The Watchers Wake

Chapter 24 - Father figures

“He’s on Floor 26,” The receptionist said as the lift doors opened.

But...  Ohh Damn,  this was too much.  I just gave up and decided that it was all a dream anyway.

I took a deep breath as I tried to control the seasickness feelings and allowed Adam to hold me.  His chest was still bare and I knew I should be embarrassed but somehow I couldn’t.  It was very clear where Scott got his hot gene’s from.  For being in his early forties Adam was very fit, very defined.  Hell I can’t believe I just thought that.  Shut up nobody.

I was vaguely aware that he was almost carried me as we got into the lift.  He looked nervous as the lift moved upwards.  It was only when the doors opened with an audible ‘ding’ that he relaxed slightly.

“Welcome to floor 26 – Jariel’s prison.” He gave a bitter laugh at his joke. 

I stumbled after him as he pulled me from the lift.  The floor was vast and filled with office workers as far as the eye could see in all directions.  They all sat in those little cubicles with nothing more than a computer, no paperwork, pens or anything else. No one looked up at us.  There was so much grey.  They all wore dark grey suits and the décor was stone grey.  They were all uniform, non-descript and dull.  Only their hair colour varied.  

This wasn’t Jari, this wasn’t anything like Jari.  No, Jari couldn’t be here.  I searched the downturned faces as Adam ignored them.  I couldn’t see Jari.

Adam towed me towards the office.  It was dark and from the black wooden doors and fancy lighting it was clear that it belonged to someone important. 

“... Hell Jari, what don’t you understand about this?”  A male voice chuckled deeply.  It was then I noticed that the doors were ajar.

“It isn’t right!  I tell you she deserves better than him!” came back Jari’s voice laden with impatient anger.

Adam barged past the receptionist who tried to get in our way and straight through the imposing heavily ornate doors and into the office.  The two men turned and looked at us stunned.

“Can I assume that you are referring to my son, Jariel?  Why exactly isn’t he good enough for your daughter?”

“What the hell are you doing here Adam?  And why have you brought her here, of all places?”  Jari was wearing a black suit with a white business shirt.  His hair was swept back neatly to the short ponytail at nape of his neck. With our entrance he was now standing behind the black modern styled desk, the black leather chair in which he had been seated thrust backwards.

“This should be interesting!” The other man in the office laughed and slumped into one off the black leather visitor chairs positioned opposite the desk.

The desk held nothing other than a computer monitor and keyboard and one old fashion framed photo facing away from us. 

“Your daughter?” something in my brain finally registered the words.  I looked at Jari and asked again, slightly louder this time, “Your daughter!”

“Adam, you have no right to be here!”  Jari ignored me and was now standing behind the desk leaning towards Adam his face set in annoyance.  “What have you told her?”

“As a matter of fact, yes I do.” Adam looked at me as everything in the room was starting to spin with ever increasing velocity, “Jariel hold us here, Harold has Scott.” I heard Adam yell out just as the room spun blurring into blackness.

The next thing I felt was the nausea, the blackness and the nausea. 

“She’s coming around, she looks pretty pale, pass me that ice bucket.”