Scene 5

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Around noon, Maren traveled through what was supposed to be the most impressive city in the world. Linick had been in view since leaving the dumpsite zone, growing closer and closer with each hill she’d peaked. Before long, she found herself in the city proper. No suburbs nor border towns, but the city of Linick itself. Very different from Westalk – Maren's previous home – where it seemed the smaller surrounding municipalities took up more space than the city itself. Maybe Linick architects were proud that this was just one large city with no other feeders leaching off them, or maybe nothing had been developed near the dumpsite. 

Regardless, the city interior was as vibrant as reported: certain intersections hosted massive electronic billboards, presenting colorful ads for various products; plentiful shops decorated the streets, proudly displaying merchandise ranging from clothing to electronics; lavish restaurants too expensive for Maren were only a skip away from food stands and trucks, delightful aromas from both making Maren’s mouth water; the green space was superb, even away from the city’s famous Glen Park, where an assorted variety of trees stood tall in smaller intersections, providing shade from the high sun; and bars, dozens already greeting her vision before she even got onto the main street. 

The only issue was the people. Or the lack thereof. 

Sure, many were at the festival in Glen Park, enjoying the feast and marveling at the fireworks with thousands of others. But that didn’t mean the main city streets should be so empty. Not everyone would attend the service in the park, instead choosing to worship in their local churches. And despite the holiday, many people not from the Ardent sect of the Titanian Church would still have to work today. 

So as the chilled winter breeze crossed between the buildings, why was Maren the only person it hit? 

Something’s not right. Maren took out her tablet and a warm blanket. She’d worked up a sweat on her walk to the city, but she’d slowed down once entering – both marveling and confused at the sights – and now was feeling the cold of winter. On her tablet, she looked into the local news, her stomach plummeting upon reading the multiple accounts of kidnapping over the last week. All within a couple miles from me, too. 

She was approaching an administrative district, where Trulson Tech and other smaller companies had branches. But it had taken her hours to get here. Why hadn’t that blond man told her about the kidnappings? It didn’t take a genius to link those with the monstrosities she’d seen outside the dumpsite. If she’d known this, she wouldn’t have wasted so much time – 

An explosion rocked the street a block ahead of her, overshadowing the crackles of the distant fireworks. From an alley, spurts of flame and streams of water blasted into the main street while the ground continued to rumble. 

Blanket pressed around her shoulders, Maren charged ahead. Wielders were brawling and Maren would bet those two hundred credits it had something to do with her investigation. 

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Splitting up had been a mistake. Though, as all well-laid plans were, it appeared to have been a great idea at the time. 

Koda and Mav had worked in a secluded office, the receptionist afraid to deny Peace Keepers their request. They’d spent well over four hours scanning through the video feed of the last week, cross-referencing available pictures and information of the victims. As it stood, of the twenty-three people kidnapped, twenty had been taken within a mile-and-a-half of the largest administrative district in Linick – in which the main train terminal was located. 

They’d found one common denominator: service vehicles. Of the fourteen victims the city cameras had picked up minutes before their capture, eleven were seen with unmarked service vans in the near vicinity. 

It could have been a coincidence, as city maintenance happened daily, but it could also have been a clever front: taking people under the guise of repairing the city. 

It was also their only lead. 

Koda could survey a great distance by himself, viewing into the very space surrounding them, but Mav suggested they split to cover more ground. This was where Koda had underestimated the randomness of the Titans’ wills. If Koda, who could easily see a near infinite amount more than Mav with his Gift, had found the service vehicle, he could have seen if they contained non-consenting bodies. Following them to their base would’ve been simple, then the case would’ve been put to rest. 

 But almost immediately after Mav left Koda’s sight, his com rang in his ear. 

“Found a car,” Mav said. “Gonna have a little chat.” 

Then the com cut off. Cursing, Koda started toward Mav’s location, cursing yet again when he heard the explosion. 

Koda took a breath. What was done was done. Mav didn’t know his plan – he wouldn’t have agreed with it in the first place, but Koda might have been able to convince him had he tried. Instead, Koda attempted to go it alone, and now Mav was fighting the best clue they’d had to find the other victims. 

This is going to make things a lot more frustrating.