Chapter 2

Saying goodbye to the girls as Garret and Sayori left, the two began their trek home.

"So, how's everything going?" Sayori asked. "After what happened with Eddie, I-"

"That was months ago." Garret cut her off. His voice was filled with a bit of anger as he spoke. "Just... drop it. Please."

"I know Eddie was your idol, but-"

"What happened with him was some bullshit, alright." Garret boomed. "Dude never should'a lost his job cuz Carlton Drake got a stick up his ass."

Sayori agreed with a nod of her head.

"Besides, everything Eddie said was a hundred percent fact." Garret continued. "Drake is a massive-" he stopped to growl in frustration. "He's a bastard."

Sayori quickly fell silent.

"Sorry. I didn't know it was a sensitive subject. I just-"

"Mr. Styles?"

Garret and Sayori both stopped at the new voice. A woman in casual clothes approached the two. She was holding a briefcase and had glasses. Her dark hair was tied up in a ponytail.

"Yeah?" Garret crossed his arms.

"I am Dr. Skirth." She introduced herself. "May I speak with you privately for a moment?"

Garret glanced at Sayori before back to this Dr. Skirth woman.

"Regarding?"

"Eddie Brock and Carlton Drake." She answered.

Garret looked to Sayori again.

"I'll catch up."

Sayori hesitated before nodding.

"Okay."

Continuing home alone, Garret turned to Skirth.

"Let's walk and talk." Skirth suggested.

"Sure."

The two began walking down the street together.

"I'll keep this brief." Skirth said. "Everything Eddie accused Drake of, it's all true." Skirth began. "Drake is having all these poor people signing wavers they don't understand and all of them are dying. Each one."

Garret glanced at Skirth with an enormous amount of scepticism.

"Why're you telling me this?" Garret asked.

"Because you were studying under Eddie." Skirth replied. "I want to expose Drake. What he is doing is wrong."

"Expose Drake." Garret repeated. "Heh."

"I'm serious." Skirth told him. "This could help Eddie get his job back."

"Then why not go to Eddie directly?"

"I already did." Skirth told Garret. "He turned me down. Wouldn't even accept my business card. He told me 'I'm done with this shit. You want help? Go to my understudy.' So, I tracked you down."

"What exactly are you asking of me?"

Skirth stopped to look at Garret. After a moment, she lowered her tone to a whisper.

"Break into the Life Foundation. Get evidence." Skirth said. "Please."

"Oh, yeah, no. I'll just-" Garret stopped as Skirth held out a security pass for the Life Foundation. "Waltz right in... you work for the sonuvabitch?"

"Please." Skirth begged. "He's threatened my children."

Garret took a deep breath. Thinking it over for several minutes, Garret couldn't risk to screw this up. If this lady was legit, then it meant Eddie could get his career back and Drake gets put away for a very long time. However, if Garret were to mess this up, he could very well end up dead. And since this Skirth lady claims she has kids, he would need to make sure no harm comes to her or her family.

Groaning in frustration Garret looked Skirth in the eye.

"Fine. God damn it. Fine." Garret pushed his hair back. "But we'll do it so you aren't suspected. That way Drake won't target you or your kids."

"What do you have planned?"

"Alright. First, I'll 'steal' your security pass off you. It'll have to be in front of a camera so Drake thinks you aren't involved. After that, you should be fine and I'll handle the rest."

"Right. But-"

"If you're truly worried about you and your kids, your involvement in this has to be as minimal as possible." Garret told her. "All you have to do is let me steal your security pass. Once they check the cameras and see me snag it, all suspicions should clear on you. Call whoever you have to and explain you lost your card. Pin as much of the blame on me as possible."

"I don't think you understand how dangerous a man Drake is."

"I know how dangerous he is. That's why you're part in this is small." Garret said. "Now, I'll come to the Life Foundation tomorrow for the tour. Make sure you're carrying something. I'll knock them out of your hands and help you pick them back up. That's when I'll take your security pass. After that, I'll handle the rest."

Dr. Skirth nodded her head.

"Alright."

"Stick to the plan and never say a word about any of this to anyone." Garret added. "See you tomorrow, doc." Leaving Dr. Skirth in the road, Garret pulled his hood up and began heading for his apartment.

The following day

Walking with the tour group, Garret kept an eye out for Skirth. After roughly ten minutes, he spotted her walking their way, a bag over her shoulder.

"All right..." he said softly. "Showtime."

As Skirth went to walk by, Garret split from the group.

"Stay with the tour grou-"

"I'm just getting some water." Garret gestured to the water fountain on the wall. "Is-"

Bumping into Skirth, she dropped her bag as Garret began apologizing.

"I'm so sorry." Garret apologized. "Let me." As he knelt down for the bag, he saw Skirth's security pass on her hip. Handing her the bag, he placed a hand on her arm as he apologized again. But, as he did so, he detached the pass and swiftly put it in his pocket.

"It's fine." Skirth brushed him off.

Heading for the fountain, Garret glanced at the pass, smiling. After getting a drink, he glanced up at the security camera that was facing the group.

"Perfect."

After the tour, Skirth and Garret met up outside, blocks away from the Life Foundation.

"Alright." Garret said once the two confirmed they were alone. "What's the best route to this evidence of yours?"

Skirth began to explain.

Hours later

Long after the Life Foundation closed for the day, Garret, dressed in all black, quietly made his way to the entrance. With Skirth's layout of the building, Garret easily got through the weakest points undetected by cameras and personnel.

Using her keycard, Garret accessed the basement level. Stepping into the hall, Garret immediately saw rooms filled with people. Walking down the rows, Garret took pictures of everyone he saw. As he walked by one of the rooms, the person inside suddenly rushed to the glass. A woman.

"Help me! Help me!"

Seeing the look of pure terror in her eyes, Garret rushed to the door controls.

"I got it!" Garret told the woman.

Within a few short seconds, the door opened and alarms began to blare. As soon as the room opened, the woman pounced on Garret dragging him to the floor. Placing her hands around his throat, she began to squeeze, cutting off his air.

As Garret struggled, a black-goo like creature oozed out of the woman. Landing on Garret, unbeknownst to him, the goo then vanished into Garret's body.

Falling limp to the side, Garret pushed the woman off of him and quickly got to his feet.

"What the fuck!"

With the alarms blaring, Garret rushed out of the door. Sprinting into the corridor, two guards ran at him. Sliding under the first while tripping him, Garret launched himself at the second, kicking him in his chest. The force of the kick sent the man flying back down the hall. Hitting the concrete wall, the man fell and didn't get back up.

"Oh, shit." Garret winced. "I'm so-" before he could finish, some unknown force pushed him towards the exit. Bursting through the door with his shoulder, Garret took a second to get his surroundings before sprinting towards the fence. Jumping through it, Garret rolled down the hill, entering the woods.

The same unknown force as before pulled him to his feet as the Life Foundation guards caught up to him. Opening fire, Garret managed to not get hit as he dashed through the trees.

Coming to a halt as more guards, this time a few on a buggy, descended upon him, Garret suddenly jumped into a tree. Climbing up at an impossible speed, Garret stopped at the top.

Looking at the guards below, they couldn't figure out where he went.

Hours later

Making it back home, Garret, sweaty and starving, headed for the fridge as he dialed Eddie's number. Hearing it ring, it eventually went to voicemail as Garret pulled out leftover lasagna and milk.

"Hey, Eddie, it's Garret." Garret spoke as if he had just run a marathon. "I..." he paused to take a bite of his food. "I wahnted ta cahl beca-" he stopped to swallow. "Because I think I found a way to get your career back." Garret began to eat and drink the milk before pausing to speak. "Everything you said is true, and- ugh, listen; call me back when you get this, yeah? Call me back."

Garret hung up and began eating once more.

Afterwards, Garret went over to the couch and collapsed into it.

"Jesus... what a day."

End of chapter 2