-Cough. Cough.
Wheezing sarcastically due to the astounding remark of his acquaintance, Jayden gazed blankly into the azure eyes of the youth, occupying the exceedingly comfortable cushioned sofa in a 4 figure sitting position, quivering with hopelessness, lacking the firm confidence they had moments prior, at the unexpected refusal from what he had considered being his last and only resort out of his predicament.
"You're saying you want me to 'escort' you to 'that' shithole? What do you take me for? Listen..."
Getting up from his slacked-over posture on the black bean bag situated in a dark corner of the bustling cafe, and stretching his arms out while yawning, Jayden calmly approached the boy dressed in formal medieval clothing, picking up the cup of espresso he'd ordered on the way.
"I ain't got time for that shit. So, piss off."
Downing the steaming coffee as if it were simply water, Jayden walked off in the direction of the exit. Halfway there, however, he turned around, seeming to have forgotten something, and strode back to the table before reclining ceremoniously onto the sofa opposite, this time taking an upright sitting position to express his sincerity, and bowed his head down while mumbling out an apology, his attitude abruptly taking a 180.
"I'm sorry about that, the mention of that place appears to have struck a nerve, but it's not the time for me to dwell on past matters. Anyway, I'm not really intrigued by the thought of having to go there again, so I'd like to know clearly, why it is you need to go there."
"Thank you, thank you. I really don't know what I would've done if you had truly turned me down. As for the reason, it's simply a lack of cash. Please just bring me there, I'll pay you handsomely when it's done," sighing a breath of relief, Brian, the bizarrely dressed teenager, expressed his utmost gratitude.
"That's what I'm asking, why the need for 'cash'?" Jayden asked back, as he still deemed the youngster as suspicious.
In this era of technological advancement, where a single tap is enough to accomplish even the most arduous transactions, it was hard to find an ordinary law-abiding citizen who would require hard cash, let alone a child who had just entered the mid-stages of puberty. Especially when the circulation of such ancient means of dealings was gradually becoming redundant with the Union's efforts in reining them in for reasons unspecified.
Also, the sum itself was quite exorbitant, and not an amount expected to be allowed within an arm's reach of the average young person sans any valid justification.
"C'mon man, we're both buds aren't we, is there really a need to pry into such matters?" Brian looked to be adamant about not divulging any further details.
"It's cause we're buds, that I'm worried. Well, if it's really that hard to tell, then that's fine. But at least make sure to not hold onto it for too long, otherwise..." trailing off in a knowing voice, Jayden exhibited his concern for his close friend.
"I promise." a meek voice came out for the first time from Brian's mouth since the start of the conversation.
"Don't make promises you can't keep, I know you best. Just ensure me that, this time, you won't mess up. Okay?" shaking his head, Jayden felt uncomfortable with the entirety of the circumstances.
"Yeah, I know the severity of it, I won't, all right. Just trust me." the blonde hair, which seriously needed to be cut, bobbed up and down with the round face of his friend, while the flames in his eyes conveyed his resolve.
"And which part of you is 'reliable', exactly? So, when do you want to go?" smiling slightly at the reassuring tone of his friend, Jayden decided to just give in to the dogged persistence.
"Now's fine."
"Bruh!? Dressed like that? Seriously!? You sure you're trynna be inconspicuous, right?" question marks materialized over Jayden's head.
"Ah...no, I've got a change of clothes in my bag, so give me a moment." with those words, Brian picked his travel bag up from under the table and rushed off towards the washroom.
"Oi! Wait! Change at my place!" calling out to the receding figure, Jayden got up as well and this time didn't look back as he made his way out, followed closely by the gaunt figure who seemed to be leaping with euphoria.
***
Rummaging through the heap of papers and other miscellaneous small objects inside the drawer, the boy peered into the mess with his narrowed brown eyes, and deftly retrieved the business card and the burner phone with a giraffe sticker on the back from the three brick-like objects of the ancient era with different animal stickers attached to them, and then shut the drawer.
Glancing at the number on the card, the teenager with ruffled black hair began dialing a seven-digit number completely different from the one recorded on it. Even if one scrutinized the numbers for hours, it would be difficult to find any similarities, so, how he got the second number from the first was questionable.
"Huh? Dude, that's the wrong number." a pale youth with blonde hair and blue eyes pointed out as he swiftly put on a dark grey hoodie over his checkered t-shirt.
However, the next moment, the call connected and a raspy voice reverberated on the other side, "Another one?"
Clearly, the individual on the other side was using a voice changer function, as it was indistinguishable whether the owner of the voice was male or female.
"Yeah." Jayden, the youth with deep black hair and hazel eyes, replied concisely before hanging up.
The next instant, the phone vibrated and the display blinked on and off before the number '306' surfaced, followed by a distinct static noise and the screen completely blacking out.
"It's not the number at all that you should be paying attention to, it's the name." Jayden showed the card to Brian prior to shredding it to as many bits as physically possible.
"'Faced'? How does that make any sense?" though that only served to confuse Brian further.
"It's hexadecimal; if you do the maths, it comes out to be 1027309, the number I dialed," Jayden nonchalantly revealed the mechanism behind the process.
"Huh, oh, the thing we learned in school last week," pausing momentarily due to the sudden realization, Brian continued, "You sure you should be telling me this?"
"Uh, yeah, it's fine, it's one time after all; it'll be a new number and a new code next time." Jayden wiped the sweat off his forehead as he explained.
"Anyway, you sure you're up for this?" he asked his friend again.
Having spelled out with vivid descriptions what the procedure entailed to his friend in the last hour, Jayden wished to receive his affirmation once again, now that the gruesomeness of it was out in the open.
"I'm sure," the feeble-looking boy proclaimed with an unwavering will.
"So, you're still not gonna tell me why, huh?" raising his query, the hazel-eyed youth proceeded to step out of the outrageously organized and sparkling clean single-bedroom apartment, which was in stark contrast with the state of the hidden drawer under his desk that he had opened to salvage the items he currently held.
All throughout, the adolescent with the scrawny build concealed by the baggy hoodie remained two steps behind while keeping mum.
***
-Ding.
The elevator doors parted with a chime after it had ascended to the third floor and gave way to the interior of the surgical ward at rush hour, with nurses and doctors constantly on the move tending to the inquiries of anxious relatives of patients. But the bustle could actually be said to be at a minimum as a result of the professionalism of the staff; while, it being a public holiday, as well as the lack of renown due to its initiation having occurred only several months prior, also contributed to forming a serene atmosphere.
Nonetheless, the one getting off the elevator, being privy to the atrocities it enshrouded, found it hilarious, and inwardly praised the laudable attempt to disguise itself as an ordinary hospital.
Advancing to the reception, the lean figure tapped rhythmically on the countertop to draw the nurse's attention, as she was busy looking through something on the screen before her.
"Yes, how may I help you?" the bespectacled woman in her mid-30s asked politely in response.
"We had an appointment," the almost six feet tall youth's reply was rather curt, devoid of pleasantries.
"Could I get the name for the appointment, please?" not being bothered by the rude approach of the teenager, the nurse with the nametag 'Penelope' flashed her seasoned smile developed over the years of dealing with all sorts of unique people.
Though, that did nothing to change the young man's unrefined behavior. Keeping the talking to a minimum, he uttered, "Giraffe."
Nevertheless, the answer she received was quite queer, but not necessarily unexpected. Peering into the hazel eyes, the defining feature of this frequent customer whom she had become acquainted with over the course of the last few months, she smirked knowingly and cut the formalities short.
"Through the sixth room on the right, down to zero. You should know by now."
"Hmm. Just inform the decrepit geezer." acknowledging the directions he had been provided, he followed the yellow arrow on the marbled floor down the passageway on the right of the reception desk, while another teen with a lanky frame scuttered behind him.
Not long later, the two masked men found themselves in front of a door labeled '306'. Pushing the door ajar so only a single ray of white light emerged from within, the one in the lead turned around to face the other youth and placed his hands on their shoulders.
"This is your last chance to go back." in an attempt to discourage this close friend of his before they become entangled in the grotesque world behind those doors, Jayden stared deeply into Brian's eyes.
"No, I'm sure."
Hearing his hesitant tone meek out such a response, Jayden pulled him in for a hug and patted his back with quite a bit of force.
"Well then, let's go."