M-13

Missing Person(s)

Atticus' POV:

"Aviana with the Hillsboro filing unit reported that both Silas and Jared were there this morning from around three thirty to six, but there was a reported attack on the unit around six fifteen," Darrel tells me as I sit at my desk, my face resting in my hands.

My phone sitting beside me on the call screen because I've been trying to contact Jared and Silas for the last thirty minutes, but they never answered. When I got up and Silas wasn't in bed, I assumed he was in the bathroom or eating breakfast, but I couldn't find him anywhere. When I went into Jared's room to see if they were hanging out, he was gone too.

Neither of them were anywhere to be found, so I tried calling both, but they didn't pick up the phone.

Lincoln panicked when I told him what had happened, so we sped right to the OSIU base that I work at to try to see if we could track them down. That's when Darrel told us they were reported being at the filing unit and that there was an attack there as well, and both Silas and Jared went missing.

I made Lincoln go to his office, because he still has work to do, and I now have an investigation to take care of.

"I'm going to go to the filing unit," I say, heading toward the door. "Are there still officers there?"

Darrel nods, clutching his still injured arm. "Yes, and they're questioning the security guards. That place is open 24/7 and there are round the clock guards, and I suppose they failed at their one job," he comments. "Keep in touch with me on what you find."

"Got it," I respond, heading to my car and dialing Lincoln's number. "Hey babes. Am I interrupting anything?"

Lincoln sighs. "No. Mr. Mora came in today and took care of my appointments, but he told me I can't leave," he tells me, and I make a mental note to get Mr. Mora a gift card or something to say thank you. "Have you found anything?"

"No, but I'm on my way to the filing unit to question the security guards," I tell him, keeping my voice soft and supportive, because Lincoln is probably as close to being a wreck right now as I am. "We will find him, Lincoln. I promise."

He sniffles. "He wouldn't just take off, Atticus. I'm so scared. What if The Onyx, whatever they are, are behind this? We don't know enough to know how to save him!"

"We'll figure it out, and Silas is smart as hell. I'd be surprised if he didn't find his own way back to us."

Lincoln laughs into the phone, though his throat is tight with tears. "Yeah, you're right," he says. "I'm getting us a hotel tonight. It's kind of rude to use Jared's house if he's MIA, right?"

"Yeah, good idea. I'll call you later, babes," I tell him, my voice still soft as I pull onto highway 26. "I love you."

"Love you, too," Lincoln says before he hangs up.

I turn up the radio to drown out the thoughts living in my head, but they're still alive and screaming. Worry is filling me up, and I can't help but imagine the countless horrible scenarios that include Jared and Silas being held as hostages and tortured.

Jared is one of my closest friends and Silas is one of the loves of my life, even if we haven't shared the words yet.

When I get to the filing building, there's three police cars there and I find six officers inside.

"What business do you have here?" one of the officers, an woman who must be in her late forties, asks me.

I show her my badge. "I'm with the OSIU. My partner, Jared, was one of the people who went missing after the attack. I'm here to ask the security guards some questions, if you are alright with giving me a few minutes? I would hate to interfere with your investigation."

She hums, handing me my badge back. "I'm Jane, with the Hillsboro Police Department. Are you only here because your partner went missing?"

"No, I'm also here because I have a personal connection with the other man who went missing, Silas Murray. He has Mistacesemia and I believe he came here to look into something called 'The Onyx'. I wish to find what I can on it so I can figure out what may have happened to them."

Jane sighs. "Come with me," she says, leading me to a huge room where filing cabinets cover the walls. "This here is their 'O' area, and I believe they were researching The Onyx. That's what one of the security guards overheard when their lead filer and informant came in around three thirty in the morning, and she too went missing. There's no audio or video recording in these rooms, as it's very crucial that everything here is private unless Aviana herself or one of the people in charge of these units gives permission."

I nod in understanding, kneeling on the floor and looking where they have empty boxes and some files spread on the floor. "Was there any blood found?" I ask, not touching any of the items because I'm sure this is considered a crime scene and they want to preserve it.

The last thing I want is to be on the Hillsboro Police Department's bad side.

"No blood, no organic material... whoever did this knew what they were doing. I'm not sure if they were targeting one of them for a kidnapping or if they were after files and decided to not leave any bodies here. We have an active search for bodies going, but nothing has turned up."

I don't mention anything about Silas, because I don't want other people involved or knowing about him in much detail. If the time comes and I need their help, I'll go to them, but for now, I'm keeping Silas' involvement with Andrea and her speaking about The Onyx to myself.

"You said you know Silas Murray, right?" Jane asks.

"Sort of. I was on the case when he was attacked and put on TV as a wanted person, but I don't really know him past that," I say smoothly, and thank god they don't have me hooked up to a polygraph, because then they'd be able to know I was lying.

Jane hums, but she doesn't look fully convinced. "Alright. Well, you know how to contact us, because we will be working separately but it's still the same case. We're trying to keep this out of the media's hands, because they tend to blow things out of proportion," she says, taking me to the security guards. "You can ask your questions now."

The guards don't know much; the two that were on duty said that a person in all black came in and knocked them out, surprisingly leaving them alive. When they woke up, about forty minutes had passed, and they rushed in to find the O section of files disorganized and Aviana, Silas, and Jared were missing.

When they watched the cameras that keep an eye on the lobby area of the unit, they saw that there was a group of five people that were carrying files and the three bodies with them.

"I'm going to check the city's cameras," I say, but Jane stops me.

"We already did, son," she says, sounding piteous. "There were three cars, no plates, and our cameras followed them to Beaverton, and then the cameras went out briefly when they passed one of the power stations, so we believe they found a way to knock out power. Once the cameras were back on, we couldn't find them again, so we believe they either switched cars or knew a way where there were no stoplights or stores."

Damn, these guys really are professionals at what they do.

"Is there anything we can do?" I ask. "Or is there anything you have in your files linked to The Onyx?"

Jane shrugs. "I'm not sure, but I'll have someone check. We don't keep many files at our unit, because they all come here, especially in cases involving someone with Mistacesemia."

"Same for us," I say, sighing at the realization. "We scan them into our computers pretty often, though, so I'll start there and keep in touch with you."

That draws a small laugh from Jane. "First time someone from the OSIU wants to work with us," she says. "Usually your head guy there says that since we aren't specialists, we don't have the qualifications."

"Well, he's a douche," I say, shaking her hand. "I'll be in touch."