Indulgence ( PATIENCE #2)

28.Propofol

Disclaimer: The mentions of drug/chemical are based on google search... I apologize early for mistakes and false information.

Hardin

Two full consistent rings and no answer.

Why isn't she answering?

I am calling through my  personal number after finally switching on the cell. If Ben wasn't lying, my number should already be there on her phone. There is no way she is ignoring it because it's visibly showing Restricted number on her screen.

Bringing it back to see the screen from it being pressed to my ears, I dial up for the third time and press it back to my ears. The nervous energy has increased tenfold, since Theresa didn't pick up the first time I rang moments ago. Also the fact that it was the first time I called her in five days makes me pinch my nose bridge with my free hand.

Yeah. Five days. I couldn't connect for five days and it's fucking thirtieth of this month already.

The thing is, I could keep contact with Mum and Theresa while I was in Arles but I didn't. Putting a heavy restraint on myself I refrained from grabbing my phone and switching it on.

I have had enough slips up in my life. Like hurting mum involuntarily by thinking she hates me. Hurting Tess with my stupidity and temper. But I cannot do that anymore. Christmas was a nasty one in terms of slip up, when I took the risk of not making sure of certain things before taking her out vulnerable, on a bike.

I freaking had no idea that the new device wasn't set with necessary jammers and restrictions.

I did this last few days and will try, as long as possible, to not have such slip ups ever again.

Keeping in touch with them while I was in Arles meant keeping my traces on. I would have had to keep my cell phone with me. That's a vulnerability in my field. Moving into enemy territory which could have jammers on and better tracking devices, which is even though highly unlikely, is stupid on part, nonetheless. Ben is super good. But still, overconfidence is bad I reckon.
Like I said, no more risks.

The fact is If I were only ruling the Vultures I would be fine. I would have been illegal unabashedly. I wouldn't have to stress about the dangerous consequences that comes with it and could tarnish the Vance Conglomerates. But carelessness is the last thing I can afford. I don't want to taint VC with any sort of proof which could be the result of finding traces of the work Vulture does, eventually acting as a liability against the illegal part of my empire.

So when I was beating the shit out of that american asshole, finding their store of Propofol I completely switched off my device, along with Arthur's. I did have a spare phone to connect to Ben . But his network set up unit is different from Theresa's or Mum's phones. So even though I knew Ben arranged Tess her phone the very next day, I kept my distance and Patience .

It's better like this. If something ever happens to me or my men. Or maybe, if we ever get abducted, there shouldn't be any device on us, giving away major informations. There shouldn't be any traces that could lead them to my family to hurt them or taint Vance Conglomerates which is thankfully legal and safe in all ways possible. It would be better to ruin Vulture than to make both the organisation suffer.

I haven't seen Theresa for three year. Now I don't even remember how I was surviving. But the last five days have been nasty. Her hurt face that I last saw on the stairs remained and it's was fucking torture. But like I said, I would rather endure that, than throw any scent to the hounds.

The only peace and balm to that was that Ben said Tess wasn't angry. In fact she understood. She asked Luke if I was okay when he went to deliver her phone...