There were lots of things going on in Sage's head. Lots of processes he was following just for the day. And he was slightly distracted by the fact that Nox had a baby strapped to his chest. It seemed perfectly normal to Nox. He acted like it was, but that child was an aberration. Though Nox dotted on it like it was his own. Sage had done all the paperwork and officially the kid was his, so were all the refugees from the Blackthorn mansion. All the paperwork would be completed by the time they landed the other side of the ocean.
They had another man joining them and Sage was waiting to ID the man, he hadn't even been given a name, only to book his flight under an alias. Sage could have let the CCD fly them in, but it looked better being totally under Nox's dime. Though Nox didn't know he'd paid for it, he barely understood the money he had in his bank account -- or rather the one Sage had set up for him. Nox could fund himself a little army if he wanted to. That was the benefits of letting Sage use his name as a holding, he got a percentage, even if he didn't know it. Aurora would want Sage to look after her little brother, and that's what he did.
When the strange number came in Sage was already tracing it and Nox knew that he would. It wouldn't take long to know how they'd gotten the number. And who it was on the other end.
Connor tried to relax, remembering Nox from the restaurant, remembering the guy who tried to protect him and Ayden from his Atharim cohorts.
It wasn't like he had memorized every part of their interaction. Yeah, he had a good memory. But a lot had happened for one single evening to be more than a blur. But he retained enough.
The thing was tryjng to be believable. But what was the question? Was he concerned? Yeah. Did he remember Nox with, maybe not fondness. But certainly with some sense of concern. So yeah. And did he just want to talk?
Very much yes.
So he relaxed as the wallet rang. And then. "Hello? Is this Nox? This is Connor Kent. We ran into each other back in Moscow. More like we decided to crash your meal. But you did me - did US a favor. I'd like to return it. Do you have a moment to talk?"
Lily was asleep so Nox spoke softly once he heard the voice on the otherside. He was supposed to bed dead. Why was he reaching out? Nox hadn't beleived they were dead, Ayden was good at her job, but why was he reaching out.
Nox bounced Lily softly as he paced back and forth. He reached into the slime of the horde and grasped the power on the otherside. He wondered if it was getting worse or if he was just repulsed by it more and more. Probably a little bit of both. The more he accepted it the more he hated himself for it. He wove a bubble of silence around his body and spoke at a normal voice but to the world he was just mouthing along to something on his earbuds. And Lily was none the wiser to his conversation. Sage was the only person who knew, and that's because he was always listening in. Nox never doubted it. And from the way Sage sat up right he knew and he was already tracing and tracking and doing all the things he did. Connor should have stayed dead.
"This is Nox. And I remember you. You don't owe me anything, I'm just doing my job. You are supposed to be dead. Why are you reaching out to me? To an Atharim you barely know, and I know for she doesn't trust me, not even a little bit."
Connor sighed. Ok, this was gonna be a bit tough. He'd have to think fast. For some reason, it reminded him of the older guy he ran into in that antique bookstore in Moscow. There was a sense of menace to him and despite the innocent situation and Connor had had to lie his ass off for all he was worth.
It wasn't amy sense of menace he got from Nox. But the situation was delicate all the same. He'd had some vague ideas of what to say, but, as they say, the best laid plans go up in smoke after the first shot is fired.
He looked at Ayden. His wife. Carrying his child. This wasn't about his life. This was aboilut his family. Which meant he had to dance.
He laughed, as if it wasn't a big deal. "I wouldn't say taking my wife off the Ath- their radar was nothing. So I do owe you."
He paused. This was all completely true, even of being said to manipulate. "And, well...I've seen videos of you online. I watched a bunch of them, honestly. A bunch of times. And then I just got to thinking about it- what it must be like with this power and the attention and the fighting- and, for some reason I just got kinda worried about you. I know you can take care of yourself. I know that. He didn't say thay Nox reminded him of his son.
But of he had to put words to it, that was it. And Connor would have done anything to help Hayden. Anything.
"Anyway, doing what I do and knowing the people I know, I tracked you down. It.was just gonna be a call to say hey. But here you are back in the States. And, well, I just figured maybe you could use help- or at least a friend.
He looked at Ayden and smiled. Don't mind my wife. She doesn't bite. Not too hard anyway. Still, if you are worried about her, I can keep her out of this. Not a secret; we don't do that. But not involved."
Nox listened to the dead man speak. Sage was busy, sitting forward on the edge of the bed but not paying any attention to Nox himself. He was off in the ones and zeros and still heard every word of their conversation.
"A bunch of times, huh?" Nox smirked. Normally when someone says they've watched him a bunch of times there is a want of a favor that follows it up. Usually from some fan girl who "saw" his videos and wants to hang out. Since Oriena had offered he'd told most of them not tonight, he usually had other plans. And well he was pretty sure that's not what Connor met -- he was obviously married. Which was news to him. Not that it mattered the guy was cool enough, even if his girlfriend, sorry wife was his so-called mark, he hadn't taken her off the radar, just said he'd take the case. And obviously Connor didn't know Nox wasn't exactly Atharim loved at the moment. Though he was once again working for them.
Connor was thinking like a dad. Something Nox was starting to get a feel for. He didn't need a friend, and he surely didn't need any help. But there was one thing bothering him. "How did you know I was in the States?" That wasn't common knowledge, and well he hadn't even been on the ground long enough for anyone without hacker in their back pocket to know that he was even here. So how does some friend of Aria's know he's here. There had to be a catch. What did he want.