Page 90 of Darkness

Someone ordered a full background check on you, your parents, your birth and adoption records, you name it, a deep dive. Even your infant medical records.

Who sent this? Arianna? She might have the info and his email address. Jessa shouldn’t. Then again, she had gained access to his apartment. Farren would have shared this news face-to-face, right? Morrisey didn’t know Sykes well, but the man was a member of the team, in IT, and a traveler.

The “Who sent this?” gradually faded in priority to the message.

Someone had been sniffing around in Morrisey’s life. He'd been background checked on many occasions before, but someone had been digging, really digging into his parents and his childhood. They hadn’t been too particular about covering their tracks either if they’d been found out.

Why? Nothing out of the ordinary about him. Morrisey’s record spoke for itself. He’d never given anyone any reason to doubt him. Was this about Farren and their partnership? In the beginning, yeah, Morrisey had reservations, but Farren proved himself again and again.

Sorta.

Did this have to do with Morrisey recognizing travelers in human form? What if someone witnessed him talking to Jessa and knew her status? Then again, how much could Morrisey trust her?

He’d made a promise, yes, but Jessa hadn’t contacted him lately, and someone questioned Morrisey’s background. If FAET wanted the information, they could’ve run background checks before offering him a job.

He dialed Farren’s office extension. The phone rang three times before voicemail picked up. Same with his cell. Okay, where could the guy be? Morrisey dialed Arianna.

“Lower pits of hell. How may I direct your call?”

“Damn, woman. Do you always answer the phone like that?”

“Only when I know it’s you.”

“How could you be sure it’s me?”

“Your extension showed.”

Good point. “What if Leary or Farren used my phone?”

"First, I don't see Leary coming near your apartment, and second, Farren left the complex earlier this evening, said he'd be back late."

Which was precisely what Morrisey wanted to know. To tell Farren everything before he lost his nerve. “Thanks, Arianna. I was looking for Farren. I’ll catch up with him tomorrow.” He was about to hang up when a thought hit his brain and flew straight from his mouth. “Did you email me earlier about some records on me someone dug up?”

“Maaaaaybe.” The call disconnected.

Well, damn. So Arianna emailed. Why look out for Morrisey? Just because of his relationship with Farren? Or were there other reasons? If Leary found out, he’d possibly see her as a traitor. Why would she risk her job?

Something else to discuss with Farren, though that conversation wasn’t happening anytime soon. Maybe Morrisey should go out tonight and try finding Jessa. Prowling bars could be a temporary distraction until Farren came back.

Morrisey rose from the couch, got his keys, and strolled out to find himself a succuba. Succubus. Whatthehellever.

He rode the elevator from his subterranean cave in the gray abyss, a cold and clinical place despite Arianna’s best efforts and a seemingly endless supply of homemade baked goods.

Bratwurst brownies? Really?

Arriving at the first level, Morrisey felt pressure that had been slowly building. Training needed to be over already, and Morrisey in his own apartment again, three floors up rather than three floors down.

Not an option available to Farren, forced to live within the facility. A vice squeezed Morrisey’s heart. Yeah, he could deal a bit longer.

***

Morrisey had reached quite the state of inebriation before he’d entered his fourth bar. He’d shaken his tail before reaching the second.

Good thing he’d reconsidered driving, left his RAV4 at work, and caught an Uber three blocks from the compound.

No sign of Jessa or any of her familiar hosts. Morrisey had taken to weaving his way through crowds, searching faces for some sign.

He’d met four travelers who hadn’t noticed him. Right. Except for his height, nothing much about Morrisey stood out.

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