Legacy to Zero

12: On the Prowl

Lars

Only a second after holding the vial under his visor, North grinned. "Now I see it." He spun halfway around, sliding the vial into my side pocket and giving my shoulder a pat. "For someone who just learned how my thread works, that was quick thinking. Nice job."

"Thanks." I beamed. At that, Vale scoffed from behind me. So, for the sake of proving that it wasn't just for validation, I added, "It was nothing."

North returned his attention to the floor. He spoke at the same moment Vale did, then stopped. "Sorry. Go ahead."

Leaning against the doorway, Vale got him to rhyme off a list of numbers and information I didn't grasp. Amount of sorcerers who'd been inside the room. The last time Harlow had been, plus when she'd last used her power.

"So you were right. She was here the last time, just hiding," North concluded.

"Figures." Vale hitched a hand on his side, sliding closer to the wall as North passed. "Let's follow the most recent path. It should get us closer to knowing whether she's still in the city."

Even behind the visor, North's face lit up. "Yeah, let's."

Taking the lead, North rushed out onto the campus paths. He was at least now keeping pace with Vale, though the former was too focused on looking through the visor to chat.

Next to me, Patch was skipping. "I'm so glad we're making progress! Debating over nothing gets boring really quickly."

That makes two of us. Progress meant I got to exercise a little. And I was always game to explore, even if we were following a trail I couldn't see.

Patch poked me. "When we finish up kicking ass here, do you want some help to move stuff into your room at HQ?"

I nodded to her ribbons. "Sure. I won't turn down the help. Especially not when you have those."

"Oh, no, I was just going to make you carry everything. I meant as moral support," she teased with a wave of her hand.

"I won't say no to that, either."

She laughed. "Then it's a plan. Want to grab a snack before? There's this great"—she stretched the word out—"place that nobody knows about, not too far from campus!"

I had to admit, for a second, I considered it. It was team bonding. While Patch had no way of knowing how much the question put me on edge, it still did. Knitting my hands together, I let out a breath.

"I can just meet you afterward," she continued.

"Yeah, that works. I'll be dead tired once this is over, really."

As if in mocking, Vale sped up. We passed underneath the skytrain, towards the city's edge. My breaths fell into rhythm with my hurrying footsteps.

Maybe she had got out. Maybe she was already far away, and the thought propelled me forward.

Patch's ribbons tightened, bringing me to a halt as I jolted from my thoughts. "Back here."

I'd been here before. At the restaurant marking the path to the old highway. North knelt before the entryway, visor tipped towards the ground. Asphalt made a ridge near his boot.