Noah Silas Anderson

Chapter Sixty-six: "This just in"

November 1st. I woke up with a slight headache but nothing I couldn't handle, I'd gotten used to hangovers. All I needed was water, a shower, and a nice breakfast.

When I rolled over, I saw Brooklyn blinking her eyes open.

"Ew, don't look at me, I look disgusting," she groaned, pushing my head away.

"No, you don't. Come here," I laughed back, prying her fingers from her face. And she looked beautiful, as always - not a single flaw.

"Good morning," I spoke first, tracing my finger down the bridge of her nose.

"Good morning," she said back quietly and kissed me.

"You remember anything from last night?" I asked, smirking.

She put her hand and chin on my chest and said, "Oh, I remember everything!"

"We should do it again sometime," I said, pulling her body on top of mine.

"We should," she flirted back, kissing all over my face.

"Does that mean my sentence is lifted?" I joked about her no sex rule for the past month.

She laughed and nodded, biting down on her lip. "If it means you'll keep fucking me like that, yeah."

"Don't start, it's too early," I said, kissing her just once. "I'm gonna shower, you coming?"

"Hands to yourself, boy," she agreed but with conditions.

*

Brooklyn stepped out and dried her body, catching me staring in the mirror at her in the towel.

"Back! Back I say," she joked, referring to a meme only she found funny. She laughed and popped her extra toothbrush in the travel kit.

"You're a weirdo," I joked, flicking one of the bathroom lights off to exit and go find something to throw on.

It was Sunday, no work, so I planned on relaxing and catching up on sleep, or something. The gym could miss me for another day.

There was Emereigh, who was at Dad's still, but I figured I'd pick her up early in the morning or later tonight.

Brooklyn put on a pair of shorts at the same time I did and we both silently laughed at the fact that we were in sync. I slipped into socks and a t-shirt then looked for my phone. I knew I would end up losing it.

Brooklyn helped herself to one of my hoodies and smiled at me like she was waiting for confirmation to keep it. I found my phone, it was under the bed, and I charged it since it was dead.

"Hungry?" I asked Brooklyn.

She slouched and dramatically said, "Starving!"

"What are you doing today?" Brooklyn made conversation with me as she bit into a piece of toast.

I shrugged my shoulders, turning the stove off. "Probably just chill until I go see Rick and Em later. You?"

She copied me, shrugging, and shook her head to say she had nothing planned.

"Mornin'," I said to Gael and Cassie, the sleepyheads who showed their faces just after noon. Long night for all of us, I guess.

My face fell and I had a sudden thought: They better have cleaned my sheets.

Cassie followed Gael to the island where B and I were.

"Hey y'all ," Brooklyn said then paused to look at Cassie. "Hey, why do you look live you've been crying?"

I didn't notice Cass was teary-eyed until Brooklyn said so.

Gael then stretched and said, "Morning."

Cassie sighed, "No, I'm fine! Good morning!" She continued to say, "Thanks for letting us crash here last night."

"Yeah. Did you have a good night?" I asked them, chewing on a piece of bacon I stole from Brooklyn's plate.

Gael said, "Our answer matches yours." Atta boy.

"Well, unless they didn't have a good night?" Cassie teased. "Did you have a good night?"

Brooklyn and I looked at each other, but she just sipped her drink and walked to the couch in the living room area.

"Yeah," I smirked, putting together a breakfast sandwich, before offering them some food.

Gael laughed, sitting on a stool. "Exactly," he said while Cass was excited for Brooklyn.

Brooklyn suddenly heard something on the tv and gasped aloud. She turned it up, drawing the rest of us to the tv. My eyebrows furrowed and I dropped my plate to listen.

"-Breaking news: Danielle Marie Miller, twenty-six year-old LA resident - was found dead in a dumpster outside of nightclub 'Galactica' this morning. She was shot in the head. Witnesses say they didn't see anything, and the time time of death isn't clear. Her close friends came forward to authorities saying that she hosted an event at the club and left work before three AM, and no one heard from her after that. It is unknown who the murderer is at this point. These are images from the sight; some may not be appropriate for younger viewers. More on that later. Back to you, Jeff," the woman reporter announced, leaving us speechless for a moment.

Danielle Miller; we knew exactly who that was. Venus. Gael and I looked at each other, probably thinking the same thing. My heart was pounding in my chest. She's dead? This can't be real. . .

"What the fuck," Brooklyn gasped, "we were just with her?!" She muted the tv and put her cup down, eyes wide.

Cassie sucked in a large breath of air, her face gone blank. "There's no way. I don't even know what to say." She rapidly shook her head.

Gael scratches his head. "The hell?"

"Damn," is all I could say. I took a seat next to Brooklyn, hoping to console her.

"Someone shot her in the head. You don't just shoot someone in the head. How could this happen, why? Who would do this to her?" Brooklyn ranted, getting up to start pacing.

"And then put her in the dumpster?" Cassie wore a look of disgust. "I hope they find the sick bastard. It's hard to believe because she was just at my birthday party."

Gael took the remote to do us a favor and cut the tv off. "Don't watch that shit anymore," he said.

"But I wanna know what happened," Brooklyn proclaimed boldly.

"He's right," I said to Brooklyn, standing, "don't watch it."

"She was trying to warn me about something, what if it was cry for help?" Brooklyn realized, grabbing her hair.

Cassie quickly remembered something as well and spoke on it. "No, you're right. She was scared at the mall, but do you think it has something to do with us? I mean, she could've told anyone if she needed help. You know?"

With nothing to say, I tried staying silent. The girls were starting to piece things together and I didn't want to dig a hole for G and myself, they're too smart. It didn't help that Venus was trying to expose us before, either.

Gael walked in the kitchen to grab a water bottle. "You shouldn't think that way. Both of you," he said. He's always the voice of reason, knowing exactly what to say, to who, and when.

"How are we supposed to think? She warned us and now she's dead. Don't y'all think that means something?" Brooklyn went on, flailing her arms.

Cassie bit down on her nail. "It just doesn't feel right. Should we be scared?" She stopped herself. "We shouldn't, right? I'm thinking too much. Forget that question." I couldn't keep up with everything Cassie said, talking a mile a minute and answering herself.

"No one should be scared of anything, that has nothing to do with us. Whoever did it is sick and they'll be caught, that's it," I finally grumbled, over the conversation.

Gael agreed. "We don't know what she had going on. And you'll drive yourself crazy trying to figure it out."

"This is fucking weird," Brooklyn exhaled, folding her arms over her chest.

Cassie got up and walked to the door. She said, "Uh, I'm going to go. I need a second..."

Gael just agreed and left behind Cass, leaving a confused Brooklyn and I.

I smoothed my palms over my knees before bringing myself to stand up. My cheeks let out air and I watched Brooklyn blink rapidly.

"I know she was your friend, or whatever... I'm sorry," I said uneasily.

Brooklyn stepped away from my arms and walked to my bedroom to gather her things.

"Where are you going?" I asked angrily.

She smacked her lips. "Noah, this is weird! Venus just died. And not just died- she was shot and put in a fucking dumpster! I'm not okay right now."

"I'm not tryna sound like an asshole here, baby, but she's gone. There's nothing you can do about it, and this isn't any of our faults!"

She dropped her jaw. "Noah, she was trying to me something - Cass, too! What if... nevermind. Whatever. But I'm not dropping this, it's too weird."

I nodded, understanding. "Sorry."

Brooklyn relaxed her tense shoulders and walked into my body, releasing a deep sigh.

***

Later that afternoon, I laid with Brooklyn on the couch. We'd fallen asleep during a Pixar movie marathon. I thought it would make her feel better but she didn't talk much after breakfast.

Suddenly, a text lit up my phone screen. It was from Courtney, my eyes rolled. I ignored it the first time and then the sound of the ringer disturbed me again, my eyelids flinging open. Brooklyn inhaled and then rolled off of my body, taking the blanket with her to continue her nap.

Annoyed, I decided to see what she wanted. The text read:

Zane would like to speak with you. Please come to The Playroom now.

I closed my eyes, tossing my head back in frustration.

Without replying, I locked my phone and looked over my shoulder at Brooklyn who had been watching me the whole time. She didn't ask where I was going and I didn't bother saying anything. Brooklyn rolled back over and closed her eyes.
I just stood and exhaled through my nose, walking to my room to get dressed.

***

I pulled up to The Playroom and clenched my jaw, my grip tight on the wheel. Anxious about the meeting, my mind drew up a million and one reasons Zane possibly wanted to see me.

I banged my head against the headrest and killed the engine before hopping out.

That's when Gael rode up on his bike - Baby - and put me at ease a little.

At least I'm not in this alone, I thought. But what did we do this time?

*

We walked in to see Courtney at her desk.

Courtney looked up from her computer and glared at Gael and I. "You boys should just live in his office."

I went "pfft" under my breath and chewed on my gum as I waited for her to give us the go ahead to enter Zane's office.

I don't know what she said, but Courtney hit a nerve. Gael's neck rolled and yelled at her, "The fuck did you just say to me?"

Courtney jumped, scared, and swallowed. "Zane will have you in his office now," she said.

*

Zane, at his chair behind a desk, was turned the opposite way as G and I stepped further inside and took a seat. "Trick or treat? How about trick?" Zane opened.

Gael and I, both confused, went "Huh?"

"Did you boys like my hint?" asked Zane. He spun around in his chair and ruefully laughed, twirling a cigar in his fingers. "I thought it was funny, did you?"Our boss added. Vince and Ronnie nodded their heads in the corner.

The fuck is going on? Trick or treat? Hints?

"You called us here to talk about a Halloween trick?" I asked, growing annoyed and impatient.

Zane stood up and walked towards Gael and I. "What's more Halloween than a dead body in a dumpster?"

Gael opened his hands. "What the fuck kind of hint was that and what does it have to do with us?"

Zane leaned back against his desk, directly in front of us. "A few of my employees quit to work at Galactica with someone that I just fired," he said, "I don't like competition. And to my knowledge, I heard you two were the promoters of the operation."

Shit. That's what this is about, I thought. Defeated, I dropped my head.

"So, you may have just cost Venus her life and a much longer time working for me; and if you dare try and fucking cross me again, you'll be next on the news. But I'll try and think of better ways to be creative. A dumpster is low class, easy, and I could've done better."

Gael and I both stayed quiet. Anything I wanted to say would've probably gotten me beat up, or worse.

"Get the fuck out of my sight and remember, one more strike and you're out. Both of you." Zane taunted.

With that, we sulked out of his office.

"Damn I hope it's my last time in there," I mumbled under my breath. But it won't be.

Venus is dead and I feel like it's our fault. I know it's really not because Zane did this himself and all Gael and I did was promote her business.
It's not our problem that he's jealous and fucking twisted, but damn. Not to mention he added time to our sentence, it's bad enough we've been working for him this long.
And it's even worse because this shit is getting closer to the girls. If Zane even thinks about touching Cassie or Brooklyn I'll- I don't even know what I'll do. . .