The Song of the Keepers

Chapter 29 Stable Conversations

Evangeline hauled Vienna and Falcon off by the collars the second the plane was on the tarmac, muttering something about the council. There was mass chaos on the runway as the Sentinels unloaded the prisoners and herded them towards the Citadel, making it nearly impossible for me to worm my way across to Jasper's aircraft. Finally, I got out of the flow entirely and waited anxiously by a light post for the villagers to pass and the planes to return to the hanger.

"Jasper!"
I called out, jogging across the cement floor.

He was standing with a group of Keeper, arms crossed and a severe expression on his features.

"We have to go back."
He was saying as I reached them.

"We can't go back to a village we just raided."
Seth objected.

"What, are you afraid of the babies and elderly we left behind?"
Jasper snapped.

"Purely on principle, we don't circle back like we forgot something."
Seth insisted.

"Well we did forget something, or someone I should say."
Jasper argued.

"I take full responsibility for this mistake, Newton. I'll discuss it with Marx and see what can be done."
Kris assured my friend.

"Well, I'd suggest you hurry up and get on that. Her chances of survival decrease by the minute."

"Um, what exactly is going on?"
I questioned, dread pooling in my stomach.

"Kairos was left behind at Revara."
Jasper turned to me, his anger palpable.

"What???"
I exclaimed.

Things had quickly gone from bad to worse.

"I thought she was with Marith and Kris on the other plane. Turns out she was with neither group."
Reginald explained rather sheepishly.

"You have got to be joking."
I ran a hand through my hair, shaking my head in disbelief.

"This is the freaking Order of the Keepers! We're supposed to be a legendary brotherhood and instead, one idiot can't keep his pants in place and you lot lose a new initiate! I can not even believe this level of incompetence!"
I ranted.

"What seems to be the problem?"
Marx's booming voice interrupted.

He and Daaow approached the group at a relaxed gait, unaware of the crisis.

"Well sir, there been a bit of a mixup."
Reginald began.

"That's the understatement of the year."
Jasper huffed.

Kris jumped in to explain the situation, taking full responsibility for the mistake. Marx's face seemed to take on the likeness of a tomato as the Jaguar leader spoke.

"Two Sentinels also seem to be unaccounted for."
Kris finished off the account.

"Get your team back in the air ASAP and track down our missing Keeper!"
Marx roared.

"Why was there even any question on this matter?!"
He snarled at Kris who looked thoroughly humiliated.

Jasper gave a smug harrumph.

"Take a smaller jet with higher speed capabilities and don't come back until you find her!"
Marx ordered.

The team jumped to obey, hurrying off in pursuit of their pilot who already had an aircraft in mind. It was only as I watched Jasper disappear into the hull of a sleek black jet that I realized I hadn't told him about Vienna's predicament. I muttered a curse under my breath, hoping they would be back soon, with Kairos in tow.