Delete » malik

12

12

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Paxton tapped the ash from his cigarette, the ash falling on his collared top. He gritted his teeth in frustration, sitting right up to glance at the stain. He cursed a few words and reached for a piece of tissue.

"Paxton," Paxton's assistant, Henry Stone, came along to help with Paxton's duties as he placed a stack of case folders onto the desk and pointing them out. "Those cases need to be reviewed in a matter of days. There's no time since new cases are being made by the police."

"I've got no time in my hands, but I'll do what I can." Paxton lit up his cigarette again and glanced at his mobile phone. "Right now I'm tracking where Ms. Stryder herself might be in this city."

Stone sighed, since Paxton usually acted like this. He drank the coffee cup he was holding, trying to read the thoughtful expression of his boss's face. "I'm just trying to help but she might be hiding from us for all we know."

"And you don't think I know that?" Paxton retorded angrily. "Ugh damn, I'm going to need more help after all."

"May I suggest ringing Mr. Payne? H-He lives in New York, doesn't he?"

Paxton's eyes widened from the idea, for he himself forgot about Mr. Payne and his skillful work on the people around him. "You're right." He spoke, already dialing his number and bringing the phone up to his ear.

A couple of rings were heard before Mr. Payne actually answered. "Paxton? Hey man, what's going on?"

Paxton gave a deep chuckle and took the cigarette from his lips in order to speak. "I'm doing quite well, thanks. So there's a case I'm dealing with and it's about Daniel and Genevieve Stryder's daughter, Aria. Do you happen to know who she is?"

Mr. Payne was possibly the best solution to tracking other people's lives in the state of New York. No one was as detailed and cunning as he. "As a matter of fact, I do."

Paxton gave Stone a nod, as Stone brought out a notepad and pen. He slipped it out and clicked on the utensil as he listened carefully to the phone call.

"That's excellent news to hear. Do you know anything about her?" Paxton questioned quietly, since the people around them in the cafe only spoke a few words.

"She's stayed at a high school in Brooklyn for a few months. No one has seen her come back for a while because of her telling a few nerd kids about hacking into the government's system."

Paxton knew that little detail, but asked Payne to keep going.

"She's actually on the loose, but she is not alone."

"Wait, Aria is with somebody?" Paxton asked.

"Yes, she's been having eyes for this guy um, Zayn Malik. And they've become a pair in school and even off-campus, maybe hooking up with him to influence him to run away as well."

Stone wrote the unrecognized name, putting a little question mark at the top.

"Has she told this Zayn person about what she's done?"

"No not everything; she's not an open book."

"Okay, I'll go look for this Zayn Malik. Any chance on where you think he's at?" Paxton murmured one last time, about to end the call.

"He works at the record shop east of the school. I can assure you that you will find some information there."

Author's Note:

Merry Christmas, y'all :) Here's a little chapter for you as a present. Lol vote and comment please! Hope you guys are having a wonderful day. Love you x

- Camille