Tares City

59. Hunters And Lycans Of Tares City

NAOMI REID

Naomi takes in a deep breath as she looks out the window and up at the evening sky. A symphony of orange and yellow with spots of fluffy white as the sun slowly receded out of sight. The slanting rays cast shadows against the buildings in their way. The beauty and peace of it was a stark contrast to Naomi's emotions as her mind wrangled with all the new information she'd learned. 

Every day in Tares seemed to get more complex, bringing forth new dangers and enemies with each passing hour. Naomi couldn't help but think back to the life she knew before all this. Before the Lycans and hunters of Tares City became known to her. Things were so simple back then, making the present seem as if it were a fever dream she couldn't wake up from. She wondered how it was possible she lived in the dark when things were so rampant, so obvious - yet, part of her missed that clueless version of herself. The version of herself that lived a content and simple life. 

"You're thinking awfully hard over there," Avery says, drawing Naomi's attention. "You've got that look on your face too."

"Can you blame me? I've got so much to think about," She replies lightly.

"I know it's a lot, but we'll find a way through this mess, Nomi. All of it," Avery says to her earnestly.

"I almost believe you, Avs." She replies looking back to the sky.

~

"Oh, no way! You've got to be joking!" Naomi hears Avery exclaim in disbelief as she digs in her purse for her keys. 

"What? Someone park in my spot again?" She asks not looking up from her bag. 

"It's Josh..."

"What?" Naomi says as her head shoots up to look in front of her. 

A few car spaces ahead of them, Josh Kennedy stood near his car, chatting animatedly with someone as he pulled out a box from the trunk.

"Toiletries! The box is labeled toiletries!" Avery whispers as she drives them to their parking spot.

"This is just a crazy coincidence," Naomi begins, finally finding her keys with a sigh. "He has his own place, I've heard him telling the guys. He's most likely helping someone else move."

"I doubt anything concerning this man is a coincidence," Avery replies as she drives them to Naomi's designated parking spot. "You think he saw us? We're only one row away."

Craning her neck, Naomi leans forward and peers through the rearview mirror, "Oh, yeah. He saw us." She answers, watching Josh as he watches her car intently.

"No avoiding it, I guess," Avery sighs in resignation. "And play it cool, we can't let on that we know anything...or that you suspect him of murder."

"Obviously."

"You say obviously but your expression says something else!" Avery rebuts as she opens the door. 

Despite the situation, Naomi snickers at her friend as she exits. Walking to the rear of the vehicle, she waits for Avery to lock the car before she begins heading to the building's elevator - which just so happens to be near where Josh Kennedy stood. 'Too convenient to be a coincidence' she thinks to herself as they approach him.

"Bale, Reid!" He calls out, in what Naomi could only see as a fake surprise. "I thought I recognized the car!" He exclaims happily.

"Lieutenant," Naomi calls in response as they reach him.