Chapter 38
Ryan smiled when he walked into his office, he didn't expect to see the pile of yellow files on his desk the moment he walked in. Clearly the agents got right into it when he asked them to have the information on Bryan Lin ready by today. He took a seat behind his desk and started reading through each of the files. It took him about a little more than an hour to get through all those files, making notes of his own as he went along. Once he was finished he presented some of the information in a nutshell to Maranda, Liam and some of the other Special Agents before they called another meeting downstairs in the boardroom to discuss the new plan of action. "Good morning everyone, thank you for making work of the tasks given to you yesterday, I read through it and this seems to be a much bigger deal than we've expected." Ryan said standing in front of the group. "I just got off the phone with a CI and they've got a location on Bryan Lin. Gear up and let's meet downstairs , so we can get to his apartment.
They got to the front door and heard someone screaming inside. Liam kicked it open and walked in as the rest followed. They check the rooms to see if anyone is there but the house was empty except for the screaming, which led them to the bathroom as they followed the voice of the person screaming. "Bryan Lin drop the gun!" Ryan said as Bryan sat in the bathtub screaming with his back turned towards them swaying back and forth. They all stood in the doorway weapons pointed towards Bryan and he turned around slowly, knife wounds across his arms and blood rushing from all the lines he cut across his fore arms. "Who are you? Get away from me, you're part of them. I know they sent you." Bryan screaming refusing to put the gun down, pointing it towards them while the blood continued to soak his grey t-shirt as it runs down his arms. "Bryan listen to me, we're getting you help but I need you to calm down and drop the gun." Ryan said walking towards him slowly before he dropped the gun on the floor. "The monsters, they were under my skin and I had to cut myself open so I could let them out." Bryan said panting when he saw the look on their faces as they looked at his bloodstained arms. He stepped out of the tub and dropped to his knees as they cuffed him while Nimah called the medics to come assist him. The rest of the team went ahead and searched his apartment.
On the table they found a Ziploc bag filled with small off white tablets that resembled the butter they saw on one of the evidence pictures. "Looks like he was getting high on his own supply." Caleb said holding up the bag. They waited and searched around until the medics showed up and they went back to the office to try and work out the case. They had to wait 24 hours before the medics would be able to get his bloodwork done and send it back to the FBI offices so they didn't really have much to work on. They also weren't allowed to question him immediately so basically their hands were cut off at the moment. All they could do was wait, and time wasn't really on their side right now. "All right guys, seems like we've done all we could for today, hopefully by tomorrow or the day after we'll be able to get to the bottom of this. Good work getting this far." Ryan said walking of the room. Frustrated that they didn't make enough progress like he thought they would.
When it was time to leave Alex wondered if Ryan's mood has changed as she walked out of the building waiting for him so they can drive home. They still had to pack their stuff so they can load the van in the morning and start unpacking within the next two days. Ryan came out talking with Liam which looked like a really heated conversation and it made Alex worry even more seeing the frown on her husband's face as Liam walked away. Don't get involved, Alex she said to herself mentally as he got behind the wheel. They drove home in silence only the radio playing in the background. "Did you invite people over?" Ryan asked as he pulled up to the apartment and saw three cars standing in the driveway. "No. I didn't." She answered getting out recognizing all three cars.
Nimah, Clive, Natalie, Quade, Shelby and Caleb were sitting in the hallway legs stretched out in front of them chatting. "It's about time you two show up!" Shelby said looking up at Ryan and Alex's shocked faces. "Uhhhmm okay. What are you guys doing here?' Alex asked still uncertain as to why all of them were there. "We're helping you guys pack. You're still moving tomorrow right?" Nimah said confirming that their information was correct. Alex couldn't help but smile at the gesture of their friends. "Thank you guys." Alex said smiling and they all stood up. "Come inside, before all of you leave when you see how much packing we need to do in one night." Ryan said as he unlocks the door so their friends can enter.
"Natalie aren't you gonna introduce us to the gentleman?" Alex asks looking over at the guy standing next to her. "Oh yeah, this is Quade, my uuhhh friend. Quade this is my crew." Natalie said awkwardly as Ryan and Alex shook hands with him. They got the boxes out of the car and the girls moved upstairs to start packing up there while the guys got busy packing in the kitchen. "Nats. Your friend huh?" Alex said sitting on the bed with her legs crossed waiting for Natalie to start telling them about what's going on between the two of them. "Yes, we've been seeing each other for about two months now and that's all there is to say for now." Natalie answered turning her back while looking around the room for something she can busy herself with. "No no no sneaky dickens. You've been dating for two months and we're only meeting him now?" Niamh asked laying at the foot of the bed while Alex and Shelby sit with their backs pressed against the headboard. Natalie was forced to tell them exactly what went down and how the two of them met.
Ryan entered an hour later and found the four of them still sitting on the bed talking, and nothing in the room was packed yet. "We're really gonna start working now." Natalie said when Ryan peeked his head around the door looking at them. "I didn't say anything." he said putting his hands up in surrender. "We're heading out to buy something to eat, anything in particular you guys want?" He questioned looking at the four of them. "Pizza." All four of them answered in unison as the guys went to go get the food. "We really need to get working now." Shelby said as she is the first one off the bed, assembling the box into a 3D square, while packing up the things on the dressing table. The others spread out moving into the guest bedroom and the bathroom doing their bit to help their friends until dinner arrived.
At 22:45PM the last box were sealed and stacked in the living room floor. They looked around the apartment happy and sad at the same time, but also tremendously grateful for their friends who came over to help them. Because if it was just Alex and Ryan they probably would've still been busy. They said their goodbyes and thanked them for coming over, before heading back inside once the last car drove off.
Alex stood in the middle of the living room. The floor stacked with boxes turning around slowly to get one last glance at their apartment they've been living in for almost 4 years. Ryan came over to her after he locked the door, kissing the top of her head. "This is it huh." He said resting his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her. "Yeah, sad and exciting." Alex answered turning to give him an amorous hug before heading upstairs. Ready to call it a day.
I feel like this isn't one of the best chapters and that it could've been better. Hope you enjoy the read. Lovies-S