Chapter Seven

Waiting for the designated meeting time with the others was driving Jimmy crazy. He kept hoping that Blair would come stumbling back to camp with a story about getting lost, and they'd all have a laugh about it. What actually happened was that all evening activities, including the bonfire, were cancelled and replaced by a lengthy safety presentation in the amphitheater.

Jimmy's cabinmates were unusually reserved as they got ready for bed. Even Ben seemed concerned that the kid was still missing.

"Some of the counselors say he took off," Kyle reported.

"No way." Gary climbed up into his bunk. "He's not the kind of kid who'd do that."

"It's my fault," Ben said morosely, sitting on his footlocker.

"How's that?" Jimmy asked, curious.

"I told him about the ghost, egged him on. Should've known he'd go out looking for it." Ben sounded genuinely distressed. "He's not a bad kid. I don't want anything to happen to him."

The other guys exchanged surprised glances.

"He'd have gone anyway," Jimmy said, taking pity on him. "Everyone was talking about it. I even told him not to, but he went anyway."

Ben shot him a grateful look.

"Maybe we could talk to Hamburger about joining in the search tomorrow," Adam suggested. "Makes sense to have more eyes out there."

"They should definitely get you out there," Kyle said to Jimmy. "The shots you get in archery, you must really have an eagle eye."

"I already asked. He said no."

"Yeah, well, it's more serious now. Don't you think?" Adam leaned against the wall by the door. "If we all ask, maybe it'll change his mind."

But when Hamburger came in later, the answer was still no. Jimmy hadn't expected any different, but Ben was really upset.

"Why can't we help? We can look just as good as you!"

"We don't want anyone else getting lost." Hamburger put up his hands in a placating gesture. "Mr. Barnhardt is making arrangements to have Search and Rescue come out tomorrow."

"Where are they gonna look?" Jimmy asked.

"They're focusing on the lake and the shoreline."

"What the hell for?" Ben exclaimed. "He went in to the woods, not for some damn boat ride!"

"There's a kayak missing from the boathouse, so that's our best lead. Did you see him go into the woods? Any of you?"

They hadn't and Jimmy knew it didn't matter anyway. Whatever Barnhardt was up to, it was clear that he was going out of his way to keep Blair from being found. He had a moment to doubt his own ability to find his friend, but quickly squashed that feeling. The kid had helped him during the storm, and he had every intention of returning the favor.

"Search and Rescue knows what they're doing, guys," Hamburger said. "Go to sleep."

There was lots of grumbling, but what could they do? Jimmy wished he could tell them about his plan, but someone would want to come along and they'd just be in the way. Leave it to the professionals, he thought wryly.

*o*o*o*

Jimmy thought he'd be the first one there, sliding out the door at exactly one a.m., but Penny was already waiting. She had a pink hoodie and pink fingerless gloves on, and a pair of light blue sweatpants.

"You look like cotton candy," he whispered.

"Very funny," she replied. "I brought some first aid stuff. Just in case."

Jimmy nodded. He'd filled his canteen and stuffed a couple granola bars in the back pocket of his jeans. Whatever it was that Blair had gotten himself into, he was probably starving.

"Jared went to get Roddy. Make sure he didn't fall asleep."

Which clearly was the case when they both arrived. Roddy, wearing his camp shorts and a sweatshirt, was rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Jared, decked out in flannel pants and a thermal shirt, was bright-eyed and ready to go.

"I brought an extra flashlight," he said. "For the kid."

Penny gestured across the green to the Falcon cabins. "Show us where he went."

Thus instructed, Jimmy led the way. The moon was almost full, which made it easier to see, but Jared and Roddy both clicked on their flashlights as soon as they were past the cabins. Jimmy was thankful for the heightened vision, which kept his hands free. Just in case.

Stepping over the crime scene tape, he led the others a few feet into the woods to the spot where he'd had his fight with Blair. He wished he'd been able to say something to keep the kid from taking such a risk, instead of getting his ire up and hurting his feelings.

"This is the direction he was heading last night."

"There's a trail here," Penny said, looking around carefully.

"If you say so." Roddy sounded doubtful.

Jimmy could see it too, once Penny pointed it out. It was barely a trail, nothing like the wide, carefully marked one they'd hiked, but someone was using it enough to leave an impression behind.

"Ow! Roddy!" Penny clapped her hands to her face, covering her eyes. Roddy immediately lowered the flashlight he'd inadvertently shined on her.

"Sorry!"

"Okay," Jimmy decided. "Penny and I will take the lead. You guys follow behind. And keep those flashlights pointed down!"

He knew from experience how much it hurt getting light shined in your eyes when you had vision dialed all the way up.

"You okay, Penny?"

She nodded. "Just give me a minute."

"I'll keep my hearing turned up," Jared said. "I hear anything, you'll know."

"Don't see how I'm gonna be much help," Roddy said. "Unless you want me to lick some rocks."

"You're the comic relief," Penny replied, carefully lowering her hands and blinking rapidly.

"If Blair's hurt or something, we'll need your help getting him out of the woods." Jimmy kept telling himself that Blair was lost, not injured, but he was believing it less and less. "Besides, if something happens to make our senses go wonky, you'll be the one in charge."

"Do you think Willy has him?" Jared asked.

"Maybe." Jimmy didn't want to think about that, either. There was no good reason for the maintenance man to have snatched the kid, but there were plenty of bad reasons.

"Let's get going." Penny rubbed at her eyes once more before turning and heading up the trail.

"And keep your voices down," Jared warned. "Or you'll blow out my eardrums."

They started walking in silence, Jimmy keeping the pace slow so they wouldn't miss anything. The woods were full of night noises – chirping insects, tree frogs, the occasional hoot of an owl, and rustling noises as nocturnal animals made their rounds. With his hearing turned up, he could also hear the high-pitched cries of bats. He tried to tune into Blair's heartbeat, but there wasn't even a faint thump.

They'd been carefully making their way along the trail for almost half an hour before Roddy cracked under the pressure of keeping quiet.

"Is there anything? We've been walking forever!"

Jimmy bit back the sarcastic comment that was on the tip of his tongue, reminding himself that Roddy was the only one of them not able to use his senses to search; there was only so much he could do in the dark and it had to be frustrating.

"Were you expecting a trail of breadcrumbs?" Jared asked. "Kid didn't know he'd be getting lost."

The four of them stopped walking. Penny stretched and rubbed at her temples. "I'm getting a headache from looking so hard."

Jimmy was getting one, too. He dialed down everything for a minute, giving his senses a break. He was also feeling disheartened.

"I can't find a sign of him anywhere."

"Look at it this way," Roddy said with a shrug. "There's no sign he ran into any trouble."

Trust Roddy to find the silver lining. Still, Jimmy couldn't help but feel a little hopeful about that, and he smiled.

"It's kind of nice out here," Penny remarked. "You could almost feel you're all alone on a deserted island or something."
"Too much pine," Jared said, wrinkling his nose. "Jimmy, do you think Blair could teach me that volume thing?"

"Me, too," Roddy joined in. "It would sure make eating less difficult."

"Yeah. I'm sure he would." Jimmy couldn't help feeling a bit of pride. He thought of something Blair had mentioned, a throwaway remark about Sentinels having someone to help them. A Guide. And in that moment he realized that was what the kid was for him. Sure, Bud had been doing the job, but now it seemed like he'd just been filling in. How else could the kid have pulled him out of a zone so fast? The urge to find Blair became suddenly overwhelming.

"Let's go," he said abruptly.

"You got something?" Jared asked.

"No. I just…we need to go."

The others exchanged a look, but followed without protest. Jimmy turned his volume back up, but a few minutes later it was Jared that found the first sign that they were on the right trail.

"Hold up!" he called. Jimmy looked back at him expectantly.

"What is it?" Penny asked.

Jared took a deep breath, turning in a slow circle. "Pretty sure it's those cigars."

Jimmy moved to where Jared was standing and he smelled it right away; the familiar scent of apple tobacco. A close examination of the ground turned up a half-smoked cigar. It looked fairly fresh.

"That guy is a forest fire waiting to happen." Roddy used his flashlight to sweep the area around them. "Hey, look at this."

There were signs of a struggle here. The leaves and pine needles on the ground were all scuffed up, and there were broken plant leaves and snapped twigs over a large area. It was what Jimmy had been afraid they'd find.

"There's a pack of gum." Penny bent down and picked it up. Big Red.

"That's Blair's," he said numbly. Willy had the kid. There was no doubt in his mind. But what was he doing with him?

"Can't be far," Jared said. "You don't go on a long hike with a hostage. They had to walk somewhere close by."

Jimmy pulled himself together. "Okay. Keep your voices down and your ears open."

They continued following the trail, trying now to be stealthier. Jimmy listened as hard as he could and was finally rewarded with the familiar sound of Blair's heartbeat. It was racing, but he'd never been so happy to hear anything in his whole life. His friend – his Guide – was still alive!

*o*o*o*

Jimmy had really been tuned into Blair – it was another twenty minutes before they came to Willy's hideout. It had probably once been a hunting cabin but now was in an advanced state of decay. The roof was half caved in, there were wide spaces between the wall boards, and the whole structure looked like one stiff wind would blow it over.

Off to one side was an overgrown woodpile, and that's where Jimmy and the others took cover. From that vantage point they could see the one window on the side of the cabin, a weak, flickering light illuminating the broken window. Jimmy could smell the hot wax of lit candles. He stretched out his hearing. Willy was definitely in there with Blair – he could hear them both breathing. The kid was sniffling as well; probably trying not to cry. Jimmy's hands clenched into fists.

We're not leaving till you answer me! Willy's voice seemed shockingly loud in the night; Jared winced.

I know you know. It's all over this damn thing. There was a thud as something hit the floor. Blair's notebook?

Who's the Sentinel? Willy sounded desperate and frustrated, not a good combination.

It's just a story.

You think I'm stupid? There was the sound of a slap and a choked-off cry from the kid. Jimmy and Jared shared a look of mutual rage.

"What's going on?" Roddy hissed. Jimmy forgot that he couldn't hear everything so clearly.

"He's slapping the kid around," Jared replied darkly. "Wants to know who the Sentinel is."

Penny gasped in dismay. Jimmy was right there with her. Willy had probably been questioning Blair all day, keeping him here, maybe without food or water. The kid had to be scared out of his wits, yet he hadn't told Jimmy's secret. Jared was right; the kid had balls.

You don't tell me, you stay here. Permanently.

There was no response from Blair, and from the sounds of splintering wood it was likely that Willy took his frustration out on a piece of furniture.

"What's the plan?" Penny asked. She looked scared but determined. Jimmy thought for a moment, trying to work out something that had the least likely result of getting someone hurt.

"How about this?" he said finally. "Penny can see the best in the dark, so she goes back to camp and gets help. Jared, you and Roddy lure Willy out of the cabin. Jared, keep your hearing all the way up. If you hear anything that sounds like a weapon, get out of there as fast as you can."

"What're you gonna do?" Penny asked.

"I'm gonna rescue Blair."


AN: Sorry for the shorter chapter, but I needed to cut if off before the big action sequence. Blair's rescue is coming up, so stay tuned!