You spin me round round

"Uhhh... Pizza?"

Behind Conor was standing befuddled pizza man. Clearly he was deciding between delivering the pizza or running off from a possible fight.

I take from him pizza boxes and stuff bills in his hand to spare him stress. He took the cash without even looking, did he get the right amount and scurry to his delivery car.

Something makes me feel Shadow will be banned in this particular pizzarina.

Pizza boxes are extra hot so I quickly carry them to the kitchen counter.

"Hell yeah! Grub showed up at last!" Shadow didn't even look at Connor in favor of getting sticky fingers on pizza.

When he is done stuffing the first slice in his mouth like absolute troglodyte, only then he decides to acknowledge the fuming hacker.

"Commor he'y, wah ar'y y'o doi'ngh he'r?"

He swallows food in his mouth loudly, of course.

"If you come for pizza there is none for you. Sorry~"

Connor gives Shadow a look that probably only cockroaches on the side of the road usually get. I decided. This man is my spirit animal.

"I don't want you fucking pizza. Better explain to me why you want to kill me with a work load from hell?"

"Oh don't be so dramatic. You've more impressive things to help me solve the case."

He shakes a pizza box in Connor's face like this to prove his point somehow.

"Last time I did such a big case for you I fainted afterwards in the shower and ended up in intensive care for a week with a cracked skull!"

Shadow takes out another slice and points with it at Connor.

"Easy solution, just don't shower next time and go to bed directly. Foolproof plan." He crams the whole slice in his mouth. "Y'u do't ha'u to thakmy."

If look could kill Shadow would be already six feet under.

"Hey, I'm Alex. You hacked my phone, remember?" I step up and distract Connorwith with an over cheerful voice. I stepped in because I had witnessed my share of violence for entry year.

I just need some peaceful couple hours.

He looked at me like some piece of inanimate scenery that all of sudden decided to talk.

I mean I get it... I have such a weak presence even scanners for automatic doors sometimes overlook me and don't open doors for me. It can be really humiliating when I have to wait until another person comes to slip in. Fact that I'm 5 '4 probably doesn't help the situation.

"Fuck! I didn't see you there. You nearly gave me a heart attack with your sudden babbling."

He holds his hand on his heart like it will really give out any minute.

"Anyway Kid. You don't have to introduce yourself to me. I already know everything that is to know about you. I did a background check on you and hacked your devices."

Taking shoes off to come into the house he explains nonchalantly, how he dug out my every deepest, darkest secret. Great!

"By the way, when we are still on this topic. Kid, please wipe your internet search history more often. I had to bleach my eyes after checking that."

'Yep, just kill me.'

My first instinct is to run to the door and hopefully not be seen by any of them ever again. Better yet If I just go into the hiding in wilderness and live the rest of my life as a wild lonely man in the woods.

"I have to go. I now remembered I left the stove on. Sorry, bye."

Big hand lands on my shoulder and stops my hasty retreat.

"Kid, chill out. He only teases you. Now ones interested in what are your fap material preferences."

Maybe Shadow is not as bad as I thought.

"But If you're furry or something I don't wanna hear about it."

That's more like him…

Sulking I go for my pizza. Oh! There are two to choose from, wait...that reminds me!

"Shadow, why don't you call in Night for a pizza?"

Completely unbothered, he took out some kind of chilly sauce and spread it on pizza.

"Ups. I forgot. But it's a good idea Pipsqueak. Why don't you go for her and let adults have their adult conversation."

He winks and shoo me off.

I get it. You want to speak in private. I'll give you time for your little secrets.

When I get to the door leading to the stairs I remember that in the house there is an elevator. I don't remember the rute because Shadow blindfolded me for some reason in the elevator and let me see only the fake home part of hause.

Wanting to ask about it I turn around but there's suddenly nobody here.

"Hey, Shadow! I only wanted to ask where the elevator is!"

When I turn around there is nothing but silence. How far could they go this quickly to not hear me?

"Ugh, I guess I'll get my teen thousand steps today. P.E teacher would be so proud."

Second time going down the stairs is worse than the first. For a second I'm seriously considering just falling and rolling myself from stairs but then again broken limbs don't sound like fun either.

When I get there I'm huffing and puffing like a sweet version of wolf in three little piglets story.

"I huaaa…hate…ufff stairsss!"

Luckily doors are already open so I can freely crawl my corpse to talk to Night.

She is sitting exactly the same as she sat when we left. She must be really focused to look like a dame statue. Only pigeons are needed to complete the look.

"Hey, Night pizza is up in the kitchen. Wanna come and eat with me?"

No reaction.

I came closer to here. And closer I am better I can see her mouth moving. Then I hear her.

"How is it possible? When I was watching the screen earlier, live data analysis was completely different. Do I remember it wrong?"

On the screen was a wall of numbers and letters, presumably code she's trying to crack. From increasing force of clicking I could probably safely assume it's not going great.

She's busy but she needs to eat so I lay my hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

Next thing I know the world is spinning and I'm flying straight on big shelfs with weapons and random equipment.

Bam!

Son of a bitch! It feels like my back break in half on a impact

She threw me over her shoulder judo style.

"Ow! Ow! My back! Shit!"

With my hand on my back I try to get up but my feet don't cooperate. My back hurt too much when I try change position of my feet.

Night was looking at me for a hot minute like I'm some threat she has to disable but then her eyes lit up with comprehension and her face fell.

"Oh no! Alex I'm so sorry. It was a reflex I didn't want to hurt you!"

She runs to me and helps me stand up.

"Where are you hurt? Do you feel something is broken?"

God dammit! I know she has good intentions but spinning me around and checking me all over doesn't help. Every time I have to bend and straighten my back I feel utter agony.

"Nothing's broken but my back is hurting."

She unceremoniously pulled a shirt over my head and inspected my spine. Examination consists of pressing each individual disk with fingers. In my life I never felt pain like that but she looks worried so I refine from screaming to not freak her out.

"Uff…Nothing broken or crushed but you will have a bruise on your back the size of Jupiter."

She let my shirt fall back on my back.

"Now Alex. Never ever do this to us. Don't touch us from the back. Okay?"

Her words sound harsh but the ointment on my back she's appling feels like she's apologizing.

"Sorry I'll remember next time."

She smiles and puts ointment on its place.

"So what do you need from me?"

'Oh yeah I came here for a reason.'

"Pizza is here. Your box is on the kitchen counter."

Grluulul

My stomach gurgles and my face is red like a tomato.

"Pfu ha ha ha…I see you must be really hungry after all this that happened today. Better hurry and come with me to eat."

Without any unnecessary words she blindfolded me for a ride in the elevator.

I feel tempted for a second to teak it if and see what they are hiding but I refrain.

Ding

We were on the fake house floor.

There is no longer silence when we come there. Rather, it is a very loud shouting match when we come.

It looks like Shadow showing something to Connor and they arguing about it.

Do they not know how to solve a problem without violence and shouting?