A single bullet // M.C ✔️

59

The office building stood tall in front of me, sending a feeling of doubt running through me. It's been so long since I last set foot in the place that I didn't even really know if I still had a job there. Not once were the words " you're fired" aimed towards me, so I do believe I still worked there.

Familiar smells hit my nose as soon as the door slid open, and the instant small hum of chatter hit my ears.

"Nicky? You okay? You're looking a bit frazzled," Charlotte, the friendly receptionist who keeps to herself and only inserts herself when necessary, said.

"I'm fine, thanks, Char. Have you seen Luke?" I felt awful just brushing her off as if she was dirt on the bottom of my shoe, but I was here for a purpose. I had a mission that I had to do.

"Erm, yes, he's in the office on the third floor," she replied.

"Brilliant, thanks," I slapped my hand off the counter a few times before pushing myself back and spinning around.

"Wait, Nicky." She interrupted typing on the computer. "He is talking to someone." I let myself face the redhead once again, tilting my head, fixing the bottom of my black skirt.

"Who?" I watched as she hesitated on whether to tell me or not, making me place my cold hands back on the desk and lean forward, looking over the desk to glance at the computer to even catch a peek at the name.

"Nicky!" She instantly closed the spreadsheet and calendar down, "confidential."

"I just want to know who he's talking to ."

"It isn't official or a meeting. Just someone popped in wanting to talk to him." She informed me, making me nod.

"Then I can go up." It weren't a question more of a statement. If it weren't a 'can I go up?' But a 'I'm going up,' I pushed back against the desk and actually walked away, ignoring the calls heading my way. Waving hi to the few people on the ground floor who were just standing staring at me, I made it to the lift, pressing floor three when the doors opened and shut with me in them.

The doors slowly opened, allowing me to step out, letting my feet hit the plush maroon carpet that I loathed every time I landed on this floor. It was just so ugly compared to the other floors and furnishings. Two voices hit my ears almost instantly, as no one else ever goes on this floor, just old, run-down offices and a kitchen that ninety percent of is broken. There was no point to go on here... unless you're looking for people.

"Luke?" I had the urge to find him instantly, nerves kicking in as the longer it took for me to find and reach him, something could happen. "Lu?" I tried again, hearing footsteps heading towards me and a tired-looking Luke appearing in the hallway.

"What are you doing here, Nicky?" He sighed, running a hand through his scraggly blonde locks, taking a deep breath.

"I-," words got caught in my throat as another body appeared in the darkness, stepping out into the light. "Alex?" My eyes must have been playing tricks on me as I stared down my brother in his casual clothes, just lurking behind him. However, I knew there was a gun buried in the waistband of his jeans; the only thing that wasn't there were a pair of handcuffs. There was no outline of the circle wrist prison in his pockets; they were always on show due to the tight jeans he always wore.

"What's going on?" I let my body relax, seeing that Luke wasn't in cuffs or being held hostage by Alex; they were just, existing.

"I was just trying to catch up on my sister's life, Nic," Alex stepped forward, now shoulder to shoulder with Luke, glancing over at him. "You did drop off the face of the earth."

"Been busy-,"

"Not with work, though, have you? I've been trying to keep up with your life, but you haven't been doing articles. So I was being a concerned brother and making sure you didn't get yourself fired for slacking off."

"Alex!" I gasped. "I'm capable of not losing a job. Like I said. I've just been busy."  I repeated, looking over at Luke. "Just because I haven't had articles published doesn't mean I haven't been working. I've been helping out with research for my co-workers." Alex's matching eyes looked between me and Luke before slowly nodding.

"You're friends with Michael?" He looked over at Luke, making him shake his head.

"I don't really know him," he lied through his teeth, making my eyes snap over to him.

"Nicky said you were there."

"I was because I'm friends with Calum. I knew Margaret well through knowing Calum. Michael was a mutual friend." He explained fluently, as if it was rehearsed. Which it totally was rehearsed, a rehearsed speech of what to say when/if someone ever got caught. Cut the ties instantly. Friend of a friend, mutual life, and only occasionally crossed plans. Only I nearly fucked it up because I was never told about it. "I had heard the news from Calum. He wanted his mate there."

"Does Calum know Michael?" Be careful, Luke.

"Not really. Michael was more of a loyal customer of Margaret's. We saw him occasionally. He did love the cookies. Such a shame what happened." And the Oscar goes to Luke Hemmings!

I was in shock as I watched Alex soak in all the new information like he was a sponge. As I prayed Luke wouldn't say the wrong thing and get himself arrested too.

"Oh god, is that the time?" He spluttered out. "I said I would meet my family at the cinema." He rushed past me, spamming the lift button as if that would make it go quicker. "We must come over next week, Nicky. I think Mom has news you need to know."

"I don't think that's a good idea," I spun and made my eyes leave Luke, feeling awkward that he was hearing this conversation.

"She's had to push Dad's funeral back a month. Nothing was going to be ready. May as well tell you as it seems you aren't going to bother." Venom was now clear in the foreground of his tone, making me flinch back.

"Alex, you don't understand what happened-,"

"Because you won't bother to tell me. Or even speak to Mom about it. She just said you snapped at her for not visiting. She lost her husband." His voice was back to calm, as if he was talking to my younger relative. His child made me frown.

"Can we do this another day?" I begged, making him sigh and nod.

"Just let me know when I'm worthy to be in your life again."

Well, fuck.

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