Page 76 of Nitro

Maybe, just maybe, things could truly change for the better between Marc, Nitro, and me.

"So when's Nitro coming back from his trip?" Marc asked as we were leaving the cafe.

"Tomorrow night. He mentioned that his client would probably invite him and his best friend to stay the night over, if things go well," I explained.

"Then, maybe we can have afternoon coffee or early dinner tomorrow?" Marc suggested. He hesitated. "Is that too much?"

"No," I said. "That actually sounds like a good idea."

We walked side by side down the town’s busy streets.

"I'm glad we did this, Tommy," Marc said, breaking the comfortable silence. "I've missed spending time with you."

"I missed it too," I admitted. "We can make this a regular thing, you know. Just us, catching up."

Marc smiled. "I'd like that."

I was getting myself ready for another afternoon coffee date with Marc when my phone chimed.

After unplugging it from the charger, I saw two messages.

One from Nitro, telling me how he missed me and couldn't wait to get back home.

I quickly responded to Nitro's message, reassuring him that I missed him too and was looking forward to his return.

Then, my attention shifted to Marc's message. The new address he provided was unfamiliar, not even close to Cool Beans.

I shot him a quick reply, "New place? Is Cool Beans closed or something?"

The response was almost immediate, "Nah, just thought we'd try something different. Trust me, you'll love it."

Curiosity piqued, I decided to go along with it. After making sure I looked presentable in the mirror, I headed out.

I was planning on grabbing a ride through a ride-hailing service, when I realized I had no idea where Marc wanted to meet.

After pasting the address on my map app, I furrowed my brows. Did Marc make a mistake?

He wanted to meet in the middle of nowhere, of what looked like a an old quarry on the outskirts of town?

Was there some kind of secret restaurant there or maybe he had a surprise activity planned for us?

I grabbed a ride through my app, but directed the driver to my old apartment instead of the place Marc and I agreed to meet.

My heart raced as car approached the familiar surroundings of my old apartment.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Marc's sudden change in plans and the peculiar location he suggested had set off alarm bells in my mind.

The driver pulled over, and I thanked him before stepping out.

As I approached the apartment building, memories flooded back—both good and bad.

I hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath before pushing open the door.

The familiar creaking sound greeted me as I made my way to the elevator.

Once inside, my mind raced with possibilities. What if Marc was in trouble? What if the messages weren't from him?

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