The Lies He Spoke

EIGHTEEN

A keyboard started clicking on the either end of the line. After a brief pause, the man asked, "Are you still in New Orleans, Louisiana?"

"Yes."

"Are you with someone?"

"My sister. Olivia."

"Can I have your code?"

"Alpha, blackberry, zeta."

There was more of the obnoxious clacking. Logan shifted and Olivia let out an oof of protest.

"Logan, your elbow is really poking me-"

"Shit, sorry -" He tried to move, but he stepped on her foot instead and she grimaced.

"It's fine, it's fine, just - stay there," she said, pressing her hand against the door handle so it wasn't jammed into his ribs anymore.

"Sir, are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Where are you at the moment?"

Logan gave him the intersection of where they were, and the man told him a car would be there soon.

"And my brother, Blake. He's not here with us. Will you get him too?"

"Yes, we've dispatched someone to his apartment as well. Are you in any danger at the moment? Do you see anyone?"

Logan peered out through the dirty glass windows of the phone booth. Through the mass of people, he couldn't see anybody with a leather jacket or tattoo, or anyone that seemed to be coming towards them. "Olivia, can you see any of them?"

Her knee stabbed his shin and her wrist went back to crushing his ribs but he clenched his jaw and stayed still while she twisted her head to see. "No."

Logan put the phone back to his ear. "Nobody at the moment."

"Alright, stay right there. Just remember the instructions. Do not use your own cell phone. Do not contact anyone else. Do not leave the area unless absolutely necessary. Remain vigilant. Keep in touch with this number if possible."

"Not possible, this is a payphone," Logan said. "But please come quickly."

He hung up, took the remaining quarters from Olivia's hand, and dialled Blake's number.

The line trilled slowly, terror building in his throat until he was sure he was going to scream. Where the fuck was he? Maybe he was just in class. Maybe he was taking a nap. Maybe someone had him bound and gagged in the back of their trunk right now and were going to-"

"Hello?"

Logan's blood ran cold. "Who is this?" he whispered.

"Who are-"

"Who the fuck is this and where is my brother?" Desperate tears heated his eyes. "Tell me where you have him right now or so help me when I find you I'm going to carve out your intestines and strangle you with them-"

"Holy crap, no, this is Andy," the other voice said hurriedly. "Andy Chen. His roommate. Blake's in the shower."

Logan's heart relaxed just the slightest bit - he knew Blake's roommate's name. It could be him. But they still weren't in the clear yet. "Why are you on his phone?" he demanded. 

"He asked me to pick it up if he was in there. Chill out, dude."

"Don't you fucking tell me to chill out," Logan snapped. He held the phone tighter. "I can't talk but when Blake gets out of the shower, tell him that I had to call Blackberry and to wait for them right there."