Chapter 9 Xave #3
Carter mutters something that sounds suspiciously like “Oh, for fuck’s sake” as he glares at the screen and quickly types something that makes the warning or whatever it was disappear and the beeping stop.
“Can you ask your cousin to stop being a dumbass?” he asks, his voice heavy with exasperation as he keeps typing.
Several screens flash on his monitors as he presumably takes care of whatever the warning was about.
“Which one?” I ask with a chuckle.
“All of them, but in this case, Jace.”
“What’s he done now?” I ask, not at all surprised that’s who he meant.
“He diverted some packages that were supposed to be delivered to King House, and the system flagged the missed delivery. I’m sure he had his reasons, and I don’t really care what they are, but can you tell him to cover his tracks next time?
Especially since I’m the one who has to deal with the paperwork if he gets caught. ”
“Did he get caught?”
“No, because I just covered for him.”
“I’ll talk to him, but you’ve spent the past few years working with him. How effective do you think I’ll be?”
He huffs out a laugh. “Fair enough. Then tell him he’s going to have to deal with the paperwork himself next time. Maybe the threat of bureaucracy will deter him.”
“Done.” I lean back in my chair. “How’ve you been?”
“Not bad,” he says after a few beats. “The quiet is a nice change.”
“Did you go home at all?”
He shakes his head and cuts his gaze to the side. “No point. Did you hear about the new security protocol they’re implementing?”
“I don’t think so,” I tell him. “What is it?”
Carter has a habit of info dumping when he’s trying to distract himself, and I listen as he launches into a detailed breakdown of the update he’s been doing to our security system.
Most of what he says goes right over my head, but I’m used to listening to my twin cousins talk about shit that’s far beyond my scope of understanding, so I just let him talk and nod when it feels appropriate.
“Sounds like something’s going on,” I say when he finishes. Hopefully that’s a neutral enough answer to keep him talking if he needs to.
“Yeah, shit’s going down and has been for way longer than they’re letting on,” he agrees.
“They, like the leadership? Or they like the alumni?” I ask.
“Both, but mostly the alumni.” He picks a pen up from his desk and pops the cap off, then snaps it back on a few times. “Have your dad or uncles said anything to you? I’ve picked up some chatter on the official channels, but I don’t have an in with the alumni like you do.”
I shake my head. My family was one of the original founders of the frat, and my position as part of the admin team gives me special privileges like hearing about sensitive information that others aren’t privy to.
Carter might be the glue that holds our security together, and he technically has more power than any of the current members of the frat, including the leadership team, but he’s still kept out of the loop because he’s only a second-generation member.
It’s not fair, but neither is life, and definitely not life in our world.
“Something’s going on,” he says grimly. “And it’s looking like whatever it is goes back years.”
“Yeah, something definitely is,” I agree.
“The vibe at home was off over Christmas. I thought it was because Killian’s dad is divorcing Felix’s mom and the whole thing that happened with Felix before the break, but it feels deeper than just family drama or the aftermath of someone trying to off Felix.
Dad and my uncles were stressed as fuck, and they kept asking us random questions about what’s been going on around here.
Like they were trying to get information from us but wouldn’t just come right out and ask us what they really wanted to know. ”
“Can you tell me if you do hear anything?” he asks. “You know how I am. My brain gets itchy when I can’t figure something out, and my brain is hella itchy right now.”
“Yeah, for sure. What are you getting up to tonight?”
I probably should tell my cousins I’m back on campus, but I’m not really in the mood tonight. It’s not that I don’t want to see them or hang out with them; I just need a night to decompress, and something tells me Carter could use the company after spending the last week and a half alone.
“I was going to start working on these.” He motions to the devices I gave him. “But I’m open to ideas if you have any.”
“Wanna do a movie night?”
He grins. “Have you ever known me to say no to movie night?”
“Nope, which is exactly why I asked. I need a distraction, and one of your weird, niche indie movies that will most likely rewire my brain chemistry from how fucked up or brilliant it is seems like the perfect distraction.”
He types something on his keyboard, and his monitors go dark. “Are you in the mood for fucked up or brilliant? Or both?”
“Fuck it, let’s go with both.”
He grins. “I have the perfect movie for tonight. I’ve been waiting to watch it because I know I’m going to need to do a full debrief and analysis of it when it’s done.”
“Sounds perfect. Want me to go make us some caramel popcorn and grab some drinks while you set up the screen?”
“Fuck yeah. And check the back fridge. I stashed some goodies in there.”
“Would those goodies be the blackberry cannabis seltzers you introduced me to before the break? Because those were amazing.”
“Yup.” He grins, his eyes bright with humor. “This is definitely the type of movie that would be enhanced by watching it in an altered state of reality.”
I stand and return the chair to where it was. “I’m going to come up here and make you sit with me until I fall asleep if this movie fucks me up too bad,” I warn. “And I’m gonna steal your bed and make you sleep on your couch as payback.”
He laughs. “Deal. And honestly, that’s probably the only way I’ll be able to sleep too if it’s as messed up as they say.”
“I’ll go grab us some refreshments. It’ll take about twenty minutes to make the caramel sauce. Is that good? Or do you need more time to do your Oracle shit?” I wave at his computer setup.
“That’s enough time,” he assures me. “Do you want me to break out the wearable blankets so we can hide from the screen if it gets too insane?”
“Do you think we’ll need them?”
He nods.
“Then fuck yeah.” I pause when I see the slightly unhinged undertone to his grin. “I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?”
“Probably.”
I huff out another laugh. “At least you’re honest about it. How many drinks should I grab?”
“Bring four just in case. Go big or go home, right? And lots of popcorn. I’m gonna be stress eating my face off if this movie is as good as I’ve heard it is.”
“Done. Back soon.” I shoot him a little wave and head toward his door.
This is exactly the kind of night I need right now, and I feel lighter than I have in days as I head down to the kitchen to get our snacks.