How did this happen? Why Fiona?She had suffered enough. If they weren’t going to let me help, then I’d go and get her myself. As I tried to calculate how long it would take me to get there, I realized I needed to get to my laptop ASAP.
Running out of the room, I sprinted upstairs. Slamming the door open, I quickly grabbed my laptop bag and ran back downstairs. I didn’t care what anyone said. I was going to help find my sister, and they couldn’t stop me. By the time I got back into the room, Keys was back on the screen.
“Atlas, what the fuck?” Dagger exclaimed, looking at me with frustration.
“I don’t have time for bullshit, Atlas. Keys said you knew how to find Fiona. Fucking talk,” Bash’s voice rang out.
“I put a tracker on her. I can pull up her location.” The whole room went silent.
“What? When?” Bash and Keys said at the same time.
“The bracelet I left her. Does she ever wear it? Did she have it last night?” I asked as I opened my laptop and pulled up the app.
“Yeah, she’s been wearing it a lot recently. I’m pretty sure she had it on last night. I don’t know, though?” Bash’s voice rang out.
Typing as fast as I could, I waited impatiently for the screen to load. Once it finally did, I frowned in confusion. Putting the laptop down so everyone had a view of the green dot, we all looked at each other once they recognised the location too.
“It says she’s at the clubhouse,” I replied.
“We checked. There’s no way she’s here.”
“Well, check again, unless she left that bracelet at home, she is definitely in the clubhouse somewhere,” I replied, and was greeted by silence. For a minute, I was terrified they were going to ignore me, dismiss my help. To my relief, Bash appeared to take my words seriously, and started barking out orders.
“Keys, get everyone in that house looking for her or that bracelet. Top to bottom, until we find one or the other. I’m heading back now.” Bash disconnected as Keys stood up from his desk, ending the video call.
“I’m heading over there,” I told Dagger, my tone leaving no room for argument.
“Alright. We’ll keep you posted as we hear anything else. When you get there, though, you mind what Bash tells you. This is a delicate situation. I ain’t gonna stop you from going there, but I can’t protect you from how your arrival is greeted. You hear me?”
“Understood. Thanks, Prez,” I said, and he nodded. Fiona needed me, and this time, I would be there. I could finally fulfill my promise.
Chapter 27
Fiona
Time was a funny thing when you had no way to track it. It could have been minutes, hours, or days that I was down in the paint shop, and I wouldn’t have been able to tell you the difference. Whether my eyes were closed or not, all I saw was an endless expanse of white floors and walls, no doors or windows to break up the view.
Everything ached, I was exhausted, and desperate for a nap, but sleep was the one thing that eluded me. All I could do was count the number of tiles covering the opposite wall. The only sounds in the room were my breathing and the scratch of my clothing against the floor. I blinked, and all of a sudden, the room looked different. I must have passed out for a moment, and now, the door was open.
Heavy boots and dark pants came into view, and I shrank back, afraid Crow had returned. Thankfully, a different but familiar face crouched down in front of me. With care that surprised me, Scythe efficiently checked my pulse before scooping me up into his arms. Carrying me as if I were as fragile as glass, he brought me into the infirmary and gently laid me down on a cot. He stood back up, I assumed to go and get help, but I grabbed his arm.
“Please. Don’t leave me alone,” was all I managed to get out through the lump in my throat. I was afraid it was a dream,and I would wake up in the paint shop. Scythe’s eyes, dark and fathomless, looked at me with surprise and kindness. He slipped his phone out of his pocket before gently sitting on the cot to the side of my body. Taking my hand in his, he gave it a hearty squeeze. Tears filled my eyes at the gesture, knowing he didn’t like to touch people, but there he was, comforting me.
Zoning in and out, I was vaguely aware as Scythe made phone calls, his low, raspy voice a comforting reminder I wasn’t alone. When he hung up the phone, he looked around the room before standing up to open a closet on the opposite wall. He came back with a thick blanket, throwing it over me and tucking it around my body. Seconds later, the door swung open as X ran in, followed by a concerned-looking Cece. Scythe stood up to leave, and I touched his sleeve.
“Thank you,” I told him, and he nodded at me solemnly before quietly leaving the room.
Cece took his place on the cot next to me and started fussing over me.
“Callum is on his way back right now, sweetheart. You’re okay now. We’ve got you. You’re with your family,” Cece murmured as she stroked my hair.
X took my pulse, listened to my heart rate, and blinded me with flashlights as I tried to keep my eyes open. Once he finished his examination, I fell asleep as X and Cece discussed whether I needed to go to the hospital or not.
The next time I opened my eyes, he was there. Bash, harried and exhausted, burst through the door looking as if death flashed before his eyes. He slowly approached the bed, taking in my visitors and the visible marks on my face.
As soon as he got close enough, I sat up and lurched at him. He dropped to his knees next to the cot as I buried my face in his neck and started sobbing. Bash rocked me back and forth as he rubbed my back.
“I’m so sorry, baby. This never should have happened. I’ll never forgive myself,” he whispered into my hair, his voice hoarse with tears. I pulled back and grabbed his face with both hands. He looked haggard. His eyes were tired and sad, his brow furrowed.
