Phase 18 “The Listening”
“Where’s he?” Allen asked. He took a sip of his strawberry juice, licking his pale pink lips.
“He’s not here,” Dominique answered fast as he arranged files on his desk and then skipped over a pile of paper on the floor. He was about to send another report to their superior, Allen thought.
“You know where to find him, don’t you, Allen?” Dominique asked one last time as Allen nodded and then the younger man disappeared from the room, leaving Allen alone in the messy office. Allen sighed as he put his juice on the table and then tried to tidy up Dominique’s floor and cupboard. He just could not stand messy things. It took him ten minutes to do so. Why can people do it?
Realizing his real purpose, Allen got up and drank his juice till the last drop. He threw it away in a trashcan in the hallway. The white ceiling did not make any contrast with the wall and the cream floor. It was like all of them were one unity. He passed a few office doors as he wondered how a zombie-fighter department could be like a normal business office. Another good undercover organization, Allen needed to admit.
“Allen!” Nathan’s voice echoed from behind as Allen stopped his track. He turned back and saw Nathan was waving at him with Benji beside him. Both of them were dressed in white coats. They had to be working on another experiment, Allen thought.
“Hey, what’re you up to?” Benji asked. “I thought you’re on holiday till further notice.”
“I’m,” Allen answered. One thing he did not really like was the fact he and Kaien were always on holiday till something happened, like a zombie attack or their superior needed them. “I’m just checking some stuff with Dominique and coming here to get my juice.”
“Is it really tasty?” Nathan frowned at the word ‘juice’. “Is that what a vampire feels like?”
Benji laughed at him which brought a smile to Allen’s lips.
“It’s bad at first but it gets better and better. It actually tastes like strawberry juice to me now,” Allen explained as Benji was the one frowning now.
“I’m confused. How can infected blood taste like strawberry juice?” Benji asked. “Maybe I’ll try to test it later... Hmmm...”
“Well, good luck on your search. I’ll be going now, bye,” Allen waved to them as they separated. Benji and Nathan went left from the junction as Allen went right, heading to the lift. Allen got into the square box as he pressed the B2 button. Waiting, Allen checked another bottle of juice he brought was still safe and sound. Getting out from the lift, he skipped to his car, a black Audi R8, his beloved baby. Okay, that was too much but Allen loved his car too much.
Inside, Allen got ready and then kicked the accelerator. He drove up to the main road, joined the traffic and took a few turns till he reached the residential section. Allen drove into a certain apartment complex as he entered and parked. He quickly got out of his car and headed to level 21. This apartment complex had been his regular place since a year ago. He skipped through the hallway and stopped at a door. Allen pushed the bell a few times but no response or movement could be heard from the other side of the door.
Getting no answer, Allen used his own keys to get inside. He somehow managed to make the owner gave a duplicate to him. Taking off his jacket and shoes, Allen noticed there were two half-sealed boxes there. It was probably from the company and Allen felt furious when he noticed nothing had been touched. The red bottles inside were still sealed tight.
Quickening his pace, Allen got into the living room and saw no one there. It had been two weeks since his last visit and three months from their last mission at the mall that the start from Kaien isolated himself in his apartment. Allen checked out the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. He spotted no one.
“Kaien!” Allen shouted the name as he became more frustrated. He knew the man had been tearing inside since their last mission, especially because a certain boy he saved turned into a zombie in front of his own eyes.
“KAI!” Allen shouted again as finally he spotted a figure leaning on the glass window outside. Allen opened the balcony door as he spotted Kaien asleep there on the floor.
Allen rushed to Kaien’s side and shook his body a few times. “Kaien...” Allen tried to wake the man. Kaien opened his eyes slowly. He was staring at Allen a few seconds before recognized who he was.
“You’re drunk,” Allen frowned as he spotted a few cans of beer and the alcohol smell. Kaien did not give any response and only stared at Allen. At least till he felt his head hurt and groaned in pain.
“Come here, I’ll make you something,” Allen helped Kaien got up and put the man on the couch in the living room. He left the drunken man there till he returned with a glass of drink. Kaien sipped it without asking about the content. It indeed made him feel a lot better.
“Feeling better?” Allen asked as Kaien nodded. Allen sighed. He knew he could not force Kaien to talk to him because his futile effort in their last meeting brought a fight to them. Well, Kaien just yelled at him and Allen was the one punched the man on the face before retreating from the apartment.
“Kaien,” Allen pulled Kaien’s face up as he examined the jaw. The bruise mark he left was gone. “I’m sorry I hit you before...”
“...It’s okay,” Kaien finally spoke as he moved his face away from Allen. “I deserved it.”
“No, you’re not, silly,” Allen comforted Kaien with a warm friendly hug as he caressed Kaien’s back. “You did your best and it’s not your fault, Kaien. You’ve done all you could for the boy’s sake. For everyone’s sake...”
Kaien stayed silent. In fact, he had been waiting for Allen to bring the real reason up. Their fight before was only because Allen was mad at Kaien for saying he might just die after he was bitten for the first time, rather than turned into the broken one. Allen never mentioned the boy even though Kaien was more than sure Allen knew it was the reason for his breakdown.
“Allen,” Kaien called. “Will you listen to me?”