Blaring car horns and the aroma of cheap street food polluted the air of downtown Nocta Nova. Living in the suburbs, Vivi was usually intoxicated with the sights, sounds, and smells of the massive, bustling city. Except, of course, when foot traffic was heaviest. Because the thing about Nocta Nova was as beautiful as the city can be, it will always be dragged down by the people living there. Some would think they were living in a northern city, like Boston or New York, the way people walk without a care for what is in front of them. It was not so much as walking but digging your way towards your destination. Several times already after just hopping off the company bus has Vivi had to shove shoulders and step on toes. She thought that with Charlie's hulking frame this would be a lot easier, but it was as if the crowd ahead of them immediately gathered again after going around him. Like sewage water rushing around a large pipe. Luckily, Vivi did not have to sift through the crowd long as they finally reached the train station.
"Finally." Vivi groaned.
"It wasn't that bad." Charlie chuckled.
"Yeah, says the walking brick wall," Vivi rebutted. "Why couldn't we have just driven to the morgue?"
"Because sometimes you got to trade frustrations for annoyances." Charlie smiled.
"That doesn't remotely make sense." Vivi frowned, placing her hands on her hips.
"Lesson number one, young one, it does not need to make sense to work." Charlie said, stroking his non-existent beard. Vivi just rolled her eyes much to Charlie's amusement.
"Ok, ok," he said as his laughter died down. "For real though, the lesson here is familiarity, discretion, and cool."
"Cool… really?" Vivi questioned, folding her arms with her eyebrow raised.
"That's right." Charlie said, flashing a smile and finger guns before twirling around and entering the door to the subway station. Vivi huffed and rolled her eyes. She followed close behind continuing her interrogation.
"What does cool have to do with what we're doing and where we're going?"
"It has something to do with everything. For example, look around and tell me what you see." Charlie ordered smoothly. Though confused, Vivi looked around for a brief moment only to say there was nothing out of the ordinary.
"Exactly, when I say cool, I mean keeping your cool. Like think about it, the murder rate in Nocta Nova has gone up and now there's even a serial killer on the loose. But like, everybody is acting like it's a normal day. You know why?" Charlie asked, swiping his metro card.
"Because they don't think it'll affect them?" Vivi answered swiping her own card and moving past the movable gate.
"Good answer but points off for not answering fully. The big thing that you're missing is that no matter how much people pretend something isn't bothering them; it is. They are all worried, especially about the Cupid Killer. But they all realize the same question; how can you operate with your shoulders all hunched over and walking around timidly like someone is for sure after you? You can't, and that's where keeping your cool comes in. Because no matter what, the last thing you want to do is stand out. Especially when everybody is scared and jumpy as hell."
"That makes sense but that still doesn't explain why we are taking the train."
"Because, what's cooler than taking the train." Charlie playfully smirked, flicking her a thumbs up.
"I see you're full of jokes today, huh?" Vivi frowned, folding her arms.
"Life lessons are easier to swallow with some jokes drizzled on top." Charlie shrugged cheerfully.
Charlie's attempts at humor were predictable, and often lame, but sorely appreciated. Vivi was still not sure how much she could trust him but his aura felt so genuine. As a result, as much as she tried to fight it at times; he always found a way to make her smile, relax, and especially clear the smog that clouded her mind. As such, for the next hour as they hopped aboard the trained and traveled to the morgue, Charlie and Vivi switched conversations into lighter topics. They talked non-stop about work, stories from their old colleges, their favorite romcoms, and even how Charlie's parents forced him to play piano when he was a kid. They laughed, and talked, and laughed again… all the while a woman they would soon know sat down; bound and gagged in a cold chair. She had no idea where she was or why she was there, but what she did know was that someone was out there looking for her. And while she was right about that, she was woefully wrong in believing she would be found in time.