𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐌𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 ❦ (𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐝)

Chapter 15

Somebody picks up the phone to my relief, and I manage to force the words out of my mouth. "Mr. Iero, I'm Gerard Way. I apologize for this sudden call."

"...Mr. Way? What's the matter?" I hear the slightly groggy voice that makes me shiver, for some reason. I never thought I would hear it again, even though a phone.

"I'd like to...ask for your help. It's a delicate situation and to be fair, I don't know who else to ask. You are the only person I can think of..."

"I remember that I have already offered my help to you. Tell me everything."

"It's complicated. I might need to explain it to you in person," I confess, hoping I wasn't already asking for too much.

"Will you do me the honor of joining me for diner tomorrow evening, then?"

"Thank you, Mr. Iero..." I can finally breathe properly.

"It is too soon to thank me. I will send someone to pick you up tomorrow."

"Alright. Sorry for the bother."

"It is only curtesy. See you tomorrow, Mr. Way."

Mr. Iero hangs up. I can't believe that he accepted to see me so easily. I hope that my request will not put him in a delicate situation, tomorrow.

______

I am meeting with Mr. Iero, tonight. It was about time. I am worried to death about Dad. I want to make an impression on Mr. Iero, so I decide to put on the black velvet suit that Urie bought me.

Pete Wentz is the one who came to drive me. After helping me settle on the back seat, he starts the engine and drives to our destination. It's an Italian restaurant, the Vesuvio. Mr. Iero is already there. He isn't wearing his usual trench coat and leather gloves, but a black, striped suit.

He gives me a confident smile. "Mr. Way, we meet again. Please take a seat." He politely drags the chair back for me before he took a seat too.

"Let me thank you again for seeing me, Mr. Iero."

"Think no more about it. I gave you my word, after all. So, Mr. Way, why do you need my help?"

"Well..." I chew on my bottom lip as I organize my thoughts. "Honestly, this case has become way too complicated. I have no one else to turn to."

"Tell me. I am all ears," Mr. Iero says calmly, giving me a brief, indulgent smile before focusing. His expression went back to its usual severity.

"Here is what happened..."

I tell Mr. Iero everything, I know, everything that happened. I must make him understand the dangers of helping me in this situation. Besides, I really need a listening ear. I also sort out my ideas as I speak.

"When I was an intern at the Sunday News, I played detectives at the Metropolitan Hospital. I had heard about interesting information about it, and I also met a woman named Emily. She was a patient. I decided to write an article about her story because I empathized with her tragic life. However, I was fired the day that my article was published."

Mr. Iero grabs his chin thoughtfully. A deep frown disturbs his face like ripples on a calm lake.

"That night, my boss invited me to the gala organized by the Press Association, and before I was fired, he would make compliments about my article. It had a lot of success, too," I continue my story. "But in the middle of the evening, he suddenly informed me that I was fired. I still don't know why. I left the party completely befuddled and... that's when I met you. Do you remember what happened, that night? You told me that I was being followed."