Chapter 4: ROSES, CHOCOLATES AND MURDER

On the way to the café where Rose works, Noah stops to buy some pairs of wide-legged jeans and sweaters. After confirming that Riley's wardrobe consisted only of clothes with holes or studs, he decided to buy new things. When he finally confessed with burning cheeks that he did not remember many things, Rose helped him change his bank password. She did not ask questions, not even when he returned with a completely new two-part haircut. She smiled and fluffed his hair, saying "It feels like cotton." Rose accepted the situation, and Noah felt relieved.

He hasn't seen Duncan's group since the encounter with Sam a week ago. It was the next day when Noah remembered the bloodied photo, and he realized the guy next to Rune was Sam. He had changed. In the photo, he was clearly younger. His face was fuller, his eyes less void, but still holding the same hunger.

Noah sits in a lonely table at the café, with an iced tea, while he waits for Rose to finish the turn. She acknowledges him with a busy wave. Her dark hair is tied up in a messy bun, a few loose strands frame her face. Meanwhile, he nervously looks at the black screen of his phone. Apparently, Riley was allergic to technology. A proof of it are the dozens of notebooks that clutter his room. Noah shares some of that reluctance. He hasn't read a single news article about Leonarda. The fear has paralyzed his fingers every time he's tried to search her name. Just the thought of typing her name nauseates him.

This time, he promises, he will really do it. He sighs, and unlocks the phone. His fingers linger over the tactile keyboard, tempted to stop at the slightest hesitation.

Leonarda Patterson.

He skim reads the articles.

She was minoring in Psychology.

Her parents died on an accident.

According to her friends, she was a kind soul. She loved gardening. She helped everyone in need. She volunteered on an animal shelter, hosting charity parties. She herself had adopted a rescue kitten named Paws.

And then, the articles that talk about him.

He was the son of a single dad that worked as a cop.

Their neighbors were surprised a normal-looking boy would be capable of such a brutal act.

They recalled his father was never home, but the son was a good pre-med student.

Finally, the articles that focused on the murder.

An unidentified girl in the late teens had appeared brutally murdered in an abandoned house.

Update: there were signs of sexual abuse.

Update: scopolamine was found in her blood.

A rumor.

Her friends talk about a boyfriend she had met online.

Noah Davies.

He had been missing since the presumed date of death, and the police started a nationwide search which has been active for three years.

Noah feels heavy in his chest.

"What are you looking at?"

Noah jumps, the phone falling to the floor, "Nothing."

Rose sits next to him with a hot americano.

"Any progress on who did this to you?", she says signaling the remnants of bruises.

Noah touches his neck, "Kind of. Sam is pretty high on the suspects list." Actually, Sam is the only member of that list.

"Sam is human trash, so I wouldn't be surprised. You used to fight him like crazy, even before he left the group."

"But why would he try to kill me?", he asked, more to himself than Rose. Jealousy, revenge, orders from above... "If Sam was ordered to end me, what did Riley... what did I do that made them nervous?"

"Why don't you track your last steps? Your diary should help you.", she suggests.

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"Thanks, Rose, you're a real one. Are you going home?"

"Nah. I'm meeting some friends. You go, and tell me later what you discovered", she blows a kiss in his direction, and Noah smiles.

Outside the café, he walks in the direction of the nearest subway station. With earbuds on, and loud music, Noah tries to forget the horrifying experience of reading the news. But the main question remained. Was Noah a murderer? The news talked about the unknown whereabouts of the evasive fugitive. Did he die while on the run? No one can disappear without a trace, maybe someone found him and took the matters into their own hands, or maybe he slipped and fell, and hit his head.

Noah distractedly looked at the reflection of train lights in the concrete walls of the tunnel. The blasting rock music in his ears suddenly went quiet as something caught his earphones and yanked them away.

"Sorry", he said to the man next to him. He threw up his hands in an apologetic gesture, and the man pushed him to the railways.

Noah loses balance. His hands shake frantically for a hold, closing in on the man's hoodie. The attacker tries to shake him off, but Noah has already moved further from the railway. A crowd gathers around them, and a few people curse at the man. Noah leans in the wall, his thrumming heart rushing blood to his ears. After a few seconds, he realizes he is gasping and shaking. He closes his fists, his knuckles turn white.

Slowly, he slides to the floor.

It was too close.

He offers a breathless "I'm okay" to the crowd.

An old lady hands him a bottle of water, and a middle aged man offers to accompany him to the authorities. He politely refuses, and hurries to hop on the train.

The man is gone. But Noah keeps casting quick glances around him. He searches for the grey hoodie even as he gets off in his station.

This is what Noah wants. However, facing the consequences of his plan has almost killed him a second time. He'll have to be more careful next time.

The short walk to his apartment building feels like a whole journey. Noah looks behind him every minute. He clutches his phone as if his life depended on it. On the other hand, the keys serve as a rudimentary weapon. If he is desperate enough, he can make real damage with them. A blow with enough speed to pierce skin at the right angle and depth, and he would puncture the carotid artery. Death would result in less than 30 seconds.

His steps are quick, accelerating the more he advances, until he is running at his full speed.

If someone attacks him, he can be ready. He will kick, and throw punches. He will fight. He'll go for the eyes, and the neck...

But his grim determination is relegated to the back of his mind when he sees the figure in the door to the building.

His black and red hair shines under the sunlight. Noah can only imagine how he must look after the run, with tangled hair stuck in his forehead, his brows glistening in sweat and a wild look settled in his eyes after a near death experience.

Noah just wants to forget.

For a moment, Rune does not move from the door. It reminds Noah of the first time he saw him. A guardian. Dangerous. Untamed... The boy looks at him, his eyes traveling from his neck to his new haircut. Noah's cheeks flush, and he turns slightly to hide his embarrassment. Then, his eyes fix on the keys sticking out in between his fingers.

Rune hands a helmet to Noah. He holds a matching one on his other hand. Noah accepts the offering, and nods, so Rune steps aside to let him pass.

He curses the broken elevator. And keeps cursing it as he starts to climb the stairs. After a while, Noah sees a glimpse of black behind him. Even wearing boots, Rune's footsteps are deadly silent. Noah wants to tell him to wait outside, but he doesn't say anything. The truth is, after the scary situation at the subway, he is thankful for company. Maybe he can find some comfort in the Sphinx. After all, Rune hasn't devoured him yet. It's a good sign, right?

In apartment 805, Rune also stays by the door. Noah gets into the kitchen and fills a glass of water, that he precariously balances on the shoe rack next to Rune. He walks to the bathroom, sighing with relief at the warm touch of water. Noah lets the water rinse the sticky feeling of shame and fear.

He looks at the mirror in his new outfit, hesitating between going out with this or changing into Riley's clothes. However, these clothes feel right. His heart seems a little less heavy. He smile. It's not forced. Then, he steps out of the bathroom, bracing for Rune's reaction.

"Let's go", says Noah as he grabs the helmet and a courier bag.

Unexpectedly, Rune barely gives him a look before leaving. This time, Noah follows Rune down the stairs.

"Where are we going?"

No response. It's not like he expected any.

"Okay", he says to the void in front of him.

The bike is parked near the building. An excited tingling spreads through Noah's stomach at the sight of the formidable bike. Whatever it is that Noah needs to figure out, it can wait. At least until the ride is over. He'll be okay. Whatever they're going is fine. As long as he can keep pretending a little more that this is his life.

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