The Missing

so many.

    “Son of a bitch,” she gasped. “You son of a bitch.”

    Tears blinded her, and she had to wrench herself out of the vision. Her skin crawled as she shoved herself to her feet and stared at the room. The stink of vomit permeated the air. Staring at the narrow cot, she saw them. Children, ranging from mere toddlers to teenagers: black, white, Hispanic, male and female.

    Slowly, she turned her head and stared at Cullen. He held Jillian in his arms, patting her face and talking to her in a voice thick with tears and terror as the little girl continued to lie there, unresponsive. “She needs a doctor,” Taige said, her voice barely above a whisper.

    Lying in this close, confined heat, the girl was dehydrated. At least. Taige closed the distance between them, and although part of her didn’t want to touch the girl at all, she reached out and laid a hand on Jillian’s narrow chest. The girl was breathing far too quickly, and her heartbeat was weak and erratic.

    But the girl’s soul was powerful. Taige felt it wrap around her like a blanket warm from the sun. Relief rushed through her, and she almost sagged to her knees. Thank God. Then she pulled her hand back and turned to stare at the room. There was a cabinet under the sink, and Taige crossed to it, opening it up and finding white washcloths, as brilliantly white as the tiles. Grabbing a stack, she turned on the tap water and soaked them through, carrying them back to Cullen and the girl.

    She laid one the girl’s forehead. Jillian whimpered but didn’t open her eyes. “You got water in the truck?” she asked, draping the other rags over his shoulder.

    He lifted his head and stared her, his eyes practically sight-less. “Yeah,” he murmured. Then he looked down at Jillian. A sense of hopelessness wrapped around him like a shroud.

    She ached for him and wished she could do something, anything, to take this from him. Taige wanted to wrap her arms around him and promise that everything would be okay, but she didn’t make promises she couldn’t keep. Instead of trying to comfort him, she made her voice hard and flat as she said, “Cullen, she’s just dehydrated. Get her to the hospital. There was a county hospital two exits back on the highway.” Digging in her pocket, she pulled out one of the cards that Taylor constantly nagged her to carry. She shoved it into Cullen’s pocket. “Taylor’s number is on it. Call him after you get Jillian some medical care.”

    His voice was rusty. “Aren’t you coming?”

    She looked away from him and crossed her arms over her chest, automatically cradling her splinted hand. “No. I’m not done here. Not yet.” Then she softened, unable to help it as she reached up and laid a hand on his cheek. His flesh seemed as chilled as she was: shock. “Cullen, she’s going to be okay. Just pull it together and get her some medical care.”

    Finally, his eyes focused, and when he looked at her again, she knew he saw her. Cullen nodded grimly, and he turned away, cradling his daughter against his chest as he left, walking away with long, quick strides.

    She held herself still until she heard Cullen’s engine turn over, and then she looked back at the bathroom. “Where are you?” she asked softly. She could feel them pushing at her, screaming to her, but if she opened herself up to them again, she wasn’t sure she could pull herself out on her own, and it was too dangerous to do it now.

    Taylor, damn him, knew how to handle her if she slid too deep inside the visions. Until he was here, she had to keep herself centered. But she couldn’t remain still, either. The phone at her hip buzzed again. This time, she answered it.

    “Jillian’s alive. Her father has her. Taking her to the emergency room.”

    “Damn it, Taige. You know she needs—”

    Interrupting, Taige said, “She needs fluids. She’s dehydrated. Seriously dehydrated.” Another wave of agony washed over her, and she almost buckled under the weight of it. She had no idea how tortured her voice sounded when she said, “It’s bad here, Jones. So bad.”

    Jones was quiet for a moment, and then he said, “Are you in trouble?”

    She shook her head. “Not yet. But I will be if you don’t hurry.”

    “Get out of the house until the team arrives, Taige. That’s an order.”

    But Taige didn’t like orders. Especially orders that came from Taylor Jones. “Get your ass here now.” Then she disconnected and turned her back on