Missing

Into the Unknown

Without saying a word, I snagged up the rest of my suit and rushed out the door with Olaf in the lead. He led me silently but swiftly to the base infirmary. The group from game night was there as well as Jack and the last search party: Shao and Connor.

Only Shao and Connor? I asked myself, my thoughts racing. Where's McGwire? If anything's happened to Mick, I'll scorch whoever's responsible!"

Both Shao and Connor were visibly injured, though Connor looked worse off. Blood was smeared across his face and running down his arms. Bruises were fading in on his cheeks and wrists. Shao didn't seem to have bruises, but I knew that his dark skin was just hiding them from view. The edges of their torn costumes had ice shards frozen to them.

Blood ran from Shao's nose and the corner of his mouth. Jack was focused on Connor, casting healing spells on him.

"What happened?" Cam asked Shao, his voice strained.

"A resistance group met us right before we got there. They must have known we were coming." He was holding his side and his face was screwed up in pain. Upon closer inspection, I saw that he was bleeding heavily, blood welling up between his fingers.

"No, heal Shao first," Connor pleaded, dragging my focus away from what Shao was saying. "He needs it more."

Rage boiled in my stomach as the smell of blood wafted over to me. Whoever did this to my friends has to pay! I don't care who they are!

Jack somberly continued to heal the worst of Connor's wounds despite his pleas. Clawing my attention back to Shao, I waited to ask him what he and Connor found.

"They took him. We couldn't do anything about it," Shao reported, grief cracking his low voice. Tears streamed down his face as he spoke. "We don't know where they took him or what they'll do with him."

"We have to go back!" Mir exclaimed. "We might get there in time to get Mick back!"

He was just leaving the infirmary when Dan pointed out a critical detail: "Hold on, we don't even know where this happened. We'd just be shooting in the dark." Mir reluctantly turned back towards us.

Glancing around the room, I noticed that Star, Ben and Olaf were now nowhere to be seen. Like Mir, I was itching to get going. I was already planning on going on a solo mission to the construction site, but if I can get one of my teammates back I'm going to do it. It didn't matter to me who I had to confront to keep them safe; no one messes with my team and gets away with it. The day that Nem and Shwab were declared missing, I promised them that I wouldn't stop until they were found.

"Shao? Where did you and the others go?" Cam asked.

Jack just started healing Shao when he answered. "The abandoned construction site in Birmingham."

"Something tripped one of my sensors, so we went to check it out," Connor added.

It felt like the world stopped for a second. The abandoned site? It can't be the same one, can it?  I was speechless. Every fiber of my being itched to head out now. It couldn't be a coincidence!

"Mir, would you come with me? I'm going after this group," I said, managing to grab his arm as he turned back towards the door.

He looked me in the eye. "That's not even a question. I already have my suit on, let's go."

"Hang on," Shao panted. He was trying to stand despite Jack's attempts to keep him sitting on the cot. "I'm going with you."

"Shao, will you slow down?" Jack pleaded. "You need to let your body relax!"