Power Play

Chapter 25: Ryan

Chapter 25: Ryan

    Ryan wasn't quite sure how he should feel. He supposed he should feel scared or nervous, but still the prospect of death didn't bother him. Perhaps he should feel excited about being able to take down Vanning, but he didn't feel that either. Killing Vanning would feel like vengeance, yet he didn't think it would give him a sense of satisfaction. Still, that didn't deter him from the absolute belief that it was something he needed to do. In the end, either Vanning would kill him, or Vanning would die, or perhaps even both. All of those possible outcomes were acceptable to him. Foremost in his thoughts was Anne. He was doing this for her, yet somehow he doubted that she would approve.

    He was just thinking about how much he wished he could see her again as he walked into the lobby of his apartment building. And there he saw someone he didn't want to see. Carl Overtree was standing near the elevator. There was no question that he once again had to be waiting for Ryan.

    After a second's hesitation, Ryan walked over, his eyes fixed on the man. "What are you doing here, Carl?" he asked as he approached.

    "Good to see you too, friend," Carl remarked sarcastically. "Not even going to ask me how I found this place?"

    "Nope, you're too good of a detective for me to bother doing that," Ryan replied, evenly. "Which just leads back to the question of what you're doing here."

    "We need to talk," Carl said, before glancing over at the security guard near the door, who he'd probably gotten past by flashing his badge. "In private."

    Ryan hesitated another few seconds, just studying the man. Finally he gave a curt nod. "Follow me," was all he said as he walked past Carl and into the elevator, waiting for the man to step in as well before pressing the button for the fourth floor. It was only a minute later that they were stepping into his apartment, with Ryan closing the door behind them. "Alright, speak."

    "I've been doing some investigating, following your trail, so to speak. I want to know everything you know about the organization which refers to themselves as freaks, why some people hold such ridiculous superstitions about them, and what involvement they had in the death of Blaine McCormick, AKA Blaze," Carl said without hesitation.

    Ryan went cold, he literally felt a chill sweep through his entire body. How did he find out? Followed what trail? Who had he talked to when he'd been investigating... Vincent Carenzo wouldn't have talked, not to Carl. Ronald Kaven, he must've gotten to Rake. It wouldn't have gotten him much, but it would've gotten the word freaks, and what Carl referred to as "superstitions". Carl was the only one who even knew Rake's identity as his informant. Then who knew who else he'd talked to after that, once he'd had the word and gone looking into it. He clearly hadn't dug very deep yet, but if he went looking much further than he already had, if other freaks found out about it... Carl would be dead. They wouldn't hesitate. Vryce himself might deal with it, the way he'd been prepared to with Ryan.

    "Carl, you need to listen to me very carefully," Ryan said, his voice cold and intense. "Whatever you've learned you need to forget. You need to stop looking into this, stop digging. Not for my safety, but for your own."

    "You didn't, you obviously kept digging until you found them, found the truth," Carl stated firmly.