Wrath of the Gods [Legacy, BK 3 - Hiatus]

1.4 - John

The street was dark and the building in front of us was old. Windows were cracked, some completely shattered and boarded up from the inside in places. There were two cars parked in the dirt lot that belonged to the building. One was sitting on blocks and was missing three of its wheels.

"Rose found a way in around back."

Hunter stood next to me on the sidewalk, glancing down at his phone and the message he'd received from the hedgewitch.

I started across the parking lot, pulling off the thin, black leather gloves I wore. It was cold here in central North Carolina, but that wasn't the reason behind the gloves. I didn't like to think about why I wore them, but I did appreciate Hunter's thoughtfulness. He had given them to me after I'd confided in him that I was afraid of killing someone accidentally again. He was just sweet like that.

We went around the side of the building, falling into a routine of sorts. We'd done this a couple of times over the last few weeks. We both kept an eye out, each looking in different directions as we stalked closer. After what had happened a few weeks ago, the hedgewitches had been more open with us, and meeting with Rose and another one of their group to check on leads they'd gathered from the Coven had become a regular occurrence.

We yet to come across anything noteworthy, and last week was the first time we'd actually stumbled across a witch in the process of leaving the location we'd been sent to. We'd subdued them quickly, and Rose and the other hedgewitches had taken them for questioning.

Around the back corner, I finally got a glimpse of Rose. She was dressed in dark clubbing clothes tonight and had her hair braided and twisted up into a complicated hairstyle. She'd climbed up onto a loading dock, and when she noticed us, waved.

"There's no rush, it's just as empty as the others," she said.

It didn't take long for Hunter and me to climb up after her. We pulled out our flashlights. It was almost worrisome at how well I'd gotten at breaking into buildings. Perhaps once we were done with the war, I could become a proper thief. The thought was sour in my mind and made my skin itch.

Gareth, Rose's partner for the night, stood leaning back against the open door. Whether he had to break or pick the lock, I wasn't certain. He waved us into the building.

The interior of the warehouse was dusty and beyond dirty, but it was easy to tell that recently, there had been a lot of traffic through the building. Footprints and dolly tracks were etched into the dirt and grime of the floor. Trash and food wrappers were littered everywhere.

"They're already gone," Rose whispered and her voice echoed through the empty space.

"We should still search and see if they left anything behind," Gareth said.

"I doubt it."

I ignored the look Rose shared with Gareth and kept moving. I didn't care what they thought about me. I needed to make sure there weren't any more of those plants on this side of the metaphysical world. I wouldn't let what happened to me, happen to another. But there obviously weren't any plants here, and I was sure this place would be just as empty of clues as all the others.

"Oh, shit."

Hunter's whispered curse brought me around to see his flashlight was pointed at the large loading bay door. And the words spray-painted on them.

I stared at them, my heart beating hard against my chest.

Why, John? Why?

"'Why' what?" Rose said. "I don't get it."

"You don't have to," I said sharply.

"John." Even though Hunter's voice was soft, it still held an edge of warning.

"They know we're on to them," I said, pacing in the open space. "They wouldn't have left this here if they didn't. We're not going to find anything, so let's just go." I raised my hands to build a portal, but Rose planted her hands on her hips and glared at me.

"I still want to look around, they may have left something without realizing it." She stared me down, a spark of anger in her eyes.

Hunter moved closer, leaning in to speak to me softly. "I'll stay with them if you want to go back. I know this isn't easy."

I didn't want to leave Hunter alone with the hedgewitches, but I couldn't keep chasing shadows. That was exactly what we were doing here, and it was eating me alive. I knew I deserved it, I'd earned this pain. But I was a coward who couldn't live with the consequences of my actions.

"Be safe," I said and built a portal back to the bunker. I stepped through without looking back.