Axel Light Trilogy: Wands and Shield

Chapter 21

Linden tapped his fingers on the meeting table impatiently.

'A boy... two boys, just managed to escape through our fingers, again?!'

Linden slapped his hands on the table and bunched them up in fists. He gave the table another frustrating knock and pushed his chair back furiously.

'It is ridiculous in the first place that it took us so long to locate them! And now, you can't find them again!' shouted Linden bewilderedly.

'We have no trace on them...' stuttered Stanley, 'We have to rely on sightings and physically hunting them...'

Linden slapped his hands on the desk again – Rowen, Pickard and Johnson, who were at the table in the meeting room with them, jumped up slightly.

'Stanley is right. Elliot Green is neither a criminal nor under protection. We can't put a trace on him, not legally,' said Rowen softly, as he gave a glance at Stanley, 'And Axel Light... well, his wand... erm...not with him...'

'So, it's my fault?' sneered Linden.

Rowen raised his hands up in surrender and shook his head, 'We all agreed that we should keep the wand away from Axel Light until we find out more about... it. To keep him safe. If it is your fault, then it is our fault.'

Linden grunted at Rowen, in agreement. Only Rowen could reason with Linden, at this sensitive situation. Everyone knew that Linden respected Rowen because Rowen used to be his trainer at the Academy and Rowen was the kindest and gentlest MaxPol in the entire MaxPol community. No one could be fierce at him.

Linden crossed his arms and tapped his fingers at his elbows.

'Do we have people everywhere?' snapped Linden.

'Yes. Everyone at Stirling is here to help as well,' said Stanley quickly, seizing the opportunity to speak to a calmer Linden.

'Obviously, everyone is not at the right places,' said Linden coldly.

'We had managed to find them earlier. We'll definitely find them again,' added Johnson, 'They can't hide forever.'

'I am not concerned whether we will find them. Our priority is to recover Axel Light before Cyrus Veldor does,' said Linden curtly, 'Have you already forgotten the objective of Operation Lumen?!'

'No, Commissioner!'

'I want someone watching Cyrus Veldor twenty-four-seven,' ordered Linden grimly, 'Million Wands as well. Mr. Krow said that Axel's new wand does not work for him. I guess that today, Axel was at the Old Quarters because he wants to change the wand or to get another wand. So, I want eyes at the Old Quarters.'

'Yes, Commissioner!'

'Nobody is resting until we find Axel Light!' barked Linden.

'Understood, Commissioner Linden!'

*

Axel landed on his knees on hard, damp, and rocky ground since he was not exactly prepared for the Translocation. There was a loud gushing sound of water that greeted him. For a moment he thought it sounded like a large group of people stomping the ground, chasing after them.

'Where are we?' asked Axel nervously.

'In a waterfall. First place that came to my mind just now,' said Elliot, 'I had been thinking about this place earlier, while we were eating. I thought we'll come here after the library. You know, good place to pitch our tent.'

'You know this place?' asked Axel, looking around him.

It was noisy, dark and cold. Axel could made out the outlines of rocky surface, some puddles on the ground and a curtain of waterfall overlooking a vast opening of a forest. He walked up to the waterfall and reached out to touch the falling water.