“But what?”
“He suffers from dementia. And his memory and cognitive issues have been exacerbated by either the cancer he’s fighting or the treatment he’s undergoing. It’s very difficult to negotiate a mind so afflicted. I don’t think I missed anything, but it’s possible he could have spoken with someone and lost the memory of it before I could find it.”
Nick consulted Henderson. “So this is all because Roubal refuses to believe that I’m my own grandson? What the hell? That shit has always worked in the past.”
Henderson lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. “He doesn’t believe it because he doesn’t want to believe it. I checked him out after Seth told me about your encounter with him at the hospital. Roubal is dying. Oncologists have given him three months to live, but they’re being generous. I had some of our network doctors look over copies of his medical files, and they unanimously agreed he probably won’t live another month. He’s desperate. And the vultures are circling. He has three greedy sons he doesn’t give a shit about who are already squabbling over their impending inheritance while they basically sit around and wait for him to die.” He shook his head. “I don’t think I’m too far off the mark in guessing that he thinks you are the key to not only beating the cancer and dementia but regaining his youth and thwarting his money-grubbing children.”
It sounded frightfully plausible. “Where is Brightwood Industries? We’ll head there now.”
Henderson shook his head. “You don’t even know for sure that’s where they’re taking Oliver and Kayla.”
“No. But it’s a damn good place to start.” He had to do something.
Henderson glanced at Seth before answering. “Brightwood Industries has eight different campuses—six large and two small. I’ll get you the addresses.”
Aidan spoke. “We should bring Dana and Eliana into the loop so they can help us search the campuses.”
Imhotep stepped forward. “I will search as well.”
Henderson held up a cautionary hand. “These places are going to have tight security. Lots of cameras. Hundreds—if not thousands—of employees.”
Nick ground his teeth. “Most of whom will have left for the night. It’s after six. We’re going.”
“Look,” Henderson said, visibly striving for patience, “I know you’re worried. But you don’t want to rush into this half-cocked. If they catch you doing immortal shit on camera and leak it or live-stream it to the internet, we’re going to have a hell of a time trying to silence it… if we can silence it. Sometimes we have to just discredit it instead and hope it takes.”
Seth sent Nick a warning look. “We will exercise extreme caution.”
Of course he would. He didn’t want to do anything that might cost Kayla or Oliver their lives. “Agreed.”
The network crew piled into the van. Henderson stepped away to speak with them for a moment.
Seth caught Nick’s gaze. “Be calm. Kayla is still alive.”
“How do you know?” They really had no idea what they were dealing with here, if immortality was really Roubal’s endgame, or how much he was willing to sacrifice to obtain it.
“She’s a gifted one,” Seth said. “Now that Gershom is no longer distracting me with his chaos, I would feel it if they killed her.”
Nick had heard that Seth sensed it whenever an Immortal Guardian was killed. But he hadn’t realized the powerful immortal leader could also sense it when gifted ones died. “What about Oliver?”
Regret entered Seth’s eyes, which were so dark a brown they were almost black. “He’s human. I’m afraid I wouldn’t sense it if he came to harm.”
The network van drove away.
As soon as Henderson rejoined them, Seth clasped his and Imhotep’s shoulders and teleported away. Aidan followed, taking Nick with him.
Dana and Eliana rose as soon as the four of them appeared in Nick’s living room.
Seth, Aidan, and Henderson quickly filled them in while Imhotep stood silently by and Nick fretted over every minute that ticked past.
“Nick,” Aidan said.
Blinking, he realized it wasn’t the first time the Celt had called his name. “Yeah?”
“Do you have a recording of Kayla’s or Oliver’s voice? We may be able to determine where they’re being held simply by lingering outside and listening once we reach the campuses.”
“Yes. I have voice mails.”
The first he played was from Oliver. “Hey, man. Where the hell are you? The sun will rise in a few minutes and I don’t want your ass to fry in it.”
He played it a couple more times so they could get a feel for Oliver’s voice, then played a longer one from Kayla: “Hi, Nick. I just got a very unusual call from Becca. Apparently her A-hole, always-a-bitch roommate is now acting just as sweet as sweet can be. And when I say sweet, I mean I heard you just won the mega millions lotto and am hoping you’ll spread some of that money love my way if I’m nice to you sweet. She’s even keeping the other A-holes at bay and shutting them down. You didn’t by any chance have something to do with that, did you?” Her voice was both teasing and suspicious. “Call me.”
Everyone stared at him.
Seth arched a brow.
“What?” Nick asked defensively.
Eliana grinned. “You had Lisette talk to her, didn’t you?”
“Maybe.”
She thrust a fist in the air. “Yes! I knew it! I so wish I could’ve been there.”
Dana smiled. “Becca is Kayla’s daughter?”
He nodded.
She leaned into Aidan’s side. “Awww. That’s so sweet.”
Nick frowned. “Could we just get back to business?”
Henderson cleared his throat. “I’ll have my contacts at Bush Intercontinental and the smaller airports to the north keep an eye out for Roubal and the others in case they aren’t heading to Brightwood Industries. If Kayla and Oliver are unconscious, Roubal will use a private plane to transport them.” He paused. “Actually, he’d probably use a private plane to transport them even if they weren’t. So my guys will alert me if that happens.”
If Roubal forced Kayla and Oliver onto a plane, Nick and Seth could shape-shift and chase it through the air. Even in bird form, they retained their preternatural speed and would be able to overtake them. Then Seth could teleport them both inside the plane so Nick could kill the bastards and save Kayla and Oliver.
And Nick did intend to kill the bastards. Roubal had orchestrated the kidnapping after Seth had wiped his memories. They couldn’t risk a repeat of this.
“I’ll also trace any calls or texts that go to your phone,” Henderson continued, “in case Roubal or one of his men tries to contact you.” He set a laptop Nick hadn’t even noticed him holding on the ottoman, then seated himself on the sofa and began typing away on the keyboard.
Seth caught Nick’s eye. “I’m going to bring Roland and Marcus in on this. If there are eight of us, we can each search a campus.”
“Okay.”
Seth closed his eyes.
A moment later, Roland and Marcus appeared, geared up for battle.