Chapter 9 – Rifts
Hayden, Ian and Lily exited the house with a gentle and somewhat aged Gardevoir with a sapphire bangle around her left wrist. As Hayden locked the front door, Lily couldn't help but smile at the sight of Alexa surrounded by a group of caring Pokémon. But the sight of her daughter with a smile on her face was gratifying enough for her.
"Alexa?" she called. Alexa and the Pokémon turned their attention to her. "We're just going to Unova for several hours; Hailey's having a bit of a problem."
"One that takes all three of you?" Alexa asked quizzically.
"Hailey's probably overreacting, but we don't mind," Ian smiled. "Keenan gone with Keith?"
"Yeah," Alexa replied.
"I don't think we'll be back until around nightfall, so if he's back before then, can you let him know where we are?" Hayden asked.
"Certainly," Skywing said courteously. "You just have a safe trip." The Gardevoir stood in the middle of the adults with her delicate hands held over her heart.
"It'll only take seconds," Ian laughed.
"Take care, sweetie," Lily smiled. The Gardevoir's eyes shone briefly and she and the adults were literally gone in a flash.
"Huh; so that's how they got to Almia really quickly," Ryder muttered.
"Hey, if it saves them time, who's gonna argue?" Alexa laughed.
A wave of bright magenta energy flowed down the dark Arbok's serpentine body, revealing Xavier's true form as he sliced at Andy's Arbok with claws veiled in a sinister purple aura. The slash left a deep laceration just below the cobra's crest.
Reese was still trapped under the weight of Gabby's Swanna, who was pecking at his already bruised back. He glared up at the Swanna as his tails shone in a glow as white as the swan Pokémon's feathers. A translucent shock wave was released from the twin tails and superficially sliced across the Swanna's long and thin neck, causing her to stagger back. Reese struggled onto his feet as the glow from his tails spread all across his body. He turned around and tackled into Swanna's wound with unbelievable force. The Swanna screeched in agony as her wound worsened.
Conkeldurr tried and tried to slam his thick fist into Darcy, but the Rapidash proved too swift and agile for the bulky Pokémon. The punches always slammed into the grass underneath, leaving large dents, which ruined the battlefield even more. Darcy neighed as she charged towards the almost exhausted Conkeldurr, cloaked in her own fire. She slammed her shoulder into the Fighting type Pokémon, knocking him back, almost making him hit the open crate of Poach Balls.
Andy was losing his cool over the battles while Gabby was fixated on Jordan and Keith. Keith was still pinned to the ground, with Jordan's arm pressed against his throat.
"You have a lot of guts, kid, but you've got to know how to use them," Jordan whispered nastily. "If I were you, I'd quit all of this big man crap and leave it to the adults."
"I'm not scared of you..!" Keith choked out. He struggled to breathe as he felt Jordan pressing harder on his neck, making his legs flail a little. Jordan moved closer to Keith, giving him an evil glare.
"Keep this up and I'll give you a reason to be," he threatened quietly. Keith felt intimidated; all he could see was Jordan's evil glare. Jordan was so close to him, Keith saw his own reflection in the poacher's blood red eyes. And it wasn't a pretty sight.
While everyone was distracted in their own way, Keenan and Iara made their way to the crate of Poach Balls. They looked around to make sure nobody was looking before Keenan dropped Iara among the cruel Poké Balls. Now Keenan had to get himself inside the box; he held onto the top of the box and swung his legs over, landing him feet first inside the crate. And there he and Iara stayed.
"Jordan! Hate to break up your little rendezvous, but we're at a disadvantage here!" Andy exclaimed. Jordan lifted himself up from the frightened Ranger and looked around at how Reese, Darcy and Xavier were overwhelming their own Pokémon.
"Who cares? Call your Pokémon back and get in the Jeep! Conkeldurr, get the crate in the back! We're out of here!" he instructed. As Swanna and Arbok were recalled back into the safety of their Poké Balls, Xavier and Reese ran over to Keith and helped him onto his feet. Conkeldurr lifted the crate up effortlessly and dumped it in the back of the Jeep, slamming the lid on it to secure its contents. Darcy realised she couldn't see Keenan anywhere and looked around hastily, increasingly panicking. Keith and Xavier watched the poachers preparing to leave.
"Wait a minute, you can't just leave whenever you feel like it!" Xavier yelled. "We were just getting started!"
"We have bigger fish to fry," Jordan replied simply, returning Conkeldurr into his Poké Ball. "Rev it up, Andy!"
Before Keith and Xavier could protest, Andy started the engine and sped off, away from the once untouched clearing. Keith was frustrated that they escaped, but Darcy's panicked neighing and whimpers caught his and Xavier's attention. Keith ran over to the upset horse and tried to calm her down.
"Darcy! Hey, whoa, what's the matter?!" There were no reigns around Darcy's head, which made Keith wonder how to calm her down, as well as how Keenan could ride a horse Pokémon without the need for a set of reigns or a saddle on her back. "Yeesh...how does Keenan keep you under control?" Xavier suddenly realised what Darcy realised moments before and looked around quickly.
"Hey! Where IS he?!" Keith's eyes widened as he faced the horrified Zoroark.
"What?!"
"Keenan! He's gone!" Xavier cried. He looked around again; there was another individual missing. "So's Iara!"
"Oh, no!" Keith cried in horror.
"No wonder Darcy's having kittens!" Xavier exclaimed. Keith gulped; Xavier's use of the word "kittens" made him think about Alexa, given his pet name for her. "KEENAN!"
"KEENAN!" Keith cupped his hands around his mouth and called out for the boy as loud as he could.
"KEENA-hang on..." Xavier's eyes widened and his pupils dilated a little. "...you don't think..?!" Keith turned pale, coming to what he believed to be the same realisation as Xavier.
"They kidnapped him while we were distracted?!" he questioned hesitantly. Xavier's ears dropped and his pupils dilated even more.
"...I was gonna say he went after them himself...thanks for giving me that imagery," he said sarcastically.
"Either way, Alexa's going to be pissed..."
Keenan and Iara stayed perfectly still inside the clutter of the diabolical Poké Balls, experiencing a very bumpy ride. Iara felt a little scared, not knowing where Jordan was unknowingly taking them. Keenan felt scared for the same reason, but his determination to get to the bottom of Jordan's reasons behind his poaching proved stronger than his fear of the unknown.
Andy pulled the Jeep up to the old and seemingly abandoned house outside the forgotten woodlands. He and Gabby sighed with relief.
"I never thought that would end," he said.
"I'm just glad to be out of Johto after that," Gabby sighed.
"Relax, Keith will get his," Jordan said calmly as he jumped out of the back of the Jeep. He released his Conkeldurr once more. "Get the crate to the basement," he ordered. With full compliance and no effort, Conkeldurr lifted the crate from the Jeep and walked indoors with it. Andy and Gabby exited the Jeep and followed Jordan into the lounge.
"What about the other two?" Andy asked. Jordan sat down in the isolated armchair and took the blue glass bottle from the small table nearby.
"Same applies to them," he said casually, pouring a small amount of light brown liquid into the glass that was once next to the bottle. "Chill out. There's plenty of time to get back at them. Heh; I say that, but we're the ones winning at the moment," he chuckled.
Conkeldurr slammed the crate down on the rancid basement floor before dragging himself up the stairs. As soon as the door to the basement closed, the crate's lid began to move. Keenan pushed the lid up and carefully set it down next to the crate. He and his Vaporeon companion climbed out of the box and, despite the contents of the crate being completely clean, brushed themselves down. Keenan looked around his new surroundings, but he could hardly make out any of the silhouettes all around the basement. He did, however, pick up the smell of blood and another distinct odour around the place.
"Where do we start?" he asked quietly.
"Absolutely, I'd be able to take you back to the island, no problem," Skywing smiled towards his Glaceon and Hydreigon friends. "I'll ask Shade if he wishes to return to the island as well."
"That's nice of you," Alexa smiled sweetly. "But are you sure you're up for making that flight today?"
"I'm always prepared for that flight, my dear," Skywing smiled in confirmation.
"ALEX!" Alexa stood up as she heard a distressed call from her Zoroark and, soon enough, spotted him and Darcy racing desperately towards her. Ryder stood up when he realised that Darcy's rider was Keith.
"Xavier? Keith? What's going on?" she asked.
"Jordan, that's what!" Keith replied in a panic. Alexa turned her attention to the restless Rapidash.
"Darcy's worked up..." Alexa's eyes widened and turned into anger as she realised something that should have been painfully obvious to her from the very start. "HEY! Where's Keenan?!" she asked demandingly.
"T-that's the problem!" Xavier panted. "Keith thinks Jordan kidnapped him." Alexa was left even more horrified than she had ever been since the moment she was afflicted with her unhealthy fear of her most iconic adversary. The Pokémon shot up and approached Alexa, horrified at the news. Keith glared at the panting fox.
"Xavier!"
"Hey, I said I thought Keenan went after them himself, okay?!"
"And you let this happen?!" Alexa shouted furiously at Keith.
"I didn't know what he was doing!" he cried. Alexa tried her hardest to contain her anger, but her hardest wasn't enough; her eyes seethed with the rage that boiled inside her blood.
"...you said you'd look out for him," she said quietly. "You promised me you would!" Keith was quick to revert to his anger-filled state of mind.
"Well excuse me for having Jordan breathing down my neck!" he shouted angrily.
"That wouldn't stop me from keeping an eye on my little brother!" Alexa yelled.
"You didn't want him to go in the first place!" Keith bellowed.
"I didn't, but he wanted to go and I THOUGHT he'd be safe in your care!" Alexa screamed furiously. The Pokémon began to worry; the argument between Keith and Alexa seemed more heated than before. The shouting attracted Lupin's attention as he watched from the roof.
"If you were in my position, you'd understand how hard it is to look at anything OTHER than the thug pinning you down!" Keith explained nastily.
"If I were in your position, I wouldn't just lie there and let him dominate me!" Alexa retaliated.
"Uh, guys...?" Ryder asked quietly.
"Shall we not do this here...?" Skywing suggested nervously.
"You really think you could do better! Don't make me laugh!" Keith stated mockingly.
"I'd be more vigilant, that's for sure!" Alexa snapped.
"I AM vigilant!" Keith shouted in self-defence.
"Says the Ranger who's just lost my twelve year old brother to a trio of poachers!" Alexa screamed furiously.
Keenan and Iara split up as they searched the dark and stinky basement. They were careful, as they couldn't find a means to light up the room, nor could they tell if there was anything dangerous down there. Keenan could identify the discarded cages scattered about; there were all in different sizes and conditions, some cleaner than others. He also saw dark squares around the room, which he assumed to be crates like the one he stowed away in. The difference was he couldn't tell what was inside them. He backed away into something soft, but smelly as he looked around and panicked a little. He saw the silhouette of what looked like a bear of sorts hanging upside down. But it wasn't the whole bear, as Keenan judged from what he felt; it was the bear's fur. Keenan became increasingly panicky the longer he was in the dark.
Iara was panicky from the start, slowly walking as she looked around. She bumped into what felt like a stag's leg and she looked up. She saw a large shadowy figure with empty eyes staring off into the distance. Iara whimpered as she scurried backwards quickly. Keenan tripped over her and crashed into the crate of Poach Balls. He fell to the ground, taking the crate down with him, which hit the ground with a loud thud.
Andy sat in one armchair, strumming a random tune on his black and orange guitar, Gabby was looking at Jordan in adoration while he just sat on the armchair opposite her, occasionally sipping from the glass of whisky. Their relaxation was cut short when they heard the loud thud from the basement. They were confused; they hadn't brought anything live back with them. Andy put his guitar down carefully and followed his allies to the basement.
Iara approached Keenan with concern as he stood up, rubbing his head. She looked at him apologetically. Keenan smiled as he petted his worried Pokémon.
"I'm all right," he said gently.
The lights suddenly flicked on, causing Keenan to have a moment of blindness as his eyes were forced to adapt to the lighting. While Iara was going through the same phase, Keenan could finally see the contents of the basement; he saw the cages he identified earlier on, he saw unmarked crates stained with dried blood, the Ursaring fur he encountered, the stuffed Sawsbuck Iara bumped into, a metal toolbox in one corner and the messy pile of Poach Balls scattered along the floor. He didn't notice Jordan, Andy and Gabby approaching him until Jordan spoke up.
"Well...what do we have here?"
"How the hell...?" Gabby was at a loss for words; she couldn't come up with the obvious conclusion as to how Keenan made it to their hideout undetected.
"Stowed away, I'll bet," Andy assumed.
"Now why did you do that?" Jordan asked. Keenan was forced to grow confidence, and fast; he was in the belly of the beast, so to speak, and there was no turning back now.
"So Keith and Alex can stop you once and for all!" he exclaimed. Andy raised an eyebrow.
"...because you stowed away here?"
"So they'll know where you are! I'm going to tell them so they can come get you!" Keenan declared. Gabby scoffed.
"Cute," she said rudely.
"But I have no intention on letting you leave," Jordan said as he picked up one of the new Poach Balls.
"What..?"
"I can't let a runt like you ruin my business," Jordan explained. "You'll be sticking around for a while.
"POR!" Iara leapt up at Jordan angrily. She felt a button slamming into her forehead, and she was absorbed into the evil capsule in the dark grey light before she could react. Keenan was horrified.
"Iara! What're you going to do to her?!" he asked interrogatively.
"Nothing," Jordan said simply. "She's worthless to me."
"Eevee and its evolutions ARE rare, though," Andy said quietly.
"Shut up," Jordan growled. He looked at Keenan again. "Now then...to deal with you." Keenan was backed into the corner and looked up at the poachers, Jordan in particular, with fear as to what they were going to do with him.
"Look, I didn't lose him, he could've gone after them on his own accord for all we know!" Keith said with frustration.
"That doesn't change the fact that he was YOUR responsibility!" Alexa snapped.
"Stop pinning this on me, dammit!" Keith demanded forcefully.
"He was in your care, the fault is down to you! I told you not to let anything happen to him, and then THIS happens!" Alexa cried crossly. The Pokémon behind her grew more concerned by the second, but Lupin showed no reaction."
"Shut up and listen to me!" Keith commanded with rage. "Keenan might've-"
"That makes no difference!" Alexa shouted abruptly. "He's going to be at Jordan's mercy anyway! How could you have let this happen!? Y-you tried to sock someone, didn't you!?" she yelled accusingly.
"Okay, yes, it was Jordan I tried to smack, but I didn't know what else to do!" Keith exclaimed. "I'm not a Trainer like you!"
"Does initiative ring a bell?!" Alexa asked mockingly. "Or is that thing on your arm for show?!" she added, pointing to Keith's Fine Styler. Keith scowled at her.
"Don't you get all hight and mighty with me like you think you can do better!" he countered.
"I would've kept my word and looked out for my brother!" Alexa screamed furiously.
"Hah!" Keith scoffed. "That would've been him doomed then; you couldn't even look out for your Butterfree, and look where THAT went!"
What happened next shocked the Pokémon, Ryder especially, to the core; without thinking, and without considering the consequences, Alexa threw a punch at Keith, landing just below his eye. Skywing covered his eyes as soon as her fist made contact. Keith yelped as he fell to the floor. Almost immediately afterwards, Alexa stepped back in horror, only just realising exactly what she had just done. She held her bruised fist as she looked at the wounded boy, the boy who was supposed to be her lover, hyperventilating and eyes wide in both horror and devastation. Keith, having realised the indescribably cruel words that spewed from his mouth like word vomit, was shocked at himself that he could even say that, even in such a fit of anger. He gently touched the bruise below his left eye and looked at his terrified attacker with heartache and fear in his eyes. Alexa looked away from Keith and cleared her throat ever so slightly.
"...Darcy. Stay here in case he comes back on his own," she said quietly, scared to talk any louder. Darcy nodded in compliance. "Xavier, help Skywing take Shade, Clarice and Jonah back to the island." Despite their worry for their dear Trainer, the Chatot and Zoroark nodded. "Ryder, you're with me. I just hope we can find him before Mum and Dad come back..!"
Ryder and Alexa ran off, out of the city. Keith forced himself up and chased after her, feeling nothing but guilt. Reese watched with surprise as Robbie sped passed him, chasing after Keith. The Pokémon watched the two Rangers leaving the town, fearing the fate of their bond. Reese began to cry a little.
Jordan pushed Keenan into the corner while Gabby and Andy dropped the last of the spilled Poach Balls into the crate they came in. Keenan struggled a little against the ropes tied tightly around his wrists behind him.
"That'll keep you out of trouble while I decide what to do with you," Jordan stated. Keenan looked up at Jordan, both with fear and frustration.
"Why're you doing this?!"
"D'uh! You've seen what we do with some of our snags! Big no-no, sweetie," Gabby retorted. Jordan glanced back at her.
"NOT what he means, Gabby," he sighed.
"Could've been," Andy said simply.
"It wasn't," Keenan confirmed.
"See?" Jordan looked down at his hostage. "Look, all you need to know is that we're doing what we're doing for the money," he explained.
"But it's wrong!" Keenan exclaimed. "You're stealing Pokémon's lives!"
"Think what you will," Jordan said simply, depositing Keenan's Poké Balls and Iara's Poach Ball into a cage that looked small enough to imprison a Natu. "You can't stop us."
"I didn't expect to! My sister will when she-" Andy's eyes widened, as if his mind was just blown.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Alexa's your sister?!" he asked in shock. Keenan recoiled; he hadn't meant to bring her up.
"But I thought Keith was your brother?" Gabby said, equally as shocked.
"I don't care," Jordan said to his lackeys. "Neither one of them is going to stop us. Come on." Jordan, Andy and Gabby walked away from Keenan and walked up the stairs.
"Y-YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!" he cried at the top of his voice. Andy groaned.
"Can I shut that trap of his?!" he complained.
"Not now. Besides, you can drown it out with your guitar," Jordan said quietly.
"Oh, yeah," Andy said calmly. Jordan turned the basement light off as he exited the basement, closing the door behind him, leaving Keenan sitting there in the dark. He struggled against his bonds, the rope rubbing against his skin. He suddenly stopped as he had a burst of realisation. He came to terms with the potential consequences of his actions, but not for him; he was worried about the impact his capture would have on his sister and her relationship with Keith, which was already rocky after the Union Cave. One thought plagued his mind; if Keith and Alexa terminated their relationship, it'd be his fault!
"...n-no...!" Keenan leaned the back of his head against the wall behind him and tried not to cry. He held back his sobs, but not his tears.
Alexa and Ryder sped down the country path, following Darcy's hoof prints. Or so they prayed the hoof prints belonged to Darcy. Keith and Robbie barely managed to catch up to Alexa and Ryder.
"A-Alexa, wait!" Keith cried, gently pulling her arm to make her stop. Alexa had stopped, but pulled her arm back from him.
"Go away!" she shouted.
"No, please, listen to me!" Keith begged.
"I don't want anything more to do with you right now, I just want my baby brother..!" Alexa exclaimed, trying not to submit to her impending tears.
"That's just it! Look, you were right, I'm sorry!" Keith apologised. "Let me help you find him!"
"No! I trusted you to keep him safe and you royally screwed it up!" she scolded. Keith sighed sadly.
"You're right...and I'm sorry. But let me help you find him. Please."
"Get away from me..!" Alexa said tearfully. Keith was shocked; he never thought he'd hear such words from someone he cared about.
"Alexa, please! You can't do this alone!" he pleaded.
"Why do you think Ryder's here?!" Alexa screamed.
"That's not wha-"
"Let's go, Ryder," Alexa said quietly as she began to run off again, Ryder hesitantly following her. Tears swelled in his eyes, which fell when he closed his eyes tightly.
"I'm sorry I insulted Lydia!" he cried loudly. Alexa and Ryder stopped dead in their tracks and looked back at the sorrow-filled Ranger. The duo approached him as Robbie looked up at Keith worriedly; Keith was dangerously close to crying. "I shouldn't have mentioned her at all. It was a low blow...I'm sorry..!"
"Alex?" Ryder looked up at Alexa worriedly. She looked at the bruise she inflicted with so much guilt coursing through her heart.
"...I'm sorry I hurt you," she said quietly. Keith looked at her and immediately noticed how upset she looked. "I should've learned my lesson after I hurt Rhythmi."
"I got off lightly," Keith said plainly. Under normal circumstances, Ryder would laugh, as he would've assumed Keith made a joke. But the tension between the two Rangers was no laughing matter; he knew their conflict could have potential ramifications on their romance. He whined a little to himself.
"...I think we should keep our distance. Until I've brought Keenan back home, at least," Alexa suggested quietly.
"And if Jordan kidnaps you both? Or even kill you?! What then?!" Keith asked in shock.
"You'd be able to prove that you don't need me to stop Jordan," Alexa sighed.
"No. If that happens, Keenan will be without a sister, your Pokémon will be without a Trainer and a Lucario for a friend, and I'll be without the best girl I've ever known!" Keith cried.
"...not that I've been living up to that reputation right now," Alexa said pessimistically.
"I've not been living up to mine either. I've been a real jerk to you, and I was wrong to be like that with you."
"...go home and wait with Darcy," Alexa instructed quietly.
"No. I lost one Thorndyke sibling today, I'm not losing another one!" Keith exclaimed in defiance. Ryder stepped in the middle of the two emotionally unstable Rangers.
"Sorry to interrupt, but there's a child being held captive who, y'know, needs rescuing? Preferably before he meets an untimely demise?" Alexa sighed shakily.
"Do what you want, Keith," she said quietly. "I just don't care any more."
"Alexa..."
"Let's go, Ryder." Alexa and Ryder sprinted away from Keith. Robbie looked up at him almost expectantly. He shook his head and ran after Alexa; forget Ian's advice, he had a child to rescue! Robbie pranced after him.
Keenan fought against the ropes, but constantly winced in pain as he felt a burning sensation on his wrists. When he felt as though escape was impossible, he felt the ropes finally loosening. He kept the struggling up until the ropes fell off of his wrists. Freed at last, he looked at the damage the ropes caused; the ligature marks around his wrists were bright red and highly sensitive to touch. He flinched when he gently touched the redness. He approached the tiny cage and reclaimed his Poké Balls. He took the Poach Ball last and freed his trapped Vaporeon from its grasp. Iara shook herself off as soon as she was freed, relieved to be out of the abominable device. She saw Keenan and leapt at him with euphoria. He held onto her, happy beyond words to see her unharmed. He quietly shushed his excited Pokémon and held her under his arm as he began to make his way out of the basement.
Andy was back to strumming random notes on his guitar, Gabby was in her own little world with a set of earphones in her ears. Jordan returned his glass of whiskey on the table, next to the green and orange Poké Gear he confiscated from Keenan. Jordan's eyes were fixated on a Pokémon encyclopedia. Nobody noticed Keenan sneaking out of the basement and into the lounge. He saw how relaxed the poachers were, and bit his lip a little when he saw his Poké Gear; he knew he'd either have to come back for it or risk being captured again just for getting it back. He walked silently away from the lounge and made his way through a large, albeit dirty kitchen. The kitchen walls were grimy and the wallpaper was falling off from near the ceiling, the floor looked as though it hadn't been mopped in months, the table and chairs in the middle were dusty from disuse, the stove and oven were filthy, covered with burnt food substances of all sorts which couldn't be identified, the curtains were moth-bitten and there were dirty dishes soaking in even dirtier dishwater. Keenan made his way to the back door and carefully twisted the handle, praying to himself that it was unlocked. Sure enough, the door opened successfully. Taking care not to open the door too fast, Keenan and Iara snuck out of the house and silently closed the door behind him.
Outside, Keenan and Iara were relieved to be outside. But they had no clue where they were; they were in the middle of nowhere, with the woodlands in front of them. The only indication the pair had as to their location was the fact they could see Mt Silver in the distance, as well as the iconic building that was iconic Tin Tower standing tall on the horizon, marking the approximate location of Ecruteak City. Keenan released his orange-crested Fearow from his Poké Ball, who emerged with a stretch.
Gabby took her earphones out and stood up from the armchair as she made her way to the kitchen. She stopped in the kitchen doorway as she saw a pair of large brown wings and an orange crest atop a long neck.
"Andy?"
"What?" Andy responded with annoyance.
"Does your Fearow have an orange crest?" Gabby asked.
"No..? Why?"
"Then who's Fearow is that outside?"
In the lounge, Andy and Jordan shot up from the armchairs; there was only one person they knew who owned such a Fearow.
"Shit!" Jordan cussed. "Gabby, get in here! We're going after him!"
"Just fly up, Colin!" Keenan said as he scrambled onto the bird's back. "Straight up, above the clouds!" he added, setting Iara down in front of him. Colin looked up at the newly arrived clouds overhead. He took off in an instant, disappearing into the clouds.
The poachers jumped into the Jeep, carelessly leaving the front door of the house wide open, and Andy hastily started the engine. Leaving a little trench in the ground, the Jeep sped off towards the woodlands.
"Jordan, do you really care if we find the kid?" Andy asked.
"I'd prefer it if we did," Jordan grumbled. "He knows too much, and could rat us out to someone."
"Like Alexa," Gabby spat.
"Yes, thank you, Gabby," Jordan sighed. "But that kid...took a lot of balls to do what he did..." He rested his hand under his chin in thought. "Huh; why do I feel like I've forgotten something?"
To be continued...