Lana's condo community was pulverized. The eerie hulls of burnt-out cars up the road had been creepy even to Brady. The remains of Lana's home was more what he was used to: debris surrounding a dirt crater large enough to swallow the whole community. They'd circled it twice, but the blast had scorched dirt, trees, and any traces of Lana over a hundred meters in every direction beyond the crater.
The sun sat low on the horizon, and the morning air was still and filled with the scent of fire and death. Brady scanned the surrounding forest again, trying to figure out which way Lana had gone.
"You're certain not the road?" Dan asked. "She's not one for roughing it."
"But she's smart," Elise countered. "And she knows Greenie is after her."
And that she holds the keys to the world's survival in her hands, Brady added silently. He hadn't told them about the Horsemen. Elise needed no other motivation than her friend was in trouble, and Brady hadn't yet digested how such tiny devices could collapse the countries of the world.
"Four deer paths," Brady said. "Two of which lead towards known emerops facilities about two to three days out. We know she was headed west, towards Colorado."
"So did she take the northern route or the southern?" Elise pondered. "Southern."
"Why southern?" Dan asked.
"Because I would've taken the northern. I don't know, Danny," Elise said in irritation. "None of us can think like this fed. But if we stand here talking, we're not gonna find her."
Brady hid a smile. He'd begun to like Elise even more since spending time with her. She still gave him the look that said she thought he was a lesser being because of his status, but she'd refused to sleep until they found her friend.
"You two team up to take the northern route," Brady decided. "I'll take the southern."
Elise started off before he'd finished. Dan winked at him and followed. Brady started around the crater towards the southern route. None of them had spoken again about what to do if Lana wasn't alive. They were going to find her either way, though he wanted nothing more than to see her well.
Even if she hated him for what he was. He still recalled the look she'd given him before they left in the ill-fated helo. She'd turned from the sweet, open Angel who kept him company on dark nights to a stranger who wanted nothing to do with him. He hadn't expected the sudden loss to hurt like it did. He'd regretted taking her to his bed initially but now wished he'd taken up her offer to become his companion, even if only for the few nights they had together. It was better than one night.