Chapter ~ 16# ~ Runner

Noah ~ POV

I woke up with a groan as I felt my bed around my shack. Popping my head up, I look around and notice a bright light shining through the blanket on my bed. I reached down to grab my phone; when I looked at the screen, I saw it was a message from Ethan. I rubbed my eyes as I sat in bed, tossing my legs over the edge. I groan as I look down at the phone screen; swiping across the screen, I open messages. There were only two texts from Ethan; 'We need to talk'... 'Something happened to Ben' I quickly got dressed. Walking down the stairs, I see dad on the phone, probably with mom. He didn't pay much attention as I slipped through the front door. I managed to hop onto a bus that took me towards the city hall. From there, I followed the path Ethan led me on the first day we met. 

Walking through the street, it was clear something was different. Fewer people were walking around; some of the stores didn't even look open. I soon notice Ethan sitting outside of Nine Tails Den. He was sitting on the curb outside of the store. At first, I thought the guy was just another random person, though when the hood fell back because of a slight breeze, I saw it was Ethan. He seemed to have his headphones in. His eyes were locked forward as he stared off into space. I gently tapped his shoulder with my hand catching his attention. I noticed a large box in a paper bag sitting between his feet. Ethan pulled one of the headphones out of his ears as he turned to look at me. Looking down at him, I couldn't help but notice he seemed different. He smiled as he stood up.

"Hey, Noah… thanks for meeting me." He said, still smiling; I had to admit I was smiling a little. 

"So why'd you call me over here? You think of something to do about this whole creeper thing?" I asked as I watched him reach down and pick up the paper bag. 

Written in thick bold lettering around a simple line art of a fox was the logo of Fox's Den. He lifted the bag up and held it out to me. I was a little surprised as I hesitantly took it. The bag was heavy; looking in, I couldn't help but notice a detailed design along the outer walls of the box. 

"I'm not good with expressing what I feel… and… I still feel bad about blowing up at you. I know I need to work on my… emotions. And I'm hoping this conveys that I really am sorry." He said, catching my attention. 

As I slowly pulled the box out, I couldn't help but silently scream. The heavy pack I was holding showed one of the cover arts for Nova War. The same mech I geeked out when I first saw it on display. I looked between Ethan and the figure, wanting to tell him how much this meant to me. Though the flood of emotions I felt kept my mouth open but wouldn't allow me to say anything. Ethan stood there smiling down at me as he already knew what this meant to me. Ethan stepped aside as he motioned me down the sidewalk. 

"Thank you," I say as I set the bag carrying the figure down in an empty seat next to me. 

"How did you pay for it?" I was a little curious when I remembered when I saw it in the display case that it was a little expensive. 

Ethan chuckled as he sipped at a cup of water. 

"I sold my old electric bike to Rebecca. I told her it was an emergency…." He said as it became clear to me now. 

I couldn't stop smiling as we walked up to one of the only few restaurants left open, The Garden.

"Well, I hope you didn't leave anything important on your old bike." I joke as I reach over and grab a menu. 

"Nope, I cleared everything I…." He said before stopping part way through his sentence. 

"Ethan, you ok?" Seeing him like this was a little weird. 

He was silent for a few minutes, which got me concerned. He didn't even say anything when the waitress took our drink orders. 

"Why were the computers left?" He asked out loud, which threw me off a little. 

"What are you talking about?" I was a little lost by his question. 

"The computers we came across. Mr. Davis put a lot of time into that setup. Scavenge old systems, not to mention set up that room. Why didn't he scrap everything and only take what was important. Why'd he build a hidden room out of his closet that was sound proof?" Ethan asked as he looked me dead in the eyes. 

Have to admit looking back it was weird. Setting multiple monitors and connecting them to numerous P.C. towers would take a lot of time. And the countless amounts of cameras that were probably hidden around the house. Not to mention what if someone besides us came across it?

"Well, it was in a hidden room, remember? Maybe he wasn't counting on it being found?" I theorized as I leaned against the table between Ethan and me. 

"Even that would have taken time… think about it; if Mr. Davis was going to cover his tracks, wouldn't he have scrapped the computers and ran off? Why go through the effort of hiding everything?" Ethan asked, which honestly was a little weird. 

"You know computers better than anyone, Noah. Can you tell me setting all that stuff up would be a piece of cake?" He asked, and I gotta admit it would be hard. 

"He used old systems… so garage sales, salvage army… would be the best bets of where he got the stuff to begin with." I pointed out as I began thinking more and more about it. 

"Not to mention, what was he doing with his paycheck if he was using old systems?" Ethan asked, which was a little weird. 

After all, most of that stuff wouldn't have been too expensive. And remembering the house, everything seemed relatively simple. Heck, Nathaniel's room was the one that seemed the most lived in. Those robots wouldn't have been cheap, but looking back, Mr. Davis's room only had a bed and not much else. 

"He set up a second location?" I whispered, trying to think about it. 

"But why? He could have just run…." Ethan stated as he placed a hand over his chin and lips, seeming to think about it. 

"What if he wanted to throw her off?" I asked as that might explain a few pieces of the puzzle. 

"He left a false trail for her to follow… while he and his son were somewhere else… but where?" Ethan asked as he looked down at the table. 

We sat there in silence for a moment, thinking. Then I remembered something that stuck out to me. 

"Hey… back at the city hall… was there someone else?" I asked as I remembered the day Ethan was kept from school. 

"What do you mean?" Ethan asked as he looked up from the table at me. 

"That night at city hall… you ran into the creeper again… you said they took a truck. But I don't remember any news stories about a car theft." The pieces slowly began standing out more and more. Not to mention this was the first time there was a partner involved.

"They could have brought their own," Ethan suggested. 

"Think about it… every time we've run into the creeper, they've always been on foot. And why ditch your own car; when the sheriffs can run the registration?" It did leave a rather big problem for someone trying to keep a low profile. 

Ethan went silent as I pointed it out. Guess he understood where I was going with this. 

"So what are you saying? There's another person in play?" He asked, which got me thinking. 

"You said you ran into the creeper on the second floor of city hall, right?" I wondered, which Ethan confirmed with a nod. 

"Why would they be in the city hall of all places after hours?" It didn't make sense to me.

After all, you already know where the person you're hunting lives. There is also the fact that time the creep ran and didn't fight Ethan. I mean she chased after Ethan last time and didn't hesitate to start a fight with him. So why run away at all when you know you could win a fight? There has to be another reason. 

"What if it wasn't the creep?" Ethan whispered. 

Realization hit us both at the same time. 

"It was…" I began to say but stopped as Ethan placed a hand over my lips to contain my excitement.

We looked each other in the eyes as I understood why he did that. The creep would get bold if word got out that Mr. Davis and Nathaniel were still around. Ethan slowly took his hand away from my mouth.

"So why would Mr. Davis break into city hall?" I asked Ethan, having calmed myself. 

"To make a new I.D." He said as he tried to hold back his own excitement. 

"So they can get out of town as a backup plan." So I realized as I began seeing the bigger picture. 

"Which means Mr. Davis and Nathaniel are still around. Probably hiding somewhere." I whispered, not wanting that information to leak out. 

"But where?" I ask as there are dense woods surrounding the town. 

Ethan then looked at me with a knowing smile, telling me he might have the answer.