Static Crush {M/M} ✔

Chapter #47

Upon re-entering Rayner's home, Hale finds it empty and quiet. Almost desolate. Only when he closes the door do his friends come bursting from the living room and garage like race horses released from their starting gates.

Damo, encumbered with a duffel bag under each arm and an algae packet in hand, says, "Well that could have gone better."

"What do you mean? What happened?" Theo asks. "Did they believe you?"

Hale nods shakily. From the state of the entryway alone, it's obvious they were packing as much as they could, preparing for a quick getaway if Hale's plan didn't work. Even while taking in the disarray of the house—things moved into the hall, stuffed into the bags Theo's holding, then into the truck just visible in the garage—Hale's focus zeroes in on a singular point of calm.

Rayner marches up to him, both hands cupping his cheeks, pressing their foreheads together and whispering, "Are you okay?"

Hale nods. Though Rayner is a good deal smaller than him, his presence feels weightier. It's an anchor in the storm of Hale's thoughts.

He hadn't expected the sight of Melissa to unnerve him to the extent that it did, but Rayner knew better.

Theo clutches her heart. "Aww, Rayner! Never took you for such a softie."

Damo looks doubtful. "Seriously? Guy's made of butter..."

It makes Rayner pull away, self-conscious. "You were worried too."

"I'm always worried." Theo drops her backpack in the entryway and ushers them inside. "How'd it go?"

Relocating into the living room, Hale sinks gratefully into the sofa and recounts the conversations with both Melissa and Mark. Rayner sits close but not enough to touch. Instead he fidgets with a hole in the sleeve of his jumper. He only stops fidgeting when Hale finishes speaking.

"This is too risky," he says. "We should just go."

Theo wrinkles her nose. "Again—where?"

Rayner throws up his hands. "Does it matter? You guys never lived here, so you don't know, but I'll fill you in. Everyone in this neighbourhood is nosy 'cause they have no lives. I should never have brought us back."

Theo's gaze flicks meaningfully between Hale and Rayner. "Well, I think Hale did a good job buying us time. We should take advantage. Besides, we don't have the tech to hide our work on the build site anywhere else. I have one—" She holds up a finger. "—one contact between here and the build site who's willing to harbour us for a night, since it's a long trek up there, but the second we start cramming their Network bandwidth with remote construction the cops will be breathing down our necks again. This is our best shot."

Rayner says, "I know that. I just don't like it."

"Well." Theo crosses her arms. "When you're done sulking then, I could use your help setting up the construction bots, 'cause the excavation one is done."

Rayner perks up. "What? Since when?"

"Uh, since ten minutes ago. We had some good weather and, thanks to clear skies, the bot was finally working at full power. We're ahead of schedule! Come on."

Rayner hesitates a moment. He looks to Hale for approval. It's jarring. Even though Rayner usually seeks Hale's approval, Melissa never would, and a piece of Hale feels ensnared in her universe all over again.

Particularly since the moment he came back here the notifications returned.

>>Alert: Return to primary symbiont.