13. Jet
Jet
“I remember him because he was wearing so much cologne, I nearly choked,” the clerk told me.
Ah. So that was Elliott’s plan to ward off alphas. I could only hope it worked.
What was he thinking running off like this?
I could only image that a kind and loving person like Elliott was only thinking of his friends’ futures and not of himself.
I hurried back to the car and drove as fast as I dared to Adams, hoping I’d find Elliott still at the bus station, waiting for dawn to make the call.
When I arrived there, the place was practically deserted, as no buses ran between the hours of midnight and six a.m. I searched the place thoroughly, even going so far as to have a female employee check the women’s restroom for me, thinking Elliott might have slipped in and locked himself in a stall for the night to feel safe. But no such luck.
Frustrated and more concerned than ever, I returned to the car, wishing it was mine and not Nova’s so I could vent my frustration by kicking a dent into the side of it.
Slipping behind the wheel, I leaned my forehead against the steering wheel and closed my eyes.
I hadn’t slept well the night before and was so damned tired I couldn’t think straight.
In this condition, it was easy to allow my disappointment over not having intercepted Elliott weigh me down.
Think, Jet. Think.
What had Elliott done when he stepped off the bus in Adams?
It was late at night. He didn’t have a cell phone.
He obviously didn’t wait around to make the call in the morning when the local ORCRO opened.
Perhaps he anticipated being followed and left for another public spot.
Judging from the time of Elliott’s bus’s departure, I estimated that I was approximately three hours behind him.
Did Elliott even manage to get off the bus without being noticed by an alpha?
As I thought of another alpha picking up Elliott’s scent and accosting him, my vision went white and I clutched the steering wheel in my hands, only to come to myself moments later, breathing hard, rage still simmering in my chest and my hands hurting.
Where the fuck did that reaction come from?
I cared for Elliott. He was young, impressionable, and messed up from seeing his sire murdered and then being kidnapped and abused. And, yeah. He reminded me of Clayton.
I’d been lying to myself saying that the reason for my extreme feelings for Elliott had to do with my brother.
Elliott did not feel like a little brother to me.
Yes, Elliott was small and cute like Clayton.
Yes, they were both unregistered omegas.
But other than the occasional expression, that’s where the similarities ended.
I didn’t have time to think about it. Sitting up, I started the car and began driving, looking for a place within walking distance where Elliott might have gone to wait until morning.
I checked a couple of all-night laundromats with no luck and looked in a few alleys.
The sun was coming up. After driving a little longer, I turned the car around and went in the other direction.
I noticed a mall, but it was closed. A little farther on I saw a twenty-four-hour gas station/convenience store and stopped in there, thinking it was a perfect place for Elliott to do what he’d planned, but I didn’t see him anywhere and, when I showed the picture of him that Laura sent me to the cashier, she said she hadn’t seen him.
My watch said nine-fifteen. The mall would be open by now, so, tossing my trash, I got into the car and returned there.
I entered the two-story building from a department store, wondering how in the hell I would find Elliott in such a big place that was already filling with people.
I could waste hours looking when he might not be there at all.
Or he might, and I’d never run into him.
Sitting down on a bench, I called Laura to let her know what was going on.
“Have you found him?” she asked without preamble.
“No. I traced him to Adams, but I’ve lost his trail. I’m afraid that by now he’s already turned himself in. There’s an ORCRO office here. It wouldn’t take them long to pick him up.”
“Shit.” Laura sounded exhausted. “What do we do?”
“I’m going to fly to Capital City. Is it okay if I leave the Range Rover in the airport’s long-term parking?”
“Of course. Jet, do you really want to do this? I’m terrified for Elliott, but you’re really going above and beyond. This is dangerous. I doubt Kris and Jermaine would approve.”
“Don’t tell them. I’m not doing this for the SOS, I’m doing it for myself and for Elliott. I’ll get him out of there, Laura. I promise.”
“Good luck. We’re all rooting for you.
When I hung up, I opened an app to find a flight.