come on, open up. Wolf sent me, it’s okay to come out, there’s no one here, except us.”
Megan unlocked the door and was surprised to see a girl about her own age standing in front of the cubicle, hands on her hips. She grabbed Megan by the arm and dragged her through the crowded station. They melted into the stream of people filtering onto the street.
Weaving her way along the sidewalk, the girl linked Megan’s arm, laughing and chatting to her as if they were the best of friends. It was when they turned into a darkened alley that panic once again set in. The girl kept pulling her forward but Megan held back.
“Wolf told me to bring you here. I did warn him you might not believe me but he wouldn’t come. He said something about being followed. I’m not sure exactly where he is now but I know where we have to go. He said he would find us, so get a move on, or I’m leaving you here.”
Reluctantly, Megan followed the girl to the end of the alley, where they entered a derelict building. She seemed to know her way around, in spite of the darkness.
“Believe me, this is one of my safest places, ever since the vagrancy laws were enforced. I don’t want to end up in one of those training places where they put us homeless kids. The things that go on in them would send you running straight back onto the streets - if you managed to escape. They are nothing but prisons and slave labour camps,” the girl said.
Just as Megan was about to speak she was grabbed from behind, a hand clamped tightly over her mouth.
“Babe, it’s me. Don’t be scared,” a voice whispered into her ear.
Wolf felt Megan’s body go limp and he spun her around to face him. She buried her head in his chest and held on so tight, he could hardly breathe.
“What took you so long?” she asked, finally letting go of him.
“Nice to see you, too,” he laughed.
Wolf thanked the girl for her help and gave her some money. He watched her walk away before leading Megan further into the darkness.
They travelled in silence for half an hour before reaching another abandoned building.
“Why did we have to come so far, Wolf? What was wrong with the last place?”
“I’m probably just being paranoid but I’m not taking any chances. If we were being followed they would have jumped us by now, there were plenty of opportunities.”
Straining his eyes to see any sign of movement in the darkness surrounding them, Wolf lifted aside a board that concealed a doorway. Pulling her through behind him, he placed some newspapers on the ground and sat Megan down on them. He had spent too long sleeping rough to be unprepared for a night on a cold floor.
“Hey, you’re shivering. Sorry babe, I could only bring some newspaper and even what I have was difficult to find. Cardboard would have been warmer but I didn’t have much time to look for it,” he said, sitting next to her.
She nodded, lost for words. Wolf removed his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders. He knew what the sound of scuttling nearby meant and kept talking, hoping she wouldn’t hear it, too.
“Nice hairdo, are your eyebrows permanent or can they come off?”
“Very funny. Wolf, are there rats running around us?” she asked.
“Just think of them as large mice. They’re more afraid of you, really. I’d better not use the light on my phone. If I switch it on, we could be tracked. If there are any nearby drones searching for us they would pick up the signal straight away. We don’t want any unexpected visitors, do we?”
Wolf was referring to the machines that flew through the city streets detecting any unsocial behaviour. They were also used in crowd control and equipped with tiny tranquilizing darts that could pierce through the thickest clothing to get to the skin.
Megan reached into her bag and took out the remains of a bread roll she had been eating on the bus. She threw it across the room and immediately there was a lot of scratching and scuffling from where it had landed.
“I would rather hand it over than have them come looking for it. I’m not really that scared after what I’ve been through.” she said.
Remembering her last image of Radar, Megan asked Wolf if he knew what had happened to him. He told her how they had managed to get into the clinic and discovered the hidden chamber. She was relieved to hear that Radar was making a good recovery. They both laughed when Wolf said how difficult it was for him to get the box from Isabella and how he eventually managed to trick her into handing it over.
“Do you want to keep talking or would you rather get some sleep?” Wolf asked, wrapping his arms around her. “Don’t worry, I’ll stay awake. I’m not that tired.”
“I’m too wound up to sleep, I’ve been on a permanent adrenaline rush since this morning. I’m just happy to be here with you, for now.”
“It’s so dark in here I can barely see your face, Megan. I know exactly what you need right now, if I can find your mouth,” he whispered.
Sure that he was about to kiss her, she moistened her dry lips. Megan felt Wolf’s hand draw close to her face. He traced the line of her jaw until he found her lips. With her heart racing, she closed her eyes.
“Here, swallow these,” Wolf said, popping two small pills into her mouth. “They’re only herbal but they’ll help you relax. I used them on the plane.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
“Do you think you were followed?” asked Grant as he led Jake to the study.
“They are parked up the street right now. It’s a game of cat and mouse. They know that we’re on to them, so they’re not even trying to be discreet.”
Lydia was sitting at the desk holding a photograph, her eyes red from crying. It was the most recent one they had of their daughter and had been sent by Henry not long after she had arrived at his ranch. In it Megan stood beside her horse, one hand holding the reins while the other waved at the camera, a big smile on her face.
Jake bent to kiss Lydia’s cheek and saw the picture.
“We’ll find her, it’s just a matter of time,” he said.
“How do we know she wasn’t caught as soon as she got off the bus?” Grant asked.
“I’m pretty sure she’s with Wolf right now. He left the cafe in a hurry and I lost him down a dark alley. He knows the city so well he could find his way around it blindfolded,” Jake was trying to be positive. “All street kids are the same, they have their own safe areas and hideouts. They also have an unwritten code of conduct and a solidarity that the rest of society could learn from. If Wolf asks any of them for help, he’ll get it, no questions asked.”
“How could you lose him? Didn’t he have a tracking device on him?”
“I’m sorry, Grant, he ditched it. Duke picked up the signal in one of the alleys and we found it lying on the ground.”
Jake could see from their expressions what they were both thinking - that Wolf had been captured and Megan, too, if she was with him. At first he thought the same thing. It was Duke who suggested that Wolf might have given them the slip because he feared Jake was being followed.
“We’re pretty sure he lost me on purpose. I think he’s hiding and its obvious Megan is with him. If he didn’t meet up with her, he would have informed us by now. He knew I was probably being watched, which meant there was a good chance he would be seen, too.”
“But, Jake, how can you be so sure they weren’t taken as soon as he found Megan? How do we know he wasn’t followed, too?” asked Grant.
“If that was the case, as soon as they had Megan, they would have killed Wolf. There would be no reason to drag him around with them or keep a tail on us, would there? The only use they could have for Megan is to force Henry to cooperate. Maybe your father has had enough and wants to leave the Alliance himself.”
Lydia sobbed when she heard this. It was distressing to know her daughter was somewhere in the city, afraid to come home.
“I’m sorry to be so blunt,” said Jake. “But it’s better to explore all the options and possibilities. That way we won’t miss something. Megan is in grave danger and she knows it. So far, she has being doing everything in her power to stay safe. Until Wolf turns up, dead or alive, we have to assume he has Megan with him and they are in hiding.”
“Is that why you had Duke check the house for bugs?” asked Lydia.
“He found some, too. This room is the best one to talk in, though. We put a blocking device in here, in case we missed any.”
Grant thought of the Seager family and what they had been put through when Kaden was missing. Their home had also been bugged and everything they did, monitored. Henry Brubaker had a lot to answer for.
“I can’t believe how long the Alliance got away with all their underhand and illegal activity. I should never have gotten involved with them or their schemes,” Grant said.
“Don’t feel so guilty about it. We all got sucked in, one way or another. The point is, it’s falling apart now and those who know too much and are likely to cause trouble will be in danger. Not you or me, Grant, we
’re just small fry. Over the next twelve months, don’t be surprised to hear of unfortunate accidents and sudden deaths of some well-known people, particularly in the political domain.”
Jake’s phone rang. He nodded while listening to what the caller said. When the call ended he suggested that Lydia and Grant stay home until they heard from himself or Duke. He assured them once again of his confidence in Wolf’s ability to find Megan.
“Between the two of them, they will manage somehow to contact us. They might be young but they have shown themselves to be very capable. You should be very proud of your daughter, managing to get this far on her own.”
Grant thanked Jake as he walked him to the door.
Duke was waiting in a car outside, he knew they were being watched but it didn’t matter, Megan wasn’t with them. They didn’t even know where she was. He unlocked the doors as Jake approached.
“You know what? Wolf was right to ditch us,” Duke said. “We have been followed since we landed at the airport. Maybe even onto the plane itself. If those two guys in that car up the street tortured us, we have nothing to tell them about Megan’s whereabouts. Do we?”
“That’s true and it’s reassuring to see we are still being watched. It means they don’t have her. If she had been taken, they wouldn’t risk us grabbing them and beating the information out of them,” said Jake.
“What’s the plan now?”
“I honestly don’t know, Duke. We should get back to my place and examine every detail of what has happened over the past twenty four hours.”
Jake’s apartment had been checked for any listening devices but to his surprise, none were found. To be on the safe, side Duke installed a blocking device in the kitchen. Their conversation could also have been monitored from a nearby apartment.
Finding 02 Finding Megan Page 12