64 Hours

48 h0urs

~the forty-eighth hour~

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"So, tell me, who do you trust?" 

Grace was leaning against the desk, blowing a pale pink bubble. I crossed my arms and said nothing, unsure of what answer she was looking for. 

"I thought you wanted me out of here." 

Grace feigned surprise and widened her eyes. "Don't I need to trust you?" 

"If you know anything about Unknown then I don't trust you," I growled self-consciously. I noticed as soon as she stopped chewing gum and paused like someone switched her off. 

We heard officers talk outside the door. After a few more muffled voices, Grace unclicked her pen and released a sigh of release as soon as the voices sounded far away. 

"If you want to get out of here, then you have to at least pretend that you trust me. We're going through the staff door. Understand?" I stiffened when she put a hand on my arm. She noticed and snorted. 

"Just get me the hell out of here, whoever you are," I said, and she nodded. 

* * *

After Grace unlocked the door to the office we stepped outside. The fresh smell of coffee met my nose and phones ringing met my senses. When was the last time I had coffee? I was certain that I remembered the last time I answered a ringing phone. 

Grace casually spat out her gum into the nearest garbage and fixed her cap over her ruffled, blonde hair before nodding at me. I followed her down the hallway, aware of all the open office doors that we passed. If officer Reynolds saw us, there was no hope in escaping.

After a minute of walking an officer met eye-to-eye with Grace. She squared her shoulders and looked at the tall man stoutly. 

"Grace," he greeted her with an absurd bareness to his tone. 

"Kevin," Grace replied with equal tension. They stood there awkwardly for a few more seconds, swaying uneasily. I hovered behind Grace, stuck in the middle of introducing myself and giving Grace a shove. 

"I have to go," Kevin muttered at the same time Grace excused herself. They stepped out of each other's way and Grace continued down the path like nothing happened. 

"What the hell was that?" I asked as soon as I caught up with her slightly quicker pace. 

Grace gritted her teeth and releasing a hissing noise which I assumed was a sign that also meant shut up. 

After some more speed-walking Grace took an abrupt right turn through a door that said 'OFFICERS ONLY.' Not risky at all. 

There was nothing eventful from our escape. Every time we saw an officer they didn't seem to see us back. They were all talking about the same incident Reynolds left for. 

"Something big must be happening," Grace tutted without seeming to care. I was just glad for the distraction. 

I was lead to a sign that said EXIT. And that's what we did. We exited. 

Bright light met my eyes once I got out. A felt a rush of air through my shirt, and only then did I realize how much I was sweating. The exit had lead to the parking, but of course, my car was back at where I got arrested. 

"Um, thanks for-" I cut off from my sentence when I realized that I was talking to thin air. Grace had disappeared like she was never there. This lady was unpredictable. I didn't bother calling out for her. I was free and I'm sure that was her intention. 

I was desperate to know how she knew about Unknown, though. Looks like my answers would remain unanswered. 

*  *  *

"Adam? Are you okay?" Aria's voice popped through my voice on the second ring. I stood outside the police station, skipping my way through mounds of people. 

"Yeah, I'm good...how's Bella?" 

"She's fine. Still shocked from that body. God...it must be awful to walk in on that..." She trailed off. I could almost hear her biting her lip anxiously like she always did when she was nervous. "Anyway, did the police hold you back?" 

"Er, not really." How was I going to explain this to her? "They let me go after a few questions." 

Aria was usually a genius when I was lying, but she must've been so shaken by today with the body, the elevator story, our dad...

"When will you be back?" She whispered. "It's weird with...him. Dad. He's just sitting in the living area with Bella. Although I'm not really comfortable with him, even in the house. I'm worried about Bella, too. It's barely been two days and she shouldn't have experienced what she did." Aria lowered her voice. "I feel like we're cursed." 

I sighed loudly, stopping at the pavement and scanned the road for taxis. "Maybe we are." 

"And you, Adam," her voice hardened, "you worry me the most. What's going on in your world?"

I scratched the back of my head. Were all taxi's off today? I shrugged, even though she couldn't see me. "You don't want to know." 

"Next thing I know is that you're going to do something crazy. Rob a bank, even." She continued ranting on, but I stopped listening after the bank remark. 

2. Regain what you sent and steal 10,000 from a local store.

Well, for once I knew what I have to do next. 

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