I got ready in a few minutes as I had said I would. I didn’t look like someone who had just gotten up anymore, and that was the best I could do without new clothes. Olyvar had waited outside. Whether it was to give me privacy, to report on something to Barrie in secrecy because he knew I would come with him, or a mix of those things, I didn’t know.

All I could think about was Barrie. How he had so much money, I didn’t know. I didn’t know much about him at all. One thing I was sure about, however, was his absolute hatred for ‘him’. And so, no matter how much I hated it, he was someone I should meet with. There was no way he would hand me off on a platter to ‘him’, and that was all the safety I could dare wish for right now.

After all, I still didn’t believe in the freedom I was granted. I moved from place to place often. I didn’t set down root. I didn’t get close to people. I worked, kept my head down, earned enough money to barely get by, and moved before people started knowing my face on sight. I simply couldn’t risk it. It was a big city, and people would rarely notice someone like me, if I was enough on the move.

When I was ready, Olyvar took me to the black car he had pointed out previously. Not that I could have mistaken it for another. The other cars on the parking slot looked less like cars, and more like misplaced piles of garbage. He told the driver something I couldn’t quite hear, and we drove off. Nobody talked. I didn’t feel like it, and Olyvar seemed to be preoccupied with his phone.

Instead, I looked out the window, trying to keep track of where we went, in case I needed to get home on my own. Yes, Barrie hated ‘him’, to the point that I had thought they would actually kill each other one day, but as far as I knew, they hadn’t been in contact at all before I left ‘him’. Not that I knew much about ‘his’ dealings, but I would have known that much. Maybe.

Would I? I pushed down the thoughts those kinds of doubts ripped up, and focused more intensely on looking at the route. We were driving smoothly through traffic and went easily from the ‘unrefined neighborhood’, that Olyvar had so nicely put it, to the upperclass part of town. If I had ever found myself here, on my own, I wouldn’t be surprised if the police would be called. It was not a place I belonged, and that fact was painfully obvious.

“We’re here.” Olyvar said, opening the door after the car had parked. In front of me was a big white building, glistening in the sun. It looked rather intimidating, with windows staring down at me like eyes. My bad feeling about all of this came back with a vengeance. I swallowed hard to keep my wits about me. I felt like I had a good understanding of the route, at least, so if worst came to worst, I could do what I did best. Run away.

I stepped out of the car, following Olyvar into the building. People were working in suits that were on par with Olyvar’s, and I stuck out like a cowboy at a British teaparty. Everyone stared, which I couldn’t blame them for. I was wondering what I was doing here, as well.

Olyvar showed me into an office, told me to wait for a while and to make myself comfortable. I didn’t think I could be comfortable somewhere like this. The room was so clean it seemed to have been entirely sterilized. There were no papers on the big desk that was near the window, nor were there any sort of decoration anywhere. It seemed as devoid of personality as it was devoid of dust.

I sat myself down on a chair that seemed the least comfortable. I had shortly considered the floor, but felt like I would somehow dirty it. I was so out of place I tried to make myself as small and insignificant as possible. I felt weird about being here. I shouldn’t have come. I hardly had time to wonder about the potential ‘deal’ before the door opened again, and a new man that seemed familiar, although time had made him less so, stepped in.

Barrie.