Emerge: The Captive: (Book 3)(7)
“He is. At least for the moment.” Sasha passed her a stack of photos she’d managed to wrangle from Graham. Quinn’s brother was busy with his own investigation and she’d been spending a lot of time chatting with him online while he was in the Azores with his family. They were helping each other fill in the gaps of missing information the adults didn’t think they could handle.
Allie flipped through the photos, trembling at the sight of Livia, the woman who’d held her captive just a few weeks ago. Sasha felt bad. Allie didn’t need another reminder of that awful night. She had been lucky to escape and Sasha knew Allie blamed herself because she was home now and Quinn wasn’t.
“Do you know anything about her?” Allie asked. “They won’t tell me anything.”
“From what little I could find online, she runs a non-profit that caters to Immortals, called ‘The Fold.’ Their headquarters are based in Sterling Tower in Atlanta.” Sasha turned her computer toward Allie. “That’s the same building where Quinn is being held. That much I know from Mom.”
“So if we know exactly where he is, why can’t we just go in and get him?” Allie asked. “You can’t tell me your family doesn’t have the resources to make that happen.”
Sasha shook her head. “The security in this place is like the Pentagon. You can’t get in unless you have an appointment or you work there. Not unless you’re a kid like Graham with more technologically advanced gifts. They run a program for kids who need the kind of training their parents can’t give them. It’s kind of like a boarding school for really talented kids.”
“So why don’t we dangle a carrot?” Allie leaned over Sasha’s desk, scrolling through the website for the Fold. “Get one of us in there and we can figure out how to reach him.”
“Dad refuses to even consider it. He’s probably right. I'm getting a sinister vibe about this place, like it’s a front for something else. Livia’s affiliation with the Coalition doesn’t give me the warm-fuzzies. Why would a woman advocating for young Immortals and their families secretly have one foot in the Coalition and make it a point of pride that they don’t have a single tie to the Senate?”
“What does your dad say?” Allie asked.
“I haven’t talked to him much since he left for Cleveland, but Dad won’t tell me anything. I think he’s worried I’ll do something stupid.” The family had spent weeks trying to find a way to get close enough to Quinn to act, but they refused to see the obvious. The best way into Sterling Tower was through the front door. If you were a young and gifted Immortal they would welcome you with open arms.
“And what exactly are you thinking? You wouldn’t be Sasha if you didn’t have a carefully articulated plan in place. With, like, pie charts and shit.” Allie gestured at the wall to make her point.
“Nothing concrete at the moment.” Sasha turned away, wincing at the lie. “I’m still researching, trying to find alternative ways into the building. And I’m convinced the Fold is connected with some rather … corrupt organizations.” She took a step back from her wall. “I’m missing something and I feel like it’s staring me in the face.” She glanced at Allie, hoping she wouldn’t stop her from walking right through the front door of Sterling Tower, asking for help with her training. And once she was in, she could find Quinn and they could escape together.
“You’re such a bad liar,” Allie said. “I can literally see you plotting as we speak. So where is Quinn in this place? Probably not in a student dormitory?”
“No. He’d never cooperate, so he wouldn’t be with the other kids who volunteer. He’d have to be in some kind of prison somewhere in the building.”
“Sasha Louise El Sadawii McBrien. Don’t you dare do what I know you’re going to do,” Allie said.
Sometimes it really sucks having a clairvoyant for a bestie.
“Don’t you four-name me, Alexis Ann Mareé Carmichael. I’m not doing anything. I swear.” Yet, Sasha added, silently begging Allie to look the other way.
“Please don’t make us have to worry about two of you in there,” Allie pleaded. “I don’t think any of us could take it.”
“I know.” She did. She knew it would hurt the family if she acted rashly, but they didn’t understand the pull she felt toward Quinn. It was like a fire, constantly burning in her veins. It was worse since his capture. Like he was calling her for help. She couldn’t ignore that. She wouldn’t.
“Hey, you two,” Aidan said as he barged into the room without knocking, like the obnoxious little brother he was.
“Coming to the vigil?” he asked. “It’s time.”
“You guys go ahead without me. I’ll be there in a little while.” Sasha hated lying to them, but she couldn’t face this vigil for Quinn. Not when she knew she could do something to help. Tonight would be the perfect night to slip away without anyone noticing. They wouldn’t force her to join in the festivities, celebrating Quinn’s life. They would all assume she wasn’t ready and no one would bother her. By morning, when anyone thought to look for her, she’d be in Atlanta and well out of their reach.
~~~
“Hey kid,” Imogen called as she knocked on Sasha's bedroom door.