it echoes through

five; ichor

Sam decided it was your turn to drive, and after feeding the address Harrison gave you to the GPS, you were on your way to Harry's smokescreen, as Sam tapped away on his phone--small intervals of "does this sound too aggressive?" and "she answered!" and "is she joking?" to keep you updated.

Sam texted the number he copied off Skyla's phone, and found that it was in fact Caitlyn Richards. He decided he shouldn't ask her how she knew the mobster, and a part of him didn't want to ask, and in turn enclose his betrayal to Caitlyn. He doubted she'd judge him, given how badly she betrayed her soulmate late last year, yet he didn't want Skyla to find out about his infidelity--least of all from someone like Caitlyn. For reasons he couldn't understand, not yet, Sam wanted to impress her with his loyalty towards her--wanted to show her that Tom wasn't the only person he'd be willing to answer to. Sam wanted to prove to Skyla that he was an asset as well as a threat, as well as a potential alley. Sam wanted Skyla to think highly of him, as highly as he did of her, a least.

Caitlyn seemed to be cooperating with him, answering back even when he told her who it was. And when Sam demanded to meet her, she simply sent him a location--the same one they were already headed towards. She said she was undercover at a "random" smokescreen and they could visit her there, if they don't blow her cover. Sam complied, and when he told you about it, your brows folded in on themselves.

You didn't say much, although a part of you wanted to call up Tom and inform him of this change of plan, and more specifically of the link between Caitlyn and Skyla. Maybe you should've also told him about meeting Skyla, and play fighting with her, and the fact you spent all day talking to her. But Sam asked you to keep this between the pair of you, and you were loyal to Sam--and Clarissa asked you to keep your day with Sky between the pair of you as well, and you were now apparently her maid of honour, you couldn't just fuck that up.

After three overplayed songs blasting through the radio, you were there.

A little hole in the wall. A bright red door with a bright neon sign told you the place was called "Ichor."

Other than two girls outside smoking their cigarettes, the place looked empty, practically deserted--no cars and no broken bottles to indicate you were outside a smokescreen. Perhaps you were given the wrong location.

"What does Ichor mean?" Sam asked as he took a look around, surely coming to the same conclusion you did--this place didn't seem right.

"It means the blood of gods," you said, "blue blood, or gold, depends who you ask."

"That's clever," Sam mused, not needing to ask how you knew that, positive you've read it in a book somewhere.

The pair of you walked closer to the red door, both sure of the fact it was locked. You looked over at Sam, he did have more experience than you, and waited for him to take the lead. Instead of reaching for the handle, like you wanted to, he brought his hand towards his hair and walked over to the girls still standing by the door.

"Can I bump a fag?" He asked, his accent slightly thicker than before. You realised a while ago that happened when Sam felt one of three things; angry, threatened or insecure. You weren't sure which one it was this time, but guessing by how attractive the girls were--it seemed the latter was the right fit. 

"Sure, pretty," the taller girl said, and you almost rolled your eyes at her. Her blue ring was blinding against her tan skin--she chose a lighter shade than most rings you saw--but it was there all the same. A stamp, a flag for everyone to see, a statement that screamed 'I'm all alone'. You put your hands in your pocket quickly. "Want one, too?" She offered you, and you slowly shook your head.

Sam took a step closer, taking the cigarette out of her tan hands and letting her light it for him, a small smile on his face. "Am I right by saying you girls are partying tonight?" Sam asked, making a point of looking down both their bodies--as if he was judging by their revealing outfits. They both giggled as he did, and you almost had to physically hold your eyes to stop them rolling into your skull.