They all sat around the kitchen island again, drinks in hand. Seth was fully clothed now. It crossed his mind he hadn’t worn his own clothing in about a week. Maybe more. No one had told him how long he’d been under this time.

Ben fixed Nicole and Seth with a serious look. “Unfortunately, you’re on your own here.”

“What?” Said Nicole. Seth stayed silent and took another drink of the beer.

“I’m sorry, but the events of four days ago demand I report in to the Tower of Embers.”

So four days. Jesus.

Nicole took an angry drink, but her voice came out calm. “Well, I suppose that makes sense.”

Olivia spoke. “You two are more than welcome to stock up from my armory, but your business cannot be Knighthood business.”

“Both of us would be putting our rank and our lives on the line to join an unregistered and an unknown on a quest to destroy an actual government entity.”

Nicole nodded and drank again. “No, I got it. You’ve both helped more than enough. We can handle it. There’s an aura cropping up pretty straight east of here, though I think it’s halfway across the country. We’ll start there. I still need more with me if I’m going to take the Hunters head-on. Fortunately, I think Seth is still with me.” She looked at him.

Seth nodded, solemn. “I am. Especially after this. I can’t bring that back to my home, back to my friends.”

“Wise,” said Ben. “You’re picking up the rules of the real world well. Met more than a few dumb ones who want to go back to Kansas as soon as they can. Always ends badly.” He drank.

“And Seth,” said Olivia, pulling a phone out of her pocket and sliding it to him. “If you have anyone you want to contact before you go on this journey, I recommend you do it in my residence. This place is a black hole… Kind of literally.”

“Literally?”

“More figuratively. Sort of. Anyway. Hunter-33 won’t be able to trace you to here, I think I currently spoof myself to… Oh yeah.” She chuckled and took a drink of her whiskey. “My high school ex’s house. He’s gotten raided three times now. Cheating bastard.”

Seth looked down with raised eyebrows and took a drink as he made a note not to ever piss Olivia off if they crossed paths again. He set the beer down. “Yeah, I have a couple I would like to make.”

“Everywhere has good signal. I’ll also get you two a ride since I hear someone,” she looked at Ben, “blew yours sky high along with a pretty virgin patch of forest.”

“You’re a technologist, stop pretending to be a druid.”

“I love this planet, why do you think I got into technomancy in the first place, Ben?”

He pressed his lips together. Seth finished his beer. “I’m gonna make those calls now.” He left the island and wandered down the hallway. He found a spare room a couple of turns later and sat down on comfy brown leather couch. Books and the smell of them surrounded him in this small alcove of the house. He looked at the phone, thinking for a minute before he dialed a number and held it to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Andrew.”

“Bro! There is some wild shit in the news, what’s going on? Where are you? Are you hurt? Do I need to Liam Neeson your ass?”

“I’m fine,” said Seth, his face turning from the newly permanent look of tiredness to a smile. “I’m alright.”

“Where are you?”

“A long ways away, and… I’m going to be away for a while. There are some things I have to do.”

“Are you in trouble?”

“I… Kind of.”

“Dude, are you on the run from the US Marshals? Are you selling drugs because you really have cancer and want to leave money for your family?”

“Andrew, that’s the plot of Breaking Bad. And no. You know my family and I don’t get along.”

Andrew laughed. “Alright. Look, I trust you. You know that. Just come back in one piece so we can train together again.”

“I’ll try.”

“Anything you need me to take care of while you’re gone?”

“Cancel my phone plan for me? You know my passwords.”

“You’ve got it.”

“And Andrew?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you, man.”

Seth could swear he heard his cavalier friend choking up just a little. “You know I love you, too, bro. We’re brothers. Ain’t nothing gonna change that.”

“I’ve gotta go. You’ll hear from me again, I promise.”

“Whatever you gotta do. Kick ass.”

“You do the same.”

Seth hung up and pressed his phone to his forehead, tears now in the corner of his eyes. He took a moment to gather himself and dialed another number.

“This is Emma?”

“Emma, it’s Seth.”

“Seth! Oh my god, you’re alright!”

“I am. Are you?”

“Yeah,” he could hear a sniffle. “I’m great. Some FBI agents came to my house and asked a few questions, but that was a week ago.”

A pit formed in Seth’s stomach. “What were they asking?”

“Just what I knew about you and where you were. Apparently, the gunmen were a known gang that does this all over the country, so the feds got involved really quickly. You and one other girl are still down as missing, though I told them you left a few messages. They told me you were probably under duress and I should try to-”

“I’m not under duress,” said Seth. “Listen. Those men with the FBI, they aren’t-” No, he knew he shouldn’t get into this. “I’m fine. I just have to take care of some things. I’ll be back as soon as I can, and everything will be alright, okay?”

“Okay. Seth?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

Fuck. The image of Nicole pulling his pants down right before the raid filled his head. Seth fought with himself internally, thinking of Madeline. Was he like her now? He hadn’t thought he and Emma were exclusive. They weren’t even officially dating.

“I…” Seth’s voice trailed off as frustration and anxiety rose within his chest.

“What?” Emma’s voice trembled.

His mind shook at the dissonance within. “I thought we were just having fun.”

“We were having a whole lot more than fun, Seth. I wanted to help you heal after what Madeline did to you.”

“You did-”

“But apparently, you got some fleas when you lied down with the dogs.”

Seth swallowed.

“We can talk this out if and when you come back. Goodbye, Seth, I hope you stay safe.”

The line went dead. Seth hauled back his arm to chuck the phone, but stopped himself and let it drop on the couch instead. He slumped forward, head in his hands. What had he done?