"So, why are you two extra worried about Sofia not answering her phone?" Mr. Collins crossed his arms.
Doc glanced at Victoria. She shrugged and tried to covey she had no idea what to say with her expression.
Doc tightened his lips in annoyance. Victoria didn't think it was directed at her.
"We think the magic black market has taken an interest in her," Doc answered after a few moments of contemplation.
Everyone just stared for a moment.
"Why would the magic black market be interested in our daughter?" Mr. Collins replied carefully.
"She's a relatively untrained mage. Usually, by the time a magic user is Sofia's age, they'd have a lot more experience. Somehow, they figured it out. I have no idea how. And maybe they decided she would be easy prey."
"She tell you she was a magic user?" Mr. Collins' voice darkened dangerously.
Victoria thought it was from fear, not actual anger, though.
"She did," Victoria spoke up. "Once it became obvious they were after one or the other of us. We aren't going to tell anyone."
"And how do you know so much about this black market?" Mr. Collins glared at Doc.
The cowboy shrugged. "I've had a few run ins with them. They've not been very active in this area for so long, that the people who usually deal with things like that have kept their attention focused on bigger hotspots."
"People like the police?"
Doc shook his head. "I get that you two probably don't know that much about the magical community, but they try to keep the police out of it for reasons I'm sure you can understand."
Victoria knew it was because of the uncertain legal status of mages and other supernatural beings. She was sure Sofia's parents did too by the way her mother paled.
"What do we do?" Mrs. Collins twisted her hands and gave an imploring look at Doc for answers before glancing up at her husband.
Mr. Collins was still glaring at Doc.
Doc pulled out his phone and glanced at the screen, his frown deepening. He tilted the screen so Victoria could see.
Ed: No fresh scents.
He put his phone back in his pocket and sighed. "I don't know."
"We should call the cops, right?" Mrs. Collins clutched her husband's arm. Victoria's parents had stayed silent up to then.
"You could," Mom replied.
Victoria saw Doc give her mom a grateful look.
"If they do get involved, and they find out she's a magic user, she'll get put on lists. Until we win her and all supernaturals' rights, it's better to keep the police out of it if you can," Mom continued.
Both Collins turned and looked at Victoria's parents in shock.
"We're activists, so we're familiar with all the issues and legalities. If there's another way to get her back, you should try it first."
"What can we do? If the black market has her, she could already be gone." Mrs. Collins' eyes glistened.
"Chances are the local group wants her for themselves. They know she'll be missed, so they probably want her for her untapped mage abilities."
"And you're willing to risk her life on this assumption?" Mr. Collins turned his glare back onto Doc.
Victoria momentarily felt sorry for Doc. She also guessed he could stand up to Mr. Collins if he needed to.
"If I thought her life was in immediate danger, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you," Doc replied tightly.
"Listen, son, she may be your friend, but she's our daughter..." Mr. Collins fell silent, whatever he was going to say left unsaid as he snapped his mouth shut.
Victoria glanced at Doc and had to force herself not to shrink away.
He hadn't done anything except straighten, square his shoulders, and somehow add a great deal of menace to his glinting obsidian colored eyes. Holy shit, she was never going to piss him off.
"Give me twenty-four hours. If we're not back, then call the cops."
They nodded quickly, and Doc relaxed slightly.
Victoria took a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "So, what's the plan?"
Doc frowned, staring at the wall for a moment. "Call Alex. See if he answers."
"Alex?"
Victoria shivered when she met Doc's gaze. It had turned angry. He nodded. "He was out all week, ask him how he's feeling, ask him if he's seen Sofia. If he answers."
Doing what she was told, she dialed and almost jumped when Alex answered.
"Hi, Victoria, what's up?"
"Hey, Alex. Sofia said she hadn't heard from you all week, and I was just checking on you."
"Oh, I'm fine. Just sick this week."
Victoria glanced at Doc. His expression darkened, and Victoria was really glad she wasn't the cause of his anger.
"Great, have you seen Sofia? She's late for our normal dinner, and she isn't picking up the phone."
"Have you tried her boyfriends?" He sounded a bit annoyed to Victoria, but not as upset as she might have expected from someone who was missing out on dating someone they apparently liked. She hoped Sofia's parents couldn't overhear the conversation.
"Yeah, they're all at Doc's cabin," she improvised. "No Sofia."
"Hm, well, I haven't seen her. If I do, I'll tell her to charge her phone. Or she could just be out of reception range. There's a lot of that up here."
"Okay, thanks. I hope you're feeling better."
"Thanks. Chat later, Victoria."
She hung up the phone and stared at Doc wide-eyed. "He's totally lying."
Doc smiled grimly. "Yes, he is. Gives me a place to start looking. I know where Alex lives."
"Wait, do you think he's involved with the magic mafia?"
"Ash is, and Alex said they were friends, right?"
"I never suspected him." Victoria shivered.
Doc didn't reply, but she guessed he'd had his suspicions. "Mind trading cars with me? They know my truck too well." He pulled keys out of his pocket and held them out.
"Sure." Victoria took his keys and retrieved hers from her purse. "You do realize I've never driven anything bigger than, well, my car before, right?"
Doc smiled. "Just try not to hit anything and remember, it's got a lot of power. You'll be fine."
"Where am I driving to, anyway?"
"Remember the way to the cabin?"
She
