“Exactly,” he says, winking.
“I wish I could see it the same way,” I say.
“Do you have family?” he asks.
“Yes,” I say, but I quickly add, “Well, I did.”
“What happened?” he asks. “It’s fine if you don’t want to answer. I won’t pry.”
“It’s okay. I just needed to run away.”
“I understand. I ran away lots of times back when I was your age,” he replies.
I look up into his eyes. “You have family you left behind too?”
He nods and takes another bite of his sandwich. “Oh yeah, I actually just visited my daughter this morning while you were still sleeping. She works at a small local clinic.”
I sit up straight.
He was gone while I was asleep all by myself?
What if someone had mugged me?
I have nothing of value to steal, but still, the thought of being alone out in the streets frightens me.
“I don’t know what was going on at that clinic, but it sure wasn’t the usual kind of business.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
He takes a big bite and chews while speaking. “Lots of big guys in suits and blacked-out cars in the parking lot, and when I went inside, they were all sitting in the waiting room, staring at a single door.” He shivers. “Creepy if you ask me.”
My eyes widen.
Could it be …?
I immediately crawl out of the carton box and get up.
“What’s wrong?”
“Where is that clinic?”
“Uh … five streets farther up ahead, then the last to the left. Not far from here.”
“Did you see anyone come in with huge scars?” I ask, panicked.
He shakes his head. “I don’t know. I didn’t see much other than those men. They were already sitting there by the time I came in.”
“I have to go,” I mutter. “Thank you so much for letting me stay.”
“Wait, what? Where?” he replies, but I’ve already run out of the alley and down onto the street.
I know I didn’t say a proper goodbye, but there’s no more time.
If I don’t go now, I might not be there on time to find out if my hunch is true.
If the people at that clinic are who I think they are … Lex’s guards … then the person in that room they’re watching might be Beast.
I run across the pavement, bumping into people and apologizing profusely before I run off again. Some seem upset I don’t pay attention, but my focus is on one thing and one thing only: I have to know if he’s still alive.