Chapter 15 - Brad
Heading back towards Eccles, I feel exhausted in a way I never have before. It’s bone-deep, physical as well as mental. Worse than anything I’ve ever experienced, even on tough missions.
Never had an ancient, unnamed entity stalking me and my loved ones, that’s for damn sure.
It doesn’t help that the science guys have no new information on Anomaly Eight.
They have geologists, archaeologists, sorcerers, wizards, and even some experts on old religions out at the rock, but no one can get a clue on our snake.
Our military units patrol through the mountains where the heat signature is most often, but the commanders have ordered that no one move into range of the thing in case it incinerates them where they stand.
This meeting with Rex and the other boys shook me quite a bit, because I had to hold in my thoughts on Alisha’s dream.
I grip the steering wheel a bit tighter and clench my teeth as I push the truck a bit faster along the old dirt track.
It was just a dream. They don’t need to know about it.
I’m kidding myself, and I know it. Alisha definitely dreamed about the snake—I’m sure of it. Cross-examining our own feelings is a vital skill for black ops work, and I can’t hide this fact from myself.
Even if I’m wrong, I have to consider the worst-case scenario, and that is that Alisha is somehow connected to this.
I let my mind flick away from the uncomfortable thoughts and go back over the meeting itself. The most important thing here is to focus on facts and our strategy.
Except we don’t have those, either.
I let out a groan of pain as I wipe my brow with the back of my hand. The sun is past noon, dropping towards the horizon, and blazing hot. There isn’t a cloud in the sky, and none of the surrounding shadows are long enough to bring relief.
I must have sweated out half my body weight today!
The meeting was held in one of the smaller military tents outside Rose Hollow and conducted by Commander Manning, an older Shadow who works directly under Sloan. His accommodations away from the main command center were nowhere near as comfortable as hers.
Manning had called us all in to get an understanding of what both packs were doing in response to the anomaly and the military presence. When we explained, they had pretty much forgotten about both; he didn’t accept the answers.
The way he kept pushing, it was like he knew something we didn’t.
The idea adds to my discomfort. If any of the townsfolk are harboring information that could help us, then we have traitors in our midst who are endangering innocent lives.
And potentially harnessing that fucking deity for their own ends.
Even though Manning grilled us for a while, especially me and Rex, he seemed satisfied that we didn’t have any new information.
He made it clear that he wanted us to discreetly investigate everyone in town, asking the right questions and paying attention to where people go, especially if they frequent areas out of town.
This gave me the opportunity to ask for more patrols, which Manning happily agreed to. I’ve been insistent upon keeping a tight border control from the beginning, but even more so now that I have Alisha to protect.
We can’t do any more than what we have, at least for now. So why do I feel like we’ve left ourselves wide open?
The nagging feeling that I’ve completely forgotten about something nibbles at my thoughts, leaving an edge of jitters against the soft exhaustion of my mind. I close my eyes and blink hard, adjusting the sun visor again as I try to keep the bright light out of my face.
I’ll be home soon, and that’s all that matters.
The thought of Alisha rushes over me like a cool, refreshing cloud. Instantly, my body feels rejuvenated, and my mind clears. I can’t wait to get home to her, just to hold her in my arms and feel her close to me.
When I had to leave her, I became such a fucking jerk. I snapped at everyone, all the time, especially my buddies. I felt like there was no joy left in the world. Now I know, so long as she’s in my life, everything will be okay.
The town limits come into view, and my heart soars. I truly can’t remember a time in my life when I was this happy.
There is still so much to tell her. I haven’t been honest, and I feel like absolute shit for it, but I’ll make it up to her, and she’ll understand why I had to do things this way.
It doesn’t take long to drive through Eccles out to the cottage, and by the time I reach the house, my exhaustion has almost vanished. I can’t wait to see her bright, violet eyes and the way she smiles when she says my name.
“Alisha!” I call, opening the door. My heart beats harder in my chest as excitement rises in me, making me feel like I’m perched right on the edge of a massive cliff.
I wait to hear her footsteps, but I hear nothing, not even the faint sounds of someone moving around elsewhere in the house. Tilting my nose up, I search for her scent, but the sweet-edged aroma is hanging in the air everywhere I go—it’s impossible to tell if she’s actually here or not.
But where would she go?
The idea fills me with panic. First, I run to the kitchen, spinning around to check every corner and not believing my own eyes when I don’t see her. I take off down the opposite hall and head for the stairs, charging towards the bathroom.
She’s here. She’s just soaking in the bath or something, and didn’t hear me call.
I knock softly on the bathroom door, opening it just a crack. I’m so sure that she’s in there that for a moment, I don’t realize the tub is actually empty.
I blink at the deserted bathroom for a few seconds before I run back down the hall to check the bedroom. When I see that it’s empty, too, I return to the living room where her scent is the strongest.
Alisha and Scarlett. And they were both here not long ago.
I tilt my nose up and take very slow breaths, examining the air. There isn’t the slightest trace of blood or any sign of violence in the house. It’s exactly as I left it this morning.
There are two bags of clothes on the floor with Scarlett’s scent on them. I rummage through the bags, but I don’t find any clue about where they might have gone. Relieved to have even this one clue, I pull out my phone and call Scarlett.
“Hey, Brad,” she answers. “What’s up?”
“Is Alisha with you?”
“No, sorry. She’s not at home?”
“No. I found the clothes, and I thought maybe you two went somewhere.”
“She wasn’t really feeling well. I don’t think she would have gone out anywhere.”
“What do you mean? Was she sick?”
“I don’t know, Brad. She says she was just run down. I don’t know what to tell you, but I left her on the couch with a blanket and a plate of cookies.”
“How long since you were here?”
“I don’t know…a few hours, maybe. I drove home and went straight to get Jarrod from school.”
Fuck!
“So, you have absolutely no idea where she’s gone?”
“No, none,” Scarlett answers. “Although…”
“What?” I snap. “Tell me!”
“We had a really good talk,” Scarlett says thoughtfully. “I got on great with her. But there was this moment when I mentioned Wolf’s Shadow—”
“You told her about Wolf’s Shadow?” I demand.
“Yeah. She went really quiet and pale. I assumed it was just her stomach acting up.”
“What else did you tell her?”
“Just that it must have been hard for you to leave her all those years ago, but you would have had a very good reason. Rex made it up to me, so I’m sure you can make it up to her as well.”
“Uh-huh,” I mutter, feeling numb.
“I’m really sorry if I said the wrong thing,” Scarlett says. “But honestly, Brad, I assumed she knew everything. She’s your mate, isn’t she?’
“No. I mean, yes. I mean—fuck!”
“Do you need some help?”
“I’ll call you back, okay? For now, just keep your eyes open. There’s no sign of a break in here. She might have gone for a walk.”
Fat chance!
“Okay, call me back if you need me.”
“Sure thing,” I say, hanging up.
Straight away, I call Alisha on the new number we just got for her. It goes straight to voicemail, and my guts twist as if they’re being wrung out by giant, extremely hard hands.
The strength goes out of me, and I stagger to the couch, sitting down and putting my head in my hands. My emotions rage through my body, my earlier exhaustion forgotten in the face of my fear.
I know exactly what conclusions she would have drawn from Scarlett’s words. Alisha must be so hurt and confused right now.
More than any thought of what this means for me, I’m concerned for the woman I love, and how betrayed and used she must feel right now.
I can’t believe I let this happen! I have to find her and explain!
Miserably, I admit to myself that if she decided to leave me, even after hearing the truth, I wouldn’t blame her.
I take a few deep breaths, trying to clear my thoughts and calm my body. Alisha is in so much danger right now—from the snake, her ex, and God knows what else in this town—and she’s walking around unprotected because of me.
The most important thing is that she doesn’t try to leave town.
I wake my phone again and tap on Luke’s number. He answers right away.
“Are you on patrols tonight?” I say in greeting.
“Good afternoon to you, too,” Luke says wryly.
“Don’t fuck me around. Alisha’s missing.”
“Whoa, actually missing?”
“Well,” I answer. “Not at home. I’m not sure yet.”
“Fair enough. Do you want us to keep an eye out?”
“Yes, please. Tighten the net on the edges of town, don’t let anyone leave. If you find her, keep her with you and hold her until I get there.”
“Do you mean arrest her?” Luke asks, sounding shocked.
“Look,” I sigh. “I don’t want it to come to that. But you can’t let her leave town. The surrounding area is too dangerous.”
“Copy that. The snake could burn up anyone just wandering around out there.”
“Not just that. She might have someone looking for her.”
“A dangerous person?”
“You don’t know the half of it.”
“Okay.” Luke lets out a short whistle. “I hear you loud and clear. Lock down the town and apprehend the young lady, and hold her until you arrive.”
“Thank you, Luke. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem. I know you’d do the same for me.”
“Absolutely, yes,” I answer.
We both end the call. I rub my temples a little as I try to get my thoughts back on track. I know I can track her, and with my boys on the town limits, she won’t get far, even if she is running.
And if she wants to leave me…I’ll accept that. But not without telling my side of the story first.