Faceless Instincts

Two truths and a Lie

Abruptly the air between Nikolai and myself had fluctuated, he walked a little ahead of me as we were making our way towards his car, "Is everything okay?"

He turned to me with a dazed look, "yeah, why?"

"You seem... distant"

He stopped and turned to face me, just as the snowfall picked up the rhythm, he looked above and muttered something under his breath, "I didn't hear that" I said cautiously.

"Get in the car and we'll talk"

We got in the car and I turned to face him, as he started the ignition, "what did Eva tell you?" He asked plainly.

"Tell me?"

He shrugged, "we were talking about her grandmother and how ..." I wavered, he looked at me "how?" He questioned, "the way she told certain things about her grandmother it felt like she somewhere thinks that it wasn't an accident or a suicide"

He stopped the car, his brows knit tightly, "what do you mean?"

"She said that her grandmother always said that the way she knows so many secrets of so many people it might get her killed someday"

"I mean it could be her sense of humour, but ..." He fell silent.

"It could be it"

He started the car again and took it on the road, "I am sorry I dragged you into this"

He was silent and didn't reply instead he kept on driving, it was not until he parked in front of my house, "remember that phone call I got earlier?"

"Yeah?"

"It was from my friend that I told you about, I kind of talked to him while you were still asleep at my place, he said he can check that trinket for us"

I straightened in my seat, "but I will have to leave within two days, Christmas is fast approaching and we'll have to do it before his family arrives"

I nodded, "thank you for doing this for me"

He looked at me for a long moment, something in his eyes that wasn't familiar flashed brightly, I saw his jaw twist slightly, and then he pulled back, "it no pressure, really" I got out of his car and rounded to go inside when he called out, "also, you didn't drag me into anything, believe me when I say it."

I gave him a small smile and turned to go inside, when I heard his car door slam shut, I turned to look and found him walking to me with a blank face.

"What is it?" I asked and he simple climbed up the stairs, I took a step back, "what happened?"

"Open the door"

"What?"

"I just want to be sure of everything."

I inserted the key in the lock but found it already unlocked, the blood seeped through my body as I looked at Nikolai, "what?"

"It's unlocked"

"What?" He said with a frown and pushed me a little back, then opening his coat button he kept a hand on his gun.

"You had a gun with you?" I asked in horror.

"I am a police officer, I take my gun everywhere, especially when I am in doubt of the situation."

He kicked opened the door and we hurried inside. Only upon reaching into the living did I gained my composure when I found Olivia and Tanner sprawled on the couches, "what the hell?" I half-shouted and half-whispered.

"What the hell do you, why is he pointing a gun at us" Olivia whimpered.

"Wow, I know we had differences but I didn't realise it went to 'what the hell' and gun pointing," Tanner said air quoting his words.