VInc.S4E11
Vigilantes, Inc.
Season Four, Episode Eleven
“Trouble is Brewing”
Lance sank into the lounge chair, savoring the calm atmosphere of the Brewer’s Cafe library nook. The iced chai in his hand was refreshingly cool, and the familiar weight of a paperback rested in his lap. He opened the book, letting out a content sigh.
“Which one did you grab?” Melody’s voice drifted from the other side of the cozy seating area.
“Soul’s Edge,” Lance replied, holding up the cover for her to see.
“I figured I’d go for something shorter this time.”
Melody nodded thoughtfully.
“I’ve seen that one on the shelf but haven’t gotten around to it.”
“You should. I’ve read it before—it’s right up your alley,” he said.
“What do you have over there?”
“A smoothie,” Melody said with a smirk.
Lance laughed, shaking his head.
“I meant the book, not your snack.”
“Oh, this?” she replied, holding up a black-and-gold embossed cover.
“It’s the next in that dragon saga I’m obsessed with.”
“Nice,” Lance said with a slight smile.
“It's crazy,” she murmured, already engrossed in her next page.
The quiet between them stretched into a comfortable rhythm, broken only by the occasional shuffle of pages. Melody glanced over at Lance a few times, hesitation flickering in her expression. Lance noticed, marked his place in the book, and raised an eyebrow.
“Alright, what’s on your mind?” he asked casually.
“Don’t tell me you’re out of smoothie already.”
“No, it’s not that…” Melody trailed off, fidgeting with the edge of her book.
“It’s… well, I’ve been meaning to ask something. About what happened at New Atlantis University.”
Lance’s easy demeanor shifted, his grip tightening subtly on his book.
“What about it?”
Melody hesitated but pressed on.
“That three-headed dog thing… Cerberus, or whatever it was. You went back inside after everyone else cleared out. Why?”
Lance exhaled slowly, closing his book.
“I said I’d check for anyone still trapped. That’s what I did,” he responded with a carefully measured, well-rehearsed half-truth.
Melody frowned, unconvinced.
“That’s not your job, though. And you were gone a lot longer than you should’ve been….”
“The creatures blocked my way out. I had to take a different route,” Lance explained.
Melody tilted her head, clearly skeptical.
“And how exactly did you manage to get past them?”
Lance’s gaze flicked to the floor for a moment before meeting hers again.
“You’ve heard about those vigilantes running around the city, right?”
Her eyebrows lifted slightly.
“Yeah, what about them?”
“They… let’s just say they had my back,” he said, his tone deliberately vague.
Before Melody could push further, Adam strode into the reading area, his face etched with worry.
“She’s missing,” he blurted out.
Lance was on his feet instantly, his instincts kicking in.
“Who?” he and Melody asked in unison.
“My sister,” Adam said, his voice tight.
The relaxed atmosphere of the library nook evaporated as tension filled the air. Lance’s eyes sharpened.
“What happened?”
Adam shook his head, already moving toward the lobby.
“I don’t know. I just know we need to find her.”
Lance and Melody followed Adam out of the lounge to a table in the back of the cafe where Cody stood next to his parents. Gabriel Chase wore a grim expression while his wife seemed to be doing all she could to not completely break down.
Cody looked over his shoulder, saw his brother's determined approach, and turned his direction.
“I already have every available unit searching for her and we have contacted all of her friends,” he stated.
“No one has seen her since yesterday evening and the text to Mom was the last thing from her phone.”
“And she hasn't replied to anyone either?” Adam asked.
Cody shook his head.
“Any calls to her phone return with a busy signal and there haven't been any new text messages either,” he said.
“Wherever she is, or at least her phone is likely blocking any signals. There hasn't been any activity on any of her social media accounts either.”
Melody wrapped her arms around herself, concern and empathy taking over.
Lance and Adam exchanged glances, an unspoken question being passed between them.
“Normally I would want you two to stay put,” Cody stated.
“But we can use as many people looking for her as possible. Dad and I can go downtown, and you two can check again with her friends.”
Adam gave his brother a partly surprised look, then nodded.
“What can I do?” Melody inquired sheepishly.
Cody looked at her, then to his mother, then back.
“Can you stay here with her?” he asked, nodding back toward his mother.
“Keep her company and to help keep an eye out for Charlie from here? The cafe is closed for now, so you won't have to deal with customers.”
Melody nodded and moved to sit across from Lindsey. She exchanged a look with Lance and then turned her attention to Mrs. Chase.
“Let's go,” Gabriel stated.
He kissed his wife and then walked briskly to the door. Cody and Adam both gave their mother a quick hug and hurried after their father, followed by Lance.
Outside, Cody’s squad car roared to life as he remotely started the engine before hopping into the driver seat. Gabriel had barely sat in the passenger seat and closed the door when Cody floored the accelerator while simultaneously starting the lights and sirens.
Lance and Adam watched the vehicle race down the street.
“I think I know what my next project will be,” Lance said absently as he unlocked his SUV.
“After we find Charlie, of course.”
“We need to get O.R.A.C.L.E. on this one,” Adam said flatly as he got into the vehicle.
“We should still check those areas, but I want to gear up first.”
Lance nodded, sat behind the wheel, and started the vehicle. He pressed a button on the dash, and a tone sounded, indicating the voice-command system was listening for orders.
“Call O.R.A.C.L.E.,” he commanded.
“Calling O.R.A.C.L.E.” the automated voice replied.
The phone rang and picked up after the first ring.
“Hello, Lance,” came the A.I.’s voice.
“How are you?”
“We have a situation,” Lance responded.
“Charlie is missing and we need to find her.”
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