Book 2: Chapter 68: Home (1/2)

”Something is wrong?” Ito repeated, slowly holstering his weapon. Dan wasn't sure what upgrade the officer used, but it wasn't anything overt. Ito peered into the house through the bullet-ridden windows. ”Because the mouse is having a fit?”

Merrill chittered angrily at the other man, and skittered the the shoulder opposite him. Dan stroked her tiny head reassuringly, and fell back to the police cruiser. He lowered himself beside the vehicle, using it as cover while he searched for whatever Merrill was trying to warn him about.

”She's smart,” Dan offered in place of an explanation. He didn't have anything better. It had always just been something obvious and accepted to him. Then he repeated, ”Something's wrong.”

”Does she care to explain what, exactly?” Ito groused, lowering himself to a crouch as he sidled up to the wall of Dan's house.

Dan's gothic manor had no garage, and a fence blocked off the backyard on both sides. Ito quietly walked to the left fence and examined it carefully. He checked over the grass beneath it, then placed his hand over the top and gently tugged downwards, before examining the result. Satisfied, Ito began to move to the other side.

The half-circle driveway was covered by a large overhang supported by a pair of pillars opposite the front door. Ito used them as cover as he transitioned sides, then performed the same actions on the right fence. He shook his head after his examination.

”Nobody came this way,” he hissed quietly. ”You sure about this?”

Dan nodded, his body tense. He loaded a ball-bearing and kept it ready. He extended his veil, thin tendrils crawling across familiar ground. He spun a web across the floor of his home. Tendrils periodically roamed just millimeters above the surface, looking for life to brush against their senses. Dan found nothing.

”I don't feel anything alive,” Dan said. He glanced to Ito. ”What do we do?”

Ito grimaced, then reached for the radio on his shoulder. He called in a series of coded phrases, alongside Dan's address.

”Your sure nobody's inside?” he asked Dan. ”Can they hide from you?”

Dan shook his head. ”Not that I know of.” He considered the question. ”Maybe if they are floating motionless in the air?”

He couldn't check for that. At this distance, his veil simply couldn't traverse that much empty space to check. Someone could theoretically hover above the ground, away from any of his walls and furniture, and Dan would never know until he was right up on them. He doubted anyone would exploit that. It seemed tactically idiotic to keep yourself suspended, motionless, and away from any kind of leverage.

Ito pursed his lips. He began to inch towards the door.

”Shouldn't we wait for backup?” Dan asked.

Ito snorted. ”Maybe if there was backup available. Given present circumstances, I'm all you've got, kiddo. If I find something substantive, that'll change.”

Cold, but understandable.

”You think nothing's wrong?” Dan asked.

Ito slowly made his way to the front door, running a finger along the edge where the lining met the frame. He paused as he reached waist level, and noticed the doorbell camera.

”I think Perez was supposed to still be camped out on your street. Does this camera work?”

Dan nodded, brow furrowed. ”Yes, it does. Perez has been gone for several days, I think. Pretty sure I haven't seen him since the raid went bad.”

”Right, and that's what bothers me,” Ito agreed. ”If it was just today, I'd understand. People were called in from just about everywhere. But Coldeyes... Perez couldn't help there. He should've stayed on his post, or at the very least returned once the SPEAR Teams had been rescued.” He paused, finishing his examination of the door. ”Check the footage, see if anything comes up.”

Dan pulled out his phone, and tapped the app for his electronic doorbell. He scrolled through the day's alerts. ”It didn't pick up anything unusual today. It only records when something triggers it. What happened to Perez?”

”I don't know. I called him here, but he hasn't responded.”

”That's concerning, right?” Dan asked.

”That's concerning,” Ito agreed. He frowned at the doorknob as if it had offended him. ”Okay. Gimme the keys. I'll take a look. You stay out here.”

”I don't have keys,” Dan said.

Ito turned and gave him a look.

”I don't really use the door,” Dan explained sheepishly. He thought over his options, then brightened. ”Oh! But there's an electronic lock! Hold up.”