Thicker Than Blood

Chapter 16: Hiding...

Travelling in the dark, on any normal night, was relaxing. Tonight? My knuckles were white with worry. I could feel the leather becoming one with my hands, melding into me. I stole glances at Rachel, her sleeping form cuddled up as close as the console allowed, her feet tucked under her. We had been driving around for a while, and I wasn't sure where to go, the minutes were getting to me – going around in circles was exhausting. I knew that no one was following me, for I had already switched cars, per Mitchell's instructions. Where could I on God's green Earth truly go? It had to be where no one knew where I was, not even Mitchell. But the only place I could think to go to on such short notice was the warehouse.

In my mind, I thought that the warehouse would be a great idea, because it would be the last place anyone looked for us. It wasn't the best of ideas either, but I figured that they'd never believe I'd be in the warehouse. Although I felt that we weren't going to be found here, the danger was still palpable.

I put the car in park and waited for a moment, looking around for visual ques of anyone or anything that was out of place. I wasn't sure what might be beyond the doors, but I had to take the chance. Sleep was trying to take a stranglehold of me, and I could rest there, at least for a bit. After checking around from inside the safety of my car, I pulled the car around back. Letting out the breath I didn't realize I was holding, I reached across and touched Rachel's shoulder. Her eyes were large with fear, I watched as the lump travelled down her throat. Both sighing, we left the safety of the car and quickly entered the warehouse while constantly looking over our shoulders.

"What are we looking for?" Rachel's breathy whispers barely made it to my ears.

Rachel walked through the few remaining specimens ahead of me, trying hard not to touch the people laying in makeshift beds. I imagined their fingers reaching out to grab one of us, to hold us in place, as they made us pay for the knowledge we stole from them. I tried to stay far from them. Once we passed through the many rows, we reached the office in the back of the first floor. Both of us let out the breaths we were holding.

I looked to her and finally answered, "I want to know what Mitchell has, I've been putting information into this computer, and I want to know if it has my information. I need to get my life back, I screwed up. I screwed up royally, but I want to find a way to make it right."

"Do you really think he'd leave it on these computers? Seems rather obvious..."

I held up my hand, finding a hidden file. I guess he didn't try too hard. "This is it, I found it! It was too easy though."

Nodding her head, "Yeah, way too easy..."

"Of course, it was easy! I knew that Park wasn't going to come here and I needed all the files he had, so I digitized them and put them there..." Rachel gasped flinging her arms in the air, I jumped holding my chest, Mitchell moved into the doorway and leaned against the doorframe. Extraordinarily little light had illuminated the room, we had moonlight highlighting Mitchell and the soft glow from the computer monitors. His shadow cast an extra eeriness, gulping was my only other reaction, while Rachel reached for my hand.

Once I caught my breath, "What are you doing here Mitchell? Are you holding this information that you said you got rid of to blackmail me?"

"The same thing you're doing... well at least think you're doing." Mitchell's eyes darted back and forth between me and Rachel. "Actually, I moved them so you could find them. I discovered them sometime back, but I have no interest in blackmailing you. I figured you'd want them... but I have to say, what you did, letting that kid take the fall, letting him die... I didn't think you had it in you based on the way you reacted during our... our gatherings." Mitchell's arm gestured towards the specimens; a sudden flash of light moved with him. I couldn't make it out in the dark.