Double-Blind: A Modern LITRPG

Chapter 155

My first thought, as I followed Miles to the Adventurers Guild Hall, was how oddly cavalier he was. Hed effectively drawn a target on his own back with the presentation, yet he didnt seem worried.

Correction. He appeared not to be worried.

Now that I was looking closer, there was a distinct oblong outline under Miles dress shirt that was probably kevlar, and hed mastered that method of looking while not looking. Turning and walking backward while he talked, glancing up every so often and being particularly mindful of corners.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two people keeping pace. No way Miles missed them. We had an entourage.

Anything? I asked Azure.

No. Azure sounded puzzled. Its like hes a blank. Like theres nothing there.

Figured.

You get everyone you wanted? I asked.

His mouth turned downward. More or less.

So thats a no, then.

Miles pointed to a bulletin board as we passed it. The header read MISSING, with an overstuffed collage of pictures attached to what I assumed to be contact names. The pictures ranged drastically in quality. Some were clearly done by professional photographers for graduations, weddings, while others were low dpi images printed on computer paper. The ages of the missing ranged nearly as much. Adults, elders, and children. On this board alone, there were hundreds, many posted directly on top of each other.

More than a few had emails and phone numbers attached. In case other contact methods came online? I couldnt imagine being that behind the curve.

Creepy Overlords did us a favor in some ways, getting rid of the bodies after they made us run the gauntlet. Morgues would be overloaded, streets lined with body-bags, and you'd still probably stumble across one every so often. Problem being, now we dont know who lived or who died. He cocked his head and looked back. Abandoned, died in the chaos, or was taken.

Theres not a database? I asked, surprised. It felt so odd that Kinsleys Market was still the only site on the intranet.

Turns out, not all of us have a genius for a mother. Miles delivered the line smoothly, with a nonchalant shrug.

I felt the world grind to a halt. Id almost forgotten this happened with sometimes when I was on the verge of a panic attack. Only this time, wed skipped the panic completely.

I stared at the back of Miles head and screamed. My voice didnt echo. I panted, waiting for the emotion to subside. Then took a deep breath.

Okay. No one knows who set up the site except me, Kinsley, Iris, Ellison, and my mother herself. Ellison doesnt like me, but he hates authority more. All three kids know how to keep their mouth shut. Which means Miles talked to my mother, or he pulled up her record and did the math. The first would be bad. The second is recoverable. Either way, he wants me to know that he talked to her and that she slipped up and gave him information, whether or not that actually happened. Its what I immediately jumped to, and considering her state, shes the point of weakness. Miles is looking for a reaction. If he did talk to her, this gets complicated. We briefly covered what she needed to keep to herself, but Miles is too fucking good at this. Its better to assume she spilled everything. Meaning he knows that the Merchants Guild started far smaller than Kinsley and I have been leading the public to believe. Thats not necessarily an admission of guilt, but it doesnt look good. Have to assume hes aware of the fact that we only brought my family in four days before the transposition.

Factoring it all together He's narrowed the original members down to Me, Kinsley, and Myrddin. Or just me and Kinsley.

Which is damning. Its obviously me if hes gotten that far. So, whats stopping him?

Kinsley. Hed have to burn a lot of political capital to take me off the board right now, but my popularity is nothing compared to hers. Shes a saint. If hes right, Kinsley is either an accomplice or an idiot, and no one whos talked to her for longer than five minutes will think shes an idiot. If he has eyes, hes also probably noticed that shes snapping up every mercenary available on the open market.

Miles cant know that Kinsley would never take it that far, but hes likely worried about open war.

He could just kill me.

No. Its Miles. Everyone was angry and scared at the emergency meeting. He could have whipped them into a murderous frenzy, but he didnt. Advised catch and capture. But we stacked the deck too much between the Region 14 - Adventurers Guild Alliance, and our joint popularity. If he did things the proper way, thered be too many gaps for us to slip through. Following that philosophy, hes probably waiting for an opportunity to disappear me in the middle of the night, and interrogate me offsite away from external interference.

I wont break. But that might not matter. Those comments about doubting himself were real. This is personal for him. Cop guilt displacement. He feels like he evaluated Myrddin and failed, and now its his responsibility to make it right. No way of knowing whether hell cross that line, but I cant let it get to that point.

But why hasnt he taken me already? Assuming he talked to mom yesterday, why not wait to throw this in my face until he has me secured?

Oh.

Oh Miles.

If you just trusted yourself, youd have me, hook, line and sinker.

Yet, you cant do it. You cant risk the possibility that Im not who you think I am.

This was a gambit. From the very beginning. If Im stupid enough to attack you in broad daylight, you brought kevlar and backup. Simultaneously, youre making a show of parading me around, knowing that if Myrddin is alive, hell be keeping an eye on his old guild mates. If it really was just the three of us, and we did have a rocky relationship, he wont be happy that Im helping your Taskforce. Youre using me as bait, planning to grab him if he comes after me. And if I do nothing, not wanting the timing to seem suspicious, and Myrddin doesnt show, youll have the final push you need to tighten the rope.

Now. How do I react?

He was watching me. I could see his eyes in the reflection of a nearby mirror. If feds were waiting in the Adventurers Guild Hall, I was walking into a tribunal disguised as a strategy meeting. I needed to hit him with something completely unexpected.

I needed to get dirty.

Slowly, I stopped, allowing the massive influx of anxiety to erupt. It was difficult at first, taking the lid off for the first time in a decade. When it got this bad, I crawled under my bed and clung to the slats. My safe space. But my safe space was gone. I was nowhere near the apartments. The anxiety overflowed and didnt stop. Pins and needles shot up my back, to my neck. My head hung on its own, and my upper body began to shake.

Tears streamed freely from my eyes. I crooked my head and tried to look at him, then dropped it again. I nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh I clamped down on the stutter.

Miles grabbed my shoulders. Kid, are you okay?

I nufuck. I nu

I started to hyperventilate, pressing one hand into my collarbone.

Miles eyes lit in recognition. Okay. Okay, I got you, youre having a panic attack.

I groaned and looked around. People from my region were staring.

As usual, Miles was fast on the uptake. I watched from the corner of my eye as he waved his guys away and carted me towards a nearby alley, sitting me down on a milk crate behind a dumpster, hidden from the street. A mix of conflicting emotions went through his face. Probably wondering if he was being played.

He was. But not in the way he was worried about.

Miles crouched down, a safe distance away from me. What do you need? My thirteen-year old gets these. He ran a hand through his hair. Sometimes he wants to be wrapped up in something, sometimes he just needs space

Space, I said, gasping for air.

Miles nodded. But he didnt wait for me to regain my breath, my bearings. Whatuhwhat set you off there? He chuckled. Last conversation we had, you were stone-cold.

I shook my head, still recovering. Then enunciated each word carefully. I know. That youre a just doing your job. My f-f I clamped down, waited. My father was a cop. You have to investigate. Have to ask questions.

You can talk to me. Miles encouraged. Im on your side.

His Good Cop was perfection.

I pursed my lips tightly, then forced the words out. Thi-thi-thi-this is the longest my mother has been sober in six years. And theres all this pressure, and Im doing everything I can, but things keep piling up one after another and everything keeps going wrong and she always relapses eventually.

The words hung heavy between us.

He would know that everything I was saying was true, if hed done his homework. And of course he had. Because it was Miles.

Miles breathed a long sigh. Grow through what you go through.

I wiped my eyes. Youve been in the program?

He shook his head. My third wife. Heard that on repeat for about a year. That, and One day at a time. For what its worth, I think your moms on her way up. She had her chip out on the table at the caf where I tracked her down. He pinched the bridge of his nose. Drinking a coke.

Did she freak out, when she realized why you were asking questions? I didnt have to fake the concern.

Nah. Miles shook his head. Honestly, Im not even sure she knew it was anything more than a casual conversation. She was so proud of what you all built, even though she was trying to hide it. And she didnt tell me anything directly. About the site. I just pieced it together from what she said. He bit his lip, a flash of guilt across his face. Lets just call it a day for now. You can meet the guys later.

I sent a mental message to my summon. Azure. You said before you could copy me easily on the surface, if needed. Because of our bond.

Oh, um. Yes. Azure answered.

How sure are you?

One-hundred percent. Azure chuckled nervously. I may have tried it.

How long did it last?

Five minutes, but I ended it early. From the mana drain, Im guessing I could maintain the form for at least three times as long.

Good.