Outsmart (G/T)

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POV: Laurie Sernal

My phone keeps going off. I don't need calls or texts from Seth. I've spent some time looking for Nolan, but I can't find him. He could've crossed the border, so I have to go there and see. I ask the giant worker if he's seen a human with a maroon suitcase pass by, and he says another giant recently came and got him. What?

An incoming text comes in, and I pull it up, reminding me I need to rename a contact. "Seth💞 sent you an image." I open it. The image is an angry and scared looking Nolan, slightly blurred. He sent another text below it: "Got a new best friend!"

Panicking, I put my phone away, quickly thank the border workers and begin to run back home. Well, to the house. It's not my home anymore. I open the door and bust into the kitchen, knowing full well they're there.

"Oh, hi Laurie. Miss us?" Seth moves to the side, revealing a terrified Nolan in the corner. He's not tied down or anything, but he won't move. Nolan isn't easily this scared.

"What's wrong with him?" I ask, approaching Seth. He doesn't intimidate me, but I feel tense around him now, like I know he's going to snap at any second.

"He's being a pussy because I picked him up and tried to be his friend and he wasn't having it." He smirks, gesturing to Nolan.

"I'm not a pussy," he chokes out, and I barely hear him.

"Or are you?" Seth suddenly shifts toward him, making both myself and Nolan jump. He's scared him into this state. I came too late to help.

"Nolan, come here," I say softly, putting my hand down, palm up for him to get up on to. He smacks the tile once instead of talking. He doesn't even trust me enough anymore. "Please, I won't hurt you." He smacks twice. "Please? I'll help you." No taps. It's hopeless. I do something I'd never do after meeting Nolan: I grab him. He struggles, but I have no choice but to grab the human and bring him outside.

"Give it back!" Seth yells, like he's an object.

"Fuck you." I close the door behind me again. We haven't talked since.

We go outside and walk a little bit before reaching a plain bear the border. I set Nolan down and he's shaking and crying. "What did he do to you?" I ask. He smacks the ground once. I can't make him talk.

"Did he hurt you?" I ask. Two taps on the ground. "Show me." He rolls up his sleeve to reveal a red and purple bruise, shining out against his dark skin. "Did he throw you?" One tap. "Flick you?" Two taps. "Pick you up without your permission?" Two taps. "Sorry I did that, I had to get you out of there." Two taps, an agreement. "Do you think he would've killed you if I didn't show up?"

Three taps.

"Nolan." He looks up to me. "I need you to be able to speak to me."

"I'm so scared," he barely says.

"I left Seth."

"I know."

"One more thing, please trust me for this," I plead, and he looks in question. "I need to turn you into the police. Not to arrest you, but as evidence for Seth's crime. He assaulted a human." He panics visibly. "I can work for you if it becomes a trial. Is that okay?"

He pauses, then taps twice.