He slid past her, urging her farther back as he released the latch. The front room was lit, by all appearances empty, and he could see from his vantage point that the door to the bedroom was open as well. He took a step inside. “Brianna?”
When there was no answer, Aern slid the earpiece from his pocket, scanning the room for any sign of struggle. He’d been there hours ago; Brianna’s jacket was gone from its place on the chair. A half-eaten sandwich lay plated on the table. Emily moved behind him, pointing to an end table. To the dagger Brianna had been keeping in her boot.
Emily moved past him as Aern pressed the device in his ear, a crackle of sound preceding the answer from one of Logan’s men. “Daniels here.”
“Where are you?” Aern said, tone even.
There was a moment of hesitation before the voice came back through. “Sorry, boss. Locket’s orders.”
Aern pressed the bridge of his nose at the use of his and Brianna’s code names. It would mean they were on a mission. “Is she in trouble?” At his words, Emily froze halfway through the search of her sister’s bedroom, only able to hear one side of the conversation.
Another pause. “Negative for now, boss.” There was a pulse of radio static, the snap of popping gum. They were waiting. “Could be anything,” he added.
Could be anything. So they didn’t know. They were following Brianna’s orders. A vision, something that had kept her from telling Emily. “Thanks, Daniels. Please,” Aern said, grateful for the hint, “keep me posted.”
He could hear the smile in Daniels’ voice. “I’ll submit the request.” There was the click of metal, a jostled firearm, and the man added, “Over and out.”
Emily turned in the doorway, face ashen. “She isn’t hurt,” Aern promised. “She’s with Logan.” It was all he could say without telling her the rest, without saying that Brianna must have seen something that would put them in danger. That she’d asked them to keep it a secret. That she was facing it without them.
Chapter Ten
Brianna
Brianna stood in the center of a defunct manufacturing plant, trying to feel the right way to go. The broken windows and open skylights threw contrast into the space, a too-sharp juxtaposition reminiscent of monsters under the bed. It was a maze of corridors and machinery, every path leading into bright light and shadow, rusted metal and hard angles. “There,” she whispered, pointing out a massive door on the north wall. Logan stood behind her, his presence the only thing keeping her brave. He’d wanted to dissuade her, she could see that, but he wouldn’t argue with the prophet, wouldn’t stop her from fighting for what she believed in. And what argument did he have? She might not be able to swing much of a punch, but she was stronger than him. She was a shadow.
His hand grazed her waist as he stepped beside her, gesturing for his team to check out the opening she’d picked. They were silent as they rushed forward, noiseless silhouettes that only added to her unease. The vision had come suddenly, a brief flash of Brendan and this location. It was a location that she knew, a room she recognized from her own imprisonment. It was the room Morgan had held her in, where Logan and the others had rescued her such a short time ago. And it had come accompanied with the image of another room, the one they’d left Brendan in.
His team signaled the first space clear, and Logan moved forward. “Wait here.” She nodded, wishing the vision had given her better directions to find Brendan, fighting the memory of his face, the broken, lifeless look to his limbs.
Another figure moved through the darkness behind her, the soldier named Fox, she thought. Her eyes followed him as he crossed the room, and she searched for some recognizable feature, some clue as to where to turn.
Her gaze caught on an opening on the west wall. She hadn’t seen it in her vision, but something drew her closer, some barely perceptible pull.
Logan said, “Brianna,” in a low voice. She glanced at him, aware that he was right, that she should have been staying with her guard, but she kept moving, needing to look into the room behind the opening.
“Brianna,” Logan warned again, moving in her direction.