Hunt gave a sardonic grin. “Boss, you ain’t thinkin’ right about this predicament.”
Metcalf scowled. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Leroy’s eyes traveled around the room once more. “This here room’s in apple pie order. Bed made and all. She took her time. Must’ve had a plan worked out beforehand. You think a little gal who’s got a plan is gonna stand around in a field somewhere waitin’ to be picked off like a turkey durin’ bow season?”
The diviner backed down. “I see your point.”
“The way I figure it, gal’s only got one chance. Head for the city and get lost in the crowd.”
The old man blanched at those words. “The city! You mean she’s gone all the way to the Fallen Lands? Good God, not that!”
Hunt shrugged. “That’s what I’d do if I wanted to disappear for good. You said your boys searched everywhere hereabouts and no sign of her. She probably legged it as far as the highway, hitched a ride to town, and it’s adios Nephilim, hello Chicago.”
Metcalf sank back down on the bed in shock. Apparently, the thought had never occurred to him that Hannah might have journeyed such a distance. He rubbed his forehead in dismay. “My son born in the Fallen Lands,” he murmured. “It would be an abomination!”
Leroy considered him in amused silence for a few seconds. “So, the little lady was carryin’ a package, huh?” He clapped his employer on the back. “Don’t you go frettin’, boss. You just made my job a trifle easier. There’s only a handful of places gonna take a runaway with a bun in the oven. Maybe I’ll pay ‘em a visit tomorrow. You got a picture of Miss Hannah for me to show around?”
Metcalf reached mechanically into his jacket pocket and handed Hunt a small photo.
The mercenary studied it with narrowed eyes. She was pretty for a youngster her age. The picture was kind of off-putting though. She was gripping a wedding bouquet in both hands with a dazed deer-in-the-headlights look on her face. Hunt folded the picture in half to hide the flowers. He forced himself to give a reassuring smile to the old man. “I’ll get right on this, boss. Don’t you worry.”
“Find her, Mr. Hunt. And may God be with you.”
Leroy tipped his hat and left. When he was out of earshot, he mumbled, “I surely have come down in the world if the best job an ole sharpshooter like me can get is roundin’ up livestock. Yippee ki yi yay! My momma’d be so proud.”
Chapter 12 – Friend or Faux?
Hannah crouched next to the door of Cassie’s apartment. She had been waiting for a few hours now. There were no windows in the hallway, but she guessed it must be around sunset. Perhaps the person she was waiting for would arrive soon.
The girl had never been in a building this high before. When she walked inside, she knew the address was four levels up but wasn’t sure how to get there. Then she noticed a man walking into a metal box when its doors opened. She followed him to find out how to get to the fourth level, but he asked her, “What floor do you want?”
“F... four,” Hannah stuttered, not sure what the question meant.
She watched as the man pressed the number four from a row of buttons on the wall. It lit up and the doors closed. She felt slightly dizzy when the box started to move upward. It must have been lifted by invisible levers. The doors opened again, and the man went out. Hannah noticed the number 3 painted on the side of the door when it opened. She decided she was supposed to get out when the number turned to 4.
The metal box continued upward, and when the doors opened once more, Hannah darted out. She was confronted by a long hallway. It looked much like the compound only the floors were carpeted, and there were numbers on all the doors. She walked along until she came to the one that matched the address that the shopkeeper had given her.
Hannah knocked. “Hello,” she called tentatively, not knowing what was waiting for her on the other side. There was no answer. She listened at the door but could hear nothing. This Cassie person must be away, so she decided to wait and sank down on the carpeted floor.
That was where she continued to sit for at least two hours by her reckoning. Hannah yawned. She hadn’t slept well for several nights now. What with the plan to escape and then the strangeness of the maternity home, she suddenly realized how tired she was and drifted off.
“Hey! Hey, kid.”
She dreamed that someone was shaking her by the shoulder.
The voice grew more insistent. “Wake up!”
Her head jerked up in alarm.
A young woman crouched down beside her. “Are you OK?”
“Y... yes.” Hannah struggled to her feet. “I’m sorry. I was so tired from waiting that I must have fallen asleep.”
The young woman stood up too. Hannah noticed that she wasn’t very tall even though she was the elder of the two of them. Like many women in the Fallen Lands, her hair was cut to chin length. It swung over to conceal part of her face. She flipped it behind her ear impatiently. Hannah thought the woman would be considered pretty as the Fallen judged such things. She had grey eyes that somehow seemed to glow.
“Who are you waiting for?” the young woman asked.
Hannah wasn’t sure how much to reveal and who to trust. “I’m looking for someone named Cassie.”
The young woman frowned in perplexity. “You just found her.”
***
Cassie hesitated for a few moments. She didn’t make it a habit to invite strangers into her apartment, especially given her risky line of work. But the kid looked really scared and didn’t appear to pose much of a threat. She unlocked the door. “C’mon in,” she
