GRANITE

028

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
DARK SIGNS

𖥸┈┈┈𖥸┈┈┈𖥸┈┈┈𖥸

EXHAUSTION, SADNESS, OVERWHELM.

It's all Freya seemed to know how to feel lately. Everything felt like it was coming full force all at once and it was nearly beyond the point of just testing her. Camren was still sat on Aron duty while Freya went to meet with her dad, another thing she couldn't seem to escape were questions about her dad and the secrets he keeps.

"So Cookie Monster, what's up?" James said, rounding the island in his kitchen with two cups of coffee in hand. "Why the impromptu visit?"

"I was just curious about some things." He slides one over to her, taking a seat on the stool across from her. "Like how you knew where Aron was and what was happening." James nearly choked on his coffee, letting out a few coughs while slapping at his chest.

"Wow, right to the point today." He lets out another cough, setting his mug down. "Right, so-" he claps his hands, rubbing them together. "Do you remember me telling you that there are risks in being involved with Aron and his friends?"

"Yeah, I mean he was violent but none of them have been towards myself or Eve. I don't imagine them ever hurting us."

"Wait, you went there?" James stood wide eyed. His body went rigid immediately.

"Well yeah, Desmond and Liam-"

"Freya Grace Bowen." James runs a hand over his face, slamming both of his palms onto the counter. "Fuck fuck fuck."

"What? What is the big deal, dad? Camren would have had to go alone and I figured seeing a familiar human face would've been good for him. I'm not hurt-"

"And you're so lucky you're not. But now, fuck," James paced the floor. His voice began to quiver more and more with each word spoken. "We have to get you protected, get you prepared."

"Protected? Prepared for what? Dad?" James beckons her with his hand as he makes his way to his office. "What is going on?"

She follows after him, trying to meet his fast frantic strides. He whips the door open and heads straight for his laptop. "I was going to keep some of this under wraps to keep you safe but they've seen you now. Godfuckingdamnit, they've seen you."

"Who's seen me now? What are you even talking about?" She stops just behind him as he sits in his chair. "Do they have you on overtime at the hospital again?" She half jokes, hoping he'll whip around with a laugh and a "gotcha!"

When he doesn't even spare her a glance, Freya wonders exactly what she's gotten herself into. Obviously the concept of the boys for what they are is already enough to digest and now witnessing James on his crazed path has her brain reeling all over again. James is silent while he clicks away, opening various tabs with different personal files as well as links to various websites.

James glances over his shoulder at her before standing and exiting the room. He returns with a chair from the dining room and popping it next to him near his computer. "Sit." He says, and Freya is taken aback by his stern tone.

"What is all this?" Freya asks for what feels like the millionth time. He clicks over to an incognito tab. Freya's eyes graze over the site, blinking a couple times in disbelief. It's a forum page, the url at the top is super elaborate in its characters making it near impossible to memorize and search. Each post in the forums appears heavily coded and it makes zero sense as she tries to read through some of the entries.