The Answer

Chapter 9

David sat on the park bench, staring up at the branches of the tree that stretched over where he sat. It was early but the sky had already begun to lighten. He saw a couple of joggers beginning their workout, some seemed new to it and watched him nervously as they passed by.

David sympathised, he himself was a nervous runner in the Academy but he never did quite get the chance to run before the others were awake and gain confidence. No, he had to do it in front of his mates as they laughed and whistled at him.

But that's in the past, he was now farther ahead than any of those clowns and whenever they did run into him the fear was evident in their eyes. David sipped his coffee, savouring the memory of their fearful gaze. He checked his watch, it was now 6AM. Where was Gerard?

The silence of the morning was broken by loud grunting and sprinting. He turned to find Gerard running at him at full speed, at which David jumped a little. "Jesus!" David whispered scoldingly.
Gerard collapsed next to him on the bench, panting and raising a hand. He was covered in sweat and clutching his leather jacket on one arm.

Gerard fished a note from his jacket and put it in David's hands. David examines the note, his eyes widening as he read it. "But I never sent a car for you."

"I know." Gerard managed between the panting, "read the back."

David flipped the page and his eyes widened more. "Holy shit, what did you find? Are you okay?"

"There was a bomb in the bonnet of the car." Gerard wiped the sweat from his brow, "the same dirtbag in the red cap came and diffused it when I answered some weird question via text."

"Wait, what?"

Gerard sighed, "let me explain from the beginning."

Gerard recounted the night's events and David listened patiently. Once Gerard was done, silence looked over the two of them.

"Very strange." David mumbled.

"No kidding, I think I'll need to move."

They nodded in silence. "Can I see the messages?" David asked softly.

Gerard shook his head, "I'm not sure my phone hasn't been bugged, I left it at home."

"Burn it."

Gerard looked up and saw a look on David's face he didn't recognise- it was rage. He wasn't sure if it was the right decision to unload all that information on David in one shot. The darkness on his face made Gerard wonder if he could be trusted either. Gerard blinked hard, the tingling returned and so did the searing headache. He was being too paranoid.

"I need to rest. Can I crash at your place?"

David looked up, "Sure, Sophie and I are going on a trip this weekend. Sure, I'll be in and out of work too but a promise is a promise." He smiled weakly.

Gerard smiled sadly, "I can't keep you away from your family just because I lost mine."

"Don't say it that way, you're making me feel worse." David leaned back, sighing. "Just promise you'll be okay."

Gerard nodded, "I need to sleep." David tossed him the keys to his house, Gerard took them and left. David noticed his tired stroll out of the park and felt terrible for him.

He scowled as Gerard disappeared, in the light of all that he'd heard about last night he knew exactly where to start looking for answers. He got in his car and drove at full speed out of town and into the hunting cabins. He screeched to a halt and jumped out of the car, as he turned it off. Bursting through the door, he grabbed the man inside by the collar and drove him against the wall.

"You're doing this, aren't you?"

"David, please listen to me-"

David punched the man across the face, throwing him onto the floor.

"I helped you, I hid you and I made sure your lousy secret never got out!" David screaming, tears brimming in his eyes, "I didn't do that so you could bide your time and screw him over like this. He left! He was out of the way, just like you wanted! Tell your crap gang to back off!"

"My boss isn't letting it go, if I didn't give in everyone I love dies and someone else does the job. Most likely you. I was trying to protect you too."

"Bullshit! That doesn't mean you can just destroy him! There has to be another way." David sits down heavily on the dirty couch.

The man stands up steadily, "There might be, but you won't like it."

David looks up at him, he sees the figure of a man he once knew and the face of someone he couldn't recognise. He wanted to beat the shit out of the guy. But it wasn't so simple, behind the unruly mess he knew it was an old friend who meant well.

"Let him come see me, I know he'll understand."

"And why would I, or him, trust you ever again?" David spat angrily.

"Because Max is still alive."

David shot up from his seat, "what, where?"

"Somewhere safe, I couldn't save Carol.. Believe me, I tried. I didn't do it, David, they took the information from me and planted it without my knowledge. By the time they told me, it was too late. I got there as fast as I could and tried my best to reach before it went off. But the fucking traffic." The man broke down, sobbing on the floor. "There just had to be a damn protest by the bridge. You have to believe me, I did everything I could."

David held his head in his hands, "Please make this right, Travis, please."

"I don't know if I can," Travis wipes his tears, "But I have to try."

********

Gerard was tossing around in bed, trying to get comfortable. He eventually gave up and stared at the ceiling, his mind was unusually calm. He hadn't been so quiet, inside or outside his head, for so long that it now felt unsettling. Was this peace or the calm before a storm? He'd know eventually, he assumed.

For now, all he knew is that he was going to wind up in the hospital if he kept this up. He stared at the ceiling until he finally fell asleep.

*******

Gerard woke up with a start, covered in sweat and somehow on the floor. At first, he took him a moment to figure out where he was. He recounted the facts and came to the conclusion that this was David's house. It was dark outside, he could tell by looking out the window. How long has he been sleeping?

He stumbled around and gathered his things, ready to head out of the door. While he walked to the door, he observed the house carefully. It was dark and musky and nothing like the house he'd gone to sleep in. He looked outside the window and his eyes widened as he didn't find the view of the street, but rather wilderness and a dirt trail.

He stared outside, trying to find anything he could recognise that would explain why he was here. Nothing, not even a soul in sight in the thicker of forest up ahead. He'd never been, but he assumed this was the hunting range. Now he was sure he was kidnapped. Was he going to die?

He felt a pair of eyes on him, he froze. Gerard clutched onto his jacket, trying to gingerly feel around for his gin but he couldn't find it.

"I put away your gun," said a familiar voice. "I knew you'd try to use it, given the circumstances that you're here."

Gerard knew that voice, but he couldn't believe it. It wasn't true. Perhaps this was a bad dream, a bad withdrawal trip. He was hallucinating.

"It's me, Travis. I'm alive."

Gerard turned around and looked at the man before him. He was rough around the edges, but it was Travis without a doubt. He stood silently and looked in disbelief.

"I have so many questions." Gerard whispered.

"I have so much to tell you." Travis replied.