Chapter 104: Then, we’ll be off
"Then, let me introduce myself first. My name is Michael. So you don’t have to refer to me as Noah’s female or ’his female’ when you’re trying to address me. It makes me... Uncomfortable."
"Ah," realizing her mistake, she quickly bowed her head and apologized. "I apologize, Mister Michael. I’ll refer you like this from now on."
Okay, since Michael was older than her, he didn’t mind being addressed formally.
She was nice and obedient, quick to take correction, and probably fast on her feet, too.
If they got a little closer in the future, then he’d let her call him by his name for convenience’s sake.
Michael smiled and said,
"Good. I’ll be in your care," he raised his hand for a handshake. "And... I don’t exactly need you to put your life on the line. If it’s something we can’t handle then we’ll just run. Is that fine?"
"But..." Alyssa wanted to object.
There might be situations where she’d need to distract the enemy just to give him time to escape. At times like that, she couldn’t run with him so she’d need to put her life on the line.
Besides, she wouldn’t die that easily but...
"Since you’re strong, I believe you’ll do just fine." Michael said, coming to the end of his words and Alyssa glanced towards Noah behind Michael and then Sebastian beside her.
What kind of response could she give?
Should she make the promise for now and go back on it later, or...?
They weren’t giving her any hints so she decided to just go with whatever her heart chose.
She took Michael’s hand and said,
"I’ll do my best to keep you safe no matter what."
Michael smiled and nodded.
"Alright, that works fine."
"You need to get going." Sebastian said, looking at his wristwatch. "There’s a car waiting for you downstairs. It’ll take you to the place. Alyssa will fill you in on the details in the car."
"Alright." Michael said and then Noah dropped a coat on his shoulder. He glanced back and his lips met with Noah’s, who had leaned in to kiss him goodbye.
Alyssa watched this and her face flushed. To think she would see this. But she felt it was rude to watch her superiors kiss so she quickly lowered her head and tried to get a grip on herself.
"I told you, I’ll wait here so come back once you’re done." He said and Michael nodded.
"Yeah, but I don’t know about coming back right away." He tittered.
"What? Why?"
"Well, I might feel like taking a walk, you know." He smiled carefreely, and Noah sighed.
"I understand."
Though he said that, he wished Michael would come back right away. But since it was what Michael wanted to do then he’d let him.
"Just make sure Alyssa is right by your side no matter what you do."
"Yeah, she’s my bodyguard. I’d hate to get hurt as well so I’ll keep her next to me. Don’t worry." He assured Noah as he shoved his hands through the sleeves of the coat.
It was Christmas day, so most stores wouldn’t be open, but he hoped they’d find at least one open. A book store.
He wanted to be the one to get the journals.
This was his surprise to Noah so he wouldn’t let him know about it yet.
"Then, we’ll be off."
Noah waved but hated to let him go. Still, he gripped his clenched fists tight and watched till Michael was out the door.
"This is going to be fine, right?" He asked and Sebastian nodded.
"It should be."
Michael had to use an alias as well as not answer any personal questions asked by the doctor. If he had to answer then he should answer wrongly. He didn’t need to tell the truth.
This was going to be a one-time visit, so he didn’t need to bother about anything.
"Um, Alyssa, I can call you Alyssa, right? You know, I’m older than you."
"Yes, Mister Michael." She said. ’I read his file but I can’t believe he’s 32 when he looks like that.’ she thought. ’I guess I can’t really judge a person by their appearance.’
"So, are you sure that this is the place?" Michael asked Alyssa, who turned her head to the run-down five-story building in front of him.
Alyssa looked at it and then looked at the note in her hand. She was sure of it.
"Yes, this is it." She said. "I trust my boss so this must be a cover." She added and Michael nodded.
He didn’t know much about covers but wasn’t this too much? They were practically discouraging those who came to her treatment or something else.
"Rogues aren’t well looked upon by other packs so they need to keep themselves hidden somehow." Alyssa explained. "Only rogues should be aware of this place’s existence."
"If so, then how was Sebastian able to get a contact to this place when he’s not a rogue?" Michael asked and Alyssa’s eyes glinted.
"My Boss is just that extraordinary." She asked proudly, and Michael nodded.
"Yeah, right."
"Now, before we head in," Alyssa said to Michael, "...I’d like to ask. Are you ready to meet the rouge doctor?"
"Well, it’s not like I can back out if I’m not ready." Michael said, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.
"So you’re not ready?" She asked, her expression frantic but he laughed and said,
"I was only joking. I’m ready." He said.
Rogues were no different from werewolves, since they were once normal werewolves before they were cast out of their pack or ran away, so unless Michael came across a half wolf half human in a white lab coat, nothing would scare him.
He could just imagine he was visiting a normal doctor. Not a big deal.
They entered the rundown building and the first floor was just as the outside looked. It was wrecked and a little bit dark.
Was that blood on the wall? Nevermind that, this place was just too sketchy.
And Michael once again asked,
"Are you sure this is the place?"
Alyssa gulped and then forced out a smile.
"I’m sure this is just a front." She said and decided to follow what the paper said.
They got to the elevator and then pressed the button that looked like it was going down instead of up, as the paper indicated.
And then, the elevator started going up.
It stopped at the third floor and then opened.
Surprisingly, unlike how it looked on the outside and the first floor, it was actually neat and tidy inside. It looked like a real hospital from the third floor.
So, unless one was sure that this was a hospital, they wouldn’t carelessly walk in.
Alyssa sighed in relief that she had not made a mistake.
At the front desk, Alyssa said to the receptionist,
"We’re here to see Doctor Ro."
