Not the best chapter you'll see but yeah, I need to keep posting.
Enjoy? c;
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“Wake up, Andi! C’mon, it’s morning.”
“No school, please! This is worse than being kidnapped.”
He left the room in a hurry and came back with a big bag full of clothes.
“I managed to save some of your clothes. Put something on fast! I want to take you out.”
He sketched a small grin, waved and left.
Like I mentioned before, I do not stay in front of the mirror too much, so I just took my old and ordinary sweater, a pair of jeans, the gloves and I rushed to catch him.
“Wait!”
“Hope is not a problem if we take a walk. I don’t even know why I wanted get my drive license. I had never had a car.”
“It’s okay now. I don’t mind, although we’ll need one when we leave the city.”
We walked like this for about half a mile until a small cafeteria broke the natural surroundings.
“I know it’s not something sophisticated but you deserve a good breakfast.”
I went to find a table while he was ordering for us. I got bored of the food from the Centre. The breakfast was an ordinary buffet. I was always serving it in my room. I’m not a morning person. The deserts were various because Christina was a fan of them.
I sat and ate with Adam for about an hour, then he opened a conversation.
“Do you really want to save James?”
I felt jealousy in his voice, definitely. Although, he had no reason to worry about me and James, I wanted to save him. It would be selfish and careless for me to leave him there and, as I said, he could tell them everything.
“Yes, I do. We need to. He will tell them everything once he starts to trust them. We can’t risk.”
“Is it all about betrayal?”
“Yes Adam. It is.” Well, it was a half lie but, after seeing how good James felt there, and how he started to believe everything was alright, I got scared, lonely and unaided so I thought that it is better if I handle everything myself. He could pull me down.
“Should we call Patrick now? I am sure he has some answers.”
“Once we arrive home, sure.”
We paid the breakfast and went home. We didn’t talk too much on road, just some details about the Centre, and I had time to arrange my thoughts. I was convinced that the whole situation had a connection with my father, more specifically, with his job. I didn’t know too much of it because he refused to talk about it, and he was avoiding the subject. I had some time to look through his documents, in the night I found Patrick’s number, and something caught my attention. Then, I thought it isn’t important but after those two months at the Centre I started to make some links.
One of the documents was fully about this association, DM, so that means my father has been…investigating their project for a long time. The question was, what could my father investigate about them?
Arrived home, I was on my way to call Patrick but Adam asked me to join him for a minute.
“Andrea, you remember when I told you that I have a secret and I will tell you when the right time comes?”
“Yes?” Finally, someone who could really help me do something.
“Well, the right time came, but you have to promise me you will keep it for yourself, you won’t judge and you will keep trusting me.”
“You have my word.”
“I have met your father. I actually helped him and I still do. I protect you.”
Adam has what?
“In each city where you’ve been, you had a protector. Your father took care of that. I’ve been chosen for Portland, because I worked for DM and I know how things go around here. I also know what your father’s job is about.”
“Why are you telling me those things now?”
“Because I thought I could handle everything myself. I thought I could protect you without any help. But the things got a wrong turn and I need help. I asked James but he dumped me, and your father told me there is nothing to worry about, just to keep watching after you. None of us knew he was going to disappear. I wasn’t prepared for this and I tried to keep you as close as I can but when you left, I got scared and hopeless.”
I pulled my chair next to him and turned his head until he met my eyes. His were full of fear and despair, unlike the ordinary him, which was fully controlled, calm and professional.
He embraced me, trembling and almost crying, which made me feel guilty. He was like this because of me. I wanted to say that I don’t need him to take care of me, but then, I could've use some protection.
Seeing him like that, I felt like someone simply stuck a knife in my heart. I have never thought I could feel so sorry for him. I wanted to help, but unfortunately I didn’t know how.
“It’s like I am set to protect you anytime, anywhere. I am afraid to lose you. Just the thought that something could happen to you makes me go insane. And it’s not because this is my job.”
I simply nodded.
“I know, I promise I won’t leave again. Adam, those are not our businesses. You should not worry for me, for my protection. After we call Patrick, everything will go better. You will see. I dare to promise you.”
“Okay. I want to show you something… I will see you in 10 minutes to establish the plan, to get James back and to leave the town.”
“What about the car?”
My father’s truck disappeared with him in the day he’s been kidnapped so we needed a new car. I supposed that if Christina and her agency continued to search for me, I definitely needed a brand new way of transport.
“Don’t worry about it. I could ask for some help somewhere in this town.”
“Alright... Umm, I was going to call Patrick but if you want to be here when I do, I can wait until you come back.”
“No, it’s okay. You can call him and you’ll fill me in after.”
“Alright.”
For a moment, I wanted to give up on calling Patrick and follow Adam, but I knew he needed some time alone, to order his thoughts. All in all, I found Patrick’s number in Adam’s coat, and dialed it. Each tone made my heart startle until someone at the other end of the line picked up and said:
“Patrick Graham here. How can I help you?”
I hesitated for a moment before I replied with a hoarse and retained voice.
“Andrea Carter here. I am Robert Carter’s daughter. You’ve met my father long time ago…”
He stopped me right there, and knocked me down with plenty of worried questions. I thought he was much more rigid, but it seemed that he was much more scared and astonished than myself.
“Are you alright?! What happened with Robert? I couldn’t find him. I’ve been calling for almost one month. Are you alone?”
I was way too tired to catch them all, and I thought to ask him to slow it down, but he was already gone with the wind.
“I need to come after you. Do not do anything reckless. Just tell me where you are, give me an address or something, and I will come over immediately. Or I will just locate the phone call.”
No, he cannot come now! Not as long as James is still captive.
“Patrick, don’t! I just wanted you to know that I am alright. I didn’t know who to call, but I found your number in my dad’s agenda. We will keep in touch, don’t worry. I am not alone. I have people I can trust and I am safe for now. If something bad arises, I will definitely ask for your help, but for now, please don’t bother to locate my call.”
“Just like her father…”
I left a sudden relief in his voice. A complete opposite than when he answered.
“I just wanted to know if I there’s anything I can do. And please, do call me if you need something… anything.”
“I will. Thank you, Patrick.”
“Anytime, Andrea.”
I stood there, stunned but relived that I had an adult who knew the situation and could deal with anything. All I had to do now is to get James out of there. I remembered that the last time I saw him was about 3 weeks ago. He changed radically. He was reconciled with the entire story, the entire situation, and he kept convincing me that everything was going to be alright at the Centre, that we were much safer than roaming the streets during the night trying to find a way, a hint to my father. What was really grinding was if my dad could be in the same building with me. I was so close to him, and if I could rescue James, I could also rescue my father. Although I was sure Christina wouldn’t keep everything so easy. It was clear that my father had something that she needed, that she wanted. Given the association name, DM (Decoding Mission), my father owned a specific code that could help her, or on the contrary, destroy her, so she had to destroy it first.
“I found it. Did you talk to Patrick?”
Adam was holding a huge tangled map, but not of the city. It was also marked with all red spots which were highlighting the entrances.
“Umm… Yes. I told him not to worry and that we’ll contact him if we need something. He said I can count on him.”
“Well, everything goes well up to now. So, here is the map of the DM Portland Centre.”
I was impressed to see how many things Adam knew. He had all the resources we needed to get James out of there, and with all the good things and with the optimistic mood I had, I was convinced everything was going to be okay.
“You’ve already noticed the red marks. They trot out the most hidden entrances. I haven’t visited the Centre in a while, but I doubt they’ve taken major security measures since then. Did you notice anything special around the fencing?”
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them, although they were very high. We cannot climb them if that’s what you thought about.”
“Of course we can. What spoils my plan is the uncertain installation of the electric fences. They might have taken that measure, in my opinion.”
“You realize you speak like a spy right now, don’t you?”
“Do I scare you?” he said facing a charming smile to me. “I just want everything to go exact, that’s all.”
“It’s actually fascinating to see you in action. You are not as clumsy as I thought.”
“I know. And no, I am not clumsy at all. But back to our business…”
“Don’t you have another secret underground chamber around the Centre?”
“I actually do have one, but I bet they discovered it.”
“You don’t know unless you try. You managed to stay hidden in other public places and no one found your spaces.”
“Alright. We do so. But it’s a risk.”
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What should come next? e.e