The Animal Inside

Chapter Twenty-Three: Here's the Plan

Kody walked over and sat down beside me, pulling my laptop onto his lap. My face was plastered all over the article. The police were looking for me. The article said I was a missing person, and no one had any idea where I was. I was suspected to be with a male of about my age, who could possibly be posing as my boyfriend.

“Thanks a lot Kody. The whole world now thinks that I’ve been kidnapped by some psycho pretending to be my boyfriend.”

“Don’t be so dramatic. But this is a problem.” He took my laptop and walked out of the room. I stayed where I was until I heard Kody call out for me to follow him. We went to Adrian’s office, and Kody knocked on the door.

“What is it?” Adrian asked, opening the door.

“We need to talk,” said Kody, barging into the room. Adrian just sighed, and then looked at me.

“Are you coming in?” he asked. I stepped inside the forbidden office. It was well organised, which kind of surprised me, except for his desk which was covered with lots of paper and a desktop computer. Kody strode over to Adrian’s desk and opened my laptop to the news site. Adrian appeared at his side and read the article over Kody’s shoulder.

“This needs to be dealt with,” Adrian said.

“You think?” Kody said.

Adrian sat down at his desk, thinking.

“Can’t we just let them think that I’ve been kidnapped?” I asked.

“They won’t give up looking for you. The Academia won’t let their perfect reputation be stained,” Adrian said with malice.

“You got something against the Academia?” I asked.

“They tried to recruit Adrian and me when we discovered our abilities,” Kody explained.

“And?”

“Let’s just say they aren’t as perfect as they want everyone to think,” Adrian said.

“Nothing is what it seems with you,” I said.

“That’s because it’s true. People only see the surface, not what hides underneath.”

“Did you study Cryptic 101 at school?” I asked.

“Yes, as well as Sexy Super Studies,” Adrian said, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

I sighed, but couldn’t suppress the blush that reddened my face.

“Are you always like this?” I asked.

“Like what?” Adrian asked innocently.

“Cocky. Arrogant.”

“Yes, I am. Get used to it sweetheart.”

“I might if I saw more of you,” I muttered.

“Hate to interrupt your little chat, but can I remind you of the more serious threat at hand?” Kody said, motioning to the laptop screen.

“Why are you so worried? They’ll look for me, not find me, and give up.”

“Or, the police could track your cell phone, which you always carry with you, and answered the other day,” Kody said.

“Maybe they’ll talk to your friends and find out that the Shadow Master has been very interested in you during the week before your disappearance. Then, they’ll start looking for me,” Adrian explained.

“Like they’ll find you. You’ve been on the police radar for a few months. They haven’t found you,” I said.

“Do you really think they look for every Super Villain to threaten a city, or rob a bank or-” Kody started before I interrupted.