Part 57 (1/2)
Jordan finished his first slice, wiped his mouth off, and asked Nick what sort of power he'd want to have if he could have any ability at all.
Nick only told them he didn't have any idea.
”I'd want something cool like that guy from London.” He stopped to recall his name but failed to do so.
”It's Ilion,” Drake filled in.
”Who?” asked Nick.
”He's London's newest hero,” Jordan reported. ”He can fly, manipulate fire, and lots more.”
”Oh...”
”You don't watch the news that much, do you?” Jordan asked.
Nick frowned, ”Not really, I'm too busy with work,” he said as he resumed their game.
”What is it that you do again?” Jordan asked.
Nick told him he worked at a department store in Mukilteo.
They returned to their game for a short while before they grew tired of it and decided to simply watch a movie and talk. Drake elected that they watch the Seven Samurai, which was one of his favorites. Jordan whined at first, but once Drake told him it was a samurai film he kept his mouth shut; Nick didn't utter a word of disagreement.
Jordan couldn't withstand the uncomfortable silence, got up from his seat, and wandered around and examined Drake's living room. ”Do you still collect those sweet plastic robot models?” he asked Drake.
He nodded, (though Jordan couldn't see him), ”I do, why?”
”No reason.” He looked around the room and noted that nothing changed since Drake's father died. ”Why don't you display them out here or something?”
”Because I hate having to explain the differences between all of them and what their respective anime series are,” Drake told him. ”Besides, it'd make this house look like my bedroom and I like the decor how it is now.”
Jordan shrugged and muttered, ”I'd redecorate if I was you.”
”You're not though.”
”True.”
Drake watched his friend wander around and told him to take a seat. ”You're distracting me.”
”Haven't you seen this a dozen times already?”
”Yes, but it's a cla.s.sic nonetheless.”
Jordan reclaimed his spot on the couch and only kept quiet for a moment before he started up another conversation with Nick about his work. As much as Nick wanted to sit quietly and simply watch the movie, he knew Jordan wouldn't let him.
”It's fine.”
”What do you spend all of that money on anyway?”
”Groceries and gas mostly,” he told him.
Jordan apologized and said he wasn't thinking.
”It's okay.”
They watched a short scene before Jordan asked when the last time either of them spoke to Ian was. Drake and Nick exchanged exasperated looks and told him to relax and watch the movie. It took Jordan two more sodas, half of his pizza, and a few pills he popped without the others' knowledge before he managed to do so. Drake felt the movie was a poor idea, as Nick and Jordan were not overly interested in it. Drake wanted things to remain as they were before Ian left, but he knew that time in their lives was over.
Drake sighed and asked his friends how school was for each of them.
Chapter 22.
September 22nd, 2029 10:49 PM.
London, England Suzy Castell stood in the background of a nearly vacant stage with a well-worn copy of a loose adaption of Franny and Zooey. There were only a few actual parts in the entire play and she was somehow fortunate enough to portray Franny, though she imagined it was simply because out of all the ladies who auditioned, she was not only the right size for the part, but she knew how to smoke about as much as Franny did in the novel. Suzy was also a closet Salinger fan and read the novel her instructor formed his play around four times prior to signing up for the production. However, she felt out of place and unnecessary onstage, as the rehearsal for the evening focused around Zooey and his mother's discussion during his bath; Franny wasn't a part of the act.
”Well, since we've just finished the second act I'd say we can call it a night,” the director called out. ”We'll pick things up tomorrow and really focus on how we're going to set the stage. So actors, please keep practicing your lines, and as for all of my engineers, we'll talk tomorrow afternoon. Good night everyone, and keep up the good work.”
Suzy only rolled her eyes and stowed away her script in favor of her carton of cigarettes. She lit it and took a drag before heading for the door. She stopped however, when she came across a familiar face. ”Jason? What are you doing here?”
He smiled and admitted he wasn't there for the performance. ”I have a few questions and I wasn't sure I would have been able to ask them at dinner the other night.”
Suzy kept her cigarette between her lips for a moment and tried to read his expression before she relented and asked him to follow her. She took her bag from one of the nearby seats and led him out into the chilly night.
Jason scanned the area and cleared his throat. ”What play was that?”
”It's not really a play at all,” she started. ”My professor just thinks he's brilliant and wanted to disgrace something he loves.”
”Excuse me?”
Suzy shook her head and told him to forget about it. ”Is Audrey here with you?”
”No, she's back home putting the finis.h.i.+ng touches on one of her projects.”
”Then are you trying to hide this from her?” she questioned him. Suzy took a step in front of him, turned on heel, and looked him straight in the eye. ”You're not keeping something from my sister are you Jason?”
”It's” he paused for a moment and glanced away from her. ”It's nothing like that Suzy. Listen,” he shook his head and forced himself to focus on their discussion. ”This is about those girls you said were missing, kidnapped. I hoped I might get some more information from you.”
Suzy dragged on her cigarette once more before she dropped the remainder on the tarmac walkway beneath her feet. She didn't bother to stamp it out. ”Why are you so interested in this Jason? What compelled you to drive out here on your own to ask me rather than just read the papers or the story online?”
Jason took a shallow breath and tried to compose his response, though Suzy immediately recognized his faade and told him to be truthful. He let out a breath and told her to walk with him. Jason continued to glance around for a quick minute until he seemed certain they were alone, and then he began, ”What you said about the two girls missing seemed to resonate with other kidnappings and killings in Richmond. I have looked into things, at least as far back as I can trace the murders, though all I've managed to find is that there have been four abductions which eventually led to someone locating a mutilated corpse. The first was an accountant named Edward Park who turned up in Ham missing a liter of blood with only a few minor wounds to his skin. There are a few theories that the blood was surgically removed. This was on the eighteenth of August. Emma Thompson went missing on the seventeenth and was discovered on the twenty-first, missing a kilogram of skin, mainly taken from her back, which was also surgically removed. Emma Thompson was located near the Munic.i.p.al Offices in Twickenham. And then there was a lull,” he continued. ”The next abduction wasn't until the thirty-first of August. Her name was Jeanette Smith and she wasn't found until September third.”
”And she was missing her lips and tongue,” Suzy finished. ”I heard about that one from a friend. What are you getting at Jason?”
He hesitated momentarily and told her he believed he'd found a trail that could lead to the killer. ”He's been working his way through Richmond and I believe he's here somewhere in Roehampton.”