Discovering the Cipher (Abandoned)

Something Isn't Right

I- well shit. I want to explain that I've been really fucked in the head and a whole bunch of other stuff but basically it breaks down to I'm sorry. My head is finally starting to settle for the first time in YEARS. I found a type of therapy that works and I've learned a lot about myself. Please bear with me as I navigate how to keep myself moving in a positive direction as well as doing what I want. Loves to you all!

Gabriel

While everyone is busy with finding out information on Wil I slip into the room where Sarah is. Something about her doesn't sit well but no one can find anything, maybe if I get her talking we'll learn something important. She looks up from a sketch pad as I take the seat near the window facing the door. Something flicks through her bold eyes before it's quickly shuffled away, a mask of innocent curiosity in place.

"Hi. I'm Gabriel, Dr. Green is part of my family and he wanted me to check on you. Are you an artist?" A blinding smile etches itself across her face with enthusiasm before she turns the book towards me. Colorful images of dead animals and crying faces meet my eyes. The colors clearly indicate happiness but the pictures themselves are anything but that. Trying to keep the worry off my face I flip through a few before I have to look away. I can handle a lot but detailed pictures of decapitated racoons is not one of them.

"That's- you clearly have an eye for detail." Swallowing the bile that's threatening to force its way out of my throat. With as much of a smile as I can muster I start to let myself really look at her. When she turns back to her sketches humming happily some part of her hair looks off just a bit. "Sarah, I like to play with people's hair, would you let me play with yours? You can keep drawing while I do." Her eyes flick to meet mine three times before she seems to come to a conclusion.

"Can you put flowers in it? I like yellow ones." With a soft smile I nod. Shooting a text to Luke, who I know isn't actively on assignment I head outside and grab my bag of brushes and hair accessories. Luke can bring me a few yellow flowers and I can get a closer look at Sarah's hair. Slipping back into the hospital room I have Sarah turn so her back is to me and slowly start brushing. The feel is off, more plastic than hair should be. Following the strands to her scalp I feel around under the guise of separating chunks.

My fingers brush against embedded bumps that, upon closer inspection, connect to her hair. Implants. Why would a twenty year old need hair implants? Especially such badly done ones? These had to hurt going in and the hair isn't even close to natural. Keeping this in mind I work more slowly and gently. Just when I'm finishing an intricate braid Luke slips inside with a bundle of yellow buttercups. Without a word he drops them off and disappears through the door again.

Placing the flowers is easy but I try to linger a bit to take in everything more. As I place the last flower behind her ear, in a loop of her hair, a thin scar catches my attention. There's a matching one on the opposite side and a similar scar near her jaw line. They're so faint most wouldn't see them but up close I can. Putting everything away I force a bright smile on my face.

"All done! Would you like to see?" Sarah nods happily as I hand her the mirror. Her eyes widen slightly while her fingers dance over the ridges of her hair and the petals of the flowers. She takes one of her fingers and presses down on her cheekbone, covering it slightly, before looking back to my eyes.

"My mumma's favorites were buttercups." Setting the mirror facedown, her sapphire pools rake over my face. "Can you come back again?" The masked innocence from earlier seems to be back but I'm not sure if it really is fake. Something about the reactions she's had this whole time seem extremely genuine. The only reason I can't fully believe she is as innocent as her face says is because of the occasional glint in her eye and the pictures in her book. If she's not up to something then something very bad happened to her. I don't know which would be better.

"Of course. I have to go for now though. I'll be back soon, maybe I'll bring some of my friends with me okay?" A sparkle dances through her eyes as she smiles. With one last nod I leave the room and head back to the car. Luke leans against the back with his hands stuffed in his pockets and gazing off at the tree swaying across the parking lot. Clicking the car open is enough to bring him out of his haze. Warm cocoa eyes meet mine and I have to force myself not to stare. Luke's eyes are mesmerizing, the color unmatched, and I can't seem to capture them.

"Hey, you okay? You looked concerned there." Falling into the passenger seat of the car I rest my head on my hands. A pale hand reaches out and brushes a piece of hair away from my face. "Do you want to talk about it? I'll do whatever I can to help." A watery smile works itself across my face as I look up from my shaking hands. When did they start shaking?

"Something is wrong. I don't like it, either Sarah is up to some shit or she's been through something fucking awful. Her hair is implants, and fucking poorly done ones at that. She has scars on her face and her damned drawings are fucking gruesome!" Luke's nails scrap over my scalp lightly. I don't let many people touch my hair but Luke can. He may play pranks but he never messes with my hair. After I didn't speak to him for a week once he learned.

"We'll let Vic and Mr. B know. Together we can figure this out, I know it. I agree something fishy is happening, we just need to figure out what." Nodding I shake my shoulders and roll my neck before standing. With one last question glance Luke nods before changing the subject. "I did speak to Mr. B about twenty minutes ago. He was asked by the Council to have a couple of us speak to someone. They've been watching this guy for a few months as a potential but lost him about a month ago. Dude showed back up this morning and they need to see if he's still a possible."

Raising my eyebrows I watch Luke play with a pen. When he grabbed the pen or where it came from I have no idea but it's in his hand as if it was there the whole time. "Yeah I guess. What's the guys name?"

"Jake Neros. He's eighteen, raised in a small town just outside the state border, moved to Charleston about a year ago. Orphan raised by his aunt, academically smart, like not quite Kota levels but close. Blondish hair and green eyes." Filing everything away I move to follow Luke to one of North's many cars, leaving Victor's where it's parked.

"Alright, let's go see what this Jake guy is like."