Jacksy

ऽ𝚎۷𝚎ƞ

Skully pounded down the metal stairs into Trish's shop. He was furious. He had never before been so angry; not even at his parents when they treated him poorly. He was also scared. He had woken without Noah at his side. He knew Noah had been taken. He could feel it. He also knew that Noah would be looking for Ashton. Skully had checked the hologram to be sure: Noah was inside the fake building.

Trish was working with a customer, but Skully didn't care. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her around, and she dropped the rag that was in her hands. The customer took a couple of steps back. "What did you do?" Skully spat.

Trish glanced at the customer and managed a small smile. "If you could give us some privacy for a moment..."

The customer left the store.

"How could you?" said Skully, his heart aching. He had never before felt so betrayed. He trusted Trish. He had known her for a while. But she never believed in him. He should've known. He put Noah at risk.

"Skully, I don't..." She flinched away from Skully's grasp. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"You drugged me!" Skully raised his voice. "Now Noah's gone! He's gone, Trish, like Ashton! He's gone!"

Trish's eyes were wide as a full moon. "What?"

Skully shook his head, his hands clenched into fists. "You're ridiculous. You're a traitor, you-"

"Let me explain!" said Trish, tears in her eyes. "Skully, I didn't know... I didn't know!"

"I ate a sandwich. Noah did not. Did you drug me?" he asked, lowering his voice. He could feel a clock ticking in his chest.

A tear slipped down Trish's face. "Yes," she whispered.

Skully expected the answer, but it still shocked him. He never saw this coming. He should have known. "How could you?"

"I didn't want you to get hurt," Trish croaked. "I didn't think you were serious, but if you were right... It was a precaution."

"A precaution?" Skully yelled. "A precaution, are you kidding me?"

"If you found anything, Skully, the mayor-or someone-would kill you. You would be killed!" Trish ran her hands through her hair in anguish.

Skully pulled a chip from his pocket. "I have a camera, Trish."

Trish threw her hands into the air. "Well, I guess it didn't matter! What a relief! Either way, you wouldn't have found anything!"

Skully took a deep breath and stepped closer to Trish. She didn't back away. She was hardly ever afraid of him. "Why did you do it?"

Trish wiped her face, though more tears fell. She met Skully's gaze. "I didn't want them to kill you."

Skully frowned. "What do you mean, Trish?"

She shook her head. "I didn't have a choice, Skully. For many years now, since before your brother went missing, I've been... I've been receiving threats where if I said or did anything... The police can't help. They can't trace the source, they've given up..."

"Threats from who?" asked Skully.

Trish hesitated. Her eyes were red. "Skully, I... I don't know. They come anonymously. Recently, they've been telling me to... To drug you. They said if I didn't, you'd die."

Anger pulsed through Skully's veins. These people were afraid of him. They were afraid of what he could do. They wanted him asleep so Noah could disappear peacefully. "They could've just killed me."

Trish shook her head. "I think they want you alive. I don't know what for, but... Skully, please, don't go looking for Noah. They want you to do that. They'll kill you."