𝐈𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝

Chapter Thirty-Two: Elliot

We made it back to the tents and I made sure not to trip or get dirt on my fresh clothes and clean body. Jack immediately plopped down on his bed with Raine following close behind. She climbed on top of him and hugged him which made me snicker and smile. Charlie, Thomas, and Fed huddled around the beds on the opposite side of the tent, talking about Obsidian. Sam was already passed out on his bed.

Damn, I think he broke a record. That was fast.

I sat down on the bed on the same side of the tent as Jack and Raine but the farthest one from them so I could give them and myself some space. I sighed and leaned my head back onto the pillows as I thought about today.

It was only four oclock. The day was nowhere near being over. Oh wait!

I shot up when I got an idea. Connor! I should ask about Connor! I jumped out of bed and pulled my shoes back on.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Charlie asked. I glanced over at him to see him sitting up and watching me curiously.

"I'm gonna go back to the front building that that guy was talking about earlier to ask about Connor. Dylan said that they would be able to help so I'm gonna ask them a few questions, see what they know and what they're going to do," I explained as I pulled on my jacket and pulled the curtain of the tent back to step outside.

"Wait! I'll come too," Charlie called out as he scrambled to throw on his shoes and a jacket. I stopped at the entrance to their tent and waited for him to catch up.

"I'll come as well. I can show you guys where to go and I've got a few questions of my own," I heard Thomas shout from inside the tent.

Soon enough, the three of us were on our way to the front building where the guard had shown them earlier. Thomas led us inside and through the building. His memory of the facility guiding them to the area of the building where I could ask my questions. He brought us to a small office on the third floor that dealt with Monarch Alliance affairs, or at least that's what the sign on the door said.

As we walked through the entrance of the office with Thomas still leading the way, I couldn't help but look around and ogle at the workplace we were walking through. There were laptops, printers, employees, everything. It seemed like nothing changed over the past two weeks. Nothing was different. It was just a regular office functioning like a regular office with regular employees.

"Hi, we're looking for Elliot," Thomas told the receptionist as Charlie and I looked around, only slightly paying attention.

"Hello, Thomas, Nora Tucker," the receptionist said. I whipped my head in her direction when she said my name. She smiled warmly at me and then continued speaking. "I'll call him for you. Feel free to take a seat. He'll be just out," she gestured to the chairs behind us. She reached for the phone and Thomas nodded back to her, but I was lost in thought.

Nora Tucker. How did she know my name? She didn't know Charlie's? And why did she say it like that too? Why my full name, why not just Nora?

I was snapped back into focus when Thomas motioned for Charlie and I to follow him to the chairs since we had been distracted by the bustling office around us. Charlie and I sat down next to him in the chairs. Shaking off the thoughts about the receptionist knowing my name, I looked around the workplace again.

"It's like nothing changed. It's like a regular office," I whispered quietly so that the receptionist didn't hear my obvious shock at seeing such a pre-asteroid activity.

"Yeah, I know. It's weird. But apparently they got a jumpstart on the asteroid and managed to lock up and barricade early so there was hardly any damage. I was out in the field when I heard they were starting to prepare for the hit and then obviously never got the chance to see it due to my vacation with Monarch," Thomas explained, sarcasm evident in the last few words. I nodded my head and opened my mouth to ask another question when I was interrupted.