Fighting Crime Doesn't Pay

Chapter 4

I roll over and look at my clock. 9:30. Good thing I don't have class till 12:30. I get up and notice that it is strangely quiet. I tip toe over to Mark's room. He's not in there, I check the living room and he's not there either. Quickly, because I'm anxious now I run into the kitchen. I check the schedule on the fridge, Mark had class at 8:00 today. Phew, he's at school. He left early and didn't bother to wake me up cause he's so nice. With that panic attack taken care of I eat breakfast, shower and sit on my ass for a while before I catch the bus to the university. History goes by without incident, expect for the unexplained absence of Anna Welman in the back row. After history I head to the cafeteria for a late lunch, I get there and notice a distinct lack of Mark at our usual table. This is weird. He's always here before me. My alarm bells go off again as I realize something I should have earlier. Mark is ridiculously responsible, he also needs at least eight hours sleep or he can barely hold his head up. There's no way he would have stayed out so late if he had an 8:00 class. I take off, almost too fast, toward the engineering building. I get to main foyer and start scanning the room.

"Travis!" I shout across the room. Travis McDougall looks up and gives a confused look. He's one of Mark's non jerk friends. He knows me because the first thing Mark did when I started coming here was introduce me to everyone. He walks over not nearly fast enough.

"Andy, what's the problem?" He asks, since there is obviously a problem.

"Have you seen Mark? I haven't seen him since yesterday, he said he was going out with a bunch of the grad students." I say really fast. Travis holds up his hands to try and slow me down.

"Yeah he was there last night. He wasn't in class this morning though. Which is weird because he was the first one to leave the bar last night." He explains. That sends even more alarm bells ringing.

"Are you sure he left early? I didn't go to bed until 11:30 and he still wasn't home." I say. Now Travis looks worried too.

"Yeah, he left around ten. No way it takes an hour and a half to get to your place from Maroni's" Travis says, scratching his head. "Should we call somebody?" He asks me. I shake my head.

"Not yet. I mean, maybe he crashed his car or something and is at the hospital. Someone's bound to know something, right?" I say. I can tell by Travis's face that I must look like I'm on the brink of a nervous break down, and I am.

"Ok, I'll ask around. You go talk to Dr. MacCallaugh, he should know something. His office is upstairs, number 265, ok?" Travis writes the office number down on a little piece of paper and hands it to me. "And remember to breathe, alright?" He says and then walks away. I take some deep breaths and then walk at what I hope is a normal, human speed up the stairs and find office 265. The door is open so I knock on the wall.

"Come in. Oh, hello Andy. Can't say I ever expected to get a visit from you." Dr.McCallaugh says as I walk into his office.

"Yeah. Um, have you seen Mark since last night? No one knows where he is and he didn't come home last night." I say. The "I'm really worried" is implied.

"No I'm sorry. I'm afraid I haven't seen him all day. Have you tried calling him?" He asks, putting away the papers he was working on. I slap my forehead.

"No I totally forgot. I'm such an idiot. Thanks." I say. I walk out of the office feeling a lot better. I pull out my civilian phone and dial Mark's number.

"Hello?" I hear someone who is not Mark say.

"Hi. Who is this? Where's Mark?" I ask, quickly relapsing back into worry.

"My name's Jim. I found this phone in the parking lot at Maroni's. I was trying to get it unlocked when you called. There's a car here too, silver Lexus, only looks a few years old." He explains. My heart drops, there aren't too many nice looking Lexuses in Gotham.

"Can you do me favour and read off the car's plate number?" I ask. I have Mark's plate number memorized, hopefully some other rich guy left his car behind.

"Uh, sure. GBE 867." Jim replies. My heart sinks to my feet.

"Now I need you to do me another favour. Call a tow truck and take that car and that phone to the nearest police station. Thanks." I hang up without waiting for him to reply. I immediately do something I have never done before. I call the cops on my civilian phone.

"911. What's your emergency?"

"This is Andy Kent. Mark Wayne is missing. He's been missing since last night, his phone and his car were left behind at Maroni's and no one has seen him since ten o'clock yesterday." I try to say this all calmly, but my voice starts to break about halfway through.

"Are you absolutely sure he's missing?" The operator asks. I guess they don't want to waste time and money on investigating a non-disappearance. But that thought happens in the back of my brain. The rest of me sees red.

"Yes I'm sure! I wouldn't call if I wasn't worried! What the hell is wrong with you? I've been freaking out for hours and all you can do is ask if I'm sure!" I scream into the phone. There's a few seconds before the operator comes back.

"I'm sorry, mam. I'll call it in right away." He says and then hangs up. I put my phone back in my pocket. I feel a tear roll down my face. It's like a dam breaking, I've managed to keep it semi together today, but not anymore. I drop to the floor and sob, right there in the hall way. People walk by, no one stops. I don't want them too, I don't need to deal with questions from strangers. Eventually I see Travis walk by followed by Alexis.

"There you are. Come on, we're getting you out of here." Travis says. He and Alexis grab my arms and haul me off the floor.

"I don't want to go anywhere. I just want to cry." I say through more tears. Alexis wraps her arms around me.

"You can't cry here all day. We're taking you home." Travis says. I start crying harder. Alexis slaps him.

"We can't take her there! That'll just make it worse. You can come hang out at my place, Andy." Alexis offers. I nod and they walk me out of the building, holding me up as if I can't stand on my own. I'm not sure I can.