Aftg react

Part59

Foxes react: chapter12 part1

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Neil waited until they started speaking before pulling his phone out of his pocket.Every night since his real birthday he'd gotten a number texted to him. Today's sobering "0" had arrived during lunch. Neil didn't know what to make of it or what to expect next. It was as anticlimactic as it was nerve-wracking. He wanted to erase the message as he had every single one before it, but when his phone prompted him for confirmation he snapped the phone closed instead. He put his phone away again, turned backward in the seat, and pushed up onto his knees to look down at Andrew.

They were relieved to see that the countdown had stopped but something didn't feel right because why would Riko go through all that but not do anything when it's over, it was weird but jinxing it right now was not any good.
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"Is it exhausting seeing
everything as a fight?"
"Not as exhausting as running from everything must be."
"Maybe," Neil allowed. "I told you I'm working on that."
"Work harder."
"I can't unless you let me go," Neil said, quiet but firm. "Stand with
me, but don't fight for me. Let me learn to fight for myself."
"You never explained that change of heart."
"Maybe I got tired of seeing Kevin bend. Or maybe it was the
zombies." When Andrew just stared at him, Neil shrugged and said, "A few weeks back you and Renee argued contingency plans for a zombie apocalypse. She said she'd focus on survivors. You said you'd go back for some of us. Five of us," Neil said, splaying his fingers at Andrew. "You weren't counting Abby or Coach. Since you trust Renee to handle the rest of the team, I'm guessing the last spot is for Dobson."
He knew Andrew wouldn't answer that, so he dropped his hand and said, "I didn't say anything then because I knew I'd look out for only me when the world went to hell. I don't want to be that person anymore. I want to go back for you."
"You wouldn't," Andrew said. "You're a different kind of suicidal. Didn't you figure that out in December? You're bait. You're the martyr no one asked for or wanted."
Neil knew he wasn't that good of a person, but all he said was, "Only one way to be sure, right?"
"You'll regret it."
"Maybe, maybe not."
Andrew looked away. "Don't come crying to me when someone breaks your face."
"Thank you."
Neil tipped his head to one side to rest his cheek on his arm and looked out the window.

With that they saw Andrew break his promise but was that the only reason why Neil wanted to break it it somehow looked like he knew something was going to happen or not they didn't know but it came with a uneasy feeling.
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By the time he was done and getting dressed again, the locker room was empty. Neil packed his bag and slung it over his shoulder.
He was halfway to the door when his phone hummed. His first thought was it was a text, but his phone kept buzzing. He stopped to pull it out of his pocket and flipped it open. The screen lit up with the incoming number and Neil's stomach bottomed out. He didn't recognize the phone number, but he didn't have to. He knew that 443 area code.
Baltimore was calling.

They too felt fear maybe not even close to what Neil could be feeling but it was very close they could only hope that it was not who they thought it was, on Andrews case he didn't show any fear and if anyone asked he would deny it but where no one could see it was present, deep in one corner on his mind it was there but he hid it behind anger it was safer that way. For now all they could do was watch and hope.
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"Don't run."
The sound of his voice startled him. He hadn't meant to speak. His
muscles screamed with barely restrained tension; he was braced to bolt but somehow he held his ground. Neil fought to relax, but his blood was pounding in his temples.
He knew this wasn't his father calling. It couldn't be; it wouldn't be. It was Riko or one of Riko's lackeys playing a sick joke. Riko would know by now that the Foxes had made it to the fourth round. His attempt to rattle Neil with that countdown had failed. Neil knew that was the logical explanation, but it still took him until the fourth ring before he could answer.