The Wolves of Cain

Incomprehensible Talks

Date: 2-24-17

Chapter 32: Incomprehensible Talks

"There you are, Mason! We've been looking everywhere for you!" Lucas yells angrily at Mason as soon as he walks through the door.

"Sorry, I was on a walk." Mason says vaguely.

"Why would you leave when you know that Jerica's missing?" Lucas demands to know.

"Jerica's missing?" Mason asks, bewildered and now very concerned.

Lucas glances at Lena who's standing off uncomfortably. "I may not have told him..." Lena says.

Mason expects Lucas to yell at her too, but Lucas just sighs. Mason thinks that's highly unfair. "Let's just find Jerica, okay?"

"I'll try calling her." Mason offers.

"We already tried." Lucas says, but Mason's already dialing Jerica's cell number.

The phone rings once...

It rings for a second time...

Then Jerica answers her phone. For the first time today. Why wouldn't she answer Lena or Lucas? Right, because she's mad at them. Mason puts the phone on speakerphone quickly so they can all hear.

"HELLOOOO!?!" Jerica shouts through the loud noises in the background. Lucas flinches as he hears music and about a million different voices.

"Jerica!" Mason says happily, not bothering to raise his voice.

"WHAAAAAT!?!" Jerica shouts. There's laughing on the other line, then Jerica talks again.

"HOLD ON PLEEEAAASSEE!!!" Jerica practically screams into the phone. Lucas and Mason flinch. Lena stares at the phone in silence.

There's a lot of crackling noises, then the extra noise fades away until it's very faint. Lena can't hear it, but Lucas can. Mason's not paying attention to that.

Lucas tilts his head to see if that will help his hearing improve. Lucas hears footsteps, but they sound off, like someone is stumbling.

Mason notices the look in Lucas' face and gets concerned. "Jerica?" Mason says questioningly.

"YEEEESSSS! THIS IS SHE!!!" Jerica shouts as loud as she can into the phone. Mason drops the phone in alarm and puts his hands over his ears. Lucas manages to catch the phone in time, right before it can hit the floor.

"Why are you screaming?" Lucas asks in a scolding tone.

Jerica giggles breathlessly into the phone, causing Lena to frown. Lucas can tell there's something wrong, and Mason picks up on it too.

"Sorry. I forgot it's not loud out here." Jerica laughs again, but this time it's a weird and very unattractive snort.

Lena's eyes widen in shock, and Lucas hands the phone back to Mason. Lucas pulls Lena aside so Jerica won't hear through the phone. "What is it?" Lucas asks Lena.

"I know that laugh! She's drunk." Lena tells Lucas. He frowns at that.

"And when have you two gotten drunk together before?" Lucas has to ask that. Jerica and Lena aren't even allowed to drink.

"Um...that's not the point. We have to find her. She's outside a bar somewhere and we need to go help her." Lena says, trying to persuade Lucas.

Lucas goes back over and takes the phone from Mason. "Jerica, where are you?" Lucas says into the phone very seriously.

"Why should I tell YOOOUUU? You... You are too smart." Jerica pauses in her incoherent speech. "In conclusion, I am NOT at a club. Uh, uh. Nopedy nope nope!" Jerica laughs. "Now how would you even find out the way to my puzzle?"