A FUTURE WITH YOU

CHAPTER 13

She woke up. After waiting for what seemed like forever she finally woke up. I was looking at her the whole time while she laid fainted on the sofa. It was weird to, but I didn't know what else to do. The place where this Lyod Warren had taken us was small, dark and smelt like detergent. Or maybe that was sanitizers? Whatever it was, I did not like it. But on the bright side, the windows weren't stickered. Only curtains. So it was normal  here. The only reason why I was here. I mean, I tried to look through the window, but it was totally dark outside. Not like dawn. It was just black. Then, Lyod caught me looking. And told me to sit and wait for my friends to wake up and tell them where they are, where they're going and what actually happened. And to also tell them to take a shower and hand them these clothes. What a grandpa. So here I was, bored to hell, until Nickie started moving. She was waking up. 

She stretched herself, unaware of the place she was in. Her blue eyes finally fluttered open, and was probably shocked to see me grinning ear to ear all stupid like. Her startled expression quickly changed into annoyance as she asked, 

"What are you doing in my room, Harry?" 

I flushed. She thought me a creep to be stalking her room but what she didn't know was we were nowhere near her room. Or MEFY. We were far off. In a cute looking house where once, there probably lived an old lady with cats. Loads of cats judging by the fur floating in the air in random directions. My smile faded only slightly as I said, explained, 

"We did it. We did what you two always wanted to do." 

She frowned, groaning, drowsily, "What are you talking about? Why does my head hurt so much?" 

"The only person who's head should be hurting is mine. Did you not look at the wound here?" I pointed at the back of my head, showing it to Nickie, who seemed taken aback. I gave her another dopey grin to see her reaction.

"What the hell happened? where are we? Where's Jaden?" 

I sighed, "Look, all I can tell you is that we're safe. Now why don't you get freshen up and I'll go wake up that big cuz of yours?" 

She shook her head as I helped her get up, "You seem to be enjoying getting hit on the head." 

"Not as much as I enjoy seeing you all scared." I teased. 

She rolled her eyes, the scared expression disappearing with it. "Whatever. You're crazy."

"Guess we all are." 

I showed her the washroom and handed her these clothes I had found in this house. It was a boy's and a size too big for her, but they'd do.

"Great!" I said, all sweetly, "You're here." 

I was sitting in the lounge in the stiff red couch. With a remote in my one hand and the duffel bag in the other, I watched the static on the TV. There was nothing better to do and Lyod's 'room' - doubted that very much - was locked. Wouldn't let me enter. He was a... lone guy. 

She crossed her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes at me, "Why are you so happy about this?" 

I don't know. Guess I'm only happy so that I could hide the emptiness I was still feeling. Because He's dead. 

I shrugged, "We're out of MEFY. Anybody would be happy."

To that, she gave a toothy smile, "True." 

She sat next to me, taking the duffel bag from my hands and opened it. 

"What're you doing?" I asked. 

"We won't be needing the map now. So why have it?" 

I didn't reply but still agreed. That map was as useless as a chewed piece of gum. 

"Where's Jaden?" She asked. 

"He's taking a shower." 

Her eyes were still glued to the bag as she said, "What about you?" 

Scoffing, I replied, "I had taken one two hours ago." Which was a lie. I hadn't taken a shower. Yet.

"Where is it?" Nickie muttered under her breath. 

I shrugged, "Who cares? we're out of the MEFY. That's what matters."

She sighed to calm herself.  "You're right. It doesn't matter." She set the bag aside, then saying quietly, "But where did it go? I mean, I did put it in the bag-"

"I took it." A voice spoke. I recognized it but Nickie jumped when she heard him.

She turned to face him and spat, "Who the hell are you?"

Lyod frowned, but it was directed at me, "Didn't I tell you to tell them everything?"

"Wait," Nickie jerked her head towards me, "Harry, you know this guy?"

"A little more then you." 

Lyod sighed, motioning Nickie to sit down, which she did. He sat on a single chair, staring at us with his sparkling green eyes. Leaning himself on the chair, he began, 

"I knew Harry's father. Worked with him. Mr. Skale was my mentor and I was his colleague. Last week.." He stared at me as I avoid meeting his eyes, "Last week I found him dead in his office. He...had the virus and before anything could get worse, killed himself with these... sleeping pills. He took almost all of them. He didn't want to end up infected..."

Both of them looked at me to see what I'd do. Scream, cry, shout. Go mad. But me? I was just... frozen. This felt worse then before. It affected me more then it had in the car. 

Wait? What? Dad killed himself? Lyod hadn't said anything like that. He said he was murdered. Why was changing his own word? The fact  that Dad killed himself felt worse then the idea of him getting murdered. Never in my life had I imagined that was how my father's life would end. Suicide. He never seemed like he was that kind of a guy. Sure, all my life I had thought he'd die because of those weird experiments he kept doing in his lab. You never know there might be an explosion because of it. But taking his own life? Intentionally. That, to me, was surreal. Maybe that's why Lyod didn't tell me. He was afraid how I'd react. 

"His last wish. He had written it in a piece of paper." Lyod continued when I didn't say - or do - anything. "He made a safe place. I haven't seen it yet but I know where it is. You guys will live there and be well-protected. Happy, even." 

"Happy?" I erupted, "How the hell do you expect any of us to be happy when the world is a complete disaster? When my father died? No, wait. When my father killed himself ! How can you think we'd be happy when the all the people would be dying and we'd be in a safe house? Tell me, huh?" 

I felt the adrenaline rush in my veins and my face hot, all of a sudden. My eyes were bloodshot. I knew it by the expression I saw in Nickie's ocean eyes. 

I sat down again, ruffling my hair, angrily. My father is dead and this guy expects me to be happy? Can anything be more cruel then that? 

"I had always obeyed Mr. Skale. No matter what. His last will was to protect his son. And I'll do that willingly, Harry." Lyod's tone soft, calm. 

"But don't you understand?" I yelled, "I don't need your help! Thank you that you took us out from MEFY and everything but now we'll be on our own. So -" 

"We'll think about it." I was shocked to hear these words come out from Nickie. 

I opened my mouth to object but she raised her hand at me, making me shut up, "Give us a.. a day. And we'll let you know." 

Lyod smiled. "A wise choice. Okay, I'll wait." 

He got up and left. My mouth wide open with shock as Nickie smiled then rolled her eyes. I'll never understand what she'd be up to.