“Adne?” Logan blurted, then hurried to cover his outburst. “Forgive me, but . . .”
Bosque tilted his head, gauging Logan’s reaction. “Yes?”
Taking a deep breath, Logan said, “I can’t think of anyone who has more reason to hate me.”
“I find it hard to believe your charming nature didn’t win her over,” Bosque said smoothly.
Logan took the insult with chagrin.
“Her feelings toward you are irrelevant,” Bosque continued. “She has the power required to bring me into this world. It is Ariadne you need and Ariadne alone.”
When Logan continued to sulk in silence, Bosque said, “Are you so blind that you can’t see I’ve already given you what you need to win this girl?”
Logan looked at Bosque and frowned.
“You so easily came to the right conclusion in the case of Sarah Doran, yet you stumble blindly around the matter of this girl.” Obviously irked, Bosque spoke in a curt tone. “Ariadne hates you because what she loved was taken from her. Give it back.”
Logan almost laughed. God, I am a moron. “Renier.”
This time Bosque’s smile was indulgent. “See about it. Don’t delay.”
“I won’t.” Logan glanced at Audrey’s lifeless body and didn’t quite manage to stifle his sigh.
“You’re worried about her brother?” Bosque seemed to pull the thought from Logan’s mind.
“Yes,” Logan admitted. “It could be a problem.”
It will be a problem. God only knows why, but Chase liked his sister.
“A solution will soon be at your door,” Bosque told Logan.
“Really?” Logan frowned. “How so?”
“You might not sound so eager when I’ve told you what it is,” Bosque said. “The Searchers. They’re coming for you.”
Alarm jolted through Logan’s body. “What?”
“Even now they’re nearing the house,” Bosque continued. “Go into town, get your friend, and flee. Blame the girl’s death on your enemy. Now go.”
Nodding mutely, Logan turned and ran.
IT WASN’T THE mission Connor had in mind. He’d envisioned coming back to Montauk with Ethan and Shiloh, snatching Logan, and getting the hell out of there. Quick, clean, done.
Three teams felt like overkill. Over-overkill.
Of course Holt had demanded a piece of the action for his Pyralis team. The newly composed Eydis team felt the necessity to prove themselves. Since the Haldis team had identified the target, they were obliged to lead the strike. Fortunately, Pascal had sense enough to insist that Tordis didn’t need to be an act in this circus.
Connor grudgingly admitted that the benefit of having three teams on the mission was that they were able to surround the house while his team went in, greatly decreasing the chances of any of the Keepers giving them the slip. And they were after all three Keepers, since Holt had spent a good fifteen minutes berating the rest of the group about the dangers in leaving Logan’s “accomplices” behind.
Holt had a point, but Connor had trouble putting the two socialites he’d observed in the same class as Logan. Before today, the other young Keepers hadn’t been so much as a blip on the Searchers’ radar. They were the vein of Keepers that didn’t have run-ins with Searchers. They enjoyed the wealth and power bestowed by their fealty to Bosque Mar, but that was about as far as it went.
By the time the new mission had been settled on, Connor was kicking himself for not having just strolled up to the house and dragged Logan out of it. Instead it was three hours later and Connor was watching Mikaela weave a door to Montauk for the second time that night.
At least this door was closer. Connor stepped through the portal and onto the snow-covered lawn.
Sensing Ethan and Shiloh at his flank, Connor said, “Let’s go.”
Mikaela closed the door behind them. This time she would remain in the safe confines of the Academy. They only needed one Weaver to get back and it had been decided that a more experienced Searcher was better suited to that task.
The trio moved quietly and swiftly up the stairs and onto the terrace. The lights were on inside the house, but the living room was empty. With Shiloh and Ethan covering him, Connor went to the door and was surprised to find it unlocked. He waved for the other Strikers to follow him inside.
Though Connor didn’t see anyone, the house had signs of being recently occupied. Unfinished cocktails sat on the coffee table. Music filtered through speakers surrounding the room.
It’s the middle of the night, Connor told himself to counteract the sinking feeling in his stomach. They’re in bed.
Signaling Ethan and Shiloh to secure the main floor, Connor made his way up the stairs. He searched the master suite and two bedrooms, finding them all empty.
He’s gone. Damn it all. He’s really gone.
Deflated, Connor headed back downstairs.
Ethan was waiting in the living room. “Anything?”
“No,” Connor answered. “They’re not here.”
“We should search the grounds,” Ethan said. “I sent Shiloh to call in the other teams.”
Evidence of Ethan’s words arrived in the unpleasant form of Holt.
“What do you mean they’re not here?” Holt stormed into the living room. “I thought you had good intelligence about this place.”
“We did.” Connor checked his temper. He didn’t want to give Holt the chance to place the blame on Anika.
“Then can you explain why three Keepers would up and leave their house at two in the morning?” Holt had the sort of face that became tomato red when he was upset. From the current shade of Holt’s cheeks, Connor discerned that he was very, very upset.
“Holt!” One of the Pyralis Strikers came running into the room. “We found something.”
“Show me.” Holt grabbed the Striker by the elbow and was out the door immediately.
Ethan half groaned. “We better follow him.”
Connor nodded and they went out into the night.
A group of Searchers, and it appeared to be most of the teams, had gathered on the beach.
“Do you think they’re having a clambake?” Connor joked, but he couldn’t shake the bad feeling that rattled his bones.
“No threat?” Holt had apparently seen whatever there was to see and now pushed his way through Searchers to confront Connor and Ethan. “All Keepers are monsters.”