Search Party
Chapter twenty-nine
Alex
Jake is missing. I’ve searched this hotel top to bottom, and he’s nowhere to be found.
With Seth unaccounted for as well, I’m really starting to freak out.
Think, think, think, where could they be?
This property sits on twenty acres of land, that’s a lot of ground to cover and I’m not familiar with all of it.
Brandon is outside with the delivery guy, unloading the last few plants.
I run up to him, frantic. “Brandon! I need your help finding Jake. He’s not here, do you have any ideas?
What if he was kidnapped? Oh my god, do we have security cameras out here?
Can ghosts show up on cameras?” I’m trying to calm my racing thoughts but clearly failing by the look the delivery guy is giving me.
He pulls out an invoice, saying, “Uh, if you could please sign this.” He holds it out to Brandon who quickly scribbles his signature.
“Thanks so much, bro,” he says and the delivery driver hops back into his truck with a wave.
Brandon turns to me. “Sorry little dude, can you run that by me again? Slowly?”
I huff but try to do as he says. “Jake is not here. Do we have working security cameras that might have captured what happened? Last time I saw him was earlier today, working in the garden.”
“Yeah, we can pull up the footage. We have working cameras covering every inch of this place. If someone took him, we’ll find the footage.” He slaps a hand on my shoulder. “I’m worried too, but we’ll find him, okay?”
“Thanks, Brandon.” We head inside and he pulls up the recordings on his computer.
I realize he has footage of the inside of the hotel as well.
I make a mental note to go through it later and look for any creepy footage I could put on the website.
That would be great for building our credibility as a haunted manor. But I push that thought aside for now.
“Right here, little dude.” We watch as someone pulls up in what appears to be a golf cart with the Keystone logo. “I didn’t know we had one of those, right on.” Brandon interjects. I look closer at the footage. Unfortunately, it’s a little grainy so it’s hard to make out who this is at first.
I realize quickly that I’m looking at Andrei as he walks up behind Jake and startles him. Puts his hands on him and finally hits him over the head to knock him out. Andrei catches Jake and with little effort throws his body over the back seat before driving off.
“That motherfucker, did you see that? He took Jake. Okay, where could he have gone? He’s a ghost, right?
Surely he doesn’t have enough energy to drive that golf cart too far.
I doubt he could leave the property. So, where do we look first?
This place is huge!” I grab a fistful of my hair and tug, trying to think of something, anything.
“Should we call the police?” I ask.
Brandon shakes his head. “You guys are all dead. How would that look to the police if you showed up on security footage? We can’t get the police involved in this, little bro.”
“What about the shed on the edge of the property? That could be where the golf cart came from. We could check there first. Are there any maps of this place? I know there's a warehouse next to it, but if there are any other buildings I haven't seen them.”
He shakes his head.
Fuck. "Okay, grab your keys. Let’s go check out the shed first.” Brandon jumps up and we hurry out the door. Hold on, Jake. I’m coming for you. If he’s not there, we’re screwed.
The drive to the shed takes forever. The road up the property is gravel, and the terrain uneven.
And it’s just so fucking far. Brandon is driving as fast as he reasonably can, and we’re bouncing around the cabin of his shitty little SUV.
One particularly deep pothole sends me flying upward, head connecting with the roof.
“Ow! I’m going to dematerialize until we get there. You’re a menace!” I yell.
Brandon looks over at me, “Sorry dude! Hold on to your butt, we’re almost there.
” I see the shed coming into view, but I don’t see a golf cart.
Before Brandon can put the SUV in park, I have the door open and I jump out, running for the shed door.
“Please be in here, Jake!” I beg no one in particular.
I swing the door open and look around the cramped space. Old tools line the walls, and cobwebs hang from the ceiling. Gross. A muffled cry makes me jump, and that’s when I see a body in the corner of the shed. Black hair and that stupid fucking silk robe that I've never been happier to see.
“Seth! Oh my god, you’re alive!” I run over and crouch in front of him. His hands are tied behind his back, and there is duct tape over his mouth. He looks up at me, tears in his eyes as I rip the tape off his mouth.
“Oh, thank god. Get me out of here before he comes back!” he says, sucking in a lungful of air. He tries to get up but can't with his hands secured behind his back.
“Here, turn around, let me free your hands,” I instruct. He turns and I look around for something sharp. Finding a small knife, I cut the rope, grabbing one of his hands in the process. He cries out, and I flinch.
“What’s wrong? Did I cut you?” I really hope I didn’t hurt him.
Voice shaky, he replies. “No, he broke my left hand. He wanted information about Jake, but I didn’t want to give it to him. You have to believe me, I swear I didn’t mean to!” He’s crying again now, and I grab his face and force him to look in my eyes.
“Seth, nothing that happened is your fault. None of it, okay? You’re safe now. We’ll find Jake and we’ll figure out a way to kill Andrei. Everything is going to be okay.”
“Burn his bones,” Seth says, eyes going distant. I shake him a little, needing him to stay with me.
"'What?" I ask.
"Burn his bones," he repeats. "That should get rid of him."
"Sasha mentioned burying him somewhere around here. I'll find a shovel, see if I can find them," Brandon says.
I want to scream in joy at his words. “Seth, you’re an absolute genius. Did he say anything about Jake, or drop any hints about where he might have taken him?”
Seth shakes his head. “I don’t think so, I just remember him saying that he wanted more space to play?
” He rubs his head. “That’s all I know. I’m sorry.
” I bet he’s at the warehouse. Andrei can’t possibly have gone far on a golf cart with an unconscious ghost in the back seat, who could wake up at any time.
“You’re a rockstar. Brandon, you stay with Seth. Find those bones and burn the shit out of them. Look for any spots in the dirt that look like they’ve been disturbed recently. Got it? I’m gonna take your car and get Jake. I’ll come straight back here.”
“10-4, little dude.” Brandon tosses me his keys and cautiously walks up to Seth, and I back up to give them some space.
I know I can’t comfort Seth like Brandon can.
“Hey, Seth. Are you okay?” Seth launches himself at Brandon, who catches him easily and wraps him up in a tight hug.
“You’re safe now, okay? I won’t let anyone hurt you again.
” Seth breaks down in his arms, and I head to the door.
Brandon looks over at me and gives me a small nod, which I return before heading out.
I run to the car and jump in the driver’s seat, making sure to fasten the seatbelt.
Safety first. I can’t save Jake if I have a concussion from the uneven terrain.
Focusing all my energy, I turn the car on and put the pedal to the metal as I head to the warehouse, praying he’s there.
He has to be. I try to keep my mind off of what could be happening to him as I speed down the road as fast as I can.
I hit a particularly deep pothole and the car jerks to the left, but I manage to stay on the road.
It has to be close. I silently berate myself for not knowing the layout of this property better.
I’ve been here before; I should be able to remember!
I scan the trees as I drive, trying to get an eye on the warehouse as I avoid more potholes.
I round a bend, and I see it. There’s a golf cart out front.
Yes! I’m coming Jake.
I pull up beside the golf cart and hop out of the car, not bothering to turn it off.
Making a mad dash for the door, I debate for a split second slashing the tires on the golf cart.
I don’t have any weapons on me though. Damn, why didn't I bring the knife with me? I don’t have time to think about how I’m going to take down Andrei, I just know I have to do whatever it takes to save Jake.