Everything Fragile✔

Chapter Thirty-Three - To Survive A Hero

   Every minute feels like a death sentence. The longer we take away from looking for Mateo, the farther gone he'll be. It almost feels pointless going towards the gym, but we need that flashdrive. If it's still there of course. If they didn't break it open once they realized that they didn't have the key. If this key even freaking works.

   The detective turns into the parking lot. It's vacant and flooded much like everything else because of this damn storm. At least the scenery fits the building's eerie exterior.

   "You'd think they'd exercise at some place more…not this."

   "It only gets better from here." I sigh and open the car door.

   I'm drenched all over again in a matter of seconds, shivering in front of the gym doors. With one hard tug, they swing outwards and the detective and I quickly slip inside. It's dark and quiet. Only the sound of water dripping onto the floor echoes throughout the building.

   "Looks like no one's home." I whisper.

   "Well, as far as you can tell. It's pitch black in here. Let's see if we can find a light switch here – aha!" The lights come on, illuminating the interior of the gym. "Better."

   "Much. Now, come on. The sooner we get out of here, the better."

   The detective follows me deeper into the building. "I've been meaning to ask you why you wanted to come here. We should be out looking for your friends, don't you think?"

   "You're totally right, but this is important. Mateo told me once that there was a safe with all his family's secrets and he gave me the key to it."

   The detective laughs. "And why the hell would he do that?"

   "Long story…" My voice trails off when I notice the door to the cellar open. "That's weird. It's usually closed."

   I reach forward and open it wider. On the other side the handle is covered in a bloody handprint and leading up to where we stand, the handrail is stained as well. I look down and notice droplets barely noticeable at first on the ground creating a path towards the doors to outside where red hand prints stain the grey backside.

   "It's fresh." He says, kneeling down to get a better look. "Whoever was here had one hell of a day."

   I feel sick to my stomach all over again. That blood could belong to anyone. It could even belong to Mateo. That thought alone is enough to put my body into action. I race down the stairs, hearing the detective's heavy footsteps behind me. When we reach the bottom, the place is a mess. Toppled shelves, loose paper littering the ground, and sharp pieces of wood and metal mixed amongst the mess.

   "Shit." He says beneath his breath.

   "What do you think happened here?"

   "No idea."

   The detective walks forward first, leading the way. The pages beneath his feet crinkle upon contact. Like leaves in the fall. He tries his best to avoid the droplets of blood and I follow his heed, dedicated as much as he is to not ruin the crime scene. Well, that is until I spot the safe on the floor broken and damaged along with everything else in this godforsaken place.

   When I flip the metal box over with my foot, it's empty with nothing but paper spilling out of the hole made in the door.

   "Looks like they used something sharp and heavy to get into this thing." He says, examining it closer. "Like an axe or something."

   "Maybe whoever did this hurt themselves while trying to get into it."

   "Maybe." He squats down to reach inside of the safe and retrieves some of the papers, reading them over. "Wait…this is embezzlement."