Page 92 of Son of a Witch

I ran a finger over the gold mine. Phone records of calls from the prison to unknown numbers, probably to burner phones that couldn’t be traced. Times and dates of mission reports submitted to the warden and entered into the Guardian system for approval to cross-reference with the phone calls. I had a gnawing hunch that someone within the prison tipped off the vampires to our missions and gave them ample opportunity to escape before we arrived.

Knoxe would be fucking delirious when he got back.

Fuck. Speaking of the team, I better get my ass online to search my assigned websites before I got a transmission on my bracelet from Selena asking for an update. Better impress the new team leader. Win over the new warden with my changed ways. Goodbye, rebel bad boy, hello, model prisoner. Thank you to the reduced prison sentence and early parole.

Coffee in one hand, I expanded the view of the weather radar and tapped my finger on the five dots of my team’s current location. Waiting. Waiting. Nothing out of the ordinary in a five-hundred-kilometer radius around them.

On my other screen, I pulled up our program to scan social media posts and clicked through all our standard terms. Monster. Vampire. Advanced technology or weaponry. Again, nothing. This time I entered orange jumpsuits, prisoners, tattoos, knives, strange behavior.

While that completed its search flicking up possible matches, I grabbed the handbook provided by the warden listing all the missing prisoners, guards, and gantii. Intent on locating one man in particular, a smaller fry, but someone I wanted nonetheless, I flicked to James’ profile. Asshole beat me up because I couldn’t pay the debt I owed him. Spineless dick then threatened my girlfriend and stole the gift I bought for her. A limited-editionAssassin’s Creedstatuette that cost me half a grand.

Vengeance tasted hot and bitter on my tongue as I checked the document for the names of his family members. In another window, I entered in their details and social media handles, searching for any pictures, status updates, and messages that might indicate he’d made contact.

Pleasure skittered through my mind at getting three hits.

Messenger communications from his wife to his mother.

James is back and laying low. Come and visit tonight.

Tendrils of victory slither through me as I slammed a fist on the desk. “Got you, you, asshole!”

Resentment burned a hole in my gut as I tapped on the communications function of my comms bracelet.

“Selena, come in,” I sent the message and waited a few moments before repeating the call. “Selena, come in.”

The line crackled with her response. “Go ahead, Tor.”

“I’ve stumbled upon communications that suggest a prisoner is visiting his wife and mother tonight.”

A brief pause. “What’s the address?”

I gave it to her.

Her stuttered message came through. “Thanks, Tor. We’ll check it out and get back to you. Good find.” Sometimes the range on these bracelets was terrible.

Purpose reinforced by my lucky find, I returned to my task, sipping at my coffee, which tasted like sweet triumph.

The computer search beeped with results. One hundred. Most of the time they were false hits. Unfortunately for me, each one had to be reviewed. Normally, I had the team’s assistance to get through the list quicker. Such was the life of the nerdy hero.

I clicked on the first. A fucking Facebook ad for a prisoner uniform. I closed that and selected the second. Someone’s son was released from prison. Close. This pattern went on and on for about thirty minutes until a call came through from Selena.

“Excellent work, Tor.” Crackle. Hiss. “We apprehended James.”

“Fuck’n A!” I shouted back at her.

Loco took over and replied, “Language, boy.”

Hah! Prison taught me to shed my fears. Loco might be crazy, but I doubted he would hurt me given I dated his daughter. Except for slicing off my dick with a shank possibly. I clammed my thighs tight at the thought.

“Sorry, Dad,” I teased, imagining him grinding his teeth and Supergal shooting him warning glares to back the hell off and leave me alone.

Selena cut off our little banter. “Stay in contact. Pascal and Astra are returning the prisoner to the facility.”

“Roger that.” Grinning, I leaned back and sipped my coffee.

“Smartass,” Ben chuckled at me from the corner.

I reclined in the chair for a few moments savoring my win. Lady luck certainly shined on me for once.

---