36. P̶ O̶ W̶ E̶ R̶ :̶ D̶r̶e̶a̶m̶s̶ | Blacksdale

CHAPTER IX

"They're gone."

"Gone? You mean... like the others?"

"Yeup. Lost all contact with 'em early in the mornin', long b'fore sunup."

Zechariah gritted his teeth, his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. "D---," he hissed. "At this rate, we'll be whittled down to the last man in days."

Carrie sniffed and spat off the side. "Sure looks that way, don't it?" She put her hands in her pockets and added, "B.D.A.'s losin' officers, too. Someone's pickin' 'em off one by one, just like everyone else what's gone missin'."

Zechariah didn't respond.

Carrie glanced at him. "What're ya gonna do, Z?" she asked warily.

"I don't know, Carrie," Zechariah replied, forcing the words past his still-gritted teeth. "What would you have me do? Send more people to the Madwoods? Or maybe south to the Blackwoods? In case you haven't noticed, we don't exactly have that many options!" He stood sharply on the final word.

"Whoa, easy there, kitty," Carrie said, taking a step back and holding up her hands defensively. "I ain't tryna pressure ya. I know you're stressin'. Heck, we all are. I—ah." Carrie sighed, lowering her hands and looking away from Zechariah. "I dunno. I ain't got nothin' fer ya, Z. I jist... I miss 'em, y'know?"

Zechariah hesitated, then let out a ragged sigh and sat down heavily, rubbing his temple with a hand. "I know," he replied wearily. "I know. I miss them, too."

Suddenly, the door to Zechariah's office burst open, revealing Principal Winston and another familiar figure leaning on him for support, wounded and breathless but alive.

Zechariah stood up once more, his and Carrie's eyes widening with shock. "Fitch?!" they cried in unison.

"I found him at the northern border," Winston spluttered in a dark tone. "He was badly beaten and barely breathing."

"Took... them..." Guardian mumbled, his eyelids fluttering as he shuffled with one arm slung around Winston's shoulders.

Zechariah and Carrie quickly moved to support him, allowing Winston to step aside. "Fitch, what the h--- happened out there?" Carrie asked frantically. "Are the others with ya? Y'all never reported in!"

"Took... them..." Guardian repeated in the same mumbling tone. "Gone... Mad..."

"Set him down there," Zechariah ordered, pointing at a chair resting against the wall. He and Carrie moved toward it and placed Guardian on it.

Guardian slumped forward, resting his arms on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. "Need... Keiko," he rasped. "Lungs... hurt..."

"Winston. Get Keiko," Zechariah commanded. "I want him healed up quickly so we can find out what he knows."

Guardian suddenly reached out and grabbed Zechariah's wrist, making the Felinian look at him sharply. "She... is... taking... them," he choked out, looking up at Zechariah with flashing eyes. "Have to... stop her... now!"

"The Mad Queen?" Zechariah guessed, bending down to look Guardian in the eye. "She's the one behind the disappearances."

Guardian nodded, his brow furrowing. "Must be... but Fabian... still here..." he wheezed. "Don't know... why..."

His head suddenly snapped left, staring out the door through which Winston had left.

Zechariah and Carrie followed his gaze... and both let out audible gasps.