Stay with me (sequel)

Chapter 11

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
-Confucius

***

The house Aldertree lived in was like any other white-picked fenced family house in the neighbourhood. The main difference was, that when the man let them in, the walls wren't covered with pictures of a laughing family on holidays or celebrating birthdays. There were no pets running around - no dog that came greeting with barks, no cat that was having an afternoon nap on the sofa. It felt empty, and not like a home. Even more so, when Aldertree motioned them to the living room, that had more computers than Jace had seen in anyone's home and a lonely TV screen that wasn't turned on.

"Well, you must get bored." Jace offered, gesturing to the screens. Aldertree scoffed, but there was a remenance of a smirk on his face. He was a fairly shorter man, with dark brown skin and a set of curly hair, showing off his inheritance, and his eyes were more black than brown. Sharp facial features gave him a smug look, his arrogant smile boosting it even more so. He gestured towards the couch, sitting in the armchair opposite to it, crossing his legs in the black faded jeans he had on. "I know who you are. FBI. So, you must know that I used to be, and to some extent, still am, a professional hacker. You guys have used my services in the past." he said and Jace eyed Adam, trying to make sense if this was true - if it was, he knew nothing about it. Adam seemed to be in the same boat, judging by the look on his bewildered face. They might have to confront Carter, once they are done here.

Aldertree let his head tilt to the side, an amused expression tainting his arrogant features. "You didn't know? Must be above your paygrade." he said smugly and Jace felt his ears burn. But, he forced a sweet smile on his face. "Don't you worry about our paygrade. It still allows us to handcuff you to the chair and press charges you didn't even know existed." he said. He observed Victor's expression - it stayed in a smug smirk, but something in his eyes shifted and Jace knew he'd gotten through to him. Aldertree was not willing to go to jail and he knew Jace wasn't bluffing. Perks of being in the FBI. Well, sort of. Aldertree didn't need to know that he was technically still a fugitive.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, his voice now tainted with poorly disguised annoyance. "We have some questions about Valentine Morgenstern." Adam said and Aldertree smiled. "Ah, Morgenstern. Got out of jail, didn't he? It was on the news. Little birds have been whispering that you're not doing that great of a job at capturing him." he said and there was that arrogance in his voice again, that made Jace curl up his fist and want to punch the man. Which was not a good idea, coming to think of it. So far, punching people hadn't gotten him anywhere, except into fights with his boyfriend.

"You know, spying on the FBI is a federal crime." Adam chastised, leaning back on the sofa. Aldertree scoffed. "Yes, as I'm sure helping a fugitive is. Shouldn't he be in jail by now?" Victor nodded towards Jace and he froze. Of course Aldertree had known, he was foolish to have been excpecting he wouldn't, being a hacker and all. "That's not why were here, though, so why don't you talk to us about how you and Valentine get along these days?" Adam said then. "Pardon me?" Aldertree said with an innocent smile and Jace rolled his eyes. "Cut the crap, Aldertree. We know you used to be in his merry little band of miscreants. Jocelyn Morgenstern, or Fairchild, gave us a pretty sharp description of what you all were up to." Adam said and Jace could tell by the mild surprise on the mans face, that he hand't expected Jocelyn's name to come up. "So, had Valentine maybe come by and tried to reconnect? And try to answer truthfully, I have orders to turn your place upside down, if need be. And you are not needed alive in the outcome, so I'd be very careful with what you're going to say next." Adam said and Jace tried not to shoot him a glance. Was he bluffing? He silently hoped so.