Friend and Foe

Chapter Fifteen

When the house was silent later that night, I slipped out of bed, pulled on a hoodie and padded down the hall. I paused briefly outside my parents room to listen. Barring Mum's snoring, the room was silent. I kept creeping until I was on the back patio with my phone in hand. I had no idea who I was going to call but I knew I needed the damn chip removed from my neck.

I couldn't do it myself or I already would have. I could cut to deep and sever something important. Or break something. I didn't know anybody who could actually remove the chip. Hazel was pre-med but that didn't mean she was qualified to cut me open.

God, why did they have to put it in the neck? Did they think the base of the skull was a new and trendy place to hide something? I tried to list all the alien movies where they inserted chips in the neck.

My phone dinging snapped me out of my alien movie trance and back into the real world. I had two new messages. From Officer Cosun – Sorry, Justin.

Was this you?

Underneath was a picture of a piece of paper, folded and propped against something black. In neat script – unlike my messy penmanship – was three words.

For Officer Cosun

I wasn't even surprised. I put my phone down and pressed my palms into my eyes with a sigh. Great.

My phone dinged again.

Parker?

I picked it up and typed out a series of messages as a thought occurred to me.

Justin

Yeah nah.

NOT ME

also, what do cops know about first aid?

I bounced my knee impatiently in the time it took him to answer. It was only a minute or two, but I wasn't one for waiting. I was drumming out a quick beat when a reply popped up.

Why don't I believe that? We are required to take first aid training. Why?

I typed back before I could over think it. Over think it and realise how massively stupid my next move may be.

Can you come?

I need help.

There wasn't even a beat before I got a reply.

I'm coming.

I waited patiently in the dark. Listening to the sounds of suburbia that I rarely noticed before. Even as I prowling the streets. The moon was full, casting the yard around me in a white glow. Dogs down the street started barking loudly. One after the other taking up the chorus. What ever had disturbed them must have gone because they quickly fell silent again. Justin messaged me again when he arrived, and I directed him to go down the side of the house. When he appeared in the moonlight light off the patio, he was carrying a small first aid kit and a suspiciously familiar backpack.

He caught me staring at the bag and offered it to me. "It was on your front step. I thought I'd bring it around for you."

"Thanks," I said without meaning it, but took the bag.

I dropped it on the grass and sat down on top of it, propping my elbows on my knees.

"Not going to open it?"

I raised an eyebrow. "No. It could be dangerous. A bomb or something."

"So, reasonably, you decide to sit on it." He returned the raised eyebrow.

"Well, now it'll only blow my arse off."

"Nice." He held up the first aid kit. "What did you need. You look fine to me."