Page 106 of Martyr

Chapter 25:

“Try Juri directly,” Beck suggested.

Nix hung up and tried again, dialing Juri’s number instead.

“Act calm,” Lake instructed. “You don’t want to tip him off.”

“I’ve contacted the people we left at the hospital,” West said. “They’re going to the room to check things out now.

Those people were really two of West’s boxing buddies that he trusted enough to assign to this. They were only meant to hang out in the lobby and keep their eyes peeled for anything strange. It’d given Nix a sense of relief knowing there was that extra layer of defense just in case their plan backfired and they drew unwanted attention toward Briant instead of himself.

“Hey, what’s up?” Juri’s voice came through the line. “How’s the showing?”

“Where’s Briant?” Nix blurted, then inhaled when Lake gave him a disapproving look and said in a more relaxed tone, “I tried calling, but he didn’t answer.”

“Oh, he was in the bathroom. He just stepped out now, hold on.” There was movement on the other end of the line, and then, “It’s your cousin.”

“Hello?” Briant sounded fine.

“Is everything okay?” Nix asked.

“No,” he replied, but before Nix could worry further, added, “I’m in a hospital. It sucks.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I meant with Juri. He hasn’t been weird or anything?”

“…Why would he be?” A door opened and someone greeted them. “Two guys just stepped in. They’re claiming you sent them. Is that true?”

“Yes.” Nix turned to West. “Did you instruct them to keep them apart so I can ask questions?”

“Yeah,” West confirmed.

“Okay, Briant, can you hand the phone back to Juri, please.”

“Why are you acting so weird?” Briant seemed nervous now. “Is everything all right? Look, I know this is the life you’ve chosen, but Nix, I can’t lose you, too, okay? I’m barely holding on as it is.”

“I’m being careful, promise.”

He blew out a breath. “Here’s Juri.”

“Nix? Why are two of West’s teammates blocking the exit?” Juri’s footsteps resounded through the line, suggesting he was moving further away from them. “What’s going on?” his voice was just above a whisper when he spoke again.

“They’re there to protect Briant,” Nix explained.

“From who?”

“Potentially? You.”

There was silence and then, “I haven’t done anything.”

“I seriously hope that’s true,” Nix said, and briefly summarized the situation. The stairwell filmed was the only way to exit that level, and only seniors were allowed to that floor. Juri stood out not only because he’d left holding a similar sized painting, but also because as a Junior, he shouldn’t have had reason to be there at all.

“I was doing a favor for Dew,” Juri replied as soon as Nix had finished. “He texted me this morning saying he’d forgotten his piece and asked me to bring it. If you check the security cameras down the main hall, you should see me entering his studio, not Yejun’s.”

Nix had left out the part about how they only had access to a single camera in that area, since the others had been tampered with. But Juri sounded so confident…He motioned to Yejun. “Do you know where Dew’s studio room is located?”

“Who?” the Demon appeared to be clueless.

“Dew Seaborn?” Beck asked. “He’s one of my students.” He turned to West. “Do you recall when I mentioned there was someone getting too familiar with me? That’s who I was referring to.”

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