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  “I found this one getting drunk in the pits,” he said. “The damn fool could have given us away!”

  “I… away?” Jacob muttered. “Ha! I would not… either if I… wanted could… to you!”

  Logan rolled his eyes, and hefted Jacob onto Madison’s shoulders. “He’s been talking about you the whole way back. Figured you might want to see him.”

  Madison snorted. “In this condition? Hardly!” But despite what she said, she put her arm carefully around Jacob’s side and helped him forward. He was big, so he nearly toppled her over, but she steadied herself quickly. “Come on, Jacob, you’ve got to sober up.”

  Jacob looked at her, but didn’t seem to recognize what she said. Instead, he started going on about where he’d been. Madison led him away as Laura stood back with Logan.

  Once Madison and Jacob were a safe distance away, Laura turned to Logan. “So?” she asked.

  Logan raised his eyebrows in mock indignation. “So? That’s all you have to say? I rescued our dear friend over there, and I don’t even get thanks?”

  “You can ask Madison for the accolades,” Laura said. “You’ll only get them from me if you found what you thought you would.”

  “Well, then you’d better get ready to start singing my praises,” Logan countered. “Because right before stumbling upon Jacob, I had a chance to check the building out.”

  “And…?”

  “And I think it’s exactly what we’ve been looking for.”

  Laura gasped. They had been trying for so long, and so hard, without any success, that to finally have found it… it was beyond comprehension. “That’s amazing! So you... went inside? Checked it out? What was it like?”

  “No, no, nothing like that,” Logan said quickly. “The building is locked up. I could have gotten in, but it would have been impossible to do it without attracting attention.”

  “Then how do you know it houses the repository?”

  “Precisely because of the fact it was locked up,” Logan said. “It’s in the middle of the slums. A really dirty part of town, filled with vagrants and cutpurses. All the buildings there are falling apart, but that one more than any other. However, it was the only one out of all of them with a lock on the front door. Not only that, but the windows were all boarded up. I snapped the padlock on the front door easily, but behind it was another set of heavy, concrete doors. I couldn’t get past those by myself. From the looks of it, nobody had been there for generations, and yet, it was still heavily protected. Why? Who would lock up a dilapidated old building in the middle of the worst part of the city? No, there’s definitely something inside, and I would bet apples to gold that the repository is it.”

  “That’s great,” Laura said. Her enthusiasm had dropped only slightly when she realized that Logan wasn’t one hundred percent sure that the building was the right one. Still, it put them in a better position than they were in yesterday, or any time before. “When can we go see?”

  “We can go right now, if you want,” Logan said. “Although I think we should let the others know, first.”

  “Of course,” Laura said quickly. “That’s what I meant.”

  They walked briskly to the tent, catching up to Madison and Jacob before reaching the entrance. Laura held the flaps open while Madison brought Jacob through. Logan came in next.

  “As I expected,” Alexander said unkindly when he saw Jacob. “See, Madison, that is why I did not want to involve him!”

  “Yes, so he can sometimes have too much to drink,” Madison said exasperatedly, “but that does not mean he’s given us away.”

  “I didn’t say that,” Alexander said levelly. “Just that the potential for him to do so is there.”

  “Of course it was there,” Madison snapped, “just like it’s there for you, or me, or any of us! What matters is that he didn’t do it.”

  “You can’t be sure of that,” Alexander replied coolly.

  “I am! I trust him. He wouldn’t give us away!”

  “Nobody can guarantee what comes out of a man’s mouth when he’s had too much to drink.”

  “And nobody should raise false suspicions!”

  Laura had had enough. “Stop it!” she yelled out. “Can we get away from the petty fighting? Please? Logan has made a breakthrough!”

  Alexander and Madison both stopped and looked at Logan. “Have you?” Madison asked. In a flash her face become pure composure. “Is it what you thought, then?”

  Logan nodded. “I believe it is. I managed to get close enough to the building to inspect it.”

  “And?” Alexander asked. Jacob was slouched over on the floor, leaning against one of the tent’s poles. “What did you find?”

  “I believe what we are looking for is inside,” Logan said. “Although the building is well secured. It will take a few of us to break in.”

  Alexander whistled through his teeth. “Three weeks of searching, and out of the blue, you come up with this? Remarkable!” He clapped Logan on the back. “Well done!” He turned and looked at Laura. “When shall we go?”

  “Right away,” Laura replied without pause. She had been waiting for this moment for an excruciatingly long time, and wouldn’t let anything delay her.

  “I do not think Jacob is in the proper condition right now,” Madison put in.

  “You can stay with him,” Laura said. She thought Madison raised a questioning eyebrow in response, but it was gone as quickly as it came. Perhaps she imagined it. She was the one who was supposed to lead them, after all. “Alexander, you will come with Logan and me. Madison, you’ll stay here and make sure Jacob is alright. How long do you think until he recovers?”

  “Vassiz blood is strong,” Madison said with a grin. “It’s nothing like human blood. I’d say the effects of the alcohol will wear off completely in an hour. Two, at worst.”

  “Good. We should be back by then.” She looked at Logan to see if he agreed with her estimate, and he gave her a confirmatory nod. “If not, I don’t want you to go come for us. Stay here. If we’re not back before nightfall, you’ll know something is wrong. I want you to take Jacob and get out of.”

  “I will not stand by while you let this rotten fool risk his life for you,” Madison said emphatically, with a glare at Alexander. Despite the words, her tone held a tiny bit of… mirth. “Neither will I run and hide should you find unexpected danger. We are in this together Laura, and our wellbeing is our own responsibility, not yours.” She shook her head. “No, I will not leave with Jacob. I will wait till nightfall as you want, but should you not return, we will both go after you.”

  “Do not be foolish,” Alexander began, but Madison rose right over him.

  “You would do the same for me, would you not? There is no honor in cowering in the shadows.”

  “Fine,” Laura agreed quickly, not wanting to spark another of their congenial disagreements. “You can go if we don’t return by nightfall. But I doubt very much things will take that long. Right?”

  “As long as we can get into the building,” Logan agreed, “we can get back out. We’ll find what we need as soon as we’re through the front doors. And if the repository turns out not to be there…”

  “Let’s not plan for that,” Laura said.

  “Right.” Logan grinned. “After three weeks of searching, it’s hard to be anything but pessimistic, yet this might just be it.”

  “We’ll see soon enough,” Laura agreed. The anticipation she felt was killer.

  Chapter Four

  ~A Crooked Building~

  Laura walked beside Logan down the narrow street. Alexander was far behind them, watching from a distance in case they should stumble upon any trouble. Laura didn’t think that was going to be likely.

  The street they were on was one of the back alleys of a very poor neighborhood. The buildings that lined them on either side were broken and old, and the few windows that overlooked the street were devoid of glass. The outside façade of many of the structures was covered in ancient graff
iti, and the ground was littered with trash. Logan told Laura that the main streets would be busy at this time, and, to avoid attracting attention, led her and Alexander on a winding, circuitous path that kept them as far away from prying eyes as possible.

  One of the first things Laura noticed on entering this part of the city was the horrible stench of the place. She had gotten somewhat used to the very defining and poignant smells of a city, bustling with human life, over the last three weeks, but this area was unlike any she’d yet encountered. The scents that violated her nose were sharp and stinging, dank and corrupt, all in one. They were the scents of decay, of a dying part of civilization. Few who lived in this part of town seemed to care anymore, and their apathy was reflected in the crumbling buildings and dirty streets.

  Despite Logan’s best attempts to avoid notice, they still passed a few people along the way. Most were male, although Laura noticed a few women from the corner of her eye. The females tended to stay away from strangers. Unfortunately, that was not the way of the males.

  The first person who spotted them, a cocky middle-aged man with bad facial hair, made no effort to hide his excitement. Strangers were unexpected around these parts, and two teenagers wandering together were easy targets. He got up from the side and stood to block their path.

  “Just where d’ya think yer goin’?” he asked casually, pulling back the side of his jacket to reveal a large, evil-looking knife. He smiled unkindly and stepped toward them. “You aren’t welcome around these parts.”

  “Let me handle this,” Logan whispered under his breath, so softly that only Laura’s ears could have picked it up. She nodded imperceptible and stood to the side. Logan stepped forward.

  “Friend,” Logan began grandly, spreading his arms, “we mean you no harm. Let us pass, and we will not trouble you.”

  The man’s face contorted into a wicked smile. Then he started to laugh. “You? Trouble me? That won’t be the case here, boy. Y’know, I find yer smug attitude insultin’. How ‘bout you give me whatcha got in that wallet of yers, and the girl. Then I’ll let you be on yer way.” He mocked a bow.

  “I don’t want any trouble,” Logan said. “And I will not give you the girl. But my wallet should more than make up for it.” He reached his hand slowly into his pocket to produce a leather wallet. He tossed it onto the ground in front of him. “There. Take a look inside, I’m sure it’s more than what you need.”

  The man grinned and threw himself at the wallet. Logan made no attempt to move. Scooping the wallet up in one hand, the man greedily ripped it open. His smile quickly faded.

  “Why, this is empty! You lyin’, deceitful son of a bitch!” He grabbed the knife buckled to his belt. “I’m gonna make you pay for that. I’m gonna kill you, and the girl too!” He lunged at Logan with the knife.

  Logan, of course, stepped smoothly to one side to avoid the blow. He caught the man’s wrist and swept it upwards, using the man’s momentum to lift him high into the air. Logan kicked his foot out, and the man’s feet went out from under him. In one easy move, Logan had the man flat on his back.

  The knife rebounded from the man’s hand toward Laura. The man reached out for it, but Logan had him pinned.

  “Laura?” Logan beckoned, extending one arm toward her. “The knife, please?”

  Laura picked it up and handed it to him. She didn’t like the grimy feel of the hilt, nor the dirt on the blade. The knife had been used many times before, it seemed.

  “Thank you. Now, then.” Logan had one knee on the man’s chest, who was squirming ineffectively under the pressure. Logan took the knife and brought it close to the man’s face, so the sun’s rays reflected off the blade into his eyes. “I don’t want you threatening any more passersby like you did us, got it?” Logan began in a menacing tone. “Do you have any more weapons on you?” The man shook his head vigorously. His eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. “Good. This is your only one?” Without waiting for the man to answer, Logan lifted the knife high above him and thrust it at the man’s forehead. Laura didn’t even have time to gasp. The man cried out in fear.

  Logan’s extraordinary reflexes showed as the blade stopped just a hair’s breadth away from the man’s skin. The man’s eyes rolled up so that only the whites showed, and he fainted.

  Logan stepped off him and grimaced. “A loud mouth and no courage. Men like him disgust me.”

  “You didn’t mean to kill him, did you?”

  “Out here?” Logan laughed. “Absolutely not. No matter what he might have done, killing in daylight is a surefire way to attract unwanted attention. Besides, I don’t kill needlessly. You know that. Only… to feed.”

  “That’s what I thought,” Laura replied breathlessly.

  “We’ve got to figure out what to do with him,” Logan said, motioning toward the still body. “We can’t just leave him here for anyone to find.”

  “Maybe we could make it look like he passed out from the sun?”

  “A good idea, actually,” Logan said. “Come on, let’s move him back to his corner.”

  Laura helped Logan pick the man up and carry him back to where he was before. Close up, he reeked of dirt and human sweat. Despite what she was, the smells disgusted Laura. She would not have taken his blood if he was the last human left alive and she hadn’t fed in years.

  They propped him up against a wall. Laura looked around as they were doing so, and was relieved to see that still, there was nobody around. Next, Logan returned to the spot where the short-lived fight had occurred and retrieved the man’s blade.

  “You’re not going to leave it with him, are you?” Laura asked.

  “If I don’t,” Logan said, “he will just find another one. And what happened today won’t even make him think twice. However…” he took the blade between his fingers, and began to curl it onto itself. Laura would have expected the metal to snap, but Logan did it with a natural dexterity. It took him a few minutes, but in the end, the blade was warped beyond recognition. Logan tossed it to the man’s side. “Let him try to use that against somebody. It’ll serve as a warning. If he even so much as thinks as robbing someone again, he’ll remember what happened this time. And how he was lucky I was feeling generous.”

  Laura smiled. Logan had a fascinating way of thinking about things. She didn’t know how much of a deterrent the blade would be, but she hoped Logan was right. And she was proud of him at how he handled the situation.

  Logan winked at her as if he had read her thoughts. “Come on. If we don’t get out of the shadows, Alexander might think something happened to us.”

  They went back to the middle of the street, and sure enough, when Laura looked back, she spotted Alexander’s shape in the distance, much closer than he would have been if he wasn’t concerned. She rose her arm to let him know that everything was okay, and he immediately turned onto a side street. There was no point in him trailing them if he were visible to their enemies.

  They continued the rest of the way without incident. Logan led her down small, narrow streets that were always behind the main road. They passed a few more vagrants on the way, but Laura had learned her lesson earlier, and each time shot them such a look of danger that they shied away.

  “I hope you never use that look on me,” Logan quipped after the third time it had happened. Laura laughed. Despite the hot, dry air and the uncomfortable environment, not to mention the perpetual threat of danger, spending time with Logan like this, one on one, was very enjoyable. It’s something she hadn’t had nearly enough time to do since getting here.

  After another twenty or thirty minutes of walking, Logan slowed down, and pointed to the skyline. Laura looked up. There, looming over the two- or three-storey buildings that made up most of the shantytown, was a lone gray tower. It stood maybe six or seven stories in height, and had a single window peeking out on every level. Even the ones that Laura could see from where they stood, the ones that were completely out of reach from anybody on the ground, were bo
arded up and nailed shut.

  “Is that it?” Laura asked.

  Logan nodded. “That’s it. We have to be careful now – the area may be guarded.”

  “Guarded? By whom?”

  “Street gangs run this town,” Logan replied. “And I think the tower marks one of their key strategic holds. They’re very territorial.”

  “But as far as they know, we’re just tourists walking by,” Laura said. “They shouldn’t trouble us.”

  “A dangerous assumption. What would tourists be doing here?”

  “Well, even if they decide to trouble us, they don’t really pose a threat.”

  “No? Thirty armed men with guns don’t seem like a threat to you? We’re Vassiz, Laura, not invincible.”

  “Well, when you say it that way…”

  “Trust me,” Logan said. “It’s best for us to be careful. That was your mantra this whole trip, wasn’t it?”

  Laura nodded. “You’re right. What do you think is the best way of getting closer, then?”

  “Let’s wait for Alexander first. “We’ll need to coordinate with him.”

  “Sure,” Laura replied.

  “Now, I’ve already been there,” Logan continued. “So I know the area a little bit. One of the things to watch out for is that the tower stands in front of a five-way intersection. The streets line up before it to open up somewhat like a town square. And the tower itself is at the very end of a triangular block, overlooking the juncture. The only way to get to it without being seen is down either of the two streets that line its block.”

  “There’s going to be three of us,” Laura said. “Does that mean two go together?”

  Logan shook his head. “No. I think it’s best if we all go separately, and all go down a different route. One of us is going to have to pass through the square in front of the building.”

  “Is that so problematic?”

  Logan bit his lip, considering. “I’m hoping it’s not, but I’m afraid it might be. Anybody watching the tower will instantly recognize three strangers coming toward it. Especially when we’re so obviously not from around here.”