CHAPTER TEN

Saturday, October 1st

THE ONLY LIGHT CAME FROM the glow of the street lamps far from her. Kandice looked up, but there was no moon in sight. Lance and her split up tonight to find the mayor—it was eerie being on a stakeout alone. Lance had better tracking skills than her and having backup would have been reassuring.

Plus, there was always the bonus of being alone with him.

 

Lance: Compound looks clear.

Kandice: I've found his SUV, but there's no sign of him.

Lance: Keep watching.

 

Her location to watch was the gravel mine while he watched the mayor's house. There was a lower ditch on the roadside that her car could slide into without getting stuck. With the lack of moon, it was out of sight from passersby. The metal warehouse was 250 yards away from her—with binoculars, everything in front of the building became visible.

There were at least twelve cars in view, and maybe more behind the building. The mayor's SUV sat in the front, next to a second identical one. It was the vehicle from the first night Lance took her on surveillance at the mayor's house.

Two men wearing suits came around the corner from behind the building. Kandice could make out the rifles hanging at their hips because they kept their hands resting on them. When they turned the corner on the far right of the building, Kandice lost them to the harsh shadows cast by the front flood lights.

 

Kandice: They've got at least two guards. Maybe more inside.

I'll never get past everyone.

There's at least twelve or more people inside. No idea how many Aether Walkers.

Lance: Hold tight.

Just keep an eye on them.

Take photos of those you can so we can try to identify them. If you notice any new Aether Walkers, take notes of what they look like.

I've probably seen them before. If not, I'm sure Slava has.

 

Kandice clicked off her phone before finishing her next text. A new SUV was pulling into the mine. It was less than 30 yards away. She dropped behind the hill of dirt before the headlights caught her and listened as the sound of the tires got further away.

When she couldn't hear the SUV moving anymore, she popped her head up. It had parked with the rest of the vehicles. Four men wearing suits were getting out, pulling two women with them. The women wore cocktail dresses as if they were heading to a dinner party. Kandice used her phone to take a picture, but it couldn't zoom in far enough to get a detailed photo of their faces.

The men had to hold the women at the front door until the patrol came back around and let them in. The women were flailing their legs, but the men holding them didn't seem to notice, or care.

 

Kandice: They just brought in two women they kidnapped.

Lance: They're probably for a human sacrifice.

Kandice: I've got to do something. I can't let them kill those women.

 

There had to be a way to save them. It would be impossible to stand by and do nothing. It would eat at her for weeks, knowing they'd be alive had she done something.

 

Lance: Don't do anything!

Anything! They're extremely dangerous!

If there's more than two other Aether Walkers in there with the mayor, it will be too much for you to take on by yourself.

 

He was right, but knowing there were two women about to die did not sit well. She leaned over and almost puked, but it was only dry heaves. Her stomach was in knots.

Lance: I'm inside his house. There was a chimney on the roof. It was tight, but I got in fine.

No motion detectors in this room.

Windows are clean, too.

I found us a way in. Just have to take care of the rest of the house.

Kandice: We need to talk to Blake. I think he'll be able to get the security system offline.

Lance: I'm going to find a way out of here without going through the chimney. I don't know if I could climb out.

Kandice: Let me know when you make it out. I'll keep an eye out here.

 

Cars zoomed by every couple of minutes on the highway close to where Kandice crouched. Like clockwork, the guards outside made their round about every six minutes. They were the only two guards outside, but there had to be more inside.

* * *

AFTER THREE HOURS OF STAKING out the building, everyone came out. Lance had gotten out of the mayor's house and made it back to his own. He texted her to stay put, and out of sight.

Aether Walkers—and men dressed in suits—poured out of the building in droves. There were thirty or more people. It was next to impossible to note all the Aether Walkers at the speed they made it to their vehicles.

Leave it to Aether Walkers to believe in carpooling.

She dropped behind the dirt mound again as the cars and SUVs pulled out of the mine. When there was no more sound, Kandice popped her head up to verify it was all clear for her to leave. The mayor's SUVs were still there, and at that moment the guards who had been walking the perimeter came out of the building carrying a large black bag.

They opened the back of the SUV and threw the bag into it.

A couple minutes later, they brought out a second bag. They had to be body bags, most likely filled with the women they dragged in. Her stomach tightened up again.

 

Kandice: I have an opening!

Lance: No! You can't take him alone. Just wait.

 

Kandice watched as the mayor walked out with a woman beside him. It was the same female who had been at the mayor's compound. Her dress was fire-red. Kandice couldn't help but stare at her through her phone.

Kandice pulled out a seal. It was impossible for her to take them on alone, but the urge to rip him apart, limb from limb was strong.

 

Lance: Kandice, don't attack!

Kandice: Ok! We've got to get this fucker though.

Lance: We will!

 

Kandice hid again until the mayor's SUVs left, then drove back to Lance's to discuss the night and go over each other's notes. Her mind was on autopilot from the night's events, but she made the whole drive without speeding.

Lance and her argued from the moment she got there. First, about what had happened to the girls that went inside. Then, about when they should attack the mayor.

Kandice's blood boiled—something needed to die. Lance, an Aether Walker, it didn't matter. The rage took over her entire body. Slava stepped between them as the voice of reason. They apologized, and Slava pointed out that clearer heads would prevail in the morning, after a good night's sleep.