Lifeless (Book II)

Intruder

Chapter Twenty Two

"Just where in God's name do you fit all of that food Max, you eat too much," Alex chuckled. He parked the car and pulled out, carrying with him the brown paper bags containing over more than 2000 calories worth of hamburgers. Max simply shrugged and chuckled along with Alex. He had a big appetite.

"I say take advantage of it while you can." Max replied.

"I guess so, but when you turn thirty you might want to start watching your weight, your metabolism will slow down."

"In truth I don't really mind, I'll be married by then with probably more than three kids."

A loud thud came from inside the house when Alex saw that the front door was open. They exchanged looks before running in. The only thing they came to find was that the intruder had already fled. The back room had the window wide open, and the only thing left behind from the intrusion was a piece of cloth caught on a rusty nail. Max quickly walked over to it and yanked the piece of dark blue fabric off.

"Those bastards!" he growled stomping out of the room.

Alex quickly headed into the dining room feeling his heart hammer and his panic begin to go frantic. There lay the envelope ripped in half, the papers sprawled all over the floor and table. Alex cursed and hurried over to the stack of papers quickly piling them into his hands.

"Alex," Max called out.

"In here."

****

Max came to find Alex bent down on the ground trying to pick up all of the sheets on the floor. He hurried over to him and helped him out, feeling completely guilty.

"Alex I'm sorry," Max whispered running a hand through his hair.

"It's alright Max, the journalist probably didn't take anything, let's hope it was someone just trying to steal something." Alex mumbled walking away.

"Did they take anything," he asked trying to look over Alex's shoulders.

"I think everything is in here, this might have been what we heard, and he probably stumbled over a chair."

Max nodded and left the room feeling his appetite grow cold. He didn't feel much like eating anymore. Just the fact that a journalist might have broken into Alex's home made him feel guilt.

"Max, please, there is no reason for you to be feeling guilty." Alex spoke up.

Max looked up at Alex and gave him a small smile trying to mask his guilt.

"I started all of this, plus a reporter was already following me around when I told you about Grace being Vicky." Alex chuckled. He sighed and placed the sheets on the table. Max took a seat as well and eyed the hamburgers that where growing cold. A silence filled the room along with the melting cheese of their meals and soon enough Max felt his hunger return. He looked up at Alex as he bit into his cheese burger and offered another to him. Alex simply waved it away and fiddled with the stack of documents on the table.

"Alex, come on man, we can look into that in a few. For now just enjoy a cheeseburger with your pal." Max spoke through a mouth full of food. He couldn't deny just how much he was missing his fiancée cooking. He had spoken with Izzy last night and she was going to be a bit longer than usual in coming home. That meant more fast food for Max. He chuckled and swallowed the mouth full of cow meat as he tossed over a burger to Alex.

"What's so funny?" Alex asked un-wrapping his meal.

"The fact that I'm pretty useless without Izzy." He replied.