WHO: Lucas and Liam. WHAT: Liam is being a bad influence, and Lucas is being a teenager. WHERE: NY Public Library WHEN: Late late night, Feb. 6/Feb. 7 RATING: Medium to high. STATUS: In progress.
After a totally bizarre day, Luke was wired.
Or "wired". He didn't look anything but tired and a little disappointed, even though the library had turned out to be awesome. He'd had to hide his enthusiasm wandering the aisles. Then he'd set down the substantial pile of books next to where Uncle B had designated their sleeping zone with all the interest and joy of a zombie. Even though it meant the world to him that they'd come at all. That's why Uncle B had gotten at least a couple of genuine smiles he may or may not have actually witnessed.
Now it was late. The building had grown silent, with families settling in for the night, the loners gone quiet and contemplative in the dimming light. There were some groups still talking or playing cards, but the mood was definitely calmer than it'd been when Luke had arrived, when a truck of goods had come in from Grand Central.
He liked the nighttime. It was hard to shake the feeling that he needed to stay sharp, alert and ready after dark fell. What that had come to mean in the safehouses was that Lucas was up far later than he meant, lying wide-eyed awake in Madison Square Garden, trying not to wake his aunt or uncle if he got up to wander.
Here it didn't matter, though. He didn't know these people. He didn't care about any of them.
He was looking for that guy. Liam.
Why? It seemed like a thing to do. Lucas couldn't be expected explain everything he felt like doing. There was just one problem -- he had no idea who he was looking for. Someone who might have brain damage. Someone surrounded by an angry mob.
"Heyyyy," he called in a low voice as he sauntered through the shelves. "Genius man..."