Page 52 of Burn It Down

“Killian—” Aaron started.

“That’s the surveillance footage of what happened to him in that hellhole?”

“It is,” Aaron confirmed. “When I was there, I planted a device so Caleb could access their systems. We were looking for leads on Sam and Carson’s whereabouts, as well as learning what had happened to Ash, so we can determine the best way to help him, to comfort him.”

“My father… it was him who tormented him?”

“Not just him. Carson was a big-time participant too previously, over several days. What you just saw was the tail end, right before we arrived.”

“You arrived just in time,” I gritted out, trying to kill the image of my father about to… do that to Ash.

Caleb shook his head sadly. “He endured a lot before they adopted this other tactic.”

“Suffice to say, after what he was subjected to by them and the humiliation of being watched and enjoyed by their men, it may not be conducive to his comfort to wake up trapped in a house surrounded by another pack of dangerous men. It would help if there was some female energy here to break that up,” Aaron said. “Namely, one he’s very comfortable with.”

“That’s why I came out here. I may have a way to track Aurora.” I eyed Caleb. “But I need your help, your skills.”

“A way to circumvent Revenant?”

“Yeah.”

“Why didn’t you bring this up before?”

“Because it’s a last-resort. I thought we’d be able to get through to Revenant as time went on.”

“No dice there,” Aaron ground out.

“Him showing up to cut down those Heretics was promising,” I pointed out. “But nothing’s come of it. I’ve sent a few messages since, but they’ve all been ignored again.”

“It’s now been confirmed that he extracted Aurora,” Aaron said. “For that to have occurred at the time that it did, he would’ve been there when Ash was set upon by Carson and his goons. He would’ve seen it. That means he fucking well stood there and allowed him to be taken. He allowed him to be fucking well tortured, Killian.”

Jesus Christ. “He owes Ash a life debt. That can’t… there must be more to it.”

“There is. He’s a dishonorable piece of shit. What Carson did to him has obviously twisted him. He’s just as ruthless as them now. He can’t be trusted. And that means anybody connected to him can’t be either.”

“Is that what your lead is?” Caleb asked. “A connection to him?”

“Yeah.”

Aaron started shaking his head. “It’s too dangerous, kid.”

I slammed my fist into the porch railing. “It’s now our only fucking shot to bring Aurora back! We have to take it!”

Caleb blew out a breath. “What’s the lead? Who’s the connection to Revenant?”

“His brother, Drew.”

“Brother?” Aaron asked. “There’s no record of that.”

“Exactly. It’s been a well-kept secret. Aurora entrusted it to me, but now this is our only way to find her, I’m putting it out there.”

“All right, let’s see if I can track him down,” Caleb said.

“Caleb—” Aaron started to protest.

Caleb held up his hand. “I’ll locate him, then we’ll decide from there how to proceed.”

Aaron pinched the bridge of his nose. “Fine.”

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