“Indeed.”
“Why am I here?”
“Please follow me.”
Of course he’d drag the mystery. I followed him inside, where the AC was downright freezing. The elderly receptionist stood up and smiled broadly at Eliot. “I didn’t expect to see you here today.”
“Hello, Debbie. This is my dear friend, Jonah Carter.”
I hated the thought of anyone thinking I was Eliot’s friend, but I nodded and kept my mouth shut.
“Nice to meet you, Jonah. It’s the first time I’ve seen Eliot bring a friend with him. Why don’t you two go right ahead?”
I once more followed Eliot as he led me through quiet hallways. The photos of flowers on the walls weren’t enoughto make the place any less depressing. The unpleasant scent of cleaning products mixed with fresheners made me queasy.
Eliot stopped next to a room at the end of a hallway. He opened the door and gestured for me to go inside. I had barely taken two steps when my body locked up. A man was lying on a bed, but I saw two versions of him. One was little more than a skeleton, his skin wrinkled and ashy, an oxygen mask covering his mouth and nose. The other version was of the man I once knew as The Director. With each passing second, the man from my past deteriorated, leaving behind this feeble form.
An oxygen machine filled the room with a monotonous humming sound, yet I could still hear my drumming heart. Eliot closed the door and walked past me, stopping next to the bed. “How are you, old man?”
I held my breath as a thin arm rose. Eliot held The Director’s hand, which seemed like it might snap under a bit of pressure.
“I’m the same as yesterday.” His voice was an echo of his former self, breathless and weak.
“I brought someone special to see you.”
My head spun. I wanted to flee the room, but I couldn’t move.
Eliot turned to me. “Please come say hello.”
This is not about me, I reminded myself, gathering the courage to move. Four heavy steps brought me to the foot of the bed.
“Oh my.” The Director removed his oxygen mask, gawking at me through milky eyes. “Have I traveled back in time?”
“Not quite,” Eliot said, “but this is as close as it gets.”
“Hello, Jonah.”
My tongue lay dead in my mouth, my lips glued together. Eliot cleared his throat, and I managed a feeble, “Hello.”
“I can tell by your face that you weren’t told what to expect.”
“No.”
“Well, I’m sure my brother has his reasons.”
Eliot smiled. “I always do.”
“Why am I here?” Now that my shock had somewhat dwindled, anger took its place. “You promised me answers.”
“Answers?” The Director coughed. “What answers can you possibly want after… after so many years?”
“Things have been happening,” Eliot said. “It seems that The Society has been reckless.”
The Director let out another bubbling cough. “You’re making no sense. Start from the beginning.”
I waited quietly, looking at anything but The Director’s face as Eliot filled him in.
“Putting that video online makes no sense,” The Director said. “But they’ve been falling apart for years. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone made a mistake. Still, snatching a detective… that’s the kind of risk they wouldn’t normally take. He must have come close to finding out something if they’ve taken such an… such an action.”
