Convergence - The Last Science #2.1 - In Plain Sight

B2: Chapter 6 - Over the Border and Through the Woods - II

  Their Canadian counterparts greeted them right off the plane. They were ushered into vehicles and brought straight to their local station, where a task force headquarters had been set aside. "We're as eager to solve the mystery as yourselves," said their chief, shaking Lani and Jeremy's hands enthusiastically. Jeremy tried to remember his name, but came up empty. "Everyone here's wondering what this is all about."

  Jeremy had to fight to suppress a laugh at how strong his accent came through on the last word. Lani stepped in to save him. "Thanks. I believe you were sent a preliminary case file with some notes on where to start?"

  "Yeah. We've already got teams running the border video back. You're lucky we upgraded our storage. We used to not keep video that long." He scratched his head. "You really think they went through a checkpoint though?"

  "Nah," Jeremy replied. "But better safe than sorry."

  They hadn't. The Canadian teams worked through all the videos fast, and not a one showed Jackie's vehicle or anything resembling it passing over the border. Their network wasn't as sophisticated as the FBI system, but they had more than enough coverage on their side of the checkpoints for Jeremy to believe the results.

  He wasn't about to give up that easily.

  Within the day, Jeremy managed to persuade the Canadians to give them airspace clearance to send several helicopters across the entire expanse connecting Washington and B.C. Thanks to the new lead, Aderholt had gotten them more resources to access, so Jeremy was able to divert much more than he usually could in support. The helicopters trawled inch by inch across the forests, watching for absolutely anything unusual, while Jeremy watched the feeds from an array of laptops they'd provided him in their hotel room. In the meantime, Lani collected updated scans from the satellite that had been retasked for their use.

  Between the satellite and the helicopters, they found her car. The satellite picked up a strange metallic reading underneath the forest canopy, plenty large and right on the surface level. When Jeremy directed one of the helicopters to investigate more closely, he got enough of a glimpse to be sure.

  They were in a rugged jeep and on their way within minutes.

  "So," Lani started as they pulled onto the highway. "Your old partner."

  Jeremy didn't reply. He was busy staring out the window, thinking about his sister. She'd flown back to D.C., where she faced endless meetings and committees amidst the never-ending drama theater of modern politics. Unlike many of her colleagues, Madelaine Ashe had fought her way up from almost nothing. They hadn't even used their mother's remarriage to Walter Milton and their newfound connections to high society in the campaign. Maddie worked her way in as an aide to almost everyone, one after another, until she finally broke through with her own campaign.

  When she was elected, her first order of business was to ditch the entire existing staff in her office. Having been an aide herself for so long, she knew better than anyone how much power they could wield. Many senators and representatives were really just public faces, while their aides and subordinates ended up doing most of the work.

  Maddie didn't trust any of them, so she fired all of them. She brought in her own people, much smaller and more focused (as it was all she could afford without support), and she did the work of ten all on her own. She'd sacrificed everything in her life to keep up with the more privileged and wealthy around her—never even considering dating, raising a family, or anything personal. Hell, she doesn't even have any fucking hobbies.

  Maddie was trying to change the world for the better. If it weren't for Jackie Nossinger, he'd have lost his sister fourteen years ago. He had to find the missing sheriff, no matter what it took.