Six of Crows AU

Chapter Eleven: Wylan

Wylan waited for Matthias at the foot of his driveway.  He felt like crap.  His dad had kept him up, yelling at him, and then his mother, for some ungodly reason, and then he'd broken a few expensive vases before retiring to drinking in the parlor.  It scared Wylan whenever his father threw these fits, but at least he never hurt anyone physically.  Wylan had done all his homework, except for the reading homework, his mom hadn't been able to read to him last night and he hated ringing a maid for help.  He heard Matthias' rumbling truck as it pulled up at the wrought iron gates.  Wylan hopped in the back after Nina popped the seat.  Wylan wore brown loafers, khaki shorts, and a green polo.

"How are you this morning Wylan?" asked Nina.

"Fine, how are you?" he mumbled tiredly.  She looked back at him sympathetically.

"Long night?"

"Lots of yelling."

"Dads," the two chorused.  Wylan smiled, it probably wasn't as bad as his, but at least someone else related to him.

"We'll be a few minutes early as we don't have to pick up Kaz."

"Thank Ghezen!  That boy is going to be in such a bad mood today," pointed out Nina.  Matthias looked at her.

"It would be like if I was missing.  you would not be your normal cheery self."

"And Kaz was cheery before Inej was taken?" Nina mused wryly.

"Erm, maybe not cheery.  More like not in a mode where he'll kill anyone that annoys him."

"Ah yes!  Normally he just wants to mortally wound people," joked Nina.  Wylan listened to the couple joke, they seemed to forget he was there.  He took out his sketch and continued making lines.

"What's that?" questioned Nina, craning her neck to see.  Wylan snatched it out of her sight, carefully putting it back in his bag.

"Something I just started working on."  

"May I see it."

"No," he snapped.  She frowned.

"Sorry."  Wylan pushed his pencil behind his ear.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap, I'm just tired."  Nina nodded and turned up the radio.

"This is my jam!" she shouted as a new song turned on.  She put her hands in the air and started swaying around as a girl started shrieking.  Matthias turned it down, she was yelling along with the singer.

"What the hell are we listening too?  She sounds like she's trying to sing while giving birth!" Matthias exclaimed.  Wylan chuckled softly.  Nina glared at him.

"That is quality music!" she argued back.

"Mmhmm," Matthias mused as they pulled into the school parking lot.  As they got out a lanky figure rushed over, he wore green pants, brown hiking boots, and a white shirt, a black hat tipped on his head.

"Hey merchling!  How are you?" Jesper asked, ruffling Wylan's hair.  HIs touch sent a million sparks zapping through Wylan.

"Hey Jes," he mumbled, feeling a blush climb up his neck and onto his cheeks.  Kaz was strolling towards them.  He had a look of complete peace on his face, which meant hell was about to break loose for someone somewhere.

"Kaz–" Nina started.

"I know how to get to her."

"How!?"

"Offer to give him the Jurda Parem but have it be powdered bombs, Wylan was telling me about them the other day, and we'll have them explode in their faces once we have Inej safely back with us," he rasped out.  Wylan shook his head.

"Those things take a long time to make, or ship out, and lots of money, and they give off an odd odor, unlike Jurda, they would never be fooled," Wylan pointed out.  Kaz's face fell, one of the only times he let emotions show.

"Then how are we supposed to get her?"

"Let the police take care of it Kaz.  We're children," said Matthias.  Wylan got an idea.

"Were there any distinguishable features about the man that you said had Inej?" Wyaln asked.  Kaz had told them all over text what had gone down.

"Yes."  Wylan took out his journal and a pencil.

"Describe him, be as detailed as possible."  Kaz told him quickly, and he sketched it out, shading in the man's eyes grey.

"And he goes by W.  I have files at my house that my father has of all the residents of Ketterdam."

"He's a street gang, he won't be registered," Jesper sighed.

"It's worth a shot.  I've heard of gangs having a wealthy owner and a nice estate," Nina argued, she wanted her friend back.  The bell rang for school, but they turned and all but Kaz got into Matthias' car, Jesper's father had driven him.  Matthias sped all the way back to Wylan's house.  Wylan entered the house first, normally everyone, even the servants, were gone at this time, a mom being a volunteer at the local hospital and his father out on business, so the servants left.  Wylan didn't hear anything on the first floor so he let his friends in.  They came in and they closed the door.

"They're in my father's room.  I'll be back," Wylan informed them, walking up the stairs.

"Wait!  If you can't read how do you know what they are?" inquired Kaz, raising a brow.

"My father told me."  Wylan continued up the grand staircase.  He came to the main hardwood top hallway of the mansion and walked down it.  He heard moans and giggling after a moment and stopped, shaking his head.  It had to be his imagination.  He slipped across the hardwood in his socks though just in case.  He got to his father's door and definitely heard suggestive sounds.  He eased open the door and saw his father and a woman he was most sure was not his mother in a scandalous position on his mother and father's bed.

"Wylan!" his father roared.  Wylan dashed into the room to the desk, grabbing the thick stack of files off the desk, glad his father was under the covers of the bed and couldn't get up.  He could, but he wouldn't want to be exposed.  Wylan rushed out, slamming the door.  He dashed down the stairs and said breathlessly,

"We need to leave.  Now."  Kaz raised another brow but limped out, followed by Nina and Matthias.  As Jesper closed the door behind Wylan, who's arms were full of files, he whispered,

"What's wrong."  Wylan looked up at Jesper.  He felt deep in his heart he could trust him.

"My father's having an affair."

Hey guys!  So again, not amazing, but I'm still trying!  I know it wasn't too long, but I'm trying to get a few chapters out because of all the time I missed at camp.  Sorry guys!  Please, please comment and pardon any mistakes.

–MOJ