My Lost Soul

Chapter 31 - Hunter's Hunt

"It's been a week, Janitor."

"I guess it has, and?" A grizzly voice rang out from the darkness.

"Surely you get it."

There was silence for a while until stomping boots approached Steele.

"Tell me, mate. You a bastard?" A silhouette hung from the shadows.

"They're expecting you, I'd think—whoever they are," Steele said as he turned towards him.

"Are you a bloody bastard?" The silhouette grunted with extra grit in his voice.

Steele turned around to face the direction of the voice, covered in the shadows.
"We'll have to see, won't we?"

"It's out of my job description, mate."

"It's extra pay, Hunter. That's what you got this job for, no?"

Hunter's breath was heavy, "Ah never mind it already, shut ya cakehole. I'll do it."

A grin spread across Steele's face as he sipped his coffee, "Good, "mate"."

"Pass me a cold one," Hunter turned and lifted his hand to the sky.

"Alcohol isn't good for asthma, Hunter."

"I'll be right, drongo." He cackled before catching a beer, cracking it open immediately. "I never whinge."

Steele's eyes lit up, "That's a new one, two actually. Drongo and whinge."

"Stupid person, and complain. Easy." Hunter mocked him bubbly as he closed the door, leaving Steele alone in his dark office.

"I'll be sure to make use of them!"

Time passed as he sat in the dark. Finally, he turned his chair around to his computer and stared at it as he opened a video. He clicked play.

Colorful lights lit up Steele's face, but he remained unbothered.

"Atlas, Atlas!" Someone yelled as the camera steadied in someone's face.

Aaron waved at the camera with a smile on his face, "Hello, my name is Atlas and this is my first drink of the night!" He giggled before the video cut to a more drunken image of Atlas.

"It hasn't even been 30 minutes my guy," The cameraman hiccuped as the camera lost focus.

"Damn, at least hold the-" Atlas hiccuped, "Hold the camera up." Atlas grabbed the camera as the cameraman ran away, his cheeks bloating.

"This...is definitely my last drink tonight." Atlas started laughing as he was cut off by a click of Steele's mouse. Next, play.

"Smile, Atlas! You're graduating high school!" A woman's voice called out to him. Atlas forced an ugly grin, and the woman groaned, "Sweetie, please! For the video!"

"It's not that big of a deal mo-" Atlas winced as he was pinched in the arm. He rubbed the red spot on his arm and smiled the smiliest smile with distress in his eyes.

"Wooho-"

Steele closed the tab. The light on his face returned to a plain blue. Then the room returned to darkness.

I think I enjoyed that conversation, Hunter. I think I really did.

———

"Here's the plan. We're going to be the ones who find him first, right at the 7 Avenue station. The—em..." Machida tapped his lips and scoffed, "I'll just call them the Omega team. The Omega team will be over here—" Machida pointed at another station along the subway. "This station at Noman, got it?"