*Present*
I sat at a suspicious smelling booth with Hunter next to me, who slept with his head on my lap. Emily slept with her face on the table and Bert and I sat there, sipping coffee in awkward silence. I heard crickets chirping and the faint ticking of the clock before his voice rang out in the quiet diner, "So...I really don't know what to say to someone who just killed a man but if it helps, he's a huge dick," his right eyebrow raised a little and I chuckled.
"Would I be making it worse by saying I've killed people before him?" I asked, jokingly but also half serious and he laughed. "If it were someone else then yeah, probably but you saved my life so I'll let it slide," and we both fell into silence. But this time, it seemed more comforting, more warm.
Suddenly my phone started buzzing. I checked to see a notification from Daniel, saying that he had some information on the dick who got me in jail.
Before I could reply I got another text from him that said that he knew I was with Bert and that I could trust him to help me find that bastard. I raised my eyebrow and a train of thoughts started running through my head. "Penny for your thoughts?" Bert asked me with a lopsided, curious smile. "Who are you, really? And how do you know Daniel?" I asked him sharply and he just sighed. "I'm his nephew. He's told me about you, that's why it may have seemed like I knew you," he said and I replied, "Yeah, you did make it obvious. You're a shitty liar," and went back to sipping my coffee.
He leaned a bit closer and quietly said, "Look, I don't know much, but I do know that you have a sister you need to keep safe and you're trying to find the guy who put you in prison. Normally, I would steer clear of this shit but I'm offering to help to pay you back for all that you did."
"It's a deal then, I guess. Now we're partners in crime," I shook his hand and he replied saying, "Literally," which did get me to chuckle. Damn it, I can't fight off my smile muscles around him so now I'm showing emotions and feelings. Gross.
"Also, just so you know and I get the last word, I didn't lie so by definition I'm Not a shitty liar. I just hid the truth," Bert said looking extremely smug. "Because that makes it better," I rolled my eyes and he just grinned.
"So, let's get down to business," and the moment I said that his grin just got wider if that was possible. "Let's start off easy. What do you know about me?" I asked and he replied, "Like I said, not much. What I do know is a) you have a sister named Athena, b)you were falsely accused of running a drug ring and since your lawyer was bribed, you were put in prison, c)The only reason know one knows you're out is because of my uncle and d) You've changed a lot about your appearance to not be recognised like your hair which is obvious and you wear contact lenses but I don't know the rest," he ticked off each point on his fingers.
Before I could speak again his phone rang, which woke both the kids up. They drowsily looked at their surroundings, seemingly disoriented and Bert picked up the phone. All I heard was a soft, "yeah okay," before he put his phone on speaker and lowered the volume so no one could eves drop but I could still here.
"Hi Nyx, can you hear me at all?" Hearing Daniel's British accent startled me and also almost turned me on but I shakes off the feeling and answered his question with a yes.
"Alright great, so here's what I know about the dick. We haven't gotten a name yet or a face but we did manage to get ahold of a phone call recorded, that's basically a man offering to pay the judge and the jury who declared you guilty and the judge agreeing."
"That's great, but is there any way we can trace the phone call?" Bert asked in response to Dan.
"The call was made on a burner phone so no, but I'm guessing someone got the recording through the judge or stole it from him. I'm sending the clip to both of you and you guys see if you can recognise the voice," and with that he hung up and sure enough, we both were sent the recording.
"I assumed that you know this is to be kept undercover, judge Wright?" "Of course I do, and the agreed amount is two million?" "Two million for you and 1 million for each member of the jury. The money will reach you shortly if you agree and don't try anything, my men will be watching you everywhere." "The jury has already agreed so I'm willing. But how did you even get this money?" None of your business, stick to what you're getting and we won't have problems."
And with that the recording ended and I stared off in space. I remembered the voice but I couldn't remember who it was. And then it hit me, "Who was that? Do you recognise the voice because I don't?" Bert asked.
I tried to get the words out, to get the name out but I was frozen shut in fear. I heard Emily and Hunter worriedly calling out my name and I somehow forced out what I knew. What we both didn't know was that what I was about to say would get us on a treasure hunt, the most gruesome journey of our lives.
"That's my twin brother."
YOU ARE READING
Nyx Anora
Teen Fiction"What are we doing? Really. What-what is this?" "I'm sorry, I don't know," "Exactly. We don't know. I don't know you, you don't know me. What is this then?" "...I-" "You don't know."
