Laurance's POV:

I parked Garroth's car in the parking lot that was few blocks away from his dorm. I got out of the car and made sure no one would see me summon my wings. Once the coast was clear, I lifted off into the air. I had an idea for a lead. I know Chad told me not to get involved but, I can't put the safety of Garroth in the agency's hand. I need to do it myself.

I reached my home a few moments later and landed in front of a box-shaped building. Wired fencing was outside and their were guard towers on each corner. I walked up to the security guard and showed him my ID. He let me in no problem. I went through a hallway of wired fences before I reached the front, locked door. I knocked on it and it opened. I then, went through the front lobby and towards the corridor where they keep the cells.

As I passed by each one, prisoners glared at me. Humans and Phoenixes alike. All of them either knew who I was or just hated the fact that I was there. Showing up and rubbing it in their faces that I was free. I soon made it to one final door. The sign above it read;

Danger.

Just the place where I thought the man would be. I entered in no problem again and walked passed another few cells. Instead of bars though, these were guarded with heavy iron doors and bulletproof glass. Only a few of these cells were taken. Not every criminal has done things like they have. The last cell held him. He was sitting on his bed, reading some book. He looked up and saw me. His expression didn't change as he got up and came to the glass. He pointed to the phone on the wall and I gladly took it;

"Hello Zvhal," His voice said directly into my ear.

"Hello Gene," I say back, trying not to explode on him. "How's it going?"

"My thirty year sentence? Great. Almost at year four," He told me. "What do I owe the pleasure of having this fine visit?"

I rolled my eyes. He obviously wanted to get right to the point. The book he was reading must be amazing, I thought.

"I need to ask you a few questions," I reply.

"Why should I answer?" He asked me, crossing his arms.

"Because I know full well that you care about Garroth. Even if you have twisted ways of showing it."

He seemed to loosen up at the mention of Garroth's name.

"F-Fine," He stuttered. "What is it?"

I took the letter out of the pocket of my jacket and showed it to him through the glass.

"Do you anything about this?" I asked.

He chuckled and said;

"Looks like your in trouble again."

I was starting to get irritated.

"Do you know anything or not?"

He shook his head and answered;

"No. If you think that I would be able to even have the slightest information about that, you aren't as smart as you make yourself to be."

"Don't lie to me Gene."

He groaned and narrowed his eyes at me.

"If I knew anything I would tell you," He said, looking annoyed with me. "When I'm in here, I don't get any hint of what's going on outside. I'm not even sure if I have been here for four years."

I huffed and stuffed the letter in my pocket again.

"Do you have suggestions where I could look?" I asked lastly.

He thought about it for a moment and said;

"Check to see if anyone around you both is suspicious. I don't know. I don't have contact with my old team anymore. The only person who writes to me is Dante."

I nodded. I guess he was right. He probably wouldn't have the slightest clue of what's going on. In this level of the prison, the prisoners can't communicate with anyone besides family. This is even the first time I've spoken to him since he was locked up. He doesn't look that much different to be honest. Just tired.

"Orange looks good on you by the way," I say.

"Don't patronize me," He spat.

I shrugged and was about to put the phone back onto the wall before I saw that he mouthed the word;

"Wait."

I held the phone back up to my ear to hear him say;

"I don't know what's going on. I wish I did. You said it yourself. I care about Garroth...I did have a pathetic way of showing it but, I swear Zvhal. If I get out of here in thirty years to hear that he got hurt or worse because, you weren't able to protect him, I'll hunt you down and do I what I wasn't able to finish four years ago. You hear me?"

I shallowed and nodded my head again.

"Now go save him again," He walked back to his bed and began reading his book again before mumbling; "I wasn't able to before."

I place the phone back on the wall and speedily went back to the front door so I could leave.

•••

I pulled up in front of Meteli High to pick up Garroth. I looked down at my phone to see it was five pm. Apparently, the teacher wanted him to stay longer to grade papers or something. I soon saw my blonde walk out the doors and come down to the car. Once he made eye contact with me, he smiled brightly.

He's hiding something.

"Hey Laur," He said getting into the car and closing the door. "How was your day?"

"Good," I said. "Your's?"

"Great."

It was silent for the first part of the drive home. I waited for him to give me more details about his day like he usually does and then he asks me how my day was again so I can do the same. Yet, it never came. So, I instigated it.

"You didn't have a great first day, didn't you?"

"No," He admitted. "I'm going to assume your's wasn't either."

"Bingo. Why wasn't it great?"

"The teacher is awful. She reminds me of a cactus. Prickly, dry, and painful if you poke it."

I laughed a bit at his intellectual description of his mentor. He looked to me asked;

"What happened with your day?" I frowned and looked at the road, waiting for the light to switch to green. "Laur?"

"I...I saw...someone today. Trying to get some answers about those threats."

"Who was it? Did you get anything?"

Why won't this light turn already? I looked to my boyfriend and said;

"I saw...I saw Gene, Gar. He didn't have any information though so, it was a waste of my time." He seemed shocked that I even said his name. I haven't said anything about Gene in ages. "I'm sorry..."

"Why are you sorry?" He asked me.

"I saw him Garroth," I say, as the light turned green. "The man that caused us so much pain and made us terrified about every next turn. The man who tried to pull us apart. I didn't even ask if it was okay."

"Laurance, you did what you thought was right," He assured me. "Did he say anything to you that might be useful?"

"Just like that?" I asked him, surprised he wasn't getting in on the topic more.

He smiled and said;

"Gene isn't the issue anymore Laurance. He's gone. Now we have something more important to deal without. What did he tell you?"

I tried to ignore the fact that my boyfriend didn't care that I was talking to his psycho ex and said;

"He just told us to think or look for anyone who is suspicious..."

"That's a good start," He said, turning his attention as well to the road. "Looks like today wasn't so bad after all."

"Huh..."

Word Count
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