After a long silence, Greg was the first to give in again and start talking.
"Why did you decide to go on engineering?" he asked, watching the boy from the corner of his eye. Nick shrugged but answered.
"I was always good with math and science. It just facts, numbers. They don't cause emotions. Numbers are much easier to work with than people."
" You don't like working with people?" - Greg became interested.
"Rather, they do not like dealing with me." - answered Nick emotionlessly.
"I saw several groupmates approaching you. And the girls, too."
" I've decided that it's better not to start a relationship with anyone. It is difficult for both sides in the end. When people are trying to be friends with me, they are waiting for me to change, become cheerful, fun and all. Like I'll start joking. They don't understand that I am what I am. The fact that I don't smile or dance around does not mean that I'm always in a bad mood."
Greg grinned. Nick reminded him very much of Michael. He remembered perfectly how Mich was a loner in college until Tony clung to him and then brought them together. Well, Tony is that kind of person. He did not give a damn if Mike could smile or dance (though Greg would like to witness this show once in his life before Mike begins to clean the witnesses). Greg suspected that Tony had chosen Mike, because of his silence and aloofness, that well compensated for Anthony's constant babbling and being... Tony. Or maybe he was just the only one who could take this "one man's show" for a long time. Mike's number even stood in Tony's phone speed dial as number 2, just after his Mama.
"You know, Nicholas, I think you shouldn't give up so easily. Even if many won't understand, by pushing everyone away, you can accidentally alienate someone who can get you."
There was a silence in the car, Greg cringed inside. Gosh, what with those word of wisdom?! It's all Tony's fault!
In the meantime, they had already crossed the bridge and turned in the direction indicated by Nick. With every minute Greg felt increasingly agitated. A few more turns and there was no doubt left. They drove into one of the most dangerous areas of the city.
"Nick, please, tell me that you're not living here, I beg you,"
"Here," the guy calmly confirmed, "now on the left, there will be a turn to the blind alley. At the end of it be an old apartment building some unknown color, probably once it was yellow or white, although it might very well be blue."
Greg exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself.
"Do you know what kind of district this is, Nicholas?"
"It seems north-west, although I'm not sure."
" Nick! This is not funny, " Greg snapped.
" I do not really understand why you are upset." - Nick's honest eyes expressed confusion.
"Don't tell me that the presence of those gangsters near your place looks normal to you?!" - Greg pointed to a group of young people with a very characteristic appearance and very unfriendly stares with which they followed their car.
"What about these beauties?" he pointed out now to the rather undressed women of a particular profession, who were pacing the sidewalk on their huge heels.
Nick shrugged.
"Not in my taste, although Vicki said that not all of them are girls. She even made me guess a couple of times which of them was a disguised man. They all giggled like hyenas then, so it was hard to guess."
" Vicky?! You mean you let her communicate with these?" - Greg was horrified.
" Mr. Wells, they may not have the best taste in clothes, but they are quite lovely ladies. One of them even brought us muffins, although we did not eat them, because she mistakenly put in the wrong seasoning. Still, it was very kind of her."
" What about the fact that here at every turn you can find crack houses or brothels? It doesn't bother you at all?" - Greg did not surrender.
Nicholas sighed heavily.
" Yes, the selection of business in the district is rather strange. Mom wasted a lot of time while she found a job. She was offered to become a massage therapist, although she does not have any special license, that was strange. Once she was offered a job as a courier, who not only delivers the parcels but hides them in different places and sends the photo to the recipient. I don't get what so fun about it?!"
"Please tell me your mother does not work somewhere in the neighborhood!" - Greg almost begged.
"Not really, although it's not very far from here. She works in a cafe with a rainbow sign." - Greg closed his eyes and exhaled mentally, - " Although it smells quite like that strange muffin seasoning inside. " - added Nick, forcing Greg to grind his teeth.
"Okay, I got to go. Thank you for giving me a lift!" - Nick hurriedly said getting out of the car.
Greg sat for a while in silence, watching as Nick ran up the staircase to the balcony connecting all the second-floor entrance doors and disappeared behind the fourth door from the left. In the hallway, a light came on, and a familiar silhouette of Lana appeared on the background of the illuminated window. Even her shadow on the curtain caused his heart to beat wildly. He squeezed the steering wheel hard, internally debating what should he do. He simply could not leave two defenseless women and his student in such conditions! Greg tried to convince himself. Nick certainly had an impressive figure, but remembering how he was shaking after one small fight, Greg made the final decision and leaned back in his seat, fished the phone from his inner pocket.
Martin, Frank's deputy in the security department of his company, as usual, responded almost immediately.
"Greg?" How can I help? - heard his low voice from the receiver.
"Martin, I'm sorry to distract you, but I have a personal request."
"I'm listening," - the security man answered without hesitation. He and Frank met Martin several times while serving in the army. So Greg knew very well that he could trust him with anything.
"I need some of your boys. You decide how many. But I need constant supervision and protection for three people. 24 hours a day. But they shouldn't know about it. Is that clear?"
Martin was silent for a while, but not because he was surprised, instead he had already begun to calculate the details.
"Ok, I need names and addresses, if you have any." - Finally, he said, apparently already having formed up a plan of action.
" It is a family, a boy of twenty, a girl - 16 and a mother. Live together. The area is not the safest, so be ready. Report to me personally. Don't say anything to Frank yet." - Martin confirmed and hung up without any questions.
Only when an inconspicuous car with two guys in civilian clothes drove up to the house, Greg was able to take a breath and go back home.
"Maybe the teacher's work made me unnecessarily soft," he thought along the way, " a little more and I'll start asking people {how are you?}" Greg shuddered inwardly, driving the terrible thought away and decided to hop on the way to Paul's place. Right now He should be working on his new big case, and he will be so not happy with any visitors especially Greg.