The Start of Pain

Chapter 13

Still don't own :))

Chapter 13

Dan handed Natalie a piece of sashimi wedged in between two chopsticks which the girl took gratefully. Apparently, using chopsticks and walking inside a Japanese restaurant is very new to her.

Ian expressionlessly fumed as this routine of theirs continued for another minute or so.

Jonah frowned. “I’m sorry, but this is gonna sound selfish, but seeing as how I-dawg isn’t about to say something just yet, I’ll just start, ‘kay?” Dan nodded with his mouth full. Natalie watched him with polite confusion like she was sure stuffing food in your mouth was wrong, but she wasn’t so sure. Jonah gave her a funny look. “See, the antidote for Ange is actually inside Nat...alie,” Jonah added slowly, remembering how Natalie hated being called Nat. Natalie didn’t even bat an eyelid.

Dan nodded.

Hamilton whistled. “Whew. This is actually messing up my appetite. I was pretty sure I’d finish more than two bowls, but can’t even get through the first one!” He chuckled good-naturedly. “Oops –“ he fished his vibrating phone out of his jeans pocket, “gotta take – Whoa.” He quickly pressed the ACCEPT button. “Sinead? What’s wrong? No, of course, I know something’s wrong. Why? ‘Cause you’re calling me. No, I didn’t mean it like that. Look, are we seriously going to argue about this now?”

Dan looked at Jonah with raised eyebrows which Jonah returned with an ‘I-don’t-know’ shrug. Ian looked mildly interested. Natalie, unsurprisingly, looked confused and lost.

“Look, Sinead. Sinead – No, I’m listening but – Sinead -? Hey... Oh my Thomas, Sinead! Would you let me finish?” Hamilton briskly and quite harshly rubbed his face with his palm, the way he always did when he’s agitated and/or annoyed. “What is going on? Yeah. As in right now.” Hamilton listened for a few seconds. He suddenly jumped up from his seat as if the cushion caught fire and erupted with spikes.

Before Dan and the others know what was happening, he was out of the restaurant.

xxxOOOxxx

“What’d he say?” Amy asked. “I mean, aside from the fact that you were arguing again.”

Sinead huffed an aggravated breath out. “Gods, he makes me so infuriated! I can’t believe I actually have him on my speed dial!” She glared at her phone, looking as if she was about to fling it out of sight. Down that filthy lake yards away from them, preferably.

Amy glanced at Jake and Evan, knowing that Sinead hadn’t at the least bit heard her question. “Does that mean they’re coming?” she asked them.

Jake snorted. “If it’s beauty queen who asked Holt, I’m sure he’s on a plane right about now.”

Sinead heard that. “I cannot believe you made me call him,” she accused flatly, like they just made her drink out of the toilet.

“And I can’t believe a Tomas and an Ekat would actually date, much less get along.”

Sinead snapped up at that. Okay. So, as much as it wounds her pride to call Hamilton for help, that subject was kind of a touchy thing. “People change,” she said stiffly.

Victoria chuckled bitterly, clutching her arm tighter to her chest. “Touchy, touchy. Did I hit a nerve?”

Sinead glowered at her. “Look. I know you’re nearly dying, but I wouldn’t hesitate kicking you hard.” Victoria merely shot her a toothy grin like she actually wanted to see her try.

Amy rubbed her temples. “We can’t do anything right now because the whole of the Vespers’ treasured task force is hot on our heels and half of the Interpol is working for them. So would you please try to stay alive before they could actually arrive?” she pleaded, looking at Sinead imploringly.