LORENZ

…

"So what are you going to do with this power?"

In the few hours they had been seated at that café, apparently Daniel had taken a liking to speaking to his friend using only his thoughts.

« You know I still have to speak out loud, right? And it makes me look weird since you are not saying anything » Lorenz answered.

"You can read my thoughts, you are weird! And this is so cool. So answer the question, you freak."

« I don't even know what this is or how it works or why that guy gave it to me… »

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. First priority is to understand who was Mr. "well-dressed shooter" and then everything else. I am just saying – well, thinking – that you should start thinking (lol) about what to do with that gift."

« How do you know that it's a gift? Maybe it's a curse. Maybe I'll die in one month or I'll have to kill my best friend as a sacrifice for the devil » the blond one launched a humorous menacing glance at Daniel.

"I said I get it, that's not what I am asking. Let's assume that you find out that that guy was God. Or an alien or whatever. And he just decided to give you this power because he liked you, no strings attached. What would you do with it?"

« I…I haven't really thought about it…»

"I mean picking up girls would be soooo much easier if I could hear their thoughts…"

« Is there really nothing else you can think about? »

"I was just saying…of course there is so much more that you can do"

« Ok but please stop this, people are starting to look at me in a weird way…».

« Ok Ok…relax! » finally Daniel opened his mouth. « First of all, you could make a shit ton of money. You know, things like playing poker, or quiz games, or even the stock market if you make the right connections…then you would seem super charismatic, since you would always know what to say to each person to convince them to do what you want…I mean getting instant feedback on their reactions is pretty priceless…and also--»

The boy kept throwing around ideas about how Lorenz' gift could be used for good. His own good, that is. Lorenz had to admit that his friend was actually pretty creative in so far as practical applications of paranormal powers were concerned. But he didn't have a chance to compliment him, as something else caught is eyes, outside of the café window.

« They are opening. Let's go. » he stood up quickly, while looking at the people opening up "De Gemma" to prepare it for the coming night. « Jeez, you are so intense…» Daniel mumbled, following him.

…

Once they got inside the cocktail bar, the place was completely empty of decorations and personnel. The atmosphere was definitely different from the previous night.

« Can I help you? » the manager – Lorenz knew when crossing his gaze – asked the two students that had just walked in.

« Yes, thank you…» they had agreed that Lorenz would do the talking, given his "gift". What he would say, though, was Daniel's idea. He had rightfully pointed out that going in and saying "someone shot me last night" was definitely not an option. Even something lighter, like claiming to have been assaulted or hit by a "well-dressed middle aged man" would have sounded ridiculous. If they wanted to look at the security tapes, they would have to come back with the police, which of course they couldn't do. Fortunately, they had superpowers on their side.

« I lost my phone last night and…a friend of mine told me that one of your bodyguards had found it…a certain Mr. Harper...» in the few seconds Lorenz looked into the man's eyes, he looked for the information he needed. First of all, if the manager knew the Mystery man, which he didn't. Then how their security system worked, which made the boy realize that getting to the tapes was not an option in that moment. Their best chance was to talk to the bodyguard that last night was assigned to the very room where Lorenz had been "shot".

« Sure… » the man looked a little dazed by the frequent pauses in the student's speech. He didn't know the boy needed more time to look into his memories. «Hey Harper! Come see if you can help this kid find his phone » ha called out to a tall and muscular guy on the other side of the room.

« Yes boss » Harper agreed, as he walked towards the boys. « Hey guys, how can I help you? » he asked, his voice as deep as you would expect.

« I lost my phone last night, and a friend of mine told me that perhaps you found it? It was a…» Lorenz started spitting out irrelevant details about his phone and where he probably lost it and how important it was for him. All so that he could gain valuable seconds to look into the bodyguard's memories. There he was: the Mystery man. He came in from the door like everyone else…sat at a table and ate an hamburger…now he was drinking a cocktail on the sofa…he talked with a few people but very briefly and he didn't really seem to know any of them. Here he was talking to Lorentz! God damn it, stupid bodyguard, why did you look away! And…and now he was gone! The only one left was Lorenz, passed out on the armchair. No sign of bullets in his head.

« I am sorry man, but I didn't see any phone. Try looking around, but if I were you I wouldn't hope to find it…» the bouncer replied, before going back to his work.

« So…? » Daniel asked anxiously.

« Nothing…I saw him a few times in the bodyguard's memories but he wasn't with anybody and he didn't do anything relevant…I guess we should come up with a plan to get the security tape… » Lorenz answered, visibly disheartened by their failure.

« That's not good…» Daniel shared the feeling. « Do you want to check the armchair? If he really did shoot you, maybe there's some evidence left » he proposed.

« That's actually a good idea » Lorenz replied, moving towards the infamous armchair where their conversation had happened.

Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, they found nothing. In fact, the floor had been cleaned so there really was no trace whatsoever. Lorenz was about to give up and get back to the house to get some rest, when he noticed a small white corner coming out from beneath the armchair. He leaned to grab it, revealing a small white card, the same size and format of a business card. On it, there was a bizarre drawing: it looked like a butterfly, but it had…seven wings? That was an odd number, he thought.

He flipped the card over to look at the other side, and his heart stopped for a second as he recognized what he saw. In one corner there was a small metallic fragment stuck, or somehow glued, to the card. It was a bullet. It was the bullet. And what was written beneath that was even more disturbing.

« No strings attached you said, right? » he said to Daniel, while showing him the card.

« …Oh shit…» was his friend's only response to the two lines of text.

7 Players Still in the Game.

96 Chapters Left.