Where Fires Dare to Burn

Chapter 18 - A Game of Numbers

Dark crept its fingers out over the campus, coming faster now as autumn edged closer to winter. Luke walked with his shoulders hunched against the cold, his mind still replaying the events of the day. Along with Gabi and Kenny, the day after their latest sighting they had taken it upon themselves to call up Sheriff Nalen.

Rather than take any evidence over the phone, all of them were summarily collected from campus and driven down to Nalen's office, where they raised their concerns. Nalen listened. Even wrote a few things down.

But when they left Luke had no idea if what they'd done had been of any use at all. The sheriff remained infuriatingly opaque about the details of the investigation, and barely reacted at all to the news of DeVergne's snooping around the campus. Objectively that was probably a good thing, Luke supposed, but as someone in the thick of the mess he wished he could get more pieces of the puzzle. He didn't know for sure if DeVergne was involved in anything, but he couldn't shake the feeling of suspicion. Too many coincidences; too many unexplained appearances.

Oaklynn's accommodation rose welcomingly in front of him, banishing some of those dark thoughts, and he felt a tingle of warmth return to his bones. In some ways dating someone who made such a concerted effort to be hard to contact was a little odd, but it had its advantages. Their time was always in person. No phone calls, not texts, no emails that might be misinterpreted. It was all very raw; very real.

Tonight they would finally get their Predator double bill. They'd missed the chance to see it at the theatre, but that was nothing a quick online purchase couldn't solve. His rucksack rustled with snacks and a fresh spring lent lightness to his steps. For the next few hours they could forget about all the craziness that had infected Lasquette Bay and just have some fun.

He peered up at the building as he drew closer, trying to pick out her window on the west-facing wall. Some of them were dark, residents out for the night. Others emanated golden light against the encroaching night. On the third floor, he spotted one with a dark silhouette framed like a painting. As he walked the shape took on a definite form and he smiled. Even distantly he could make out the shape of her, the contours of her flowing hair and slender shoulders. She waved, the gesture toy-like from so far away.

Before he could wave back something slammed into him from the side.

Luke hit the ground with a gasp of surprise, landing painfully on his arm and his head clunked off the concrete. Stars exploded in his vision. Stunned by the impact he was dimly aware of strong hands grabbing him and wrenching him back to his feet, but he fell again, knees buckling. He blinked, trying to assemble a thought.

What was happening?

A hood was jammed down over his head, reducing his world to pitch blackness. He gathered the breath to cry out, but before he could call for help a fist smashed into his stomach with shocking force. Instantly winded, he spluttered and coughed, doubled over and only held upright by the strong arms of whoever held him from behind. Something tight bit into his wrists and he realised it was a zip-tie, pinning his hands together.

"Let's go," a gruff, female voice said. Then he found himself yanked along at a ruthless pace, his feet slithering on the ground, knees buckling as he tried to breathe. Another punch to the gut kept him quiet long enough for his assailants to toss him unceremoniously forward. There was a terrifying moment of weightlessness before he landed on something solid.

Luke heard the dull thud of a van door shutting. Then an engine revved and the vehicle started moving.

*

When they whipped the bag off his head Luke had to bite down the impulse to scream that went boiling through his lungs. He contented himself with a choked, high-pitched squeak, his whole body going rigid against the chair he'd been tied to. His breathing came rapidly, fearful adrenaline pumping through his system as he summoned the wits to look around.