The Half-Giant's Guide to Seeing the Future

The Day I Used a Vision

With all the resources of the halfants, humans, and giants combined, it took nineteen hours to find Gayle Bruno. According to Emma and her ground-side informants, Gayle rode the motorcycle she stole from the ranch all the way to Los Angeles. Then she got on a Grayhound headed for Chicago.

Once Monty arrived, he and Kaleb spent eight hours getting every bit of data they could off the iPad I found. They found Gayle had been researching fashion schools and had made several deposits to an online bank. She'd bought a fake ID and papers to prove who she was, but Monty had been able to find those easily.

I watched the old man work with fascination. He was the oldest half-giant I'd seen, with wrinkled skin and white hair that clung to his balding light brown scalp. Kaleb worked by his side, but Monty's fingers flew faster across the keyboard than his grandson's.

They were able to track a credit card that Gayle had applied for and used. That helped Emma and her crew find her and track down the bus route. Then Alana was arranging a group to go and retrieve Gayle in front of a holographic map of the United States.

"The bus is supposed to hit a rest stop in North Texas in an hour," Alana said. "Now Emma and her crew are going to intercept her when the bus stops. Emma's friend in the FBI owes her a favor and they'll make the arrest and hand her over."

"And we trust the agent?" Tres asked. "You know we've tried to trust government entities before and it's gone south. Bryan wouldn't-"

"We don't have a choice," Alana said. "Gayle won't allow herself to be isolated and she'll be looking for us. She won't suspect we'll use federal agents."

"Because it's a simply moronic idea," Tres argued. "Doc will never approve it."

"Doc doesn't have to approve all ground-side decisions," Alana said. "And we can't send Moreno or Cullen ground side. Petra has too much of a conflict of interest and if we send Ashton or Ezra, we'll get her to clam up before we even start asking questions."

I looked at Alana and at the hologram she's been using to track Gayle's movement. "What if I went?"

Alana's brow furrowed. "You're not... I mean, technically, you're not trained."

"So send someone with me," I said. "What about Dylan?"

"Your cousin?" Alana's expression didn't lighten. "What advantage would that be?"

"Dylan and I both understand the human world," I said. "And you can spare me from the compound. I don't think the king will care if I leave the realm and if you send one more halfant with us, I think we'll be fine."

The commander bit her lip. I understood the risks, but I felt like I needed to have some part in helping find Gayle. Then maybe her anger wasn't my fault. Besides, Moreno couldn't help, and they needed more manpower.

"It's a simple smash and grab, Alana," Tres said. "And she's not even doing the work."

"You want to supervise this madness?" Alana asked.

Tres shrugged. "Why not?"

Alana tapped something on her wrist unit. "Terri, take Moreno lunch from the kitchen. He's in cell B. I'll have something worked out soon."

I shrugged and went into the kitchen. There were several pre-made plates under a warmer. I grabbed one, and I pulled up the holographic map of the compound on my wrist unit. I hadn't needed it for a while, but I didn't know where the cells were.

The map directed me around the back of the kitchen, past the infirmary, and through a workshop-like room filled with dismantled electronics. Then, I walked towards a set of rooms labeled A-E that I assumed were storage closets.