Three Hearts Left Intact

Chapter 9: Warehouse

The drive was quiet for the most part, the only sound breaking the silence was the small talk between the two men that lead to nowhere. Mallix looked out the window watching as the trees and buildings passed by, each one resembling the last. The still air in the car was beginning to thicken the closer they got. Seeing a dull and worn down building Alex's fists tightened on the wheel. "We're here." He announces turning the car lights off and parking behind the building, away from any eyes that may linger.

"Your kidding?" Mallix hoped. The second his door opened there laid a puddle of mud water. "This is the place?"

"Afraid not M, your here for Cave work, you get Cave treatment. I'll admit most times I've done this it's been in places like a cafe, but my source was adamant on us doing this here," he paused looking straight at Mallix's blue eyes from the dark car. "Now let's get one thing straight here. When we go in there you say nothing about who you are, what you do, who your girls are, and most importantly don't let them know your worth." He warned. This was serious and not to be taken lightly.

"Got it, I wont say anything. I'll just be your shadow for the night. But then I am curious as to why the whole 'formal wear' in a place like this? Or the briefcase? Or the m-" Mallix was about to argue.

"Just calm down, M. There's no point in arguing over this now. We're here, let's get this over with and find out what he knows about Lain and Kaila." Alex motivationally spoke stepping out of the car into the dark night.

Holding in his pride, Mallix stepped out of the car immediately stepping into the murky water beneath him. Submerging his nice shoe in the dark brown water with a combination of bugs, mud, and grass floating around it. His socks on the inside squished lightly from the water that found its way into his shoe.

"Could you have not parked somewhere else?" He asked to Alex who was somehow walking through the filth water with no problem. He glided through until he was out and onto dry land.

"Nope. I had strict instructions where to park. There was no arguing over it." He simply stated.

"I swear once I find out who's behind this they can owe me another pair of shoes. They could have picked somewhere more civilized." He grumbled loud enough for Alex who was feet away could still hear him.

"Or you could just get out and be grateful he's giving us information about your girls." He stated obviously making Mallix swallow his words and stepped out of the car with his other foot.

He cringed feeling a slight chill roll down his back. Pulling his foot out rather aggressively he managed to make his way with Alex past the puddle and to the entrance. "That wasn't too bad." He hit Mallix's back leading the way to a dark corner of the large warehouse with metal scraps and wood logs scattered amongst the ground around them.

Approaching a metal door, Alex motioned for Mallix to stay back. Stopping in his tracks, Mallix stayed a few feet behind Alex who was a few feet from the door as well. He performed a pattern of knocks on the door, before leaning in closer saying "Alex."

Within seconds the door creaked open. The dark night left the building in pure darkness. The moonlight was too faint to shine through the cracks made by the erosion of the building overtime, however, there was a tall candle standing in the center of the large open space. A few machines sat motionless having a trail of cobweb and dust cover them.

"Seriously?" Mallix jumped back not wanting to enter the building. It felt wrong to him.

"If your going to question every little thing, you can just go and wait in the car. And this is why I wanted to bring Z with me. He would not have cared where we went, or who we were meeting with, he would have just stood by my side and winged it." He rolled his eyes irritated by his friends constant reminders how sketchy everything was. But after years of being affiliated with the Cave, this has to become a norm.

"Alright...alright." He fanned his hands before nervously running them down his chin. "I'll just stand by your side and not say anything."

"I think that'd be best." Alex nodded finally hearing something good come out of his mouth for a change.

Getting into position Mallix stood behind Alex following his every movement to the tee. He was going to try his hardest especially when it was his girls lives on the line here. Their footsteps echoed through the dark halls, multiplying the further in they got in. The small candle light seemed to grow the closer they got to it. The small feeling of warmth dawned over them.

Once their footing stopped, Alex looked around the empty building trying to find their informant. When none showed up or came into view he turned around to face Mallix giving him a face of confusion and shrugging his shoulder.

"Can't we just like, I don't know, call for them. Maybe there hiding somewhere? Or not here at all? Calling them seems like the best choice?"

"No, I don't exactly have his number. Every time I get a call from him it's from different numbers. The calls only last a few minutes each and every time I've tried to call back a number it always tells me it's been discontinued. We have to wait for them."

Exhaling sharply, Mallix crossed his arms looking around the room. He wanted someone to appear, he didn't want to wait any longer than he needed to. All he cared about was gathering the information and leaving. He was tapping in foot in anticipation.

Meanwhile, while Mallix was becoming antsy waiting for the meeting to begin. Alex couldn't dread it anymore than he was. He hadn't warned Mallix of what was to come figuring it would not have been the best idea. However, standing here in the middle of the dimly lit still room he couldn't have been more wrong. He wished he could go back to warn Mallix, it would have prepared him not to say anything. Now all he had was hope by his side, hoping Mallix would not be too freaked out over the news and ruin this for the both of them by saying too much.

It seemed like seconds became minutes and minutes became hours. They were growing more tired every time a ticking of the clock passed. As the night seemed to be ending finally a raspy voice echoed through the halls of the warehouse. "It's good to see you again Alex."

The voice was distorted to a point where one could not recognize the original tone behind the distortion. They couldn't find the voice but simply heard it from all directions. "You too." He remarked. "Let's get into business, I've waited long enough."

"So quick to the point, alright then." The voice became even more raspy and distorted the more he spoke.
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Let me know what you think. Thanks Lexx signing off