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Once Gabriel and I were dressed, I kept the book bag with o back to Nathan’s house

When we arrived, the front door was hanging open

Gabriel put hi in

Voices ca room First it was just Victor It was followed by North

Uh oh

I urged Gabriel in before North had too long to get upset by anything that Victor told hi in further

North was standing near the coffee table Victor and Silas were sitting on the couch

Dr Green was by the back door, looking out toward the pool

The moment we crossed the threshold, North picked up his head, his face contorted with rage suddenly became confused

I wanted to go to hi quietly and waiting

The others stood, looking at me

Gabriel came up behind me and put an arently “Is Nathan here?”

North looked back at the others before returning his dark eyes to one He took off in Kota’s car”

I pressed ether and looked down I shouldn’t have waited I needed to but he needed me more “Tell me we can track him?” I croaked out

Footsteps behind us at the door shook us all out of our glum state, aware, cautious

Luke came in, followed by Kota

With Mr Blackbourne co in behind them No tie No coat The collar of his shirt undone

My body shook without pro They were all here They all knew

Mr Blackbourne took one look at ed Kota and Luke out of his way

I stood still, ready

Gabrielit steady

I looked at him with blurry eyes “We have to find him,” I said as steady as I could

With a deteraze on me but he spoke to the others “We will Won’t we?”

“Drag him back by his ears if I have to,” North said

Mr Blackbourne spoke, “And we’re not going to have a discussion about hi to Lily before” He releasedto blame him for what happened here”

“We’re not going to bla When I looked around, the others seeree with me Resolute expressions all around

“It’s likely he’s just driving without a place inaway fro at maps “He’d return when he calanized search”

Mr Blackbourne went over theinward into Charleston He pointed out likely spots hethe way Connections with the police department were open, just in case of an accident

The idea he could get into an accident after all of this scared me If Nathan was very upset, would he crash?

Just a precaution, I tried to tell ht to do this

Kota lingered withroutes

I reached for his hand, holding it “Do you knohere he one?”

“Before, I would have said to you,” he said, frowning He turned to es His eyes had dark circles He s

queezed o to one of our houses But after this”

And ere in his home, a place he should have been able to retreat to Only he didn’t come here

“Someone should wait for him here,” I said

“I will,” Kota said

My lips twitched I wanted to saybehind I didn’t think I could sit in the house and wait

Within minutes, I was out in Mr Blackbourne’s car, but with Victor’s plate on the back Victor drove, with Luke in the back They’d given me a pack: bottle of water, chips, bottle of coffee, a banana Food for the road so we didn’t have to stop