Trails of Secrets

39. The Journey

"It was the night that you guys all had that fight. Right before you left. When those guys apparently snatched me. I don't really remember them taking me, but I sure do remember when you rescued me. Maybe they thumped my head or something - I don't know. But I remember something. Something really weird."

Noah looked at Liam nervously.

"Go on. I'm listening."

Noah squinted at the wall opposite him.

"Wires. Lots of wires. All over my body. I was in a lab I guess; I don't know. But it was weird. I thought that it must have been a dream, but I remember feeling pain. Lots of it." Noah shuddered. "I guess it was a memory from a while ago. But I just thought it was weird that I only just now remember it."

Liam looked at Noah confused.

"Listen, Noah. I'm really glad that you remember something, but how exactly does that help with finding Phin?"

Noah leaned forward excitedly. "Oh right! When I woke up outside when Phin was being taken, I saw a stretcher with wires hanging off of it. I think that they were going to take me back to... that place."

Liam nodded, encouraging him to continue.

"I think that they are taking her instead of me."

Liam's eyes bulged.

"Let's get going."

Noah stood up. "Go where? I don't remember where I was when I was hooked up to all those wires!"

Liam hurried towards the front door and looked behind him. "Well, I don't know either, but I figure you know better than I do."

Noah gave a weak smile and nodded in agreement.

As Liam reached for the door handle, he jumped back with surprise as the door opened all on its own.

A mop of red hair popped through the doorway.

"Hi guys."

                                                             ~~~~~~~

"You really solved it?"

Annalise leaned against the wall, satisfied. "Of course, I did. I told you I would."

"So? What does it say?" Noah asked eagerly.

"Wanna Play?"

"Um, no. I want to know what it says."

Annalise laughed. "No, that's what it says. 'wanna play.'"

Liam reached for the paper that she was grasping in her hand. He unfolded the worn message and saw all the random markings and weird symbols that Annalise had sketched on it. It was all way too confusing for him. Annalise frowned and snatched it back from him.

"Liam, just take my word for it."

Noah reclined on the couch in his unofficial spot and raised his eyebrows at Annalise. "So, what do we do with this information?"

"Well, I was going to give this to Sa – Phin," Annalise corrected, "However it looks like that won't be happening anytime soon." She shoved the message into her pocket and looked at Liam worriedly. "If only we had left for here sooner."

"Annalise, this is nowhere near your fault. She was the one that drove us away. They were the ones who took her. We are the ones who came back for her. And we are the ones who are going to find her."

Noah jumped up from the couch. "Yeah!"

"How are we going to do that?" She asked.

"Yeah?"

"We um," Liam scratched his head, "We can walk in the direction Noah last saw her."

They both turned to look at Noah.

"I love how you guys act like I know what is going on here."

Annalise narrowed her eyes at him. "Let's get walking."

                                                                 ~~~

They all agreed to head towards the site where Annalise had been captured the first time. After Chris had taken Annalise the second time, Phin had made a map of sorts to try and describe where everything was. Annalise refused to hold the map and Noah was directionally challenged, so that left Liam with the map. He was fine with that since he was used to following maps.

Just not maps that led to danger.