“Where did they go?”

Breaker had returned to the fringe of the woods where Jake waited, a tiny backpack belonging to McKinley on his shoulder. It contained some clothing, and a sheathed dagger taken from her undergarment drawer. Just in case she required a weapon.

“Not far, actually.” Jake said, surprise in his tone. He was still down on all fours, examining the ground. He stood up and dusted dirt from his hands. “My best guess would be they’re either in or around Gisela, or else somewhere near the fringe of Underwood. I can’t get you there though - without knowing exactly where I’m going I could end up taking us to the middle of the ocean.”

“Not a problem,” Josh said, “I’ve picked up some new tricks recently. Having an approximate range should be enough” He closed his eyes and let his need for McKinley guide him. He turned blindly and took a greatstep through miles of space, teleporting as close to her familiar energy as he could place himself.

Schwooom!

He appeared inside the darkened building in a rush of air. He smelled blood, and saw ropes dangling limply from the stone wall.

Too late - no!

The sound of scuffling feet reached him from the next room. He turned and kicked the barred door of its hinges, dashing through to see a small group of men forcing Kinley through a portal into another darkened room.

“Release her!” He commanded them, his voice striking each man like a leather whip. They were stern in their resolve; though they hesitated they continued on their task. The stuffed Kinley through the portal.

Breaker shrugged off Kinley’s backpack and hurled it at the last man through the portal. It struck him with a muffled whump and enough force to knock him sideways as the portal slid shut.

“No! Get away from me!” The man screamed as Breaker approached him, metal boots ringing on the stone floor. “You cannot touch me, demi-Thayne! I am twice blessed, by the salt and by the sand. I am immune to your powers! I am-grrggleshk!” His words became garbled as Breaker picked him up by the throat.

The demigod slammed the thin, wasted little man up against the wall and then down onto the ground. The kidnapper lay still for a moment, stunned by the swiftness of the movement.

“Where have they taken her?” Breaker demanded, his voice thunderous. “Tell me!”

It was clear the small man had a stronger will than most. The long slender scar on his temple shifted as he swallowed.

“I ‘aint tellin’ yew anything, Thayneslayer. Giving you information is comparable to heresy.”

“Oh is it?” Breaker asked. He gripped the man’s pinkie finger and snapped it sideways, eliciting a scream from his skinny throat. “Let’s have little talk about who your god is.”