Chapter 17: Brotherly Encounter and Noted Absences
It was exactly 11:10 AM on Thursday when Léo, with his bag of warm pancakes, surprised Joey in the alley beside the library.
Joey's heart leaped like a startled bird, and the blood drained from his face.
His social phobia screamed internally; being caught red-handed, especially by his curious and outgoing brother, was one of his worst nightmares.
All his carefully constructed anonymity felt shattered.
"Léo! W-what are you doing here?" Joey stammered, instinctively backing away, his body language betraying his urge to hide whatever Léo might have seen.
He often hesitated and struggled to speak when not comfortable, and this was far beyond uncomfortable.
Léo raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile starting to form on his lips. "I should be asking you that! I came to buy pancakes at the corner bakery. But what about you? Making a cultural visit to the library under renovation on a Saturday morning? And why in the back alley?"
(Joey internally flinched at "Saturday"—was Léo confused or just teasing? Or was he losing track? The added layer of disorientation didn't help his racing thoughts.)
He glanced at the spot where Joey had been moments before. "Looking for the 'elf' too, little brother?"
Joey's mind raced for a plausible excuse, his thoughts a jumbled mess. He preferred people not to know what he was thinking, and now he was on the spot.
"No! I was just... looking for... a shortcut. To... to nowhere."
The excuse sounded pathetic even to his own ears, his inner critic agreeing with how foolish he must appear.
"Shortcut to nowhere, in the alley of the library where they say the 'elf' hides, and where you were crouched doing who-knows-what," Léo enumerated, his curiosity clearly overcoming any intention to just mock.
"Come on, Joey? What were you up to?"
From his observation post, Kael watched the interaction between the brothers with interest. Joey's discomfort was evident, as was Léo's genuine curiosity.
The Tracker cataloged another piece of data: Joey wasn't working alone, or at least, his actions were attracting the attention of his family.
Inside the dark, abandoned cinema, Lyra heard the nearby male voices. She shrank further into the shadows, her heart tight.
Were they more curious humans? Or perhaps hostile? The kindness of the young man from the previous night (Joey) was an exception, she feared.
"I wasn't up to anything, Léo," Joey insisted, trying for a firmer voice though inwardly he was panicking and just wanted to escape the confrontation.
"I was just... looking. I like... quiet places." This was true, quiet places were a refuge for his need for security.
Léo sighed, realizing he wouldn't get a straight answer from his brother so easily.
"Alright, Joey. Quiet places. Right. But if you see anything like... silver hair or pointy ears, let me know, okay? I don't want to miss the chance to meet a real ET."
He winked and went on his way, swinging the bag of pancakes. "Try not to get lost on your 'shortcut to nowhere'!"
Joey let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, his shoulders slumping in relief.
That was close. Léo didn't seem to have seen the cereal bars, but his suspicion had certainly increased, which was a new source of worry for Joey.
He glanced one more time at the gap where he'd left the food and quickened his pace to get out of there, feeling the imaginary stares of Kael (who he didn't know was there) and the nearby presence of Lyra (whom he only suspected).
The scrutiny, even imagined, was almost unbearable.
Meanwhile, Pip, in her hideout on the other side of town, managed a brief reading on her portal locator.
There was an unusual energy fluctuation emanating from an area that, on her rudimentary map of the city, appeared to be a large industrial facility or perhaps a power substation. It was risky, but it could be her only chance to get the necessary charge for a jump attempt.
Zylar, in the detention center, spent Saturday morning staring at the walls of his makeshift cell. His frustration was transforming into a cold determination.
If he couldn't convince them with words, perhaps he needed a demonstration.
He began to mentally analyze the most common electronic components on that planet, based on what he had seen in his captors' equipment. Perhaps he could improvise something, if he got the chance.
Joey returned home feeling exhausted, as if he had run a marathon.
The encounter with Léo had shaken him more than he would admit, the emotional toll of such unexpected social pressure immense.
Helping in secret was one thing, a manageable step in trying to overcome his problems, but having his actions questioned, even by his brother, was another entirely.
The complexity of his situation, and that of the visitors, seemed to increase with each passing day, adding to the weight he felt.
________________________________________
If you want more chapters, please consider supporting my page on Patreon. with 40 advanced chapters available on Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/c/JoeyLean