Sentry of the Arcane: Engulfed

Chapter Twenty-Four: Fitz

"How did this happen?" Sophie asks, pacing like I was doing before she came. "Wait- how did you get the poster? She lives in Oregon... And when did this happen?!"

"How- I don't know," I admit. "And the poster was just on my desk when I woke up. I can't help but wonder if someone broke into my room... again." I think back to how I had to read the actual poster at least three times to realize that this wasn't a prank, but reality.

Sophie's eyes widen. "What if they did?!" she exclaims, stopping in her tracks. "But why would someone take their time to give us a 'Missing People' poster..? It doesn't make much sense..."

"...unless someone wants us to find Leila," I conclude, looking at the female Percipient. "But that now gives us something else to worry about- who do we think will want to find Leila?" Before either of us know it, the two of us are pacing around my room, trying to come up with as many possibilities as we can.

"Her husband and daughter are dead," Sophie recalls, furrowing her eyebrows. "And I don't think she has any grandchildren of her own, does she?"

"No, she doesn't," I coincide. "And Susan's also dead, and she's the only witness at Fitton and Arien's wedding..." Suddenly, my voice trails off as I'm hit with a wave of realization. Stopping abruptly, I turn around to face Sophie again. "Fitton... It must be him!" I shout. "He's alive, related to Leila...!"

"That makes sense!" Sophie agrees. Suddenly, she frowns slightly and furrows her eyebrows again. Before I can ask, she says, "Sorry- I just realized that I didn't get to read it completely. Can I..?" Her voice trails off as she points at the poster on my desk.

I shake my head. "Go right ahead," I tell her, walking over to it myself as well. Leila Leroy, I think to myself. Last seen on October 21st leaving her house by camera. Last seen wearing some jeans and a plain shirt. Call police or 911 if she's spotted.

"Huh," Sophie says, breaking the silence. "I would've thought that with Jacob and Fitton, they'd list at least a few more things about her, you know?"

I shrug. "Who know?" I ask helplessly. Sighing, I say, "More problems are flung towards us, yet we don't have enough answers for all of those problems." Before Sophie can say anything, though, I absentmindedly mumble, "We should probably tell the others... before they find out some other reason."

Silent, Sophie nods and picks the poster up, looking over it one final time. Her brown eyes meet mine momentarily before we both look away, letting the newfound silence envelope the two of us as we go downstairs.

Inside, I'm not surprised to see the Sovereigns and Altruistics already sitting in their respective seats around the conference room table. "Took you long enough," Donovan scoffs, crossing his arms. Too many thoughts are racing in my already-drained mind, so I just ignore him.

"Hey... are you alright?" Benen asks me when I sit down. "You look... tired."

"You're spot on," I tell him wearily. "I really am. But apparently, none of us are going to get some well-deserved rest for awhile..." In a louder voice, I ask everyone, "Remember Leila?"

"Arien's mother," Sophie adds for clarification, glancing over at me for a moment.

When everyone nods, Donovan suddenly asks, "Is it about how she's missing?"

My eyes widen. "How do you know?!" I ask, my surprise prominent. Donovan merely furrows his eyebrows, and I can answer my own question, "You also found a 'Missing People' poster in your room, didn't you..?"

"Is that what the paper was?" Benen asks, frowning. "I didn't know what it was, so I didn't touch it. Is that bad?"

I shake my head. "Quite the opposite," I say. "Good instincts. But now..." I lean back in my chair and look up at the ceiling. "We have Jacob and a missing Leila to worry about."