Where Spirits Roam

Chapter Seventeen Act Now

“We have to act fast man, whatever happened here tonight, these recruits are in some serious danger,” Gray says into his cell phone pacing the area outside Ellsworth’s scope, his free hand rests on his hip. He pauses anxiously waiting to receive his next direction.

“Send me what you have and fall back,” Ryker orders.

The line goes dead Ryker ended the call.

Gray stands with his phone pressed to his ear, anger radiates from his body as it begins to shake. He slowly draws the phone away looking at the blank screen.

“What he say?” Dorian asks eyeing Gray curiously.

“To send him what we have and fall back,” Gray whispers coldly trying to come to terms with the command.

He’s been with Ryker’s crew for three years and he's one of the best incognito spies. This situation didn't call for them to fall back.

“So we're just supposed to leave teenage girls to fend for themselves against this psychopath?” Dorian growls his anger quickly rising to meet Gray’s.

“Sounds like it,” Gray grumbles while snapping a few more pictures and typing up his report for Ryker.

***

*ding*

All eyes fall on Ryker as he pulls his phone from his pocket and idly unlocks the screen.

His face is a mask of coolness and those that didn't know him would assume he was well in control of his emotions.

For Lily, she knew differently. The slight twitch of his jaw flexing was enough of a cue that things had just got worse.

“How bad is it?” Lily asks breaking the silence.

“Multiply anything we've ever seen before by 100,” Ryker says glancing up from his phone.

“Why did you tell our spies to fall back then?” Raven snaps launching herself at Ryker and snatching his phone from his hand.

Her eyes widen as she reads the message, eyes scanning over the attached photos.

“Gray- Upon arriving at the location the sounds of a fight were heard. Dorian and I, got close enough to witness Ellsworth's men incapacitating the recruits before hauling them back to the mansion.

They are using tranquilizer guns and have substantial security measures in place. The main entrance has two guard posts and there is eight-foot fencing surrounding the main grounds.”

Raven finishes reading the message aloud anger causing her voice to shake.

“How do you want to proceed Raven?” Clark questions standing and walking up to his boss and lover.

“Ryker was right, we have to fall back,” she whispers allowing Clark to wrap his arms around her.

“So we're just leaving them there?” Lily scoffs irritation evident in her voice.

“No,” Ryker cuts in. “We're falling back so we can get more surveillance and strategize a safe plan. If we act now, while we're being rash and allowing our emotions to get the best of us, these girls might not make it. I'm not willing to lose any of our team.”

“Well let me know when you have a “plan”,” Lily says rolling her eyes and stomping out the door slamming it behind her.

Her engine purrs to life moments later and tires squeal out of the parking lot of the dingy motel they've holed up in for the night.

“I'll send two of my men to relieve Gray and Dorian in the morning,” Raven announces before taking her leave.

Clark follows her out leaving Ryker alone with his thoughts.

Pacing along the dimly lit space in the aged mediocre room Ryker struggled to contain the hopeless feeling building within him. Now is not the time to feel sorry for himself and he knew it, whether he wanted to admit it or not. The anger that clawed at him bubbled to the surface when a final ding drew his attention back to his phone.

Eviee lay over the lap of a man driving an ATV fear mingled with pain in her deep violet eyes.

Ryker sent the phone careening across the room the flimsy burner phone shattering to piece upon contact with the wall. Bits of drywall dust filled the air drifting to the floor. Cracks remained in the wall from the force.

Something about those violet eyes called to Ryker and that’s why he always distanced himself from the recruit. He sent his best to retrieve her and even that had failed.

‘Don’t worry Eviee, I’m coming for you,’ Ryker thought sitting on the edge of the bed.

Unable to sleep, he racked his brain for hours trying to come up with the best course of action and finally settled on a strategy he felt confident in.

By the time he had settled on a course of action dim rays of the morning sun is peaking over the horizon. The shards of light penetrate the sheer curtains, the streaks creating long, harsh, and almost palpable shadows along the walls.

The shafts of light illuminate the cracks in the drywall and Ryker runs his hand down his face knowing he’ll have to pay for the damage.

His phone being no good after the incident Ryker leaves his room to find Raven.

Two doors down he can make out the hushed whispers of her and Clark behind the closed door. Instead of knocking he decides to hang back eavesdropping on their conversation.

“I don’t know Clark, Lex just said Dorian and Gray were gone when they arrived,” Raven huffs.

“As in gone gone?” Clark asks again.

“Yes dummy as I’m not to be seen, no where around, how else do you want me to say it?” Her voice rises with each word until she’s nearly screaming.

“Sorry, I’m trying to understand,” Clark apologizes.

Ryker having heard enough bursts through the door to their room causing the rickety hinges to creak in protest.

“What do you mean my men are gone, Raven?” Ryker snarls.

“f**k you Ryker, maybe you should call your men and find out,” Raven spits.

***

Austin and Lex arrived at the location as the sun rose over the eastern horizon.

They knew spotting Gray and Dorian would be difficult despite their training. They always trained harder to stay hidden. To remain unseen.

Scanning the landscape they came up empty handed.

“Where do you think they are?” Austin asked leaning over Lex to see who he was calling. Of course Raven’s name popped up on the screen.

“Yeah,” she answers.

“They’re not here,” Lex says.

“They’ve got to be there,” Raven argues rolling her eyes.

“Well, they’re not, what do you want us to do?”

“Keep watch, let me know if they show up,” she orders clicking the red button and ending the call.

Meanwhile, Dorian and Gray sneak through the shadows. Lurking within the mansion they stealthily bypassing the guards. Upon reaching the upper level where they witnessed the girls being taken they pause waiting for the right moment to emerge.

Sunlight kisses the golden threads weaving in and out of the intricate pattern sewn into the rug and Gray shifts further into the shadows.

“We have to go,” he whispers nudging Dorian.

“We haven’t made sure they’re okay yet.”

“We don’t have time or we’ll be trapped in here,” Gray replies directing Dorians gaze to the growing sunbeams.

“Fuck.”

Gripping Dorians arm Gray phases into the shadow latching onto the next one and disowning them in it’s dark depths.

They land on the forest floor not to far from where they started.

Two sets of low, barely there footsteps approach them from their left and they turn in unison to see their teammates staring at them in disapproval.

Things were bound to go down from here.