Page 25 of Bad Boy Billionaire Protector

“That’s weird. How long has he been gone for? He didn’t just go for a walk?”

“I don’t know. I guess it’s possible, but it seems like a weird thing to do at 3 o’clock in the morning.”

“Ah, shit. You’re right. I don’t know what to say. You say he just up and left without waking you? That’s a shitty thing to do.”

I considered this. “Yeah, I know. But it gets worse, Jack. I…I don’t know how to put this, but when I saw he had gone I looked through his things to see if I could find any clues. He’s got this briefcase-looking bag by his desk and inside I found a black folio, and it was filled with confidential police reports and pictures and information about all the suspicious deaths at the university over the last three years. There’s a whole folio full of them…” I was breathless as my words spilled out in a rush.

“What the…”

“And he has Adam’s police report and picture! It’s marked classified and has some other weird markings on it that I don’t understand.”

“Why the hell would he have Adam’s police report? Is he in law enforcement?”

“No, he’s a grad student in the Classics Department. There’s no reason for him to have all this stuff.”

“It sounds like you’ve stumbled onto something suspicious. I don’t feel good about this.”

“And…Jackson, he’s got a gun. I found it in a drawer. It wasn’t even locked away.”

“What?! Amb, get out of there now. I’m telling you, this guy’s up to no good. You need to get out of there and don’t ever speak to this scumbag again. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, I hear you.”

“Good. Now, get your things and go back to your dorm room. You don’t want to be around in the apartment when he gets back.”

“I don’t know…I mean, won’t he think it’s strange that I’ve just gone and left in the middle of the night?”

“Listen to yourself, Amb! He’s the one who’s gone and left you in the middle of the night, not the other way around. You can’t stay there. He could be dangerous. It’s probably a good thing that you found this stuff now and not further down the line when you got to know him more. At least now you know you can steer clear of him. What a weirdo. I don’t feel good with you being in that apartment, Amb.”

“I know, I know. I’m listening. Okay, well I’ll grab my things and I’ll go back to the dorm room. You’re right. I shouldn’t stay here and wait for him to come back. Goodness knows where he is or what he’s been up to.”

“Okay Amb. Be safe.”

“I will Jack. Thanks. Speak soon. I love you!”

“Love you too, sis.”

I ended the call and paced some more. Jackson was right, I should really leave. I grabbed my things and went towards the door. But something stopped me. Something told me to hang on, wait it out. See if Christos turned up. I wanted an explanation about the folio and the gun for a start. Jackson made total sense with his advice to get me to leave ASAP.

But I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t be so wrong about the goodness I felt from Christos. I know I was a mess from Adam’s death, but I was usually a good judge of character. At least I think I was.

So, I sat down on the sofa and waited.

Chapter 13 – Mason

Wetravelledinthevan for about fifteen minutes. I was aware there were others in the van with me, in the same situation. No one spoke or tried to do anything. It seemed like we all knew what was happening. It was the initiation into The Order.

I wondered what they were going to do to us. I wasn’t looking forward to any hazing that might happen. I steeled myself to be doused in flour or stripped naked and made to run through the woods, or whatever other inane thing they could think of to make us do to prove ourselves. I shivered with the cold. I was only wearing a pair of sweatpants and an old tee. I had nothing on my feet. I hated being cold. So I hoped it would be over quickly, whatever they had in mind.

The van stopped suddenly and the side panel door opened. I was grabbed and bundled out of the van, my feet touching something soft as they reached the ground. It was grass. At least it wasn’t some kind of rubble.

I was maneuvered by someone and told to go on to my knees. When I didn’t comply, they kicked out at the back of my legs and I went down. The hood was taken off me and I blinked at the sudden bright lights. I had expected darkness but instead there were bright lights surrounding us at four points, making a diamond. I looked around as my eyes adjusted and noted there were ten of us kneeling in a line. Connecting each light was a line of people in dark cloaks and black masks, making a diamond or a square. One of the masked people came forward and they summoned ten people from the lines, who carried black cloaks and masks in their arms.

The one who had summoned the others walked towards us and stopped in front of us.

“You have been brought here as an initiate of The Order. Your presence here is a gift as you have been deemed of a superior nature than your peers. We will not put you through any rituals or hazing. We, The Order, are superior to those kinds of activities and therefore we invite you to accept our offering of the cloak, mask, and ring. In return, we expect obedience and absolute loyalty to The Order. If you wish to reject this proposal, please leave now.”

The voice was a male, and I recognized it as Professor Owens. I looked down the line and noticed Anastasia was here. She smiled as she recognized me.

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