Fear and Fate(poly)(bxb)

Sixteen

Seven is different. He looks up at Romero innocently through dark eyelashes. I wonder if he flirts with everyone like this.

"You just want me to be with you and Von."

"No, just me," Romero says.

Von is still not back yet. Next to enter the room is L. He plans to teach me how to drive. I already know the basics but I want to be a better getaway driver. I meet L from the opposite side of the room before we head out.

In his EV, I sit in the driver's seat and he takes the passenger. When we all go out together these seats are reserved for him and Von. It's my understanding that Von is working as an assassin. He has to stalk his victim's lifestyle long enough to successfully make it look like an accident. I don't like how long it's taking him this time.

"Damian was hired by a local politician, Jim De Franco. He has to be extremely careful," L says. "Go out this way."

"I didn't ask," I say even though I really wanted to.

"You're absent-minded. I can tell what you're thinking when you're blatantly not paying attention. You act like you're going to die without him," L jokes. "It's pathetic."

"That's what he wants," I scoff. Von wants me to learn how to breathe underwater, to choke if I ever try coming up for air.

"No," L counters. "He wants you to make it on your own. That's why you know how to shoot and how to fight five guys at once. Damian made it so that even if he's not around you have to survive... The way he gets with us about you," he trails off, running his hand over his facial hair.

My mind is going in circles and so are we as I drive the car through a roundabout. "What do you mean?"

"He acts like we're kids again, asking me for advice on you."

"And what do you tell him?" I ask.

I can imagine the two as children. Von relying on him due to their age gap, and never having experienced anything other than foster care. L the same voice of reason he is today.

"I tell him the truth," L stares at me, his gaze getting warmer by the second. But I can't take my eyes off of the road or he'll say something about it. "He's not capable of treating you properly. He needs some help. Otherwise, you'd never be satisfied."

L suddenly points forward with his right hand. "These roads are free of cameras. Accelerate here and you'll lose most people. You just have to watch out for these potholes."

The car dips as I slide through one. I'm praying there's no damage to the exterior. L is sighing beside me.

"I'm paying attention now," I say.

"You have to be able to do this under pressure, even if you're hurt," he reminds me.

I cruise along the narrow roads noticing the change of scenery. The city streets are getting more decrepit as I drive further away from the epicenter and into Brookbottom. There's more trash on these roads like the community can't be bothered to keep it up. Structural issues persist as the number of crater-sized potholes increases.

L navigates me through the backroads and I use them to find my way back to the hotel. Once it's in sight it's not hard to locate the tall building. I park on the side, slightly crooked but the valet will take care of it.

Another black car pulls up right beside us. I get out of the driver's seat and Von gets out of his car next before giving L some room. Von looks like he got a fresh change of clothes, possibly from his mom. Really he could've been with anyone. From over the vehicle, I can see his tattooed silhouette. Though he isn't acknowledging me. There's a bruise under his eye.