by Morgan Wylie
Enock stood still with his arms crossed over his chest, looking around the room. The rest of the team waited quietly for their orders. Rylen looked straight ahead at the room he sent Lucius in. It was a soundproofed room, but every now and again he could hear muted screams. Lucius would get whatever answer they were hiding, if they even had any. Rylen didn’t condone torture for the sake of pain, but if there were critical answers he needed, then he would do what was necessary or have someone else do it. He honestly wouldn’t be surprised at this point if Fairfax simply sent some of their people in to die for no good reason… unless there was a good reason.
“Text Vi, get the portal ready.” Rylen began pacing back and forth in a short space, clearly agitated by something unseen. Enock picked up his phone and texted Vi.
Just then Mather stormed back into the room and gave Rylen the “round it up” signal with his index finger in the air. For the benefit of those in the room, he said out loud, “Boss, we have a situation back home. They need us back there ASAP.”
“You heard him, round up,” Rylen instructed his team. They began to move out the doorway into the dark hall. Rylen turned to one of Michelson’s goons, “Could you please inform your boss that we will need to depart?”
One of the guards knocked on the door to the interrogation. The door cracked open and Michelson’s second in command stuck his head out to hear from the guard. The door shut for a moment, then opened again. Michelson came out the door with a white towel that was quickly becoming red as he wiped his hands on it. He casually walked out as if he had just been on a business call as opposed to whatever form of torture he had just been conducting. There was no love lost between Rylen and Michelson—their past was filled with unfortunate encounters. Michelson was a sick son of a bitch and Rylen wanted nothing more than to take him out himself, but now was not the time.
“Leaving so soon, Rylen? I had hoped we could catch up.” He struggled with the towel on part of his hand, then looked up. “Thank you for coming. As you can see your assistance was not necessary, but it’s good to know who our friends are in times of crisis. Is it not?”
Rylen stared at Michelson for a moment. “Indeed, it is. We hope it goes both ways. I apologize for the interruption,” Rylen indicated toward the door, closed once again. Enock stepped up beside him unable to not inhale deeply the thick, coppery scent that flooded the room. Blood.
“If he is helpful to you, you could keep Lucius a bit longer. He could catch up with us when you’re finished,” Rylen offered.
“That is kind indeed, but we are finished. I think we got all that we could out of them,” he paused then chuckled under his breath. “Well, it doesn’t really matter we won’t be able to get anything more from them now anyway.”
Lucius walked out of the room with a dark look veiling his expression. He had blood splattered on his face, up into the white sides of his hair, and also up and down his arms. Rylen could only assume it was all over him, but it didn’t show on his black clothes. Lucius took a white towel and wiped it down the front of him, quickly saturating it to a deep crimson. He threw the towel to the ground then grabbed the hem of his T-shirt and ripped it from the bottom up. He threw it onto the ground as well. Luc stalked toward Rylen then right passed him and out into the hallway to get the hell out.
“Until next time, Rylen,” Michelson sneered.
“Until then, Michelson,” Rylen returned. He walked casually out the door with Enock at his side, the last of their team to exit. Once in the hall, their steps quickened until they were back at the brick wall that they had come through.
“Is it coded like it was on the outside?” Mai asked as she examined it.
Lucius walked up to the brick wall and, not even stopping, walked right through it. The rest followed until they were all outside the Vegas headquarters and back into the dark alley of Las Vegas. Outside, Lucius took a deep cleansing breath.
Rylen came up alongside him, “I know you need to fly, but something happened. We have to talk to Mather and get home now.”
Lucius wore the darkness that surrounded him well, but it also strung him real tight after an event such as that had been. He nodded. “He told me.”
“I know you all want to know what’s going on. First we get through the portal…” Rylen turned to Enock, “Where’s the damn portal? Get Vi on it now!”
“The dumbshits who stormed into Vegas’ turf didn’t know a god-damned thing. They were instructed it was an easy mark to grab some magic users. That was all,” Lucius flexed his fingers repeatedly as he spat the words to Rylen.
“She’s almost got it, Boss,” Enock called, looking up from his phone.
“We’ll talk as soon as we are in our Lair. Not here.” Rylen looked like he was about to explode, the tension was rolling off him in waves that threatened to bowl over everyone in his way. He paced and his hands alternated in clenching and stretching. “Where is it, E? I want that god damned portal!”
“There!” Enock shouted as he pointed to the opposite wall they had entered originally. He jogged to where the concrete wall of the hotel shielding the alley began to shimmer. “Everybody in!”
Rylen strode through followed quickly by Lucius and Mather then the rest of the team, ending with Enock. “Close it, Vi,” Enock ordered.
“Don’t shut down yet, Vi. I need to know what’s going on. We might still need it.” Rylen turned on Mather, “Report.”
“Gracie had a vision. It could be bad.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“Someone get Gracie. Everyone else go to the Throne room and wait for instructions,” Rylen shouted.
“I’m here, Rylen,” Gracie’s tired and hoarse feminine voice called from the back of the large entry just outside the Door room. Accompanying her was Lola. People scattered, leaving only Rylen and his close team in the room.
“Gracie, what did you see?” Rylen prodded when she didn’t offer right away.
“The Fairfax Alliance. They’ve been moving those they still have captive. I can’t see where, but a lot of them are in pretty bad shape.” She paused when her body began to tremor. Mather moved toward her, but then stopped.
Rylen glanced at him quickly before he asked, “Poppy? Do you see her?”
She shook her head. “Not clearly. I saw her with Alana, but then…” Gracie inhaled a stuttering breath. “I saw Alana help her get out, but then she falls.”
“Who?” both Rylen and Mather asked.
“Alana.”
Rylen paced back and forth in a tight space. “Can you see where they are? How we can find them? Are they at the compound we were at before?”
“I… I’m not sure. I can’t see it, but there’s a lot of concrete like that place and there’s a forest in the background.” Gracie began to cry out of frustration. Her lack of information could be the death of someone.
“Okay, Gracie, it’s okay. We just have to figure this out.” Rylen paused. “You said she fell. Could you see where she fell? Can you put yourself back in the vision and try to look around instead of watching what happens?”
“I’ll try Rylen, but it was bad.”
“Don’t make her watch that again, Rylen.” Lucius pushed off the back wall where he stood in the dark corner. He still had no shirt and the dried blood over his chest and abs was terrifying. Of all of them, Gracie shouldn’t have to witness the kinds of evil they saw day to day.
Rylen turned back to Gracie, “If you can, it will help us find them.”
Gracie nodded. “I want to help, what good is this gift if I can’t actually help people with it.”
“I’ll try to help you with magic. Perhaps I can lend you some to focus.” Gracie nodded at Rylen’s suggestion. He put his hand on her shoulder and concentrated his magic to assist her.
She closed her eyes tightly, then a moment later she opened them seeing something that wasn’t actually in front of her. Her eyes began to change colors like they do when she gets visions, but this time was different. They didn’t spin.
It was as if she entered a partial state of her vision.
“Can you hear me, Gracie?” Rylen spoke with a calm his body wasn’t actually experiencing. For all he knew what she saw could’ve already happened. The idea of Poppy hurt or Alana falling made his chest constrict. Gracie nodded.
“Good. What are you seeing?” Rylen asked gently. Everyone in the room was silent, waiting to hear what she’d say.
“I see underground tunnels where the prisoners are being pushed somewhere. I see Poppy! She’s with Alana. Alana is getting her out of the cell she’s in. There’s a lot of concrete and dark rooms. I can’t see much, but it looks like Alana is pointing and telling her something. Then they separate. Maybe she tells her where to go?” Gracie took a deep breath and tried to stay relaxed.
“Good Gracie, what else? Can you keep following the vision?”
“This is where it changes. Alana is talking with an older man and one who looks vaguely familiar on what appears to be the roof of a building.”
“Can you widen your view? Are there any distinctive marks on the building? Skylines? Markers? Anything that would help us find her?” Rylen’s voice was soft, but there was an edge of panic to his tone.
“I’ll try.” A heavy moment of silence stretched the seconds into what felt like unsettling hours. “Ok! I see markings painted on the floor. There’s a raised platform with a big painted circle with the letter H in the middle.”
“Helicopter pad,” Enock acknowledged. Rylen nodded.
“Good. Anything else? See if you can look around you as if you are there with them.”
Gracie took a minute to experiment. Her eyelids fluttered, sweat beaded above her brow and lip, a trickle of blood snuck out of her nose.
“That’s enough, Rylen,” Lucius was suddenly behind Rylen but looking at Gracie with a pained expression on his face.
“No, no, I’m doing it. It’s working, just a little longer,” Gracie panted. Lola grabbed a tissue and wiped Gracie’s nose for her. She didn’t seem to notice. “There’s a flag on the building and other buildings are close by. Lots of windows, all very dark, some are broken. Smaller brick buildings. Letters.” Her voice strained with determination as it got weaker. “There are letters.”
“Can you read them?” Mather asked now kneeling by her side where she sat on the couch.
“F…L…O…U…” She was squinting as if she was there reading it.
“Flour?” Rylen asked. “One of the old flour factories?” Rylen looked around the room to see if anyone else could think of a building that had that on the side of a building in big letters. “And somebody get Doc, she might need him when she’s done.” Mai ran to the intercom to call for Doc.
“I saw a building like that when I flew over the industrial area that first day,” Lucius mentioned.
“Okay. Good Gracie, real good. You can rest now,” Rylen said gently as he stood. Rylen moved to the intercom system on the wall and announced, “Everyone gather whatever weapons you have and be ready to leave as soon as possible.” The team with him started to scatter. Lucius stood unmoving just beyond Rylen, staring unflinchingly at Gracie until Doc came running through the door. Gracie reached out her hand to grab Rylen’s as he was walking by her. “Doc’s here Gracie, he’ll get you taken care of.” But Rylen misunderstood her intentions.
“Rylen? You’re going to be faced with someone from your past you didn’t think was possible.” Gracie blinked rapidly. Rylen cocked his head wishing he knew what she meant when she spoke cryptically. About to ask her if she knew who she was referring to, Gracie leaned her head back as Doc applied a rag to stop the blood as it dripped more profusely from her nose. “Get to her fast, Rylen,” Gracie mumbled.
“What if I don’t…?” Rylen’s voice trailed off not wanting to say the words that were in his mind now chasing out all other thoughts.
Gracie swallowed. “You have to,” she said as best she could with Doc taking care of her. A lone tear slipped out of her eye and traveled down her cheek, pooling in her ear.
Rylen’s throat tightened and his chest constricted at the thought of Alana no longer being in the world, no longer being there to potentially be in his life. He had plans for her. He had magic to teach her. He needed… A growl erupted form his chest. “No.” He was resolved in his determination. “I have to get there in time.” Rylen turned and stormed out of the room, heading back to where Vi was holding open the portal awaiting instruction for a different location. He didn’t look at anyone as he passed or speak to even his second in command, Enock, who kept pace with him. Tense did not even come close to describing his shoulder set or his expression. This was the side of Rylen that many did not see and did not want to see. This was the side of him that earned him his current role as leader of the Pacific Northwest vein of the network, put there by the Black Widow herself.
Once everyone had gathered in the outer corridor of the Door room, Rylen instructed Vi to redirect the portal to take them back to the compound near the forest where they had been before. Vi was practically vibrating with the amount of energy she had used to open and close the portals three times already. She was no weakling, but the portals did require a certain amount of energy and she had not had time to replenish hers in between openings.
“Okay, listen up,” Rylen shouted over all those who had gathered. “I want everyone to go with Mather. Find Poppy, find the prisoners, and get them back here. I want everyone out of there now!” Rylen pointed at Lucius, “Luc, you’re with me.” Lucius nodded his head in submission to his leader’s command. “Lola, Lacy, Tom, Benson and Steve stay with Gracie and Doc. No one gets in the Lair, but the team. Understood?” Rylen asked looking directly at the men he was leaving as additional guard. Lola would be pissed if she thought he didn’t think she could protect the Lair and Gracie, but he didn’t want to take any chances.
“Team one, move out!” Rylen ushered the group through the portal as quickly as possible. They were all armed and geared up for whatever they might encounter along the way. Rylen had no doubts there would be casualties this time around, but he prayed to whatever god would listen that they weren’t his team. Once all the members were through, Rylen spoke to Vi.
“You’re doing well, Vi. I need you to do one more. I’ll help you, but I need you to redirect just a bit further south.”
Vi nodded and took a deep breath, calming her energy as she exhaled and redirected the portal exit location. Rylen didn’t know how she did it exactly, but he knew enough to know how to assist her with the help of his magic. He stood behind her and placed both hands on her shoulders then pushed his magic into her arms.
“Wow,” Vi whispered, feeling the surge of Rylen’s power uniting with her own. “Okay, I got it. If it wasn’t to get Poppy back, I’d give you hell for the sweat that is now gracing my skin.” She gave him a small smile.
“Good girl,” Rylen said as he stepped away from Vi. “Let’s go, Luc.” Lucius stalked forward and didn’t even stop before he walked straight into and through the shimmering veil of magic that would open him somewhere near the factory. Rylen went to follow, but Lola grabbed his arm right before he stepped forward.
“Please be careful, Rylen,” she pleaded with big wide eyes.
“I’m always careful, aren’t I?” he asked with a twinkle in his eyes to lighten the mood.
“Something bad could happen. Save her, but make sure you come home too, all right?” Lola demanded.
Rylen cupped her cheek into one of his large masculine hands. “I promise I will do everything in my power to both save Alana and bring her home with me.” It was the best he could offer. He didn’t know what would happen, but dammit, he planned on keeping Alana from that terrible fate even if he had to take her place. It wouldn’t be the first time he died this week. He wasn’t sure how many lives he would be granted, but he planned on pushing every limit he had. Rylen leaned forward and kissed Lola on the forehead, then swiftly stepped into the portal. With his luck, if he left Lucius waiting too long, he
would swoop in and save the day without him, taking all the credit. His smile mixed with a sneer; he couldn’t let that happen.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Dusk was creeping in, swallowing what was left of the day, as Rylen and Lucius stepped out of the portal, straight into the heart of the industrial district filled with old factories and abandoned buildings. The fading light of the Seattle sunset reflected on what remnants of glass were left in the many windows of the various buildings, leaving Rylen blinded to certain directions.
“Find the building with the word Flour on it,” he instructed Lucius, looking around from every angle he could.
“She said it had a helicopter pad so,” he pointed to a few of the buildings, “one of the taller ones.”
“Right. Good.” Rylen clenched his fists. He was ready for a fight, but at what cost he couldn’t presume to know. They moved forward cautiously to shelter themselves in the shadows of the buildings. With night falling, it made sneaking about and hiding much easier. Quickly, once in the shade of the building, they prowled toward the taller buildings near the center of the area.
“It’s eerie how quiet it is here. I wonder how much time we have until Gracie’s vision happens,” Rylen mumbled as his eyes roamed over every square inch he could take in. Lucius nodded his head with a scowl upon his head.
“Is she worth it?” Lucius asked out of the blue.
Rylen stopped and turned to face his friend, his brother, of many years. He wouldn’t give him a flippant answer, Luc deserved more than that from him. Lucius looked Rylen directly in his eyes, waiting for his response. Under pressure, Rylen ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the top and sighed.
