After what felt like an eternity, Chase and the Exiles finally arrived in Thunder Bay. The twelve-hour drive had been rather uneventful. No Jaegers chased them down the highway. No sign of Orion plummeting down from the sky.
They were in the clear.
Still, Chase couldn't help but feel like something was breathing down his neck. He felt eyes watching his every move from the shadows in the trees outside the van. Shuddering, he squeezed his eyes shut. A could of unease hung over him; it was thick and dark like a raging tempest. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get it to dissipate. All he could do was wait for the rain to fall, for the storm to commence.
It had yet to start, but he knew it would.
He knew it would.
It was only a matter of time.
Behind him, he heard Victor's loud snores cut through the quiet night. He was leaning against the back wall of the van. Beside him, Emily rested her head on his shoulder, her mouth hanging open. Next to her, Isra used her hands as a pillow as she snored lightly. Her eyes fluttered, her small nose twitching every few seconds.
Archie was the only one awake, much to Chase's surprise. He hadn't fallen asleep for the entire trip. Even Chase had taken a small nap during the middle portion of the long stretch to Canada from North Dakota.
"We almost there?" Archie asked.
"Not sure." Andre squinted as he steered them through the bumpy road snaking through the forest bordering the beginnings of Lake Superior. "Where'd you say Shaw's lakehouse was again?"
Chase peered out the window.
The night sky was in full force above. The black expanse stretched for miles, casting everything below in a dark veil of shadows. A full moon fought against the darkness, begging to be perceived by those beneath its silvery hue.
It was so close, yet so far.
"It should be at the top of this hill," Archie said from the backseat. He had a map of Thunder Bay in his hands as he continued giving their driver directions.
Chase took another peek out the window. Bobbing lights on the other side of the lake met his eyes. He could see boats slowly making their way across the black water. Empty docks lined the wharf, populated mostly by dinghies and fishing boats. Buoys floated in the lake, their white and red surfaces reflecting the moonlight.
Yawning, Chase turned his head forward. They were nearing the top of the hill. He felt his heartbeat quicken at the prospect of seeing Director Shaw again. He hadn't been nervous before, but he was nervous now.
What would he say to him?
They were fugitives now. Director Shaw would be risking his sovereignty by helping them. Their problems weren't his—even if they desperately needed his help.
He drummed his fingers against the window. He had half a mind to tell Andre to turn around. But they had already come this far. And they needed all the help they could get if they were to rescue the others from The Acropolis.
Andre glanced at him out the corner of his eye. "You okay, boss?"
Swallowing hard, he nodded. "Yep. I'm good."
"You sure? I can tell when you're lying."
Sighing, he shook his head. "I can't help but feel like we're making a mistake. I don't want to rope Director Shaw into our mess."
Andre kept his face forward, both of his hands gripping the leather steering wheel. "We don't have much of a choice."
"I know. It's just...I don't want him getting hurt because of us, you know?"
Andre nodded. "We have to do this, though. There's too much at stake."
Chase went quiet.
The big guy was right. Too much was at stake. The rest of their group needed to be rescued. It was his fault they got captured and it would be him who freed them from Atlas' clutches.
He released a deep breath.
Everything was going to be alright. They were going to meet with Director Shaw, he was going to help them, and then they would begin their journey to Oregon.
"I think that's the lakehouse." Andre pointed at an approaching gate a few yards down the road.
Archie moved in between the two seats in the front of the van. Pushing his head forward, he nodded after readjusting his glasses on his nose.
"Yep," he replied. "That's it all right." The boy whistled. "Man, sometimes I forget just how rich Mr. Shaw really is."
"Yeah, no kidding," Chase mumbled.
To call the man's estate a mere lakehouse was a gross understatement. It wasn't a lakehouse; it was a lake mansion.
The main house looked like a massive cabin. Light, birch logs made up the walls, occasionally interrupted by tall, spotless windows without any shutters or curtains. The iron gate that wrapped around most of the land stopped at the lakefront, which boasted its own private dock. A yacht and a few smaller boats were tied to the dock. A few sports cars could be seen parked in and around the six-car garage—which was an entirely separate building from the main house. Another smaller—but not by much—structure was built nearby, likely a guest house.
Chase stared in awe as Andre brought them closer to the gate. He stopped in front of it and put the car in park.
"Er, what now?" he scratched the top of his head. "You think he's awake?"
"He better be," Archie grumbled. "No way am I sleeping in this van."
"Agreed." Chase got out of the car and journeyed over to the gate. Andre did the same, leaving Archie alone in the van with the others. As they got closer to the gate, he noticed a speaker box along with a red button attached to a pole.
"Here goes..." Andre pressed the button before rejoining Chase in front of the gate.
The two of them stood there for a few seconds as they waited for something to happen. Silence passed between them. The wind howled through the pine trees around them.
Chase facepalmed. "I knew this wasn't going to work. He's probably not even—"
The speaker box crackled to life. A sleepy-sounding voice rumbled to life within.
"Who's out there?"
Chase's eyes widened. It was him. It was Pearce Shaw.
Clearing his throat, he stepped up to the box. "Er, hey...sir? Director Shaw? It's me...Chase. Chase Masterson. You remember me, right?"
A long pause sounded as the other line went dead.
He cringed at himself. You idiot.
"Of course, I remember you," Pearce finally replied. He sounded surprised. He had every right to be. Fugitive Primes probably didn't show up on his doorstep often. "How could I forget about you?"
The sound of hinges creaking filled the air as the gate slowly opened.
"Come in," Pearce instructed. "We'll talk inside."
Chase thanked the man before heading back to the van. Once Andre turned the engine back on, he eased them through the gate and toward the lakehouse.
#
After welcoming them inside his home, Pearce Shaw led Chase, Andre, and Archie inside. They left the others inside the van, letting them sleep for a few more minutes before they went back to wake them.
Black, leather couches were placed around the large, open space. Birch tables, the color of white sand, were strewn about in a meticulous pattern. Twin bookcases framed the massive flatscreen television on the other side of the room. A pool table was pushed towards the right, whose wall was completely made out of glass that allowed them to look out toward the lake.
Moonlight streamed through the window, the silver shards stabbing through the shadows around them. Chase shifted his feet uncomfortably as he stuck his hands into his pockets. He felt out of place standing in Pearce Shaw's living room. Judging by the looks on everyone else's faces, they probably felt the same.
The man had taken up a seat in a chair in front of the massive ivory island in the kitchen nearby. A cup of what Chase assumed to be brandy sat in his hand. A set of reading glasses and a book resided near the other.
"Did we interrupt something?" Chase asked.
Pearce brought his glass to his lips. Grey stubble covered the lower portion of his usually clean-shaven face. His hair—which had once been salt-and-pepper—was completely salt. The wrinkles in his fair skin were more prominent than ever. For once, he looked old.
Chase frowned.
His dismissal from Atlas must've hit him hard.
Then again, it had been three years. Who knew what had happened since then?
"I guess we should explain why we're here—"
Pearce chuckled. "You don't think I already know? I may not be director anymore, but I've still got my eyes and ears within the organization. Agents who stayed behind still report to me. I know about the raid on your hideout and the Primes who got captured."
Chase nodded. "Right. Sorry."
"I also know about Orion." A grave look passed over his face.
He shuddered at the mention of the Super Prime.
"I'd rather not talk about him."
"Understandable." He stroked his chin. "Though, I am a bit surprised you made the trek here. Not many people knew about this place."
Archie rolled his green eyes. "Oh, please. I'm pretty sure everyone who knew you knew about this place. You never stopped talking about how you'd retire here."
The man smiled, the crow's feet around his eyes crinkling slightly. "Fair enough." He took another sip from his brandy. "You all can stay here for as long as you'd like. I have top-notch security around the estate. There's plenty of rooms and beds for the rest of your group."
"Thank you, sir," Chase said. "But we won't be staying long."
"Oh?"
Andre stepped forward. "The Acropolis is our next stop."
"The Acropolis?" His eyes widened. "You want to perform a rescue operation?" His eyes settled on Chase. "You always were the brave one."
He nodded. "We just need a place to regroup for a few days while we come up with a plan to rescue the others before they get shipped off to The Vault. I'm really sorry to compromise you like this, but I didn't see any other option—"
Pearce waved him off. "No need to apologize. I'm happy to help. As I said, I may not be director any more but I'll always be your mentor. What happened after the PRA..." He shook his head. "It's my fault for the way things went down after Crane became president. I should've fought harder for you all, and Atlas. For that, I'm sorry."
Chase gave him a bewildered look, his mouth slightly agape.
He's apologizing? What the hell does he have to be sorry about?
"It was our fault the PRA got signed," Chase argued. "We played right into Crane's hands. If we had been smarter and listened to Emily sooner, we would've realized what he was up to with the rogues."
"I suppose we all hold a bit of blame then." He set his glass down. "No matter. Whatever your group needs help with, I'll be more than happy to assist. As you know, I'm not strapped for resources."
"Yeah, no kidding," Archie said as he wheeled himself around the living room. He stopped near the touchscreen desk in the center of the floor near the television. "How much did all this cost?"
Pearce Shaw smiled wryly. "I'd rather not say."
Andre laughed while folding his arms. "Classic, Shaw."
The man shrugged. "What can I say? Now that my funds aren't going toward Atlas, I've got all this excess money lying around."
Chase felt gratitude swelling in his chest. It rose up his throat and stopped at the base of his mouth. As he looked at Pearce, he nearly broke down with tears of joy.
"We really appreciate the help, sir," he said, trying his best to keep a straight face. He wiped his eyes before any tears could drop. "We'll be out of your hair before you know it."
Pearce nodded. His gaze shifted to the platinum watch on his wrist. A yawn stretched his mouth as he stood up from the stool he was sat on. "It's best you all get some rest. The journey here must've been rough."
Archie shrugged. "Wasn't too bad. No Jaegers came after us, anyway, which I found a bit weird. Though, Andre did almost drive us into a ditch."
The big guy scowled at him. "It wasn't my fault. I didn't see it."
"Yeah, yeah."
Pearce laughed. "Sounds eventful." He finished the rest of his drink. "In the morning, I'll help you sort out a plan to get into The Acropolis. I'm sure my insiders can figure something out for you all."
Chase thanked the man.
Pearce moved toward him. He placed a hand on his shoulder while peering at the other two boys in the room. Eventually, his attention returned to the blond.
"It's really to see you all again," he said sincerely. "I wasn't sure if we would ever meet again."
"I wasn't sure if we would either, sir."
"It's nice to see you too," Archie chirped. The boy removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Er, not to be rude or anything but...where do we sleep?"
The man nodded and cleared his throat. "You'll find a set of rooms and bathrooms down that hall." He pointed at a long corridor behind them. "The kitchen's open to you all. I've got plenty of food and snacks. I know you all must be hungry."
He then motioned for Andre and Archie to join him outside to retrieve the others.
As they made their way back to the van, Chase smiled. For the first time in a while, he felt relaxed. No one was after them—for the time being, at least. They had been reunited with Pearce Shaw, who didn't seem bothered by their arrival in the slightest. In fact, he almost looked grateful for it.
Living in his lake mansion on his own must have gotten pretty boring after a while. The man probably relished the action.
Still, Chase was determined to make sure nothing happened to the man. If he got arrested by Atlas—or worse—for helping them, he would've never forgiven himself. He couldn't let that happen. As soon as they came up with a strategy to rescue the others, they would leave Pearce's estate as if they were never even there.
But, as Pearce said, it was time to get some sleep.
They were going to need it.