Emotions

Chapter 20: Trouble

Once outside the house, we continue our two-man job once more. Knowing the government staff is lurking.
Suspicious of anyone that crosses our path, we march back to the vent one last time. Since nothing is happening thus far, I drop my guard a bit, until I hear a distant whistle filled with glee. 

''~Doing my round, doing my round, making sure nobody is acting down~'' 

I knew right away what we are dealing with. It's a staff member, and it's approaching fast. I try to locate where his voice is coming from, but the buildings cause the voice to echo. 
''Where is he? What do we do?!'' Lido turns to me in a  panic, his head checking each path he can appear from.
''Calm down, your smile is cracking!'' I whisper, pointing at his twitching grin. Lido slaps both his cheeks, recomposing himself.
''Right, sorry.'' He apologizes as his smile returns to his sweaty face.

Not giving us a moment to plan, the staff member shows up from the side alley right in front of us. Making his way down the path in a casual stroll, he spots us. With his smile turning brighter, he soon stands in front of us. 

''Hello there! How is your day going?'' He asks with a high pitched voice, inspecting us from head to toe. 
Lido swings his arm from left to right in a merry fashion.
''N-never better!'' 
''Amazing to hear!'' The man replies jolly, clapping his hands together. His attention shifts to me. ''How about you?'' He leans in close, invading my personal space.
''Yeah, I'm feeling super! How about you, sir?'' I managed to squirm my way out by returning the question.

''Me? You ask how I'm doing?!'' His reply sounds offended and happy at the same time. ''Wow. People usually don't ask me how I feel!'' He places his hand on top of my head, petting it in a rough manner. ''I'm doing just fine, kid. Don't worry about me!'' His smile is becoming more forced by the second until his petting hand eventually stops.

''I know, did you kids see any sad people lately? Perhaps, two kids your age?'' He grins, yet, his eyes pierce right through us. He's on to us. Lido and I share a quick nervous glance. I swallow with a shiver.
''N-No, sir.'' I reply, my voice almost turning to a squeak.
''Haha! Of course not!'' With his still hand, he pulls my hair up slightly. ''Because, if you did, you would've told me, right?'' His voice darkens, yet his lips keep turning for the worst. 

Lido breaks the two of us up by placing himself in between.
''Can you please let my friend go?'' Lido asks nicely. But I could tell from the tone of his voice that he was holding back his rage. His fists are shaking next to his body, ready to hit the smiley trashbag. 

But in the end, he didn't need to. It seems like Lido's request snapped the man out of his evil state.
''Oh! I'm sorry! It looks like I can't control my strength!'' He let go off me, rubbing my aching head once before removing it. ''But let me know if you see or hear something!'' 
''Of course!'' I respond, making sure tears don't spill from his pulling act. 
''Good!'' With that, he waves us goodbye, continuing his rounds while whistling.

Once he's far away enough, we catch a small breather from the just witnessed intensity. 
''Well played.'' Lido sighs with an akward chuckle.
''Heh, thanks.'' I laugh back. ''But that sure hurt.'' I rub my head once more in the hope the throbbing sensation goes away. 
''Yeah, there was no need to go that far.'' Lido pouts as he glares at the street the man went.
''It could've been worse...Way worse...'' I add, imagining the possibility of our cover being blown.
''Y-Yeah.'' Lido trembles.''Let's hurry before more of them show up.'' Lido adds moving forward, a little faster than before.
''Good idea.'' I hurry to his side.

Moments later, we make it to the last path we need to turn before we are at the vent.
However, a voice once more causes us to halt. Just recovered from the last endeavor, we now face a new thread. We put our backs against the dirty wall as we eavesdrop on the voice. 

''So, this is the case we keep getting reports about?'' A heavy voice asks. 

''I guess so, but Bane, are you sure it isn't just old and the blade simply broke off?'' Another man questions, his voice slightly higher than the other man, Bane.

"No, Chris! That would never happen! These fans are tough!" Bane claims certain.
I hear him crouch down with a slight groan, picking something made of metal of the ground. 
''Look! This fan blade is bend! Blades don't bend, Chris!'' 
''Okay, okay! Don't point it at me!'' Chris scuffles backward, coming into our sight.

He's quite skinny in his bright green suit, but even though he's scared stiff, his smile doesn't go away. Bane laughs amused at the sight of the shaking Chris. 

Haha, I was just joking!'' He then swings the blade to the other side of the street.
''But there is nothing we can do about this. We can't inspect it any further. Unless... you want to crawl in there?'' He laughs sinister.
''What?! No way!'' He shivers at the thought, backing away even further.
''Haha, you're a riot, man!'' Bane can't stop his laughter, even though he is the only one that finds it funny.
''Anyway, we should call that kid to come to examine it.'' Bane suggests.
''That kid? Okay...but he still gives me the creeps.'' The voice of Chris is filled with disgust.
''You're just a wimp!'' He snickers. ''Let me call him real quick-'' I hear Bane flipping his phone open. The phone beeps a few times before someone answers it.

''Hello? Yes, it's me. Say, how fast can you get here? We need you to check something out.'' With the conversation through the phone going back and forth they reach an agreement. ''Okay, whatever you want.'' He says and hangs up.

''And?'' Chris gulps, scuffling back to Bane.
''He will be here soon. He also said we don't have to wait for him.''
"Well, if he says so. I'm just happy I don't have to see that kid." He chuckles strained.

''Come on, let's grab something to drink!'' He says high-spirited. 
''Now?'' Chris sounds hesitant.
''Yes now! Let's go!'' 
''Alright, alright, but don't push me!''

 Their conversation is getting more and more distant, so I carefully peek around the corner to see if they're out of sight.