This choice: A meeting at headquarters. • Go Back... Our headquarters was an abandoned warehouse, acquired by Geo using his father's wealth. The purchase was hidden in a line item in his father's long list of owned properties. Although the outside looked condemned, the inside was completely remodeled and had the feel of a luxurious mansion. It was our home away from home and a key vantage point as the warehouse was near the center of the city. Of course we did not drive directly there, we took the underground roads which could be accessed from anywhere in the city. We never took the same route there to avoid being followed.
"None of this makes sense!" Frustrated, I complained. "Why put on a show over a lousy painting?"
"He's taunting us." Calmly, Heather said. "Just as he did when his goons kidnapped me when we first got started."
"Getting angry is not going to solve anything, Tex." Firmly, Greg said. "Your powers will not work when your mind or emotions are in disarray; focus..."
"When Sykes kidnapped heather, he took something from her family's mansion." Serious, Sam said. "Perhaps there is a pattern as he seems to be taking one or two objects with each hit."
"Something hidden in what he takes...?" Guessing, I asked. "Clues where to look next; like a scavenger hunt?"
The others chuckled at my suggestion but stopped as they saw Greg was being serious; in fact he raise an eyebrow.
"Actually, that is a real possibility." Thoughtful, he said. "Everything about this city's past was buried but, from what I hear from Madame Vague, it was buried in plain sight."
Madame Vague was an old gypsy woman who lived on the far side of town. She somehow knew that we were considering becoming a defender of the city and had been giving us cryptic clues as to what dangers faced us. Hence, her name. Sam, Heather and I turned to him, curious.
"Do you have a plan, Greg?" Curious, heather asked.
"We start with the first object we know Sykes had taken and see if we can find what it was he took, if anything." Serious, Greg replied. "It's a long shot but it's all we have to go on at the moment unless we can stop him from taking the next object in his mystery scavenger hunt."
I sighed. "We could cover more ground if we each investigate an object Sykes has taken and we took back." Firmly, I said. "There is no telling when that crazed kleptomaniac will strike next."
Greg nodded. "Heather, investigate the vase in your family mansion." Calmly, he said. "Tex, investigate the construction site where they stole the old corner stone of the original city hall."
"I'll investigate the junkyard." Calmly, Sam said. "Maybe the mayor's old car is still there; it was totaled during the robbery last year and taken there."
Again, Greg nodded. "I will investigate the city internet server." Serious, he said. "Whatever data they took from there, I am certain there will be back ups."
We all agreed on our tasks; our new mission had begun.
Upon reaching the construction site, I found someone was waiting for me...
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