Page 79 of Rescuing Sophia

“It’s Rebel.” Ethan’s voice is tight with anticipation as he puts the call on speaker.

“Ethan, you need to get to The Guardian Grind. Now.”Rebel’s voice crackles through the speaker, urgent and breathless.“We found something.”

Ethan’s eyes lock with mine.

“We’re on our way.” Ethan’s already moving toward the door, and I’m right on his heels.

The short walk to The Guardian Grind feels like an eternity. The crisp autumn air bites at my skin, carrying the scent of fallen leaves and wood smoke. My mind races with possibilities, each step bringing us closer to… What? Answers? More questions? My stomach churns with anticipation.

The bell above the door chimes as we enter, and the familiar aroma of coffee and freshly baked pastries washes over us. For a moment, I’m transported back to happier times—Sophia behind thecounter, her smile bright as she greets me. The memory fades as quickly as it came, leaving a hollow ache in its wake.

Rebel stands by the counter, her posture tense. Jenna and Malia hover nearby, their faces etched with concern—and barely concealed excitement?

“What did you find?” The words tumble out of me before I can stop them.

Rebel exchanges a glance with Jenna before leading us to the back room. The air grows thick with tension as we follow, my pulse quickening with each step.

“We were doing inventory,” Jenna begins, her voice hushed as if sharing a secret. “And we found these.”

She gestures to a small pile of objects on the table. My breath catches as I recognize them.

“Those are Guardian HQ issue.” I pick up one of the small listening devices, turning it over in my hand. “How the hell did they get here?”

“Sophia.” Malia’s voice is soft, almost apologetic. “We found them hidden all over the café.”

The betrayal hits me anew, a fresh wave of pain washing over me. I set the device down, my hand shaking slightly.

“That’s not all.” Rebel pulls out several bags of coffee beans, setting them on the table with a dull thud. “Look inside.”

I tear open one of the bags, and the rich aroma of coffee fills the air. Nestled among the beans are small slips of paper, covered in a familiar, messy scrawl.

“It’s Sophia’s handwriting,” I breathe, my fingers tracing the letters. The words are a jumble of numbers and letters, meaningless to my eyes.

“There’s more.” Jenna’s already opening another bag, her movements quick and eager. “They’re in all of them.”

Soon, the table is covered in coffee beans and scraps of paper. The air buzzes with nervous energy as we sift through the messages, desperately trying to make sense of the cryptic notes.

“This has to mean something.” Malia’s voice is filled with hope. “She wouldn’t have gone to all this trouble for nothing.”

The door swings open, and Carter strides in, his face a mirror of my own concern. “I came as soon as I heard.” He places a supportive hand on my shoulder.

“Perfect timing,” Ethan says. “We need all hands on deck for this.”

As we work to sort through the messages, the door opens again. Jinx enters, her laptop tucked under her arm, a determined set to her jaw.

“Ethan called me. Said you’ve got a code to break?” She sets up her equipment. “What do you have?”

With Jinx’s arrival, the energy in the room shifts. There’s a renewed sense of purpose as we gather around her makeshift workstation. Her fingers fly over the keyboard, lines of code scrolling across the screen faster than I can follow.

“It’s not a straightforward cipher,” Jinx mutters, her brow furrowed in concentration. “But there’s definitely a pattern here.”

As Jinx works her magic, the rest of us continue to sift through the physical evidence. Carter and I tackle another bag of beans while Rebel and Malia examine the listening devices more closely.

My phone buzzes with a message from Mitzy.

Mitzy:Sophia visited the robotics department. A bumblebee drone is missing. It is not active. I hope she took it. It could help us find her.

I relaythe information to the others, a spark of hope igniting in my chest. “She’s leaving breadcrumbs. She wants us to find her.”

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