22. Sadie
Sadie
The music swells from the stage at High Tide Pavilion, and I feel the vibration of it through the soles of my shoes as Gia Golding's voice carries over the crowd in the opening notes of her set. The lights shift in colorful beams that sweep across the sea of people, turning faces into glowing masks of excitement. I’m still holding Jace's hand, his fingers laced tight through mine like an anchor in the middle of all this chaos.
The Hawthorne brothers have fanned out like they planned, disappearing into the thickening crowd while the music plays.
Crewe headed toward the left side near the food trucks.
Colt slipped into the middle section with that easy grin still on his face.
Banks and Mack moved toward the back near the oak tree where we had met.
Billy stayed close for a moment longer before blending into the night.
And Jace stayed right beside me, his hand never leaving mine as we started to weave through the people near the stage.
I’m trying to focus on the plan. Look for anyone who seems out of place.
Anyone watching too closely. Vanguard Helix is here, but it’s not like they’re holding up a sign that says…
‘Look at me.’ My heart races for more reasons than the danger.
It all feels so real. And now, with the music playing and the plan in motion, I want to believe we can actually pull this off.
Get his brothers back. Take down the people who’ve been hunting his family for years.
Give Billy a chance at a normal life. Give us a chance at something more than surviving the next few days.
Gia Golding pauses between songs, her voice warm and bright as she addresses the crowd.
"Thank you all for being here tonight under these beautiful summer stars. I have a special surprise for you. Please welcome to the stage my dear friend and fellow artist, Silver Langford. We’re going to sing together, just for you. "
The crowd erupts in cheers and applause, the sound rolling over me like a wave.
People press closer to the stage, the already thick crowd becoming even denser as everyone moves forward to get a better view.
The lights dim for a moment before flaring back up in soft blues and golds.
I feel Jace's hand tighten around mine as we try to stay together, but the press of bodies is overwhelming.
Someone bumps into my shoulder from behind, and I stumble slightly.
His grip slips for a split second, and then the crowd surges again as the first notes of the song start playing.
I lose his hand.
Panic flares sharp and sudden in my chest. I turn, trying to spot him in the sea of faces lit by the stage lights, but the music is loud now, Silver Langford's voice blending with Gia's in a harmony that fills the entire pavilion. People are singing along, swaying, and the movement makes it impossible to see more than a few feet in any direction. I call his name, but my voice is swallowed by the sound of the crowd and the music. My heart pounds harder. This wasn’t part of the plan. We’re supposed to stay together, to fan out but keep each other in sight.
The brothers are out there somewhere, searching for Vanguard Helix, and now I’m alone in the middle of all these people with no idea where Jace went.
I push forward, trying to move toward where I think he might’ve gone, but the crowd is like a living thing, pressing in from all sides.
Someone steps on my foot. Ow. Another person bumps my arm hard enough to make me drop the small clutch I was holding.
I bend to pick it up, and when I straighten the lights seem brighter, the music louder, and I can’t see Jace anywhere.
My breath comes faster. This isn’t the excitement of the concert anymore.
This is fear. Real fear. The kind that makes my skin prickle and my thoughts race with everything that could go wrong.
That’s when I spot him. The man from the beach. The man with the camera.
I try to turn around, but he gets closer and grabs me.
I cling to him as he covers my mouth with a cloth.
There’s a chemical smell stinging my nose.
I try to scream, but the sound dies in my throat before it can form.
My body goes heavy almost instantly, my legs buckling as strong arms catch me and pull me backward through the crowd.
I try to fight it, to kick or claw or do anything, but my limbs feel disconnected from my brain.
The music fades into a distant hum. The lights blur into streaks of color.
I catch one last glimpse of the stage where Gia and Silver are singing together, their voices beautiful and unaware of what’s happening a few rows back in the crowd.
Then everything goes dark.