Dark Faïz ( Book 1 ) [ COMPLETED]

Chapters 13-5

I dropped Victoria off in front of her high school. Faïz was away at the beginning of this week. In addition to verifying Virgil's statements, Inspector Barthey had called him urgently shortly before. Graham had reportedly been spotted in a motel located in the Nevada Desert, not far from Las Vegas. This information reinforced Faïz's idea that there was indeed something going on there. Not knowing with whom he could be with, or even what he was planning, Barthey preferred to take precautions and limit the damage to Faïz by his side.

— "Thank you, Zoe," Victoria said with a smile before getting out of the Mustang.

Her boyfriend, Jonathan, was waiting for her in the parking lot. The young man's physique had all the characteristics of the American type, with his haircut at the top of the class! He greeted me from afar.

— "I will pick you up later," I said to her at the last moment before she closed her door.

Her head reappeared in the car.

— "If you don't mind, I'd rather you pick me up directly from the cafeteria at your university. I need to consult your library. The one at the high school is sorely lacking in books, and I have to finish a presentation for next week."

— "All right, wait for me at 5:00 p.m. in the cafeteria, then. If you change your plans, call me. Have a good day. See you later."

She ran, impatient, to the one who made her heart beat. As for me, I hurried to my office building. During the drive, I thought about tonight. I was so excited at the idea of having my first date with Faïz. Yesterday, I'd taken the opportunity to carefully choose the outfit I would wear for this occasion, with butterflies in my stomach. The weather would become overcast and the sky rumbling, but nothing could spoil my good mood. Stopped at a red light, with my hands on the wheel, I looked up at the clouds, which were almost a terrifying black. They even covered the Dome, which seemed to have disappeared. Once parked in the basement of the press house, I rushed to the premises as quickly as possible. In the lobby, I said a furtive hello to the security guards and the receptionist. On the double, I reached my desk. I sighed, relieved to arrive on time at my workstation.

— "Ah, Zoe, you're here!"

My boss, obviously eager to see me, threw herself at me.

— "So how was your stay in New York? Did you do a good job?" she asked without embarrassing herself with politeness.

— "Hello, Mrs. Bonny. I prepared a first draft of the article yesterday. I would like to first check this with Agustin and then put it on your desk, say, at the end of the day?"

— "Perfect," she said, satisfied. "For your information, there is a service meeting at 1:00 p.m. You will have to prepare the room for me, as well as the material I asked you in the e-mail this morning."

— "It will be done."

When Mrs. Bonny walked away, I put my jacket on my office chair and put my bag underneath. My colleague, Dillan, arrived a few minutes after me, soaked.

— "You're lucky Zoe, you avoided the worst. Outside, it's pouring rain."

— "Gee, I didn't think to bring an umbrella!" I sighed as I thought of my hair.

— "You're not the only one."

He pointed at other colleagues who arrived in poor condition. The news had mentioned all weekend that the weather would take a turn for the worse. However, bad weather was so rare in Los Angeles that few had taken it seriously.

— "With these gigantic, devastating fires, the city needed it. This is the first time we've been happy to have such a flood," Dillan added.

It was true that the natural disaster had already killed dozens of people, a sad toll in just a few days. I grabbed my handset and dialed Agustin's number, but no one answered. I then looked at the large clock on the wall, rather surprised that he had not yet arrived. Indeed, it was not his style to be late, so I decided to go directly to his office to look for him. I strode along the room, looking around in case I saw him. I was amazed to find his office empty. I addressed his young colleague at the next desk, an African American woman, radiant with a smile that revealed a row of simply perfect teeth.

— "Excuse me, do you know what time Agustin starts today?"

— "He's stuck in traffic jams. The streets are beginning to turn into a real wading pool. The roads are difficult."

— "Well, I'm going to have to deal with it," I sighed, accepting the shock.

— "Maybe I can help you? Just tell me what you needed."

— "I needed him to proofread and format an article I did in New York last week."

— "Come bring it to me, I'll do it for you."

I went to get my flash drive from my things. I was happy that Agustin had been blocked by the rain. I found Clara much more likable and pleasant. When I returned to her office, I settled next to her. Without delay, she began to read the work I had done in the past few days.