Chapter 93 Ch. 63
"We can see Zara Castillo, SandRidge Academy student, already approaching the two-mile marker, and right behind her is Michelle Athens from Riven High—"
The commentator stopped talking as a gunshot rang through the speakers. On the screen, a linesman dropped to the ground, blood spreading under him.
Screams filled the stadium instantly.
At first, people had thought it was a sound problem, but upon seeing the linesman and then another shot that was louder than before, the bleachers erupted into chaos. Parents stood up, calling their children’s names. Teachers and coordinators shouted for everyone to stay calm, but no one listened.
How was anyone going to listen when a man had been killed on the cross-country track?
Bags and bottles rolled down the stairs of the bleachers as people rushed toward the exit gates.
Ethan stood up slowly, his eyes still fixed on the screen. His jaw was open for a second too long and he could not even move. Something was terribly wrong, he could feel it in his bones; then in that moment, he realized it was Zara. He turned and jumped down from the row he was standing on.
"What the hell was that?" Noah said.
"That was a gunshot," Jace said.
"She’s still in there," Prunella said as she started running down the bleachers. "Zara’s still in the woods."
Ethan didn’t reply. He was already pushing through the crowd. His speed drew quick stares from people running past, but he didn’t stop. He crossed the open field in seconds and disappeared past the line of trees, almost glitching in the wind.
Noah looked after him, confused. "How did he just—"
"Move," Jace said, grabbing Noah by the arm and pulling him along.
They ran across the grass, dodging people and security officers. When they reached the edge of the field, Noah blinked hard as the wind brushed his face.
Jace rolled his eyes and pulled him again. The world blurred for a moment, and then Noah was standing inside the woods. His knees almost buckled. "What just happened? How did we get here?"
"Later," Prunella said so they wouldn't draw attention to themselves. She was standing a few feet away, her breath unsteady. "We’ll explain later."
Sirens were already echoing from the direction of the school. Paramedics ran past them, following the path that led deeper into the trees.
Michelle lay on the ground ahead, her white jersey soaked red. Two medics were kneeling beside her, one checking her pulse while the other called for a stretcher. Her body didn’t move.
Zara was nowhere in sight.
Several runners stood near the clearing, some crying, some frozen. The coaches were shouting at everyone to stay back and trying to lead their athletes back to the main field.
Ethan was a few steps away, his hands on his knees, staring at the ground. He followed the small drag marks in the dirt with his eyes. The marks stopped near a broken branch and a patch of trampled leaves.
He could smell Zara's scent in the air. He traced it for a while until it finally stopped and there was nothing at the other side of the woods that exposed the main road to him.
He straightened and turned around, scanning the trees, tears pricking at his eyes. There was a painful sensation in his chest and he felt dizzy, like someone had choked him.
His mind flashed to the bathroom, on the day of her last race when his uncle Dylan had been there.
His father had said he was going to come back for her.
Ethan’s father never joked about things like that, especially with knowing what she was.
But why would he do that so carelessly in the middle of a race? Was it because he knew Ethan wouldn't be there to protect her?
Ethan shook his head at his thought. His father was way more powerful and didn't care. Ethan could only try his best but was likely to be outsmarted by his dad.
But who else would have abducted her?
He took a few more steps towards the area he had been, listening for any sound, but the only noise was shouting behind him. The medics were lifting Michelle’s body onto the stretcher. Someone yelled that the police were on their way.
Ethan closed his eyes for a second, heaviness settling inside of him.
"Nothing?" Jace asked, lifting his brows. "Her scent?"
Ethan shook his head. "It stops here."
Prunella’s hands were trembling. "Maybe whoever took her dragged her farther into the woods."
"No," Ethan said. "He’s gone already. There's a road on the other side... They probably took her in... Vans maybe?"
Jace frowned. "He?"
Ethan didn’t answer. He pushed past a few officers coming in through the other side of the path.
Noah stood where he was, still trying to understand everything that had just happened. He watched the medics strap Michelle onto the stretcher, her arm slipping limply to the side. One of the runners broke down crying. Another screamed that she wanted to go home.
Noah rubbed his face, his mind spinning. "What the hell is going on?" he whispered. He turned towards Prunella. "What... You guys said it stops here... Something about scent... What the fuck? Ethan is this—" Noah grabbed Ethan roughly by the collar. "What the hell is all this. You have something to do with this don't you? Explains why you all have some sort of bullshit thing going on—"
"Noah, now’s not the time," Ethan said quietly. "And you don't want to do this here." He jerked his head towards the police officers who were surrounding the scene.
"You kids should get out of here," one of them called out.
Ethan didn’t wait for anyone. He was already gone, heading out of the woods and toward his car.
++++++
The front door slammed open. Ethan’s footsteps echoed down the long hall as he walked into his father’s house.
The sound of laughter came from the study. He pushed the door open and saw two women sitting on the couch, smiling too widely. His father sat behind his desk, his tie loose and a glass of whiskey in his hand.
"Out," Ethan said.
The women looked at each other and then hurried out of the room. The door closed behind them.
His father sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You want to tell me why you just stormed in here like a madman?"
"Where is she?" Ethan said, walking to the desk. "Where did you take Zara?"
His father frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"Don’t play dumb," Ethan said. He placed both hands on the desk. "You said you’d come back for her. You said you’d take her if I didn’t listen. There was a shooting today at the meet, and she’s gone. You think that’s a coincidence?"
His father’s voice hardened. "Ethan, I didn’t take anyone. And I didn’t send anyone either."
"Don’t lie to me."
"I’m not lying," his father said, standing up. His expression changed. "Someone shot at a school? And Zara is she dead?" His face was mortified, all the color draining from it in an instant.
"Another student likely is," Ethan said. "And Zara was taken right after."
His father still appeared to be surprised by the news.
If his father hadn’t taken her, and Dylan was not interested, then someone else had done that.
Someone else knew what Zara was.
"Shit," he whispered.