A STUDY IN BLACK ✓

XXXIV

Jenna was right. After a month or two, Josh's blackouts ceased, as did Jenna's mania. His nervous ticks persisted, as did Jenna's seemingly bottomless appetite, but their side effects were much more permanent than memory gaps and temporary dementia- Jenna couldn't have kids, and Josh was dying.

The serum had sterilized her body, while also putting Josh's on a time limit. Turned out the serum was toxic to Josh because of his rare blood type or some bullshit like that. He was supposed to be dead by the time he was thirty, and he was almost twenty five.

Josh, now filled with a determination to make his last years count for something, became one of VESSEL's main assets, infiltrating and taking down mafias, gangs, nazi groups, rogue governments, etc. With the help of Jenna, of course.

The two trudged into their shared apartment, exhausted after one particularly tough mission. They had been going after a rebel group in Kenya, trying to evacuate a village on the edge of the land.

The rebel group had other plans, however, because they bombed the makeshift hospital in the center of the village before help could even arrive. There weren't many survivors, and the ones Josh and Jenna could save were injured beyond comprehension.

"What kind of sick fucks do that kind of thing?" Josh threw his hands up in the air, walking into the kitchen to grab a cheap croissant Pete had "baked" for them, meaning he bought them at Sam's Club. "Who blows up a god damn hospital."

Jenna dropped her bags on the couch and hopped on the counter, lying down and groaning. "God, I am so sore. Those Kenyans sure like their spears. Dibs on the bathroom!"

As Jenna showered, Josh walked to the laundry room. He grabbed their bloody clothes out of their duffel bags and stripped himself of his uniform, leaving him in only his boxers. As he tossed the clothes into the washer and reached to grab the detergent, he noticed the window was open. It was small, but big enough for someone to squeeze through if they were skinny enough.

Josh walked backwards, grabbing a gun from his duffel bag. "Jenna?"

The shower was still going, so Josh searched every room for an intruder. When he made it to his bedroom, that window wide open as well, and muddy footprints tracked through the house.

He walked over to close it, his hand resting on the ledge, and a shiver ran up his spine.

Josh dropped to his knees and spun around, holding his gun up to see a soaked Jenna in a towel aiming a gun at him. She put down her gun first, leaning against the doorframe.

"Sweet lord, I almost shot you," she sighed, adjusting her towel. "Did someone get in?"

He shrugged. "I don't think so. The laundry window was open, but other than that, I haven't see another soul."

"Good, because I'm naked and I'm cold." She turned and made her way to her room. "Can you order takeout, pretty please? And put some clothes on, it's freezing in here."

Josh closed his window, setting his gun down on the ledge looking around his room once more. His swivel chair to his desk was pulled out, but that's how it normally was. The string to his fan was swinging slightly, and there was an indentation of a body in his bed.

Josh stared at it, feeling that same shiver run up his spine. He turned to look down the hall, seeing a silhouette near the end where the kitchen was. Then, the silhouette began to run.

Without thinking, Josh ran after him, darting through the kitchen and looking around frantically for a glimpse of whoever broke in. The front door was wide open. Josh grabbed the door and jogged up and down the hall, finding nothing else except for garbage cans and a senile neighbor.

"Tyler?" He called down the hall, knowing he wouldn't get a response. Still, it didn't hurt to try.

Josh walked back to his apartment, his chest feeling a little heavier than he did before, and closed the door, remembering to lock it this time. He collapsed on the couch, took a deep breath, and picked up his phone, dialing the Chinese takeout number.

"Hey, Ginger. Yeah, the regular. I'm fine, I'm just tired. It's really 2 am? Didn't notice."

He paid no attention to the missing picture frame on the coffee table in front of him, knowing exactly who took it.

•STUDY IN BLACK FINISHED: MAY 31, 2018•