Blackbourne Investigations 02 - Consequences

Chapter 5 - Hello World

This chapter is dedicated to Academy Love. Who after reading one snippet declared my story was good for a minimum of 20 parts (which is code for 200). :)

Silas' Aggelemou - Part 3 of 7

Setting the phone back into the cradle with a crash I pulled the duplicate message off the notepad. The phone had been ringing off the hook ever since the 'secret meeting' had started.

The door down the hallway opened up and I looked up to watch the stream of men come out. They had an intensity and purpose about them as they strode to their various offices and out.

Kota approached the reception, tossing a small stack of papers into my in-tray. "There is no hurry for these, just leave them until tomorrow."

He rounded the desk and propped himself on it beside my seat causing me to gaze up at him.

He studied my face for a moment.

"Sang." He stopped there and continued to look at me.

"Yes Kota?" I prompted him.

He folded his arm and settled in. "Victor's going to show you around your phone in a moment. You need to be able to use it. Once you've got a good grasp of how it all works, send us all a message to show us and you can finish for the day. You'd prefer to be in your apartment wouldn't you?"

He paused taking in my nod, "Luke will take you home and stay the night tonight. He'll also look over your locks and see what we can do to make that apartment more secure. Until that's finalized you can't be there alone, it's a hellhole."

I thought back to my apartment. Was it really that bad? I had been in worse and had escaped unscathed. As long as you were careful and stayed inside after dark when you could, keeping the doors and windows always locked.

I tried one last-ditch effort to impose on them.

"It's okay Kota. I'm always careful, it really isn't that bad. Not a... 'hellhole'. It could be far worse. It's got a bed and came with..."

"Sang. It's a minor miracle you have remained unscathed there. I thank God for the guardian angel of yours which must be working overtime to make that happen. You haven't had trouble there have you?"

His green eyes were piercing, searching out the answer to his question in my eyes.

I lowered my eyes to the desk to escape his gaze. "No Kota, I haven't had any problems there at all. I just keep to myself there."

I glanced back up at him, his face still expressionless.

"What about yesterday Sang? With the bag snatcher, how have you been going with that? You didn't sleep well last night."

What exactly did they discuss in their hoo-haa meeting? My sleeping habits? I shifted nervously in my sleep. I couldn't guarantee I wouldn't have more tonight and Luke would be there. I could hope that I woke up quietly and without the need to check the rooms, but I didn't know.

I bit my lip thinking over the options. They weren't asking me if I wanted someone with me, they were telling me. Could I talk Kota out of it? I snuck a peek up at Kota's face. No. That wouldn't work.

I'd have to just let them do what they needed to do to make the apartment 'secure' to their standards, then I'd have my nights alone again.

I felt a pang of sadness, remembering how Nathan had helped me last night. But I couldn't expect that of them. They had lives and probably girlfriends, how could they not when they looked like they did, with the kindness to match. They had all been so nice to me.