I followed Adrian. I wanted to say something to make things better, but I didn't know what. One of the reasons I had no friends was because I was utter rubbish at the entire sympathise and empathize department.

I didn't get the point of crying over others' problems. If you care, help them act and fix it. If not then ignore and walk on.

Just like my Adrian was walking.

It was a jarring wake-up call. Villians are also humans. Not that I won't kill them or anything. But at the end of the day, Adrian was a twenty three year old who had to grow up sooner than he should have. Was due to his intelligence? Or because of his family.

I was following him, lost in my own thoughts while he was drowning in his. I had the weirdest urge to take him in my arms and hug him tight. Even though I barely knew him. And out limited interactions weren't exactly...pleasant.

He walked up to Katja's quarters. The sun was rising now. I had been deprived of a night's sleep.

I watched as Adrian knocked on the door and Katja opened it. She looked confused as she handed a piece of paper to him.

He took the paper and his eyes widened in surprise. Hmm..

He looked back at Katja and smiled and thanked her. She tried to slam the door shut, realizing that something was out of the ordinary. Adrian put his foot in between the door, effectively stopping it. I walked faster. I didn't know what to expect.

Adrian pushed the door open and gently took Katja's hands in his. I was close enough to make out the words he spoke.

"Thank you, Katja. You don't need to be afraid, okay? This was just a bad dream, forget it. Now I want you to go inside and go to sleep. Give the project a bread. When you wake up you'll be refreshed. "

Katja stared at him, dazed for a minute. Then she slowly nodded.

Adrian smiled and let her go.

He turned around and saw me staring. He frowned, but didn't acknowledge me. I was still surprised at his small display of affection. The aftermath of my outburst?

He's not a good person. He WILL kill or abandon you if you cease to be useful.

Yep, I needed that reminder.

I was sort of jealous. Obviously. What did I have to do to be on the receiving end of that affection?

You could start by controlling your temper.

Sure. Easy. I was no angel. And Adrian liked angels, not bitches. Even though he was no saint.

I ran to catch up with him.

"What was on the paper?" I asked.

He ignored. If we were going to act mature...

"Are you deaf!! What was on that paper!?"

Okay, you guys know that being nice wasn't one of my more...er...significant attributes.

Adrian abruptly turned around and looked at me. His eyes flashed like like lightening.

"I'll tell you when I want to tell you. We're going to your apartment. You need to dig up your passport." He said in his usual calm and smooth voice.

"You can't take me outside the country!!"

"I can and I will. Now, get into the fucking car."

I got in but expressed my reluctance by slamming the door shut, harder than necessary. Adrian winced. Mission accomplished.

Great, now I was acting like a five year old.

✴✴✴

We stopped outside the apartment complex and Adrian told me to go and get my passport. I told him my house was a mess and he sighed and said he'd wait.

I walked up the familiar stairs to my apartment, maybe I could call the cops. Haha. No. I was already too deep in shit.

I opened the door and stepped inside, everything was a mess. Nothing unusual. There was a method to the madness though. Depending on when I lost the object, I knew exactly where to look and how deep to dig. Basically I've been way too lazy to clean.

Hmm...passport.

Yeah, okay. This was not going to be easy, I thought, staring pensively into the mess I called my room.

Not knowing where to start, I opened the cupboard. I wished I had Harry Potter magic. Literally, accio passport and it would come flying out.

But that was not the case.

The search was excruciatingly long. I was sweating like a pig. I was thankful for the cool breeze that kept blowing in.

Wait.

I never left the window open. I had bolted it shut in paranoia that night I saw the blueprints.

Somebody was in here. Or had been.

I cannot tell you how much I hoped for the latter. Fuck the passport, I need to get out. I had neither a phone nor Adrian's number.

I was on my way out before I saw my glitter pink purse (it was cute. Don't fucking judge). I breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, I had left my passport there when I went to Mexico with my roommate.

I picked up the passport. There was no way I was going to let Adrian catch me with a pink, glitter studded purse that clashed horridly with my lavender dress.

Before I left I pulled the window down. I saw a small chit in the window sill. I frowned. What was that? I was sure it wasn't put by me. The window wouldn't have shut with it lodged there. It was recent. Someone had put it there.

I heard the honk of a car. Adrian.

"COMING!!" I yelled.

I tucked the chit in my bra. Because this damned dress had no pockets that I could hide it in. and ran downstairs. There would be time to read it later. I would make time to read it later.

I ran downstairs and got into the car. Adrian gestured for me to give him the passport. I handed it to him and got in.

"I really need some proper clothes." I said pulling out my dress when it got stuck in the door.

"Told Damien and Antonio to get you something to wear."

"Okay."

We drove to the house in silence. The ashes of our fight hadn't settled yet.

"Adrian, when you said that you had taken my belongings..."

"I only told them to touch your wardrobe."

Okay. So he hadn't put the chit there.

Which brings me to the next question.

Who had?

✴✴✴

"Okay stop holdings out on us!" I demanded making a move to snatch the piece of paper Katja had given him.

He looked at me with a blank expression and held the paper out of my reach. I refused to jump.

"Adrian!" I yelled. The corners of his lips turned up slightly.

I jumped and snatched the paper right out of his hands, nearly tearing it.

I opened it. Wait. What!?

I read it properly. Yeah, I didn't need spectacles.

Isaac, Damien and Antonio walked downstairs and I looked up at them.

"What was all the fuss about? Chevron, what was up with the coordinates?" Isaac asked.

"Do you remember Adrian's mother?"

"Yeah, Carelia right? What does this have to do with her?" Damien piped up.

I frowned at the paper.

"Because the coordinates correspond to a minor planet-"

"So?" Antonio asked.

"The planet is named was named 1936 DA. Then it was renamed to 1391-Carelia."

✴✴✴