Chapter 58 Something was definitely up.

Chapter 58 Something was definitely up.
Vincent

It's been at least a full day since I left the cabin, or should I say what was left of the cabin and within those twenty-four hours, I've been able to do just two things.

One, perform a stakeout in front of the warehouse used as a front for the factory in an attempt to figure out who and what seemed odd as well as gather information. (I’d gathered nothing except the fact that the factory wasn't burnt down at least or raided.)

Then Kael had arrived at the warehouse during my stakeout and I'd thought, Hmm… let's follow him around and see what we can find from him. (Well, i found nothing except a now low gas mileage and a ripped stitch in my side, thanks to the stress of driving around for hours.)

“Fuck.” I groaned as I pressed my head against the headrest. I could barely keep my eyes open; breathing felt like dragging a sharp dagger all the way through my ribs to my chest and I could hear that annoying loud ring again in my ear as my heart seemed to beat directly into my ear. 

“Fuck.” I groaned again and pulled up the hospital cloth I still had on to see the soaked bandage around my torso. Okay, I really needed to do something about it soon. Like really soon, but…

I glanced up to peer out my window at Kael's car that was parked a few feet away from mine right outside a park named Willow Creek. It was quite obvious that he was here to see someone but who?

The person he was selling me out to? Or was he here for another reason? I shot my head back when he stepped out and took a glance around the area. 

I was parked pretty far away, but… just to be on the safe side. 

Fuck though. That sudden movement had stolen the next few breaths I was saving right from me. 

I peered up through the window again after a while, my eyes catching him just in time to see him disappear into the park. Fuck. I have to follow him in there. I do. But could I hold out enough with how lightheaded I felt?

I glanced back at the now-empty painkiller bottle on the passenger seat before popping open the car's compartment to grab the Desert Eagle I'd stuffed in there. I’ll just have to try. My life was already at stake anyways.

Before I could step out of the car, though, the headlights of a car turning in from the opposite direction made me stop in my tracks. Oh shoot. That was probably who he was meeting?

Who? I leaned back in my seat slightly, only peeking through the window enough for me to see who was stepping out of the car and I felt my stomach drop when I saw who it was.

Oh fuck. It was her. 

It was Ariel.



Ariel

Okay, this was definitely a bad idea. I thought to myself for the umpteenth time as I stepped out of my car in front of the park Vincent had said I should meet him at. Willow Creek, a curvy sign said by the entrance as i walked in.

Maybe something came up. This place was indeed closer to the city here and not far out in a deserted area like the cabin had been so maybe this is about changing locations for where we meet. Maybe he wanted to give me some important information. Finally address the message I sent him days ago.

I swiped my sweaty palm on my shirt and tried to not let the paranoia I was feeling get the better of me as I tiptoed my way through the deserted space. He had said by the lakeside towards the east.

The east? Oh there. I moved past a bunch of benches and an abandoned swing to the far end of the park, where a small lake did sit. Oh wow. It looked still and peaceful in the dark, a stark contrast from the figure standing right in front of it.

I felt the paranoia come back in full force. So also some nervousness and anxiety. What if that was not Vincent? It wouldn’t be the first time I was having the thought since I got the message. What if it was a trap?

The person turned around before I could make my mind up on just turning and making a run for it. Oh wait… huh?

I took a step back as someone very different from Vincent stepped out from the shadows into the bright moonlight shining over specific areas of the park. Kael? He stepped forward again and only stopped when he was just a few inches away from me. 

“W-where is Vincent?”



Something was definitely up. That much was obvious to me as I made my way back to my car after that little but questionable meeting with Kael. It's not like he had done or said anything that made the alarm bell start ringing in my head but he had also omitted something. Something about Vincent. Else, why did he avoid my question like that?

I got into my car and put on my seatbelt just as Kael drove away. I’ll just have to go with everything he has said, right? I mean, it’s not like there’s anything else I could do.

I started the car and was just about to drive in the opposite direction from Kael when I felt something cold press against the side of my neck. “Don’t—” I heard a sharp voice say from behind me right before I could take a glance at who it was through the rear-view mirror.

Oh fuck. I felt my heart start beating loudly in my chest, my ears barely registering the words the man just said as my hands started to tremble badly on my leg. “H-huh?”

“Put your hands where I can see them." 

“Oh.” I placed them on the wheel immediately.

“Now drive and stop once you make that right turn up ahead.”

“O-okay.” I did just that, my palms clammy as I drove into the empty alleyway up ahead and stopped. I felt the man’s breath spread across my neck as he leaned forward. “Now tell me, what did you and Kael just talk about in the park?”

Wait, what? Was that… was that Vincent?!