Journey Into The Aftermath |✔

Chapter seventeen: The Million Dollar Question

Nick and Adrian found a hotel after the ten-story Nexus garage explosion that would probably be on the news for months to come. The best part was, Melinda couldn't out Nick to the police because she would be putting herself in question in the eyes of the law for knowing of his presence and not putting him in custody.

Adrian told Nick that it most definitely a hack that Nick was all of a sudden a criminal right when it was convenient for her.

"She must have wanted me to split from the team, but why, I got no clue." Nick thought out loud. There were both on the single large bed, seeing as a larger purchase of hotel room could possibly raise alarm and Nick had to pay in cash out his pocket anyway. It was incredibly rare for someone to pay in hard cash and that in itself could raise alarm but Nick had to take that chance. They continued their debate, only glancing at each other every few words.

"To hinder progress?" Adrian guessed.

"She practically black mailed an entire company to work for her; I highly doubt she would want to 'hinder progress." Nick countered.

"Well like you said in the interrogation room, you're in her way," he remembered. "Your mission interferes with hers."

"Yea, but what exactly is her mission?" Nick asked, waving his hand and getting up to focus on the answer.

"What exactly was your mission?" Adrian probed. "And why the hell does it matter so much to everyone?"

"Classified."

Adrian gave him a dumb look. "You're joking."

"Even if I could tell you, knowing how you would react is too much to bear," Nick replied evasively. "Trust me, you're better off not knowing."

"It's been a little hard to trust you on anything lately, especially how you pulled my own gun on me while we were running from men set to kill both of us." Adrian fired back.

Nick nodded apologetically. "Sorry about that."

"So we're a little iffy on trust at the moment since you won't tell what the hell is actually happening," Rage began to work it's way into his voice. "I'm a grown man now, Nick, I can take a little bad news."

Nick thought about all the people Adrian has probably had to kill and given his performance in the corridors. One could assume it came very easy to him. Nick had no doubt that Adrian could take the news, but the moment Nick would say it out loud, he would lose his one defense against Nexus in the same breath. Who knows, maybe Adrian would just kill him on the spot despite their history. He rolled over the options in his head. "It's classified"

"By who's order?!"

"Classified."

"Is Nick even your real name?"

Nick sighed. "Class--"

"I need a drink," Adrian shouted as he walked off to the small kitchenette to the left. He came back shortly with some scotch and a lowball glass. Three ice cubes were stacked within the glossy confinements, ready for their disintegration. He sat at a small round table that could probably fit no more than three people and poured himself a glass. "Haven't had some good scotch in a long long time."

"Well given my pocket change could pay for the hotel, I really doubt it will be any good."

Adrian gave him a menacing snort and returned to his liquor. "So you wont tell me what your mission is, why you can't tell me, or who told you not to tell anyone else?"

"Adrian you know that in this kind of work, secrets are inevitable," Nick pleaded. "I'm a spy, man, it's all keeping secrets and lying; movies even tell you that much."