Cat and Mouse [SEQUEL TO FRAGILE MINDS]

Data Entry 5

Down the steps, there was a cellar. Adrian turned on the crappy light and stared at the setup. It was clearly a hideaway for drug dealers. Smelled like it too. Maybe even a few sex workers. Adrian's phone vibrated, giving him updates on the news report for the Phantom Thief case. He looked at it, but nothing of interest. These idiots wouldn't know an interesting thing if it slapped them in the face with a truck. 

Adrian shoved his phone back into his pocket and looked around a bit. No one was actually here. Just the stench of what was. Do you know where the best place to hide is? Vincent grabbed Adrian's hand. 

"Plain sight," Blavat spoke. 

"What?" Adrian blinked. Vincent's imaginary figure replaced itself with Blavat holding his hand. 

"The best place to hide. Plain sight," Blavat gestured to the room. "This place is a setup. You expect to find people here and when you don't, you don't investigate further, Lau gets off with some minor warnings and that's that." Blavat pulled Adrian into the direction of the corner. He placed his hand on his chin and stared for a few seconds. "I sensed something over here but I'm really not good with puzzles," Blavat laughed awkwardly. 

Adrian stared down at his hand and snatched it away. He frowned and stared at the corner. If he found anything, it really must be a coincidence. Coincidences don't exist. Didn't I already tell you that? Vincent looked concerned. Is your memory leaving you now too? You missed something again. Perhaps you should stop covering your eyes.

"What do you plan on doing?" Blavat asked, kneeling down next to him. "When you find him, I mean. What are you going to do then?" 

"Smack him, probably, and then kiss him," Adrian replied without too much thought. 

"Just a kiss, hm?" 

"I don't see how this is any of your business," Adrian shot a glare. 

"You don't want to say anything specific?" 

"I've rehearsed the scene countless times in my head," Adrian placed his hand on the wall. "I've said dozens of things already in various different ways but once I find him all of that struggle is going to disappear. I'm sure of it. I'll just be so happy to see him again. To prove to him that he was wrong. To make him a liar." Adrian's voice choked up. He pressed the right brick and another door opened. 

"A liar?" Blavat blinked. "Did he lie to you?" 

"He said we'd never see each other again, I want to prove him wrong," Adrian stood up and walked through the door. 

"Were those his exact words?" 

"Do you live to press everyone's buttons?" Adrian walked a bit faster, trying to lose him. "His exact words were, 'This is the last time we will be seeing each other, but I want you to know I really did like you.'" 

"Maybe he just meant that the next time you see him, he won't be him?" Blavat crossed his arms and stared up at the ceiling. He stopped walking but Adrian never stopped. 

Adrian scoffed. "Who else would he be?" 

"I wonder," Blavat leaned up against the wall. "Who else would he be?" he repeated Adrian's question and then let out a little yelp as he fell into the wall. Adrian turned around and ran back, grabbing his hand to keep him from falling into whatever trap he'd found. 

"I thought you didn't like me," Blavat chuckled nervously. His hand gripping Adrian's tightly. Adrian reached out his other hand to grab his arm. 

"Contrary to popular belief, I don't kill people, I save them...or I did...try to help them, at least," Adrian mustered up his strength to try and pull Blavat up. When he did, he lay on the ground exhausted, Blavat lying down on top of him. 

"I really fucked things up, didn't I?" Blavat laughed at himself. 

"Try not to go falling for traps anymore." 

"But the myst-"

"Yes, yes, the mystery. I bet you're just dying to know what the afterlife is like too, right? Some mystery to be unsolved. I can throw you back down there if you'd like to solve Death's secrets." 

"I would not appreciate that very much," Blavat hugged Adrian. "It wasn't a very good experience."