Burning Conscious

Chapter 10 - Lies in the files

The knocking on the door was just as annoying as ever, the sound making him cover his ears. He heard it out there as the walls closed in, it was watching him, waiting for him to come out. Its growls echoed through his mind as he taunted him for being such a coward. He pulled the blankets over his head, praying it would go away. His eyes grew wide as he heard it scratching on the door, calling his name. He just wanted it to shut up.

And then he woke up.

With such a start that he sat up, banging his head on top of the Dondai, falling back down and nearly seeping back into unconciousness.

That is until he heard Amethyst laughter outside.

Sitting up slowly this time, he saw that Garnet and Amethyst had decided to pay him a visit, Garnet still knocking on the window as Amethyst was curled into a ball on the floor laughing her heart out. 

He rolled down the window as he reclined the seat back up, giving the two an annoyed look. How the hell did they even find him? He was nearly in another city!

"The hell do you want...?" His sleepy tone only adding to how tired he looked, the bags under his eyes and crazed unbrushed afro making him look like a tired drunk. Which was funny since he was as sobber as he'd ever been.

"We came to give you breakfast." Garnet says, holding up a picnic basket.

"And to see you do that!" She says, still on the floor laughing. "That was priceless!"

Steven rolls his eyes, the memory of his dream making him cranky. "Shut up Amethyst. And I was just going to have frys for breakfast....."

Amethyst hugs her stomach from the pain of laughing, Garnet shaking her head. "Its been nearly two weeks and you need a balanced meal....." She adjust her glasses as she looks at the highway behind the car. "And you really need to talk to Rose...."

Amethyst jumps up, a large smile on her face as she basically hangs on Garnet's basket holding arm. "Yeah man! You've gotta hear the storys she's been telling! She even broigh back a k-" Her mouth gets covered by Garnet's free hand, but that doesn't stop her from talking gibberish anyways.

Steven takes the picnic basket and puts it in the back seat, really just wanting the annoying glances and noise from them two to just go away. "Thanks for taking the time to check in but I really have some stuff I've gotta do today so I'll just-"

He goes to start the car, flinching when he hears Garnet's raised voice. "Steven we need to talk."

This was never a good sign. And je really didn't want to talk.

"We need you to come back and work with us. We've gotten reports of human trafficking and Sapphire says the only way we can stop it is with you." Garnets voice sounds uneasy, as did Steven's stomach at the moment. The thought of human trafficking made him sick. "And we hear it's not the Diamond Mafia this time either...."

Amethyst removes Garnets hand from her mouth as she continues to hang. "Yeah man! We've been stuck on this case for like, months. We could really use your insight."

Steven lets out a shaky sigh. "I don't really have the time to get involved...." Not like that wasn't true. He was going to rob a bank soon and Jasper wanted to meet up and finalize the plans.

"Yes you do. If you could just take a look-" Garnets worried voice takes over, a trait she np doubly picked up from Ruby. She was only able to keep her cool for so long.

Steven places his head on the steering wheel. "Do you have the papers with you?"

Garnet lets out a smile as she nods, Amethyst finally letting go and falling to the floor. She reaches inside her bra, pulling out some papers. 

Hesitantly, Steven takes them and looks them over.

No leads, the few bits of evidence is that once a month a van drives out of a random city in Canada, and a few days later a list of people go missing. Not even the list of people or the van model. He rubs the bridge of his nose. "I..... I might have some connections that can help....."

"Ugh, we dont want your diamond connections! We want you!" Amethyst insists.

Steven looks at them, growing suspicious and weary of their actions. Besides, why would they basically beg for his help for something that they'd normally just keep their eye on?  With the little info they have this shouldn't even be an issue worth coming to him about.

"Then I don't see the point in bringing this to me.... Since you barely have anything." Steven says slowly. He watches their faces closely, seeing Amethyst's shift slightly.  "Unless this isnt even real.....?"

The two go silent, Garnet and Amethyst watching him closely. Steven could feel himself going crosseyed as he struggled to look at them both at the same time.

"Damnit I told you he'd figure it out." Amethyst says with a frown after a minute or so of silence.

Garnet hits Amethyst on the head, her face not changing as Amethyst rubs her head in pain.. "He wouldn't have known if you hadn't said anything!" She hisses at the purple haired girl.

Steven rolls his eyes. "What was the point in this?" His annoyed attitude only growing.

"We just wanted you to be on our side again man. We miss you....." Amethyst says slowly. "Besides what's a fake document or two if it means you coming home..?"

Steven leans back, crossing his arms. "I don't want to come home, I dont want to talk to m- ROSE, and I dont want to play your stupid games." His face grows pink with anger as he leans back, just wanting to drive off.

Amethyst goes to say something, before Garnet stops her by putting a understanding hand on her shoulder. "We get it, you're busy. Just know Lion still hasn't moved." Garnet says before turning to leave, Amethyst silently following behind.

Lion hasn't moved? What was that supposed to mean?

Steven rolled his eyes at the sudden worry for his childhood pet. The cat was fine, and besides he had actual work to do.