Anger and despair welled in my chest, lodged in my throat, and all that emerged was a choked sound. I backed away from the table, my eyes darting back and forth between the concerned faces looking at me. I wanted to rush to Ivy's aid. Do something, anything to save her right this instant. Had Maximus taken her to Colombia? Or was he keeping her here and somehow making the Templars think he was in South America? Come to think of it, I didn't even know when this had happened. Yesterday? Today?
Elyssa seemed poised to pin me to the floor if I decided to do something rash and make a break for the door. God knew I'd done such a thing plenty of times. Uncertainty, however, rooted me to the spot. I needed information and Bigglesworth was the only one who had it. Why had he been so casual and mocking when handing it to me? The guy certainly hadn't seemed like someone on a mission of mercy. His relationship to Ivy was unclear to me. Was he a pet? A protector?
Bella touched my arm. "When did this happen, Justin? Did Bigglesworth say anything more about it?"
"He was a jackass," Elyssa said. "He didn't even say what was on this recording. In fact, he didn't seem particularly concerned about anything."
"It could be due to what he is," Bella said. "Little is known about his kind, but anecdotal evidence would point to them as inhuman in the way they experience emotion, almost like a psychopath. It's highly unlikely he's a friend to Ivy, at least in his view. Ivy, however, may feel quite differently. She is a little girl after all."
I balled my hands into knuckle-cracking fists and stormed away from the table. I wanted to hit something. Break it. Find Maximus and pound him into toothpaste. I took a deep breath. And another. It did little to curb my murderous rage, but the juvenile desire to smash one of Shelton's tables faded. I could do this. I'd faced rough odds before, and when I wasn't jumping headfirst without thinking, I could usually figure my way out.
My gaze went automatically to Elyssa. Her bright eyes met mine. Fierce determination blazed within and she set her jaw in a grim line. She was my strength. My love. Confidence surged within my chest, pushing out the helplessness I'd felt. With her and my friends, I would find Ivy and save her. And if I got to break Maximus's teeth along the way, so much the better.
I smiled. Bella flinched back, eyes wide.
"Do I have broccoli on my teeth or something?" I said.
The Arcane shook her head. "No, but you smiled like a wolf who has cornered a baby deer."
I walked back to the table and took a seat. "Elyssa, I assume the Templars are tracking Maximus. Can they tell me where he is now?"
"I'll make some calls," she said, and walked across the room, phone in hand.
"Shelton, any idea when this recording was made?"
He picked up the ASE and examined it. "Since the video didn't show the date, I'll have to hack into the file system and see if the device date-stamped the recording."
I leaned back, confused. "A file system? But isn't this a magical thingy?"
He groaned. "That's a whole other can of worms, hotshot."
"Give me the abridged version."
"The files are in ArcOS format, just like the spells you can save on your phone."
That much I could understand. "Will you check out the dates for me?"
"Yeah, sure, but it'll take a little while to hook it up." Shelton turned to Bella. "Why don't you give Mr. Bossypants here a lesson while I dig into this?"
Bella took my arm, and turned her violet eyes on me. "Are you up to it, Justin?"
I nodded. "Yeah, it'll help take my mind off…things."
She took me into the large testing room, back to a quiet section. "You've been practicing your circles?"
"Yep. I can get a circle up in no time now." I pulled out my handy-dandy chalk from a plastic pouch on my belt and knelt. In a blur of supernatural speed, I whipped a small circle around me, pressed a thumb against the line, and willed it closed. The air crackled and snapped. Magical energy pressed against me. I rubbed out the line with a foot and felt the energy rush out.
"Excellent," Bella said. "And you've practiced the basic