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October 31st, 2011

Moon Phase - Waxing Crescent

As the time arrived for his friend to leave that night, Alex slipped outside to check once again for any sign of Shane. The lot across the street was clear of any hint of him, though the breezes hadn't changed their direction. He then checked the backyard. It was a stretch, since he'd heard plenty of noises from outside between moments of gaming, but Shane had already jumped the fence once.

The area behind the garage and the tops of the planks proved clean of his scent, and the dirt wasn't disturbed. If Shane had been observing him, he'd been smart enough to stay a good distance away.

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

Moon Phase - Waxing Crescent

As he sat waiting for his second class to begin the next day, Alex heard his phone sound the IM tone. When he checked the message, despite it being so short he could read the whole thing without unlocking his phone, seeing Catherine as the sender sent a chill of surprise through him.

Catherine W.: Hey.

At first, Alex was lost on what to say in response, then his suspicions about Marcus's visit returned. Was what he told him the reason why she was texting him?

After a minute, Alex began typing.

Alex S.: Hey. Everything okay?

As he waited for her reply, he found it hard to fully focus on the novel in his hands. The tone came a few minutes later.

Catherine W.: Somewhat. Grandfather passed.

Oh... Yeah, that would keep her quiet for a while.

Alex S.: Sorry to hear that. My condolences.

Catherine W.: Thanks.

Catherine's follow-up text took a minute to come in.

Catherine W.: Didn't mean to worry you.

Thought so.

Alex S.: I had a feeling something was up.

Was just hoping the cause wasn't me.

Catherine W.: No, and I appreciate you driving off that thief.

Alex felt a twinge of guilt at the thought of continuing to hide the details from his friend.

Alex S.: Thanks.

Wasn't about to let him get away with that.

No texts came after that.

* * *

Later that evening, as Alex's thoughts drifted to Shane and his family again, he found himself recalling the plea he made last time. If his father could help him with being a werewolf.

With his supposed phone number stored, he had a direct line to him...but what if he didn't want to talk over a phone because of the job he had? Or what if Shane had lied to him and the number was actually to his phone?

Alex held his phone for a while as the questions came and went. All he needed was one text to get things going. Just one...

After he began typing, he sat on the initial message for a minute, his mind tugging him between sending it and scrapping it. He didn't want to leave any hints of what he wanted until he was sure. Eventually, he erased the text and rewrote it, hesitating for another minute before forcing himself to send it.

Alex S.: Do you have a minute?

Alex exhaled as he turned off his phone and set it aside. Nothing left to do besides...

His phone sounded the message tone less than five seconds later, making him jump a bit. Like Catherine's initial text, Alex could read it without unlocking his phone.

Shane's Dad: Is something wrong?

Why would he start with that? After a moment, Alex ignored that question and typed his response.

Alex S.: Just wanted to know:

When could I talk to you, without Shane around?

Shane's Dad: In person?

Alex S.: Yeah.

Shane's Dad: I'm assuming not in the house also.

Alex S.: If possible.

Shane's Dad: Well, I work full days from late morning

to early evening, so it would have to be after I end my shift.

Would Friday work? I know my son has plans that night.

Alex thought to Nathan's coming session after reading the message. The game had stopped at 8:30 last time...

Alex S.: If after 8:00 works.

The response he got after what felt like minutes relieved a bit of his worries.

Shane's Dad: It will. Do you know where you want to meet?

The seconds slipped past him as Alex tried to think of a good place. Before he could text back and say he wasn't sure, Shane's father continued.

Shane's Dad.: Think it over, then text me the location.

Alex S.: Thanks.

Once his phone was set aside, Alex thought over his answer. Blue Moon wouldn't be busy that late at night, but if his boss was working, there was the risk that he would hear what was being said. For a moment, Alex thought of meeting at Nathan's house, only to shake the idea out of his head. If Nathan was holding the game on campus again, asking him to stay until Shane's father could come would achieve the same ends.

For a while, Alex couldn't see anything too wrong with the idea. The campus was a public place, with plenty of spots to talk that would be out of earshot of others. Plus, Nathan hadn't shown too extreme an emotion with anything related to Shane's family.

But then came his suspicions about how Nathan might react to such a request.

What if he accepted, then started demanding answers if he heard something that bothered him? How would Shane's father react to that? Alex tried to downplay the idea by reminding himself that it was Shane's fault this had happened, but then he remembered Angela. None of his friends knew her body had been stolen from the morgue that night.

No, he probably won't bring that up. Guilt twinged in Alex's stomach at that thought. Was it worth the risk? He'd handled Shane's family alone already, twice. The removal of their house and Shane from the equation could only make things easier.

Another few minutes passed before he thought better of getting Nathan involved, and his phone was turned on again.

Alex S.: How about the U of H campus near First Colony?

I'll be there late that night.

Shane's father responded within a minute.

Shane's Dad: That works. I'll meet you there at 8.

Alex thanked him, then pocketed his phone.

Friday, November 3rd, 2011

Moon Phase - First Quarter

Time Until The Shift - 6 Days, 12 Hours

By mid-afternoon Friday, Alex's gut had been tensing for the better part of an hour. He had several questions ready to go for when Shane's father came, but when he thought about what he might be told when they were presented, the tension built a bit more.

A few easy breaths every so often barely helped, though he was glad Nathan had yet to notice anything untoward. "One of the guys said he'll be a bit late," his friend said after putting his phone down. One of the other players nodded at the news while the rest kept their attention on their rulebooks, character sheets or phones.

Alex meanwhile was trying to refocus on the game; they had stopped the previous game in the middle of an investigation. After a while, he slipped back into thinking more about the game and how he could assist the other players, though when attention was drawn to him, he could feel his mostly quelled anxiety start to resurface.

When a break was called sometime later, Alex took the opportunity to slip away for a minute. His gut wasn't as tense anymore by then, but he still refrained from buying anything bigger than snack-sized.

Then came 6:30, when Nathan began to pull the session to a close. "Alright, so...you've all found the location where the stolen objects are being stashed." He took a moment to check his notes and write something down. "Anyone want to ready a spell, set up a ward, or anything else before we wrap things up?"

"Uh..." Alex began, stalling when he felt the other players focus on him, "I'll take point, watch for anyone coming."

"Me too," said the player sitting across from him. "Something tells me we're not completely safe here."

"Alright. Anything else?" Nathan waited a few seconds before continuing. "Then, we're done. Thanks for coming, everyone."

After replying in kind to his friend, Alex sat quietly and skimmed the changes to his character sheet. "Think I'll hang around the campus computer lab or something for a while before I leave," he said after all the other players had left.

"Alright. Later then." Nathan said before offering a hand to shake.

After his friend was out of sight, Alex headed upstairs to a find a quiet spot. Most of the campus was empty, save for the handful of evening classes, making it easy to find a spot where no noise would reach him. Once he'd found one, he settled down, took a few easy breaths, and spent a few minutes thinking about other things he could ask of Shane's father. When he felt the tension returning, he took a breath and reminded himself: He'd meet this guy before. He knew what he was like at this point, and Shane wasn't a factor this time. So long as he answered what questions he had, put to rest what concerns he had left, that was all he cared about.

The last hour passed slower than he wanted, though it gave him the time to focus his thoughts. After gathering his stuff, and readying his phone, Alex made for the closest stairwell and leaned against the railing.

What should I ask him first?

While he was deciding, he heard his phone sound the IM tone.

Shane's Dad: I'm here. Which building?