CHAPTER FOURTEEN

While Hiro, Tanner, and AJ were working on trying to find the location of Archie, the rest of the team was enjoying another amazing meal in the cafeteria. With Christmas and New Year’s out of the way, Mama Irene was already barking orders about Mardi Gras and the upcoming parades and celebrations. It was the first week of March this year, so the senior team could have their vacation over Valentine’s Day and be home to celebrate.

“Mama Irene?” called Eli, walking toward her. RJ was with him. “Celia and Jane want to know how many king cakes you think you’ll need this year. They said you ordered three hundred last year. Should they do the same?”

“I’d make it four hundred,” she said, nodding at the two men.

“Four? Mama Irene, that’s a lot of king cake,” frowned RJ.

“I know how much cake that is, RJ,” she said with her hands on her hips. “We’ll be havin’ lots of parties and more people out for the parades. Some folks can’t afford king cakes this time of year, and ours are always special to them. If we need extra help at the bakery, just let us know, and we’ll get some extra hands in here.”

“Yes, ma’am,” smiled Eli. She walked away, and RJ stared at him.

“Dude, four hundred? How are they going to make four hundred cakes?”

“They always do,” said Eli. “You and I both know they always make more than asked because they sell so quickly. They’ll do exactly what Mama Irene said. They’ll hire some additional help, and everything will be fine. They’re the best in the city, and I’m damn proud I’m married to one of them.”

RJ just laughed, shaking his head as he watched Irene speak to Celia and Jane. They hadn’t expected to see them, knowing how busy the bakery was right now. When they walked toward them, they were both smiling.

“Did she tell you?” asked RJ with a worried expression.

“Of course she did,” laughed Celia. “We always know she’s going to want more than the year before. We’ve been prepping for this. Don’t worry.”

“You guys are amazing,” laughed Eli. “Did you hire extra help?”

“Yep. We contacted the culinary school in the city and asked for a few students to do a preceptorship with us. We’ve got four of the best bakers in the school with us until March.”

“Man, I love you,” laughed Eli, kissing his wife.

“I know,” she smiled, cuddling into him. When Jonas and Khloe walked in, everyone smiled in their direction, knowing that the couple had made their feelings and intentions known without a word.

By tomorrow, Khloe would be in his cottage and loving every moment of it. Mama Irene and Claudette would be planning a wedding with the help of Kate, Ajei, and the other wives. And by summer, no doubt, Khloe would be pregnant. It seemed as natural as anything in the world could be.

“Hey, brother. How are things going?” Jonas asked Hiro.

“We’re working on the information that Sophia Ann sent, but it’s taking us some time. It’s a huge fucking area of land, and there are hundreds of homes, cabins, and shacks. Trying to find the one is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.” AJ and Tanner nodded, frowning at the table.

“We’re trying, Jonas,” said AJ.

“I know, brother. I wasn’t implying that you weren’t trying. I was just curious if we’d found anything else.”

“It’s easier than you think,” said Wyatt. The precocious genius had come to them at the same time as Victoria, Chelsea, and the others.

“I’m sure it is, buddy, but I haven’t figured it out yet,” smirked AJ.

“But it’s easy,” said Wyatt.

“Wyatt, are you trying to tell us how to do this?” asked Hiro.

“Y-yes, but Mom and Dad said I shouldn’t always show everyone that I’m smarter than they are. It’s rude. So, I’m trying not to be rude,” he said with a straight face.

“Well, I, for one, don’t think it’s rude at all. I’d be grateful for any insights you could give us,” said Tanner.

“Okay. Well, I was talking to Thomas, and he was telling me about the super cool hologram thing he did and then that sound thing where you can bounce sound off one thing, and it sounds like it’s coming from somewhere else.”

“We know what you’re talking about,” smiled AJ. “That technology has been perfected and is being used now.”

“I know,” said Wyatt. “I’m talking about using it to send messages to the guy in the woods.”

“Messages?”

“Yeah. You keep looking for locations based on the messages sent to and from his dad. But if you have his dad’s phone information, you could send a pretend message to him asking him to call, and we could locate him that way.”

“He’s right. We can use the artificial intelligence technology we have and duplicate his father’s voice to have a full conversation with him. Wyatt, you’re a genius!”

“I know,” he said, frowning at them. The three men laughed, racing back to the comms room and gathering all the voicemails they could with Mansur Sr.’s voice on it. An hour later, they were ready to reach out.

Holding their collective breath, they initiated the call using the AI-generated voice of Mansur Sr.

“What do you want now? Have you discovered more ways to ruin my life?” said Archie.

“Don’t be an ass,” said the constructed voice replica. “I’m calling to see if you’re alright.”

“Me? You’re the one that’s in jail. Holcomb told me they arrested you. Are you calling from prison?” Holcomb was his father’s right-hand man. Nothing more than a lackey lawyer who ran errands and fetched coffee. But he was good for some things.

Shit, mouthed AJ.

“I have my ways of getting a cell phone. Are you safe?”

“I’m in a fucking cabin in the middle of the woods. I’m horrible. I’m sick and tired of waiting on you and everyone else to help me.”

“We’re all trying to help you. Stop acting like a child.”

Hiro shrugged at the statement, not sure if the father would have said that or not. Tanner was holding up ten fingers, slowly lowering them as the area in question was narrowed more and more.

“A child! I’ve been sitting here for years waiting for you to find that bitch and either bring her to me or kill her! You’ve done nothing I’ve asked for, and now, you’ve got yourself arrested. How the fuck are you gonna help me, Daddy dearest?”

“Watch your mouth.” AJ stared at Hiro, worried that the statement was out of character for the father and son.

“What’s going on?” he asked quietly. “Where are you really?”

“I told you. I’m in jail.”

“No. No, you wouldn’t waste your time calling me from jail. Who is this? Who the fuck is this?”

“Stop being so paranoid, Archie. It’s me. Your father. Just sit tight, and don’t leave the cabin.” AJ stared at Tanner, who had one finger in the air.

“Fine. Fine, I’ll sit here and rot in the cabin while you rot in jail. Fuck you!” The line went dead, and AJ and Hiro looked at Tanner.

“It’s not perfect, but we’ve got a five-mile radius. We have to get there before he decides to leave.”