LOST

Logan was already at the jump station by the time the Grey Griffins arrived. He was talking to Colonel Hazard as the other THOR agents stepped onto the circular platform.

“If the Paragon Engine is unattainable, you’ll still need to hit your other objectives,” Hazard said.

“Understood,” Logan said. “We plan on being here for Stage Two, right on schedule.”

“I have every confidence that you will,” Hazard said. “And Commander—”

“Sir?”

“I’ll see personally to the children’s safety. That goes for the baron’s daughter as well.”

“Thank you, sir,” Logan said. “That means a great deal.”

“Godspeed, Commander.”

“Wait, how do you turn that thing off?” Max asked as he reached for the IPA.

“Max, don’t!” Harley said, grabbing Max’s arm before he could reach the device. “We have to stay hidden. If they see us, they’re going to lock us up somewhere.”

“But—”

“There’s nothing you can do,” Harley said. “Besides, Natalia’s right. He’ll be fine.”

Max watched Logan salute before he gave the order to activate the jump platform. Soon the sound of gears and hydraulics echoed in the chamber. A switch was thrown, sending purple plasma arcing across the Tesla coils. There was a flash, and then the THOR agents were gone.

Instead of going back to class, the Griffins went to the one-room schoolhouse where they used to meet for their Relic Hunting class. Max figured nobody would look for them there, but he hadn’t expected the wave of emotion that hit when he smelled Strange’s pipe tobacco.

“We can go somewhere else,” Max said as he looked at Ernie, whose face was stuck in a blank stare.

“That’s okay,” Ernie said.

“Remember, they can’t kill him,” Harley said.

“I know,” Ernie said. He walked over to sit at Strange’s desk.

“We’re going to find him, Ernie,” Max said. “That goes for Hale, too. I don’t care what it takes, but we’re going to bring them home.”

Ernie looked up and smiled, but he still seemed sad.

“I’m serious,” Max said.

“Thanks.”

Max looked at the clock. “Logan’s been gone almost three hours. Don’t you think he should be back by now?”

“It’s hard to say,” Harley said.

Max jumped in his chair when the first siren sounded.

“What’s going on?” Ernie asked.

Max was the first one at the window. Students, faculty, and even service clockworks were evacuating the buildings as Templar soldiers were herding them into the subway depot.

“They failed,” Max said. His expression was blank, his voice even. It was a statement of indisputable fact. This was, after all, the evacuation plan that Colonel Hazard had spoken about. There was no other explanation.

“You don’t know that,” Harley said.

“Yes, we do,” Max said.

“Then Logan is…” Natalia’s voice faltered.

Max closed his eyes as he pictured Logan, the man who had kept him from harm from the moment that Max drew his first breath. A world without Logan didn’t seem possible. Max was numb. There were no tears, no sorrow. Emptiness. That was all that remained.

“Should we go with them?” Ernie asked as he watched the Toad brothers disappear into the shadows of the subway depot.

“I can’t leave him down there,” Max said.

“What are you talking about?” Natalia asked.

Max turned to Ernie. “I need you to give me the IPA.”

“Why?”

“What if he’s still alive?” Max asked. “What if they abandoned him?”

“Max…” Natalia said, but when she saw his eyes, she stopped.

“Can I borrow it?”

“No,” Ernie said, “because I’m going with you.”

Max shook his head. “Look, it’s too dangerous.”

“I don’t care,” Ernie said. “You’re not going alone.”

“You can’t make it without the jump station,” Harley said. “I saw how they work it, so either I go with you or nobody’s going.”

“Well, you’re not going without me,” Natalia said.

“Then it’s settled,” Harley said.

“Look, you guys,” Max said, but Ernie cut him off.

“The Grey Griffins stick together, no matter what,” he said.

Ernie activated the IPA, which allowed them to reach the jump station without being stopped. Thanks to the evacuation order, it was deserted.

“What if you mess up, and we end up at the bottom of the ocean or something?” Ernie said, turning off the IPA.

“I guess we’ll find out in a minute,” Harley said as he walked over to the control panel. He quickly verified the coordinates for where Logan and his THOR agents had jumped to.

“Wait,” Natalia said. “We need Raven.”

“Why?” Harley asked.

“Because we don’t know where we’re going,” Natalia said. “She’ll be able to talk to the walls, and they’ll tell her where to go.”

“I don’t want to risk any more lives,” Max said.

“You don’t have much of a choice,” Natalia said.

“We don’t even know if she’ll go,” Max said.

“She will.”

“How are we supposed to find her?”

“Leave that to us,” Natalia said, putting her hand on Ernie’s shoulder. “If we’re not back in ten minutes, go without us.”

By the time Natalia and Ernie returned with Raven, there were three minutes to spare. But there was a problem—they’d brought someone else, too.

“What’s she doing here?” Max asked when he saw Brooke.

“It’s nice to see you, too,” Brooke said.

“That’s not what I meant. It’s just that—”

“Look,” Natalia said. “There’s a good chance that Logan is injured, and Brooke may be the only person who can help.”

“So now she wants to help?” Max said, letting his temper get the best of him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Brooke said.

“You’re the one who’s been ignoring me, not the other way around.”

Brooke’s face flushed.

“Why are you being a jerk?” Natalia asked.

“Me?”

“Do you even know why Brooke was avoiding you?”

Max was glowering.

“Because she was embarrassed, that’s why.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Max said, turning to look at Brooke.

“She’s right,” Brooke said. “After everything that happened with the Reaper, I don’t know… I thought that you’d look down on me or something.”

“Why?”

“Because I couldn’t handle myself.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” Max said. “It took an entire team of THOR agents to capture that thing. It almost killed me, too.”

“I hate to interrupt whatever this is, but I hear footsteps,” Harley said. “Everybody on the platform.”

There was a bang at the door.

“Let’s go,” Max said.

“Just about there,” Harley said as he fired the last switch to activate the jump station.

The door opened as Max jumped onto the platform, Harley right behind. Colonel Hazard burst through the door with a dozen soldiers behind her, but they were too late.

The Grey Griffins were gone.