Blood Song

"What do you think is going on here?" he wanted to know, eyeing the two separate sets of markers with suspicion.

"I'm not sure. We have three trackers in three different objects. Which is that one?" I pointed to the single marker.

"Shoe," he said laconically.

"Well then, they must have figured out we were tracking him using the phone and the watch, so they moved him. The fortress is a trap. I'll bet she's moved in reinforcements by now. Oliver and I were lucky we went in early to check the place out. We might not have made it out otherwise."

"Cunning."

"Yeah, scarily so. So Mark is probably being held here," I said, indicating the new location. "We should check it out."

"I'll Google it first, see what I can find. You should eat something, Angus. You look intense, even for you. And a bit crazed."

"She's got Mark, Fergus."

"Yeah. But not for long."

Mark

When I woke again, the room was still dark. I stood up and found the light switch again, and then I realised it was still dark because there were no windows either in the bedroom or the bathroom. I hadn't noticed their absence last night, but I was very aware of it now. It was disorientating not knowing whether the world outside was washed in sunlight or draped in darkness still. I wondered if Anne had done this deliberately and then I shook myself, metaphorically speaking.

Of course she had.

She'd removed my watch and Smartphone for that specific purpose too.

I dressed in my still damp school clothes again and sat down on the bed. I was just starting to consider what other plans she might have for me, when the door rattled and her goons walked in the room.

"You're coming with us, boyo," muttered Snake Eyes. He seemed distracted. "We need to move you to a different location, she says, because her plans have changed."

I stood obediently and followed them out of the room, wondering what had happened to cause this sudden change of plans.

Or who, I chuckled to myself, noting the consternation on Snake Eyes' face. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. Or a vampire in action.

"They're coming for me, you know," I told him flatly. I didn't try for menacing. The threat was there, so real it was almost tangible. I could see it reflected in his eyes. I could almost taste his trepidation. It was delicious.

Snake Eyes looked at me thoughtfully, and then he appeared to come to some sort of inner conclusion, and he shrugged.

"In for a penny," he muttered, and clamped a bulky fist around my wrist and half led, half dragged me after him, while his colleague stomped along behind us. Midmorning sunlight streamed in through a couple of large windows as we made our way to wherever we were going.