The Soul Devourer

VII:

Xavier was either searching for something, or avoiding something, I couldn't exactly tell which. He kept readjusting the backpack on his shoulders, casting sideways glances at dark alleys and pausing at window fronts. I thought he might have a suspicion he was being followed, but I kept well back from him, and tried mingling in with the commuters. An elderly couple crossed in front of me, and for a moment I lost sight of him. I panicked, quickening my pace. I had actually no idea why I was following him, but my instincts had screamed answers when I saw him so I'd gone with them. Maybe he was just going to a cafe or something, and I was just being paranoid. However, his stance was suggesting otherwise.

I caught a glimpse of his dark hair turning down an alley, and I followed. As I came around the corner, I halted. He was paused in front of a skyscraper of steel and glass with no signs, looking up and down the building. He shot a glance over his shoulder and I pressed myself against the wall, trying to calm my breathing. I heard his footfalls echo on the pavement, and then growing distant. I stopped for a moment, thinking what the hell was I doing. Well, it was a little late to turn back now. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, and took a deep breath before walking with purpose towards the glass doors which slid open automatically as I neared.

A woman in her thirties was sitting at the desk on the left, typing away on her laptop while a phone was pressed between her shoulder and ear. There was a corridor leading to the right and a stairwell was situated a little further. A chart plastered on the wall drew my attention and as I walked towards it, the woman spared me a glance, giving me a practiced, polite smile before returning to her work. The white chart had the entire structure of the building mapped out, giving directions to different rooms and hallways. There were conference rooms, meeting rooms, office cubicles, residential rooms even and feasting hall etc. Many of the rooms were titled using only alphabets and numerals; "A1C3" "A2C4" and the list continued.

The place seemed to be a business enterprise but I couldn't be sure. I had no idea where Xavier had gone, but I took the stairwell. The building was mostly empty; I crossed only a janitor and two men in crisp uniforms making their way down the stairs. They didn't pay me any attention, which was supposed to make me feel relieved but only made me more uneasy. There was a dull throbbing behind my eyes, probably from the lack of sleep. As I reached first floor, I looked down both corridors on either side of me but both were deserted. I decided to take the right one, and saw the rooms were locked. There was a hall at the end, with the door partially closed from which came an array of quiet discussions. I walked past it quickly, not eager to be seen spying about.

Maybe I should have asked the woman at the reception desk where Xavier went, surely she would know. Maybe he was just visiting some relative who worked here, but the feeling of uneasiness remained unflinching, at the pit of my stomach. Those rooms with the numerals and alphabets were on the second floor, and I trudged up the staircase, keeping my head down low, trying to avoid the cameras installed on the ceiling in every corner. When I reached the next landing, for a moment, black spots danced in front of my vision before I blinked them away. My legs felt like jelly, but I pressed on.

Voices sounded to the left and pressing myself against the wall, I craned my neck to look. A door was thrown open, and three figures stood inside, all of them looking at something on the floor. I couldn't see him but heard Xavier saying, "We need to dispose of this quick. Who knows how much time we have before-" His next words became muffled as he moved further into the room.

I didn't know why but my pulse was racing, my breathing shallow. The not knowing of what to make of this situation and how it was related to my situation was making my insides coil. My head still throbbed, but the pain had lessened considerably. The figures in the room had their back turned to me so I strode and placed myself next to the doorframe. The figures- two men and a woman, were bent down on the floor now, obscuring whatever they were observing from my sight. The room was in state of chaos, the drawers upturned, papers strewn about and the curtain was torn. Another man hauled a bag towards the group and began clearing up the room while Xavier was against the far wall, checking the contents in a smaller duffel bag.