Adrenaline

⌊Chapter 18⌉

"Prenton? Really?"

"It seemed reasonable enough. Prenton is a runaway zone."

Matt lowered the phone in his hand and made eye contact with Xavier Toronto across from him behind a strong plastic window. Next to him sat John Cord, who was sitting quietly so he could also hear the conversation. Matt lifted the phone to his ear again. "So what brought you back? What made you believe they weren't in Prenton?"

Xavier paused, his other hand conducting his fingers tapping on the table to match his heartbeat. "Because I realised too late that I was being ignorant," he said. "And I have reason to believe I was speaking with Dr. Rilot... not a 'lab helper.' He likely wouldn't have someone like that because of everything. He found us before we found him. And I'll be honest - I feel as if he knows we're back in Adelmir already."

Matt shook his head, his eyes gleaming with annoyance. "Then get to him before he gets to you," he growled, white-knuckles clutching the phone. "And get to Richard faster. He betrayed me - just like a Rilot would. That snake can't get away with everything. Make some fucking money while you're at it too and get me the hell out of here."

"Yes, sir."

⇤⇥

"Yes, sir."

"I greatly appreciate your bitter sarcasm, Rich," Andy said as he entered the 'break space' of the lab - which was just a fancy way to say living room. He collapsed into a red chair next to the couch where Rich was lying across with his hands behind his head. "But, really, I need you to be extra careful when you leave this lab. More than you usually are - which is hardly anything at all."

Rich sat up and rested his arm on the back of the couch, crossing his legs at his ankles. "Pray tell why. You're not usually this protective," he paused, narrowing his eyes. "It doesn't have anything to do with your underworld affiliation, does it?"

Andy narrowed his eyes. "I don't work for them. In the past, sure, but those days are long gone. I'm just... you know... worried. It seems with us that anytime things seem to be going well, they do a 180 and betray your trust in a blink of an eye. It's almost like it's impossible for good things to happen in this godless city."

"I know something else is going on, Andy," Rich spoke as he grabbed a book off the coffee table and skimmed through a random page - which made no sense to him because he hadn't read the other parts. "I mean, why did I need to find out from Joe that you made the 48? You worked for him. And Matt. And now I'm hearing the name Rilot from them, and I don't know who that is. Is that you? Then who is Andy Anderson?"

"I am," Andy answered, his voice laced with secrecy. "And if I tell you any more than that, it could get us both killed. Your cluelessness is what's kept us going all this time because you just simply don't know what Matt and Joe are talking about. And it will stay that way."

"Until?"

"Until forever. Unless we have a miracle."

Rich paused for a moment, unsure how he felt about this answer. He cracked his knuckles of the hand over the back of the couch and he tilted his head to the side, his forest green eyes swimming with confusion and ambition. "Can I at least know why I'm in so much danger right now?"

Eye contact between the two men continued in silence as the cogs were turning in Andy's head. "There are people," he began. "People in Adelmir who were never supposed to find out where we are. I sent them to Prenton, but they won't be there for long. You know the faces of the Mirians - steer clear of new and unfamiliar faces. Hide if you need to. Just don't let them get anywhere near you."