Pierce laughed.
I rolled my eyes and crossed my legs as I leaned back in the couch with a bored expression. "I get it, Billy. You don't have to rub it in. I had a thought."
He wiped his eyes and leaned forward with elbows propped on his knees. He grinned as he said, "You thought I was one of the members of T6-GEO@? Are you out of your mind?"
My eyes twitched. "Yes, I must be." I mumbled inaudibly as I scratched my head out of sight.
Pierce shrugged and fell back into his seat. "Heard of them. I don't really care for what they do, however. Doesn't concern me and people crazing over them just makes me irritated. So they fight crime, whoop whoop."
I balled my hands up in a fist and moved as if I was going to puncture his head for the insult, but I did it out of sight. I'm not a fan of them, I wanted to snap in his ignorant face, I am one of them. I was so utterly wrong for thinking even for a split second that this man, who obviously doesn't even care for my team, would be Beta, our team leader. What a joke.
The team right now must be losing their marbles over me disappearing on them. And here I was losing my marbles on why I didn't inform them regarding Pierce. I guess we really only connect on a business relationship, and occasionally a few stories of our lives are exposed as jokes. Speaking of relationships, I hope Beta's surviving the hell that the team prepared for him. He let all of us down.
"You hate them that much?" I snapped back to reality when I began feeling a little tired.
Pierce pursed his lips. "Hate is a bit strong."
"You hate them," I stated simply.
"You said it not me," he shrugged.
"Great, noted," I concluded, "Let's begin the interrogation process."
"Lovely," he sighed, "Here we go."
We both got comfortable in our seats and I gave the man my full attention. "What happened to you tonight? Why the sudden visit?"
Pierce clasped his hands together and very briefly glanced at the door. "I got in a street fight."
My brows raised at his answer. "Street fight, you say?" I repeated, skeptical, "And a street fight made you end up like that?" I whirred my hand towards his wound areas and he buttoned up the shirt I gave him that was my cousin's leftovers, cautious of me staring. I let out a small scoff and shook my head. "Chill. I have more important things at hand than to fantasize your chest."
Pierce shook his head too. "Whatever. To continue, yes. I'm on unhealthy terms with many people. And the guys wanted to take a hit on me today."
I frowned as I tried to remember if I've seen him around. "I don't recall you ever in the neighborhood. Let me guess, the excuse is that you just moved here?"
"Pretty much," Pierce nodded, "I live alone. My father paid the expenses for me to come here back to our old house."
"And you live with?"
"Lived with," he corrected me and I raised my eyebrows for him to continue. "Old Gramps Johnson."
My lips parted with a small 'ah.' Mr. Johnson just passed away a week ago. I'll give some credit to his alibi.
"And why exactly were you beaten up?" I frowned curiously, "We've been talking for a bit and while sometimes I want to have a go at you, you seem pretty decent."
Pierce gave me a weirded-out side-smile and replied with, "I did some bad stuff. Betrayed some people. It's all that dirty business that I'm a part of, the details aren't so important."
"I think it is," I pressed.
Pierce gave me a blank look. "Look, Risa. I have personal reasons that are kind of sensitive to me. I'd rather keep the deeper details to myself. I've already explained the broad idea of why I'm here."
I crossed my arms while twirling the pen that was with the folder. "I could call the police."
He frowned at me cautiously. "Why?"
"What if you're a danger?" I shot back, "How can I trust you? You said it yourself, you did bad things, and you can't explain it to me. Isn't that a sign I should report you?"
He sighed out loud and his eyes strayed around the room, trying to get words out. "It's not illegal. In fact, I follow closely with the law. I think you misunderstood me, I meant bad as in someone else's perspective of me. I still believe I'm a righteous man."
I nodded slowly with squint at his little hand motions as he talked. "There's too many holes..." I murmured as I looked away in thought, "You're a stranger."
"I'll leave in a week."
I froze. "You plan to stay here?" I gaped as I pointed down at the ground, "Like, here-here?"
"Uh... should I sleep outside then?" He suggested with raised brows.
I narrowed my eyes and let out a scoff of disbelief. "You shouldn't be sleeping anywhere near me. Go back to wherever you came from." I was in shock. What the hell was this crazy man thinking?
"I can't," he cut in submissively. My eyes softened slightly when I saw a hint of concern in his eyes. "I really... can't."
"Now I'm lost," I was getting irritated, "You came from that house, yes? Should I go check it out to see if you're lying or not?"
"Go ahead," he gave me a blank stare with a sigh, "You won't find anything. And you'd wish you never step foot in there. It's no place for a girl like you. A person died there for god's sake."
"So let me get this straight," I motioned with my hands in front of me, "You just moved back here where your gramps recently died. People who held grudges against you in the past decided to beat your ass up when you got here. I took you in for some godforsaken reason and now I have to house you for a week?"
Pierce nodded slowly. "I'll leave in a week. I promise."
"Promise?" I uttered, "What can you promise? Let's not forget we know nothing about each other." Now I was standing and I gave the man a hard, long look before pursing my lips into a thin line.
"I'll let you stay in the living room for tonight," I let out between unsteady breaths, "But that's as far as we go. Leave next thing in the morning. Wherever you go and whatever you get yourself into, it's none of my business anymore."
"Risa," Pierce tried, getting up as well.
I stopped him with my hand and shook my head. "I'm a normal college student. I have school to think of. I can't take care of you for even a day, never mind a week. Everything about today is weird." I said the last part under my breath before gathering up my laptop and the folder tucked inside it.
"Wait," he sounded annoyed now, getting nearer to me, "Would you let me speak?"
My body slowed down and I tried to cool off my head as I turned towards him, hugging my laptop against my body. "Fine," I tilted my head as I waited, "What is it?"
Pierce gave me a confident look as he crossed his arms. "We're... going to see each other again."
I shook my head at the fact that the man was still going on and on about some nonsense that I wasn't keeping up with. "There shouldn't be a next time if this was a mere coincidence. Well then, see you." I headed upstairs and briefly, just briefly, arched my head around the corner to check up on Pierce before I headed to my room.
Interrogating mysterious dead man Pierce, check.
Interrogating team leader Beta, to be checked.
Here we go.
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