Running Red: Lost Moon

Chapter 29: Split Paths

Cain gave a grumble when Michael shoved his shoulder. "Wake up, we're here." When he opened his grey eyes, he found himself looking at a familiar building. The sound Cain made when he saw the building had Michael rolling his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, up. We need to announce ourselves and show we brought Aaron."

Cain tipped his head to the side to look at the driver's seat to find Aaron gone. "You didn't wake me to drive?"

"Get after Aaron, apparently, he's used to long drives."

Digging his phone out of his pocket, he found a text message from Sacha. He quickly replied and slowly sat up to stretch his arms up. Pressing his palms against the roof of the car, he leaned forward until he felt his back give a satisfying pop.

"Sounds like you need to retire."

"Fuck off." Cain clambered out of the backseat of the car just as Aaron closed the trunk.

Aaron held a blue book bag up and asked. "Is this the one?"

Michael stood up from where he had been reaching into the passenger side to look at the bag. "Yeah, that's the one."

Cain rolled his neck, trying to stretch out a kink. "Is Aaron ready to meet Charlie?"

"Not you too!"

Aaron looked at the two, confused. While Cain gave Michael a smug grin, "Levi's very adamant about it."

Michael gave a grumble as he looked away and went back to kneeling on the passenger seat to dig for something in the armrest. Aaron slung the bag over his shoulder as he asked, "Are his ears red?"

"No!

"Yes." Cain's smug grin was full-on shit-eating. "That happens when he's embarrassed and trying to hide it."

"Why is he embarrassed?"

"I'm not embarrassed!"

Cain shrugged and started for the building as he called out. "The cards are in the glove box!"

"Fuck," Michael yanked the glove box open and stumbled out of the car with Aaron catching his arm to help him steady his balance. "Why do you always know where they are?"

"Because someone has to!"

Michael gave Aaron a hurried, "Thank you," before rushing after Cain. "Wait up, one of these cards is yours!"

Cain stopped long enough for Michael to pass him a card while Aaron walked after them. Michael stopped and then turned and ran back to the car. "Where is he going?"

"Mask. He doesn't like people staring at him."

Aaron stopped to wait for Michael while Cain walked towards the large building. As Michael walked up, Aaron watched as he pulled the mask on. Michael paused when he saw Aaron waiting. "You didn't have to wait."

Aaron gave a shrug. His eyes caught on the way that Michael's mask had slipped down. He started to reach out, only to pause and turn away as he cleared his throat. "The mask is crooked."

Michael reached up and straightened out the mask. "Thanks. I have to hide my scar. It's easy to find me with such a large thing on my face."

Aaron stopped in surprise while Michael continued on. Cain had said... "Oh."

Michael looked at him. "What?"

"Nothing." He started walking to catch up with Michael, his longer legs easily helping him. "You surprise me every time I see you."

"I..." Michael furrowed his brows in confusion. "Thanks?"

"We should catch up."

Cain was tapping away at his phone when they caught up with him. Michael asked as he walked by, "Texting Sacha?"