ARKEN

Gone

Jordan had been helping with some of the medical needs of the motel residents. Unfortunately, they were shorthanded and needed every bit of help they could get. Mostly it was checking people over who complained of pain or illness, or dealing with simple injuries.

As things got worse in the city, more people were showing up needing help, more Militia fighters were coming back wounded. Since he was permitted to walk around again, he'd had his hands full helping Doctor Stanton with the overload.

In some way, he liked it. It made him think of the way things were before all this craziness had gone down. After chasing down criminals, working with a secret militia, and hurling thunderbolts at people, stitching a bad cut or applying a 3D printed cast was pleasantly average.

He had just finished up with someone when Derrick came in looking concerned.

"Have you seen Vanessa?"

"Not today. Isn't she in her room?"

"I went to check on her and she isn't there. I asked Weiss and he said she wanted to go to her old place to get some things. One of his men went with her, they should have been back by now."

"Are you sure they're not back?"

"I don't know," Derrick was getting agitated. Jordan finished with the woman he was helping and starting walking toward the door, "We'll figure out what's going on."

Jordan and Derrick checked the lot where the vehicles were parked. There was a car missing, as Derrick had said. They went back to Weiss and he confirmed what Derrick told Jordan.

"Her apartment isn't that far from the motel. They've been gone almost two hours now and you didn't think that was weird?" Derrick accused Weiss. The old German shook his head. "I do not frequently check the courtyard to ensure all the vehicles are there. I thought they had already returned."

"You just assumed?"

"It's not like they would come in and announce their return. I am concerned for the safety of Fräulein Sūn and Mr. Lau as much as you are. Go, find them. Check the apartment."

Derrick was still angry at Weiss, but Jordan urged him along. "They're probably fine, I'll admit it's strange that they've been gone that long, but it doesn't mean anything bad necessarily."

"It only means something bad," Derrick replied. They hopped into one of the cars and left the motel, driving for Vanessa's old apartment. Jordan could tell Derrick was very upset. He understood, Derrick was very close with Vanessa. Jordan had only known her a fraction of the time, but he hated to think of her in a bad situation either.

"We should have told Kiera."

"I don't want her to worry if it's nothing to worry about," Jordan said. "She needs to stay in bed until she's healed up."

"You keep saying we shouldn't worry, that it's nothing to worry about."

"I didn't say we shouldn't worry. I'm worried, of course I am. I'm just saying don't immediately jump to the worst possible conclusion. I'm also saying we shouldn't spread it around at the motel unless we need to. Do you really want to freak Kiera out if it turns out that they're fine?" Derrick begrudgingly agreed. Jordan sped up, taking advantage of the lack of traffic.

They got to the apartment building in good time. Jordan pulled up on the sidewalk and Derrick pointed across the street. "That's the car, the one they took here." They exited their vehicle and crossed the nearly empty street to the car sitting vacant in the empty lot.