Chapter 11

Years have passed. A lot has changed, the buildings, the environment, the people, this café, yet some things just never seems to go away.

"Want another?"

"takk" Being served by this young waitress who was only ten years old then instantly brought memories of that day when she entered that door as a customer with her parents.

"How can you drink this stuff?" Said the waitress before leaving.

That's funny. It's only coffee. Without sugar or cream, it does have a bitter taste. Drinking coffee in the afternoon is a bit weird too but what's funny is being reminded of those same words spoken by himself years ago to someone but that someone wasn't drinking coffee. That drink was bitter than black coffee and burned like chili.

"You didn't sleep?"

Is it because of the coffee or my face? It's just one night without shaving. It shouldn't be that noticeable. "Can you sleep?" She has makeup on so it's hard to tell but then again she has a good reason for not getting enough sleep. She's a single mother with the responsibility of a young child.

"Did you do it?"

Oh, this is why she wanted to meet for lunch. This is why she couldn't sleep.

"If you report it, it's your word against theirs. They won't admit it. They're going to do something to you."

She couldn't sleep because she's worried about me. It was shocking to hear what they did. At first, it sounds impossible but for those who had too much to drink, it's not. "So you believe him?" Is there a need to look around? There are others nearby but they're minding their own business. No one is sitting in the next table.

"I just don't think you should trust everything he said. He's…different. That might not be him."

Different? It's been years. Who hasn't changed? Besides, he has a good reason for failing to recognize us. "That is him."

"He told you?"

"No, but I know…it's him." It would be easy to prove if he had an ID with him but just because his name is different doesn't mean he's not. Just because he denied it doesn't mean he's not. He may look different but some things are hard to change. "Did you notice how he looked at you?"

"Did you notice all guys look at me the same way?"

True but not all guys. It's not just that though. "Did you know…the first time I saw him…was here?" She shouldn't since no one else knows. "He came in…alone…and he sat here, this seat." There was nothing special about him other than his face isn't familiar and he was walking behind a woman and her young daughter who's now working as a waitress here. "He was so…down…and lonely, just looking out the window." Everyone has one of those days where they just want to be left alone but it was also impossible not to think that he had other intentions other than to just sit by himself to enjoy a cup of coffee. He looked like an outsider but a tourist wouldn't be sitting by himself. "He looked like he had a lot of things on his mind." It was concerning. His behavior looked very familiar, like someone who's thinking of ending his life. "Then…that night..."

That night was supposed to be fun. First time at a night club, what could go wrong? It was dark, more darker than expected. It was loud. As loud as it was, others liked it. It's crowded, so crowded, body contact with strangers couldn't be avoided. It's odd because the women didn't seem to mind. Guys loved it. That was obvious.

"I went with Asta that night."

"just you and her?"

Yea. It was Asta's idea to show me around, just the two of us so other women wouldn't get the wrong idea. That was a bad idea, not just because it was difficult to tell who's gay and who's not, it didn't work out the way that she envisioned it. If we weren't alone, that jerk would not have the audacity to pick on her. Asta at Astur. Haha. He's so immature. His brain seemed to be stuck in sixth grade. "After he finished picking on her, he picked on me."

"You didn't?"

"If hitting him doesn't have any consequences, I would've. He bought me a drink to apologize."

"Ragnor apologized?"

Sounds impossible, right? That's because it is. He had a lot of things to apologize for but he never did. "He thought you were there. After I told him you're not, he wanted me to give him your number. I didn't give it to him." Letting her know is necessary in case she thinks I did even though that happened many years ago.

"Even if you did, why would he think I would want to talk to him?"

"You don't remember?" It was a long time ago. Maybe she doesn't. Maybe she chose not to since it no longer matters. "I told you someone saw Gunnar with another girl." That's the disadvantage of living in Iceland. It's difficult not to run into people you know but without specifics, without proof, it would be difficult to convince her. Whether it's true or not, she still should know but the outcome of that conversation didn't turn out as expected. "Then you yelled at me. You said I was jealous of you." Still, no recollection? That can happen. The one who got yelled at will always remember. The one who did the yelling never does especially her. She was wild then. She loved to be in control. She never backed down from an argument. She had the energy to turn a minor issue into a big one if necessary. That's her character. That's a result of getting tired of unwanted attention from despicable men who thought they could get away with touching her inappropriately in a crowded place. If she didn't have the looks of a celebrity, maybe she would be more like Asta who rather chose to leave to deal with an unwanted situation than confront it.

"Sorry"

Sorry? Wow. Never thought I would get that. Besides having a strong personality, she's not one who would easily admit she's wrong either.

"So what happened?" Ragnor is a bully so no doubt, he wouldn't have just let that go.

"He said he has proof but he would only send it to you. After I refused, he showed me a picture. I didn't know who Gunnar was with." It could be just a friend but he did say he had more convincing pictures and videos. "I was going to give him my number but then, he changed his mind. He said he would only give it to Asta but only if she dances with him." That night, the lighting was dim in the night club but no lights were needed to know what he was thinking, what he was thinking since high school. His intention was obvious.

"She didn't."

"Would you have?"

"Of course not."

That's what she says now but would she have years ago just to find out if her boyfriend is cheating on her? "She didn't." Asta didn't say she was willing either. It had nothing to do with her so for Ragnor to make that suggestion, there was only one reason. "He thought Asta was my girlfriend. That's why he said that."

"Wait…he didn't…know?"

Shocking, isn't it? If he didn't know, that means his buddies didn't either. After all those years being in the same high school with him, yet he didn't notice. Well, he is a self-absorbed jerk. Maybe having Asta as a friend was what kept him and everyone from thinking that I am different. Anyways. "After he realized it didn't work, he said he would give it to Asta only if I drank the drink he bought." Odd, right?

"What was it?"

"No idea, it was just a shot glass." Whatever it was, Asta didn't approve and insisted on leaving again.

"What color was it?"

"Don't remember." Does it matter though? "Whatever it was, it probably has a high alcohol content. He probably wanted to get me drunk."

"Sso…did you…drink it?"

"What do you think?" She's shrugging. "Really? You think I'm that dumb."

"Well, you were young then."

That's true. I was young then but that's an illogical reason. "I'm only younger than you by 2 minutes."

"I meant you're inexperienced. You didn't even know what was in it."

True. That was my first time in a night club, without any experience in that type of drink. But just one shot won't kill me. If he changes his mind and wants me to drink another, then I'll just stop. That was the plan until this stranger accidentally bumped into me and knocked the glass shot over. He wasn't very drunk but did appear to have too much to drink but not to the point where he didn't know what he did. "He apologized, then bought shots for all of us."

"He?"

"Yes, it was him." What happened next was absolutely crazy. He didn't force anyone to drink it but somehow he managed to get Ragnor and his two buddies to drink one shot after another and another. It first started off with a dare, then it eventually turned into a bet. Would they have continued to drink if money wasn't involved? Maybe, just to prove how tough they are. "They drank so much, they had to go to the bathroom to vomit." This might not be the right time to bring that up since it is lunch time but that moment was hilarious. "He said there could be something in that shot." It might only be a guess but that did sound possible after he mentioned it but that's not the only reason that caused him to interfere. Ragnor's motive was obvious until he explained that Ragnor could be trying to steal personal data. All it would take is a virus. Ragnor might not know how to make it happen but he might know someone who does. "Ragnor was lying, he didn't have any proof." Surprised? I was too when I found out two days later in this same café. Somehow he took Ragnor's phone without anyone knowing that night. He might not have admitted to stealing but how else would he have known that the picture was fake if he didn't?

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I told you I didn't have any proof. Don't you remember?"

"I don't mean that, I meant…is that why Asta is into him?"

Oh…haha. Poor Asta did have a crush on him from that night but was unable to get his attention no matter what she did. Maybe he's gay. That's what Asta said. Obviously, she didn't notice the way he looked at other women that night in the club otherwise she wouldn't have said that.

"Is that why she hates me?"

"She doesn't hate you. She just doesn't like you." Yes, there's a difference. "Well, you weren't very likeable, you know, you never paid any attention to her." She should know her demeanor years ago made her unapproachable. That was her way to fend off unwanted attention from guys. It worked with women too.

"I…" Seeing his hand signal, she didn't continue and instead turned around to see who he's looking at. What's up?

"Did you get my message?"

Obviously not. Whatever it is must be confidential since she's whispering into Ein's ear. Whatever it is, it must be urgent. Back to work already? "Where are we going?"

"Hurry"

He better stop saying that before the taxi driver gets pissed since he already said that multiple times 20 minutes ago. He better stop looking behind him because that would only cause the taxi driver to become suspicious.

"Do you need to go to the bathroom?" Lucy asked.

Hope he gets the hint to stop behaving like a criminal on the run. It's normal to be anxious but it's inappropriate to do so when there are others around. No one else is acting this way, although Holly is acting abnormally quiet which is understandable for someone who has never seen that type of situation. First time is always difficult but she should also know why Niki did it.

"You okay?"

Holly doesn't look like she wants to vomit but if she needs to, she better say it now. Maybe some fresh air will help. Here you go. Just a slit. It's cold out.

"You need a bag?" I don't have any but maybe the taxi driver does. Oh, he does. He's prepared. That's good. Oh. Is she smirking behind the mask? With those eyebrows raised, she appears to be, not Holly but Niki who obviously feels much better than last night. Who knew the threats that came out of her mouth weren't just words. This isn't the appropriate time to ask but she probably knows what's coming.

"Where you going?"

There he goes again, causing the taxi driver to think that there is something wrong with him. He's obviously going to the gas station so calm the fuck down. It seems that Niki agrees since she got out of the vehicle to have a talk with him as soon as the vehicle came to a full stop. Where is she going? Wherever Holly is going, it seems that she no longer cares what Niki thinks since she just left without telling her. Bathroom? Maybe she needs a drink. Okay, let's see what the store has. Nothing special. Looks familiar but it is just a regular gas station with a convenience store. No past memories pop up except for the disgusting men's restroom. Yuck! Thank goodness nature isn't calling. The fake beard and everything else are still in place. Good to go.

Twenty more minutes to go. Looks like Niki had a good chat with his bodyguard slash follower. He seems fine now, no longer looking around, just facing the front like a normal passenger. But this is not normal. No one is talking! We're tourists. We should be talking about the scenery or something. Jesus Christ. Is this their first time? Don't they know...

This time, Niki's bodyguard has a good reason to turn around. The sound can be heard with all the windows closed. It's hard not to. It's coming closer and closer. Shit. This isn't the time to say I told you so but most likely, Niki already knows the mistake she made. Not everyone is as logical as she thinks. Crazies are everywhere. Doesn't she know that? Oh, now she's scared. Her brows knitting together shows.

"What are you doing?"

Again? Idiot. What do you expect him to do? Drive pass the police car? Don't even think about threatening him. He didn't but he is looking at Niki for instructions. Obviously, she doesn't have a Plan B either. Well, don't look at me. This is not my fault. Oh great. Now the taxi driver is leaving, obviously realizing it would be safer outside, away from us.

"What do we do?"

Jesus. Lucy quickly made the shush sign. "We wait" The taxi driver might be outside of the vehicle but it doesn't mean there are no listening devices in here. Maybe the police car isn't here for us. Maybe the taxi driver has an expired plate. Maybe it's for him. Maybe… "oh…sheet" He's here for us.

"Please come out."

"We're in a hurry." Lucy responded but knew it wouldn't work.

"I just need to talk to you."

More talking? "We're really in a hurry. We're going to miss our flight." What? Jesus. Don't everyone look at me all at once. Even Holly is looking. Got any better ideas, speak up now.

"I'll take you there."

Really? That's odd. That's hard to believe. "Okay, okay, I can get out myself." Lucy made a 'keep quiet' signal with her lips towards Niki before getting out. Hope she gets it. There's no need to kill anyone so hopefully she doesn't make this into a bigger situation, not yet anyways. First, find out what he knows. No handcuffs? He's not wearing a police uniform so maybe he doesn't have one on him. It doesn't mean he's not going to use it later. Whatever he's thinking, it's clear he doesn't want anyone else to know. He's really going to the airport? It seems that way since that's what he told the taxi driver.

"What are you doing?"

What am I doing? That's an odd question. "I'm…going to the airport." What? Oh, those eyes look pissed. Oh, he knows what happened to his friends.

"Get in."

"Okay, please don't taze me." Oh, his sister is here too? She looks pissed too. Better not say anything then until it's necessary. Car is moving so that's good. Taxi is following so that's good too.

"Give me back my phone."

Huh? Did he really expect me to have it? "I…threw it away."

"What!"

Oh, that's not good. He may be driving, his face may be half covered but his tone can't be misinterpreted.

"You gave him your phone?"

Oh, she thinks he's nuts too.

"I wanted him to see the pictures. Did you see them?"

"You kept pictures?"

Oh, she definitely thinks he's nuts. Who does that, right? Anyone who's in love, I guess. Most guys don't but gay guys do, I guess. Does she know he's into me? Does she know he's gay? If she does, then she shouldn't be surprised. Actually, she looks upset.

"Now do you believe me?"

Should I say no? Would they taze me again? They're just pictures. So what if the one in the pictures look like me but that doesn't mean he's me. Like Scud said, guys with beards look alike. Doppelgangers exist. There are over 7 billion people. "I reset the phone before I broke it so you don't have to worry about anyone getting access to it." How's that? Diverting the question sometimes works. "How did you find me?" Without his phone, he can't track me. Maybe he knows the hotel staff. It's the same hotel, just different room, Niki's stupid idea. "oh, you have someone following him." No one is denying it so that must mean it's true. "You set the fire alarm?" It might not be them but it could be someone they know. They did appear at the right time last night. They did let me go but did he really expect me to get a ride from a guy named Olav? Even if he is with the law enforcement which he didn't disclose last night, he should know how difficult it is for anyone to trust him. "Are you a cop too?" What? It's a logical question. Okay, guess not. She's looking at me like I'm crazy. I should just stop talking. Fine. As long as the destination is the airport not the police station, that's fine. Thank goodness the ride didn't take long. The silence inside the car felt a bit weird. Thank goodness he kept his promise but why are we parking here? Drop off is over there. Oh geez, more talking.

"He's him, only he would…he just can't remember."

Only he would what? That's not a question. He's not speaking to me so…

"Don't…ever come back again."

Whoa. Is that a command? Sheesh. Since when did Iceland make her the President? I can come and go whenever I want. That's not appropriate to say right now. It would be better to just leave. But why is he still following? "Is there something else you want to say?" Maybe he does and just can't say it in front of his sister which reminds me. "You're not infected, are you? Tell me if you are so I"

"I'm not. Sorry"

Apology not accepted even if it's just a hug and a kiss on my head. He deserves a punch but doing that now would only attract the attention of the airport security so not a good idea. Love makes people do crazy things, I guess. Maybe this is what he wants to talk about. "Look, I'm not going to tell anyone what you did." There's nothing wrong with being gay but his coworkers in the police force might not see it that way. "I'm not going to tell anyone what your friends did, so just let's pretend we've never met." Tazing others for his own personal reason is against the law. He should know if word gets out, he could be fired along with his bastard coworkers who deserve prison time. Most people would agree; they crossed the line. He might not be as corrupted as they are but last night showed that he too wouldn't abide by the law when necessary.

"I'm sorry."

Another apology? Okay then. There's no need to make any more threats. "You seem like a good guy. It's none of my business but does your sister know? I think you should tell her." Hate to see anyone live thru life like Nadia did. What's so funny?

"You haven't changed."

"hm?" Whatever that means, it's no longer important because that bastard just came in. How the hell does he know? Having a job with the law enforcement has its advantages. Whatever he's thinking of doing doesn't look good. He may be a cop, but he's a delusional one who is obviously stupid and impulsive because why else would he still be here? "Go tell him I'm not the guy. If he keeps this up, he's going to lose more than just his job." Why isn't he moving? "Go" Does he think that bastard is here to say goodbye? God, I hope he's not carrying a gun. Shit. It's now necessary to give Niki a hand signal to disperse. Hello? Don't just stand there. Hide! Apparently, they didn't see the sicko psycho. Okay, Holly got it. Standing in the open is definitely not a good idea. Who knows what he would do. Behind the vending machine would be better. There aren't that many people so hopefully he can come to his senses. Looks like he's listening. He better. He should know his life can easily be destroyed if he…"crazy bastard" He's not holding a gun but that doesn't mean he doesn't have one. It could be inside his jacket. It could be tucked behind him. He might just be smart enough not to pull it out now. There are security guards around but would they able to control him? Oh, she's here. Whatever she's saying to him, it seems to be working. He's following her to the side. It would be better to get him out of here. Ein couldn't but maybe she can get thru to him…or maybe not. Well, at least, she got him to stay put. He better. Oh, she looks pissed. Can't see her whole face but the way she walks shows. Those eyes, coming close, shows.

"What did you do?"

What did I do? Bastard is obviously lying. "What did he say?"

"Stop…answering my question with a question."

Fine. "I didn't do anything. He did. He won't leave us alone." It's true. It was Niki. Her stupid idea to stay in the same hotel is also the her brilliant plan to get revenge. Somehow she knew he wouldn't give up. His baldy buddy wasn't there but even if he was, he too would have been immobilized just like him and his other perv buddy.

"Did you do it?"

Oh, he told her? "Would he still be walking if I did?" Oops, a question again. That can't be controlled. Explanation is now necessary since he's blaming me for everything. "He's exaggerating." Just a small circumcision. It was gross. Holly couldn't get herself to look. Niki's helper did but he panicked after finding out he's a cop. It was Niki's way of showing everyone what she's capable of. That includes me. "Did he tell you what he did?" Most likely, he denied it. Without proof, of course he would. "He should be thanking me that's all they did." She's a woman herself. She should agree unless she believed him.

"Give it to me?"

"Give you what?" Oops, there is it again. That's her fault for not being specific. That's because it's strange that he would ask for it. Doesn't he know how easy it is to make a copy? Doesn't he know how easy it is to let the whole world know? "I don't have it and don't bother. They're not going to give it to him. As long as he leaves us alone, no one else will know." That's what he gets for messing with the wrong people. Is that a sigh? c'mon, why so frustrated? "All he has to do is walk away. Tell him we're leaving. If you want to tell him we deleted it, then go ahead, he would feel better, but also let him know…oww" The slap on the face couldn't be avoided. She's standing too close.

"That's for sleeping with his wife. He would feel better."

True, this would make him feel better but "I didn't…oww" Another face slap was too quick to avoid. He's probably smiling now.

"That's for not being able to remember."

"but I had an accident…owww" A hit in the upper chest is hard to avoid.

"That's for breaking Asta's heart."

"Who?...ow, ow, ow" Taking more steps back to avoid the hits is now necessary.

"That's for Ein."

"What? What did I do? It's not my fault he's…ow" Maybe I should just stop talking. How long does she want to keep this up?..."What?" Letting her continue is no longer an option after hearing her next reason. Half of her face is still covered but those watery eyes are difficult to ignore. Ohhh…shitt. No wonder she hates me. It's not difficult to believe. Even as a mother now, she still looks pretty hot. Any man would be attracted to her. Any man would flirt with her, any man who's not like her brother. "Is that...all he did?...ow, ow, ow" It's a reasonable question. That's obviously a no. There's no more room to back up to. It's now necessary to take control. OWw. That hurts! Pulling her closer was definitely the wrong move. That was a hard slap. The mask came off. Shiiit. Standing against the wall and vending machine couldn't block others from noticing. Now a security guard noticed. Now he's coming. You're going to get me into so much tr …."mmm"

With her head being held, Lucy didn't pull back and instead let it happen. Her eyelids closed but not all the way, just enough to notice that others are still watching. Continuing with the deep kiss is certainly not going to make them look away but it's necessary. This is ssso wrong but effective. The security guard is still there but standing still from fifteen feet away.