. . .

Device

The small men grouped around the weakly buzzing contraption. The one holding it waved the others away. "It's very sensitive." The others tried not to breathe.

A final snap. "It's pointing roughly north by northeast. Barnum, come with me. I'll need your help with this. The rest of you, return to your duties, keeping away from that sector. Remember, this is too important. Don't fuck it up now."

The small men bustled away, leaving only two. With a brisk professionalism, they packed up some mysterious-looking devices, and loaded themselves into a waiting vehicle. Barnum drove, following the other man's briskly stated directions. "Left. Right. Go down here."

In a short time, they were out of the city. A few hours drive northward brought them to a small patch of suburbia. The first man's voice had gotten more and more sharp in the last half hour, as the signal strengthened. A few more turns and they were in front of the local high school. They parked out front and watched the students pile into their cars, drive away. After a time, the first man spoke.

"That's it. That one right there." His voice conveyed his satisfaction. "Looks to be a male, late teens. Local student, probably. Follow him."

The vehicle moved smoothly after the one that had taken the student. Not long after, the meager parade of two cars came to an apartment complex, which the lead car entered. The second car, following the first man's now hushed instructions, pulled over outside the complex.