Levi Winchester

I walked home after kissing Tyler good morning as he was still passed out and I strategically avoided his mom on my way out. There was no way that she didn't hear us last night, but he wouldn't keep quiet.

Fresh air and quiet. We made up and fantasy #249: dancing Tyler to bed came true and it was even better again. Plus he asked for more, and and more more and more!

Last night was pretty crazy actually. Tyler showed that he can handle a rougher and faster time, and it was really really hot. On the outside he looked sweet and innocent but he was a machine. Nothing could ruin today for me!

My walk home would also be peaceful if it weren't for some asshole following me!

I couldn't see him but I had a sixth sense for this kind of stuff because it seemed to happen a lot. I put in my headphones but kept on listening as the footsteps came closer and more carelessly.

"Boss it's me...somethings not right with the plan....he's not doing-OOF!!" I quickly turned and kicked the guy behind me down. When his hood went down I looked at a shocked guy with a eye mask.

"Who are you? Why are you following me?" I asked. "Are you the one after Tyler? Or are you the one planning everything?"

"No use in hiding now," the guy took his eye cover off and stepped under a street light. I've never seen him before.

"Who are you?"

"Are you kidding me?! It's Giovanni!"

"Right!" How could I forget this fucking guy? He was an entire wrench in my plan.

"Are you really that forgetful?!" Giovanni snapped.

"So it wasn't Tyler you were tailing? It was me. But If you were after Tyler, you're following me to get rid of me. But if you're the one who's been planning everything, it makes sense that you're just keeping track of me. Are you partnered with some random asshole to start trouble?"

Giovanni smiled before lunging forward at me. I blocked his punch but he still somehow landed a hard kick to my stomach. I turned to punch but Giovanni had gotten behind me and knocked me back down on my back.

"Is this all you've got? At this rate will you be able to keep Tyler safe with tricky tactics and brains only? I'm just here to deliver the message that If you don't want to get locked up in there again, you better play your part well," Giovanni stepped on my chest. "Got it?" He brought his foot up and stomped down on my ribs and stomach. "Don't make this game boring."

Giovanni walked off as I stayed on the ground. I couldn't alienate my sources of information.

Locked up? Was he.....no he was reporting to someone over the phone. So he must be an accomplice. since when was this asshole professionally trained in anything? I might have gotten even worse shit had I said more.

Maybe it was for the best that I got beaten down. In our scuffle I managed to grab Giovanni's phone from his pocket. With this, I'm sure to find out more about what's going on?

Tacky tricks and brains are more useful than strength anyway.

I slowly got up feeling the pain in my ribs. This was the only downside to playing weak. I guess I was a bit weak right now anyway as I'd used up most of my energy with Tyler. I opened the phone by swiping up. No password?

His contact list is completely empty. And other than calls from an unknown number, there's nothing in his most recent call history. Only calls coming in and all from different numbers.

Then was the call I heard when I noticed him just be a call he took? That means he's been giving them updates whenever they called. Was he reporting to them about me? Or Tyler?

There's no clues on this phone! After getting stomped in the stomach this is the bullshit I see?! Absolutely nothing?!

What a goddamn waste of time this was! I put my arm up to smash the phone....but stopped myself and sighed.

It was stupid to think they would leave any traces of them behind anyway. Keeping the phone is absolutely useless after Giovanni finds a way to report back but it could be useful until then. After all it was obviously a well planned scheme that was starting to unravel.

Do I have to look for another clue?

Why did I think things would calm down? There has to be something in here that no one would look at right away.

Maps history? That's open.

The routes in his favorites are the places I also used to go to watch Tyler!

So he's been following me or Tyler since way back, it wasn't clear who. And I didn't notice because I was too busy watching Tyler? No way, I'm always completely aware of my surroundings at all times!

Obviously not that aware!

Plus things are strange. It's all places I've been to plus places I haven't been to. Does this mean I'll  be able to find clues at these places?

The arcade? The supermarket? The theatre? A restaurant? A nightclub? A therapy clinic. This made no sense at all as Tyler and I don't go to nightclubs or therapy! So there was a missing link somewhere.

I stood still for a few minutes trying to connect some dots but nothing was making sense. What was he watching? Who was he watching? It's as if he was keeping tabs on someone else too.

Someone else!

So there's a possibility that's there might be someone else held captive like me?! Where's that person?! What's their relation to me? And what do we have in common that we're being watched?

Wait! Could it be, I'm trying to protect Tyler...and there's someone out there trying to kill Tyler? So if I learned to protect Tyler than the other person probably learned to hate him! Giovanni mentioned a game.

Freedom, joy and hope, was what I felt when that lady disappeared and I was finally able to leave that cage. Then those feelings turned into anger. Anger towards my captors.

I had found a box in the room next to me when I got free. Inside it was a debit card, a knife, a pin code and...information about Tyler. But nothing about who I was. There was a lot of money in the account and someone else's name on the card.

I pulled the card out.

If I'm able to find out who John Casaballa is, I'll be able to find out something about the kidnapper right?

But that makes zero sense.

I've checked out the name before. The PI couldn't find out any information on him...which meant he didn't exist. Meaningless in a way so I just assumed it was money for me since the account still worked and stayed unflagged.

But I've waited so long for some type of clue. I didn't think one would come so early!

Whoever was trying to kill Tyler went thru what I had gone thru. Well I assume so. But if I'm right...we're both stuck in a sick game with Tyler's life! That means his motive to kill is just as strong as my motive to protect.

That is, if there is another.

Why do I get the feeling that my assumption is right? No! I can't be influenced by movies and comic books, these things don't happen in real life. And why would it happen to me of all people?

Then again, someone went out of their way to bring it to my attention multiple times.

I shouldn't get ahead of myself, or make any rash decisions until I was completely sure.

I couldn't risk wrecking things with Tyler again. He just forgave me for Liam. He would crucify me if he found out that I've been planning on hurting someone else so soon after.

But that someone's trying to kill him.

I can solve this without being violent, just like Tyler said. Now to start trying to believe that'll be possible with the people I'm dealing with at the moment.

"Levi!" A voice sounded from behind me. I turned to see Tyler's dad jogging towards me in his athletic gear. "Hey kid, walk with me. It's pretty early, what are you doing up."

"I'm just walking home."

"By the way, I heard you and Tyler were getting busy. Did you use a condom?"

"Yes sir," I lied. "Why are you out so early? It's 4am."

"The older you get, the less you sleep. Especially after you have children," Stan explained. "Does Tyler know you left?"

"Yessir." Maybe if I couldn't let Tyler know what was up, I could get his dads creative opinion. "Stan....can you tell me about my mom or anyone around me?"

"I don't know much. Just a blond lady that seemed nice enough and there was an array of people who went in and out of that house," Stan said. "She kept up with you it seems, I thought she was so creepy. I'm not as involved really. I only saw you once when moving in as a kid, to be honest. I never bothered with her."

"Did she have another child?"

"Not that I know of. There was only three of you."

"Three?"

"How do you not know? There were two of you that she moved in with. I think his name was something Short. Uh...Jason or Jayden....something with a J. Who knows what happened to him, I just assumed it was none of my business. I have a feeling she wasn't who she said she was, but she never broke any laws, so I had no rights to actually do anything." Stan told me. "You look like you just had a eureka moment. Are you digging up your origin story or something?"

"Something like that. Do you think that lady was my mother?"

"Personally no, you looked nothing like her. But I could be wrong about it. Everyone was suspicious and curious of the blond lady with two ten year olds who were never seen after moving in. It's still no grounds for a background check."

"Hm."

"What are you stuck on?"

"What if This kid is the other one? I mean what if he didn't disappear?" I said. "To be honest, I have no memory of most if my time there and nothing before that. I have no idea who my parents are or where I come from for how I got there. But now this kid I don't remember,who might be connected to me, is after me in some way. And someone set him up to do it. If he got free too, that means he's the same as me, right?"

"After you how?"

"I'm not sure." I lied.

Everything I said left Stan rubbing his temples. "I wish you had said something sooner, I told you that you were family! Ugh! Well, this situation is super complicated but simple. It could be super coincidental that He's is still alive and the one doing this. But that still leaves a mastermind."

"I need to capture him and get an answer," I said.

"Do you need help?" Help? You know, now that I think about it, why wasn't Stan freaking out right now? I basically just told him I'm just a random guy with amnesia.

"No. It's purely a hunch." I admitted.

"Want me to investigate?" He was a police detective making him a perfect plant, but he could also derail everything with his weird sense of justice.

"Why?" Did Stan have a part in this?

"Smart boy, suspicious as usual. But that's good, you can't trust anyone if everyone could be a suspect. How do I know you're not going to be the one to go after soMebody? I've always been suspicious of you too. But I don't think you would, even though you're very capable. You hurt my baby boy and I'll kill you however I can. It'll be slow and painful and I'll fuck my wife on your scattered body parts. That being said I hope I'll be able to fill in some blanks to help. I'll start with the missing children reports."

"You're just walking away?"

"Yeah, it doesn't seem like you need much more from me. And I don't think you're going to tell me much more. I'll try to find what I can legally on your background and the other kid."

"Yeah," he was way too blunt. "I'm going home now. I have to figure out my next move."

"You have my number, kid. If you ever want me to hand my son over to you, you better win whatever kind of situation this is. I know you're not telling me the full story either. I'll still look into it though."

I watched Stan walk away from me without turning back. Did he walk me home on purpose? Nobody knows about this house! It's abandoned! What was he doing out here anyway? How did he know where I lived?

You can't trust anyone if everyone is a suspect.

This was Tyler's dad, the most straightforward and honest guy I knew. The only person who's beaten me at chess. Scary, but honest. My nerves were getting the best of me to the point where I couldn't trust anyone.

A sure fire way to lose.

I smiled. Thanks Stan, this was the first time you gave me valuable advice. I know what to do now.