Outliers [L.S]

4*

"Well Harry had came into the bar with these two guys, I'm gonna assume it's his friends. He threatened us  if someone didn't tell him where Josh was. I decided I needed to put a stop to it so I told him my dad was staying at rock vale house."

Wow.

"Was that all? Did you just tell him and he left you alone," I asked. It didn't sound much like a leader of a gang that was unstoppable kind of thing to do.

"Well no. He kidnapped me too," Mathew says, as if it was nothing. I give him a what the fuck kind of look, stating he has to continue.

"He took me with him to my dad on the way. We had to stop at a motel due to the storm..."

At this point I tuned him out. I heard all I needed to hear. It was clear Harry had thought it through. I mean he was going to go to RockVale House so he called a head to clear the security cameras. Meaning that's why no one knew who killed Josh. With his power with the government he could easily make sure that place isn't investigated. He probably chose the bar to be investigated to be honest. I'm guessing it didn't have any security cameras in the first place since it sounds illegal. I mean Mathew is 17 now so he's illegally not allowed in a bar.

The people at the bar would probably remember what Harry looks like but there wouldn't be any records of him on file so the police would label it as inconclusive.

"What was the motel you stayed at called," I blurted. Mathew widens his eyes from shock.

"I mean that's not even what I'm talking about but, Hilton? The one in Kensington. Right in the outskirts of London."

"Oh cool," I mumble. I wasn't rude enough to just get up to leave after seeing a friend for the first time in four years but god, was I itching to.

"Yeah," Mathew mumbles. He looks down at his hands, which I haven't even noticed him fiddling with.

I place my hand over his. My hands are smaller by a whole lot, it's kind of embarrassing but ignore it. I squeeze his hands softly, and offer him a small smile when he looks up at me through his eyelashes.

"I'm sorry you had to do that to your dad," I say softly. He presses his lips into a thin line and nods. Not offering me a reply.

I sigh, and move my hands to my lap. It was rude of me to tune him out like that. I couldn't just have him repeat himself though. I feel as if it would make the situation worse than it already is.

"So after all these years what have you been up to? You don't exactly look good. I didn't recognize you at first," I ask. Mathew finally looks up at me fully.

"Basically just following my dad everywhere he went. We were safe for a while in a different gangs place. They were pretty small so Troy wouldn't find us. Although my dad of course ruined it by stealing money from them. We were on the run again, and then, you know. He met Harry and ended up staying with him. You must understand how that went," Mathew mumbles. He looks off at some place behind me, stating he doesn't want to talk much more.

I couldn't get over how different Mathew really was. He isn't the outgoing 12 year old I remember. He's shut in on himself now. Like he's protecting himself. I wish he didn't have to feel like he had to protect himself, it's the least I want for him. I hope he can find peace now with his dad being gone. Despite how harsh that might sound.

"I should go. You gave me a good plan on how to get information about Harry.  I'll get the revenge you deserve and maybe you can finally feel some peace. Yeah?"

Mathew nods grimly at me. I smile lightly at him before getting up from the cafe table.

____

The motel was exactly 16 minutes away. It looked pretty fancy.

I walk into the motel and right up to the front desk. A lady is sitting there, when she sees me she smiles with all her teeth. Ew. Creepy.

"How can I help you," she exclaims happily. Wow. To happy.

"Can I look at your security cameras," I ask. I tap my fingers on the counter nervously. I need to be quick with this. It's already been three days with this assignment yet I have nothing about Harry but his past, and an idea of his location but I could do nothing about this if I have no clue on what he looks like.  Harry probably already knows I'm looking for him though, and has left the country.

"I'm sorry sir but I'm afraid I can't have you do that," she chirps. God she's annoying.

"It's for a school project. About um, investigating. I uh, need to analyze real security footage."

She gives me a look, but quickly turns back to her old annoying self.

"Oh well then if that's all, I guess I can show you!"

She waves me behind the counter and into a room.

The room has boxes of files literally all over the place but in the corner sits a desktop. It's currently showing people walking around the halls of the motel, and the outside from all different angles.

"I'll leave you to it," she whispers. Then giggles. I roll my eyes at her. She's ridiculous.

When I hear the door shut behind me, that's when I begin clicking around.

I'm in search of a button that says anything about dates but all I see is reverse, pause, play, or skip forward. Currently though, the skip forward button is grey unlike the other blue buttons. This must be the current time playing. Still, there aren't any buttons about selecting a time or day. Would I really have to reverse back until I see three guys with Mathew? I guess so.

I click the reverse button. I watch as everything quickly moves in reverse. In the corner of the screen there's a clock with dates beside it that suddenly appeared. It also quickly moves as it goes back in time.

Suddenly Mathew pops up on the screen. He's on the camera that points to the parking lot. I quickly press the pause button, before pressing the play. I watch as a long haired guy climbs out of the passenger seat of the car they are in.

Suddenly I realized I should get the license plate of the car. I take out my phone and snap a picture.

Mathew walks past the said guy and to two different guys standing under the canopy. I take pictures of them as well.

I continue to watch them, the other long haired guy appears. He had walked around the car to get Mathew I assume,  but hadn't realized he was already with the other two. Once the guy had realized he grouped up with the other two guys and Mathew.

They enter the motel making me look at the camera pointing to the lobby, where the front desk is. They stand around for a while before the same lady I was talking to pops up out of nowhere, greeting them.

The lady and the guys talk for a while before the same long haired guy departures. I get a clear look at his face as he turns back and looks at the lady. I quickly took a picture. I've got what I need.

This new information would help Niall a lot. He could probably hack into all the cameras in the places Mathew mentioned to me and find his exact location. The license plate could also give the name it's under which could lead me to him as well. It was all easy now. I could do it by tomorrow. Hopefully.

______

ANOTHER SHORT CHAPTER I KNOW BUT THE NEXT ONE IS GONNA BE A SHORTER CHAPTER AS WELL. BUT AFTER THAT NO MORE SHORT ONES I PROMISE. plus, I'm trying to update as much as I can before I have to go back to work Thursday.

Thoughts?