“Me neither,” Rand laughs. “Hey, before I forget, I wanted to tell you - you will always remain my Polaris, no matter what happens.”
My heart squeezes. He better not be saying goodbye to me right now. “You cut that chicken shit out right now, Rand. If you have something to say to me, you better say it to my face when I see you again.”
Before he can say another word, Dr. Crazy Pants is back on the line. “You have one hour to get to the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City. One hour. I’ll call you with further instructions.”
The line cuts out.
I stare at the phone for a second. Shit. She not only has Rand but his daughter/niece too.
I walk back into the empty restaurant. “Did you get a trace on that?”
“Not long enough to give me the exact location,” Tatiana pounds the table next to her laptop. “All I can say is Ybor City. So - you know - helpful.”
“Someone better check on my parents,” I glance at Celia. “Dr. Crazy Pants took Faylor.”
Celia’s eyes widen. Flint puts a hand on her shoulder and shouts orders into the comm link.
We wait nervously for the report that Mama and Papa are fine. They went to pick up Faylor after school and were told she went to get coffee with her friends. They’ve been searching for her ever since.
I reign in my anger at them for waiting to tell us about it.
It’s not their fault.
It’s mine.
It’s all my fault. And I’m going to fix this shit once and for all.
“Give me a map of Ybor City,” I snap at the closest Saber Security team member. Sleeves of tattoos cover his arms. His midnight-black hair is pulled back in a ponytail. And his blue eyes narrow to slits. He looks like he’s about to gut me with the badass Bowie knife strapped to his leg. “Please. Please get me a map of Ybor City.”
Scary Security Guy - I met him before. What’s his name? Ryder? Rydell? Ryker. That’s it. Ryker says nothing as he rifles through the paperwork on a nearby table. I glance at the map he hands me and don’t see what I’m looking for.
“Are there any historical maps of the area?”
He pulls out a few options. It’s on the last one I find my treasure. “There. He’s being held there.”
I point to the map. Everyone crowds around.
“How do you know?” Flint looks at me.
“Because he’s my North Star.”
Chapter 50
“That doesn’t mean what you think it means, bitch.”
-Carolina
It’s almost summer in Tampa, Florida, and that means it’s hot. Damn hot. I’m wearing too many clothes, but Celia and Flint insisted. If Luke were here, there’s no way he’d sign off on what I’m about to do.
The former Estella Soda factory is located on the far side of Ybor City. Most of the historic area has been renovated and repurposed, but not this street. The revitalization hasn’t reached this far.
Broken glass and weeds surround the crumbling building with too many windows. If Dr. Crazy Pants is paying attention, she’ll see me coming. Something I’m hoping for. If she sees me, maybe she won’t notice my backup.
I asked Flint to give me fifteen minutes before storming the place.
Scary Security Guy with all the tattoos - Ryker - showed me a thermal image of the place. There are three people inside. Two in the cavernous interior. One was walking around the perimeter.
So, I’m not surprised when I hear the cocking of a gun behind me.
