Off Grid

Chapter 25: Family Ties

Seven was flying.

As close to it as he could manage, anyway. His palm made contact with the next rooftop and violent vibration propelled him forward through the air. Adrian's voice was buzzing in his ear, but it was getting harder and harder to contain the panic bubbling up in his chest for long enough to focus on what he was saying.

"Infiltrator? Anything?"

"Sev, you have to calm down. You won't be able to help Seth like this even if you find him."

Seven stumbled to a stop and closed his eyes to listen to his surroundings. "I just really need an update."

"He's okay, I promise. As long as I can see through him at all, he's awake. As far as I can tell, that guy hasn't done anything but talk to him."

"Retribution."

"Yeah, him."

"We're taking too long! I need more to go off of."

"I'd give you more if I could, Sev, you know that. I told you, the windows are boarded, he can't see outside."

"Keep watching. I need to know if anything changes."

"I honestly don't know how much longer I'll be able to hold-" A thump outside the classroom door startled Adrian enough to finally sever his connection to Seth.

He blinked, taking his own surroundings back in as he fought to stay standing.

"Adrian, what happened?"

"Sorry, I... Seven, I don't think I can reconnect."

Guilt immediately overtook Seven's panic. "No, stop, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I know how hard that is for you, I just-"

"I know. It's okay."

"Thank you for trying."

"I'll go to the hideout and start looking from there, maybe someone's camera caught something. Just keep listening for him for now."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Adrian closed his eyes and braced himself against the wall, taking deep breaths. "Yeah, don't worry about it. You said he was at Mark's, right? I'll start there and work my way down his route home. We'll find him."

"No, take a break, I'll keep going. Just join back in as soon as you're able to."

Adrian wanted to protest, but he was too exhausted to put up much of a fight anyway. "Okay. Be careful."

He could practically hear Seven ignoring him through the phone. "Sev?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm serious. Please don't do anything stupid."

***

"Perhaps it's time we gave your brother a call. What do you think, Seth?"

"Why? Are you that eager to get your ass kicked?"

"Oh? You're confident all of a sudden, aren't you?"

"If you're right and he really is Resonance, you don't stand a chance against him."

"Perhaps under normal circumstances that would be true. Your presence, however, changes the equation, doesn't it?"

Seth hated that he was right. If it came down to choosing, his brother would sacrifice himself in a heartbeat. Seth couldn't let things get that far.

Resonance chose right then to come bursting through the door.

"Hey! Get away from him!"

Just as quickly as he'd fallen into his fighting stance, Seven straightened up and took a step back, eyes wide with fear. Seth wasn't sure when he'd gotten close enough to do it, but he hoped that his own expression mirrored Seven's enough to be believable when he realized that Retribution was holding a gun against the side of his head.