The Lesbian Gene (Lesbian, Gay, GirlxGirl)

Chapter 19: Muddled

Chapter 19: Muddled

Dante's pursuit of Audra and Hanz was the same every single day. Nothing. Zilch. Not one of them were found, not even Neil.

"Dante," I would say, every single night when Dante and his team would get back from their search.

"Yes, little one?" he would respond, a bit dirty from the trip, though with a ready smile on his face, as customary since we'd met.

"Did you find Audra?"

That was the point when his smile would falter. Usually, with a stroke of his beard, then a pat on the back from one of the men he had taken with him on the search. And of course, with such action, I'd already know.

"I'm sorry," Dante would say then. "We tried."

My heart would sink at that part. My stomach would make this tumbling motion towards the rabbit hole. Today would mark one whole week of that. One whole week of waiting for them to find Audra. Except Dante and his team were just coming back tonight.

Seeing him and his crew emerge from the dwellings, I began to ran after him.

"Dante!" I called. "Dante!"

As usual, he stopped ahead of his teammates, gave me this friendly look upon hearing me shout.

"Yes, Pax?" he said.

"Did you find them?"

A shake of his head, and I was slowing down. But then he smiled so quickly, it got my hopes up a little.

"What?" I said. "Where?!"

"A party," Dante said, just as the first of his men clapped a hand on his back again, before going their separate ways.

My hand automatically breeched my pocket to touch the broken beads of my bracelet. At the same time, I stopped right in front of him, breathless from my run. "Excuse me?" I gasped. "I didn't catch what you said."

Dante stroke his beard. Today, he was extra dirty. It was though he had sloshed his way to the sewer and back— one of the questions I had asked him about during my one week of stay here, and which he refused to answer me with only a reply of, "We're doing all we can."

At present, he said, "A party, Pax. We had decided to throw you one."

"Me?"

"Yes." He replied. "As a celebration for having you here."

But. . .

"What about my friends?" I asked.

"Pax, it's been a week."

I almost threw a bead at him. If only it wasn't that significant to me.

Regardless, I gritted my teeth. "So what?" I said. "A week is not that long. You're already giving up on them?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then what?"

Dante gave an exhale, his expression weary but patient. "I'm just saying to give me some time." He sighed. "The sewer where you came from is a large place, Pax, and everyone is pitching in just to help."

That removed some of my annoyance, but not the worry of having Audra and Hanz absent from my side. Maybe there was something. "Why don't I come with you tomorrow then?" I said. "It will be an extra pair of eyes, and I would know immediately when I spot them. Or maybe, you know, they're hiding because they don't know you? Like I said, they're not in a position to expose themselves right now. We're not a criminal, okay? But maybe they're still running."