Chapter 12 - Being Favored

"I'm going to try on some clothes, throw a few parties, and hey - do you have your own pool?" Rohda chattered nonstop throughout the journey. I politely responded to all her questions, though I longed for a moment of quiet.

When Neil called, I answered immediately, raising a hand to silence Rohda. "Hello?" She looks a bit disappointed, but flashed a happy face.

"Dude, you won't believe this..." He aimed his phone's camera at the control room monitor. The island was surrounded by helicopters and boats, all camouflaged, with the country's flag emblazoned on their sides.

I knew the mayor wouldn't take my defiance lying down. At least now I had a stronger reason to force them off the island.

Tapping the hood of the pickup, I signaled Raymond to pull over. "Do you think you could find out if there's a checkpoint ahead?" I asked. They'd likely anticipate my return and set up a warm welcome.

Raymond shook his head, and Tiara, his girlfriend, seemed equally clueless. To my surprise, Rohda raised her hand and mentioned a friend who had access to police and military radio frequencies. She quickly explained that he'd stumbled upon them by accident. I told her I believed her, and she seemed satisfied.

She called her contact, and the guy insisted on a video call. Rohda forced a half-hearted laugh and tried to cut straight to the request, but he wouldn't budge until she showed her face.

I caught a fleeting scowl on her face before she looked up and smiled crookedly. She frowned slightly again before finally pressing the camera button.

"There you are, my sweet little -" she abruptly cut him off and asked if there were any stationed men near the seaport.

"Yeah, they're always there. With rumors of a possible terrorist attack or another pandemic wave, they've set up outposts in those areas," he said matter-of-factly. I caught a glimpse of his face - a heavyset guy with what looked like a crypto farm in the background.

Rohda pressed him about whether a checkpoint had been set up just today. He agreed to check but couldn't resist adding, "Sweetheart." She was visibly annoyed by the term but responded cheerfully nonetheless.

"Yup, there's one ahead of you. Did you get into some kind of trouble? You know I could - " he started, but Rohda ended the call before he could finish.

I nodded. So, this was it. I felt a pang of sympathy for the guy. "Sorry everyone, but we'll have to take a detour."

I figured they were hungry, so I discreetly handed Raymond a wad of cash. He looked at me in surprise. We pulled into a drive-thru and ordered enough food to feed an army. He fist-bumped me and thanked me.

We stopped to eat, and Raymond was in high spirits throughout the meal. I told him he was a reliable friend and that I was ashamed I couldn't repay him for all the kindness he'd shown me.

Raymond choked on his food, coughing and laughing. The girls egged me on to share more stories. "One time, we were playing basketball, and one of the guys on the opposing team accidentally pulled his shorts down-" Raymond shoved a large burger into my mouth, and everyone burst out laughing.

When the girls left to freshen up in the restroom, I turned to Raymond with a serious question. "Raymond, I need your help again, and this might be the most dangerous thing I've ever asked of you." This would put him at risk, just like in his previous life.

He rolled his eyes and raised his hands in mock surrender. "Do I even have a choice at this point?" I knew he was joking, but I pressed on. "It's that serious, huh?" He said, stopping his antics. I explained the plan and its potential outcomes, both good and the bad.

Instead of growing anxious, he became more excited. "Let's do it! I'm telling you, let's go right now!" I couldn't believe his enthusiasm.

"Are you serious? Your life could be in danger!" I clarified, but his infectious optimism was starting to rub off on me.

"You've got to be kidding me! I can't let this opportunity slip away!"

••••••••••••••••••••

And here we were, back on the east side at Markus's warehouse. Instead of the security guard from before, the place was heavily locked. Fortunately, I knew a way in through his house, which was connected to the building.

The house lights were still on, and Markus and his friends were in the middle of a raucous party. He loved celebrating, no matter how trivial the occasion, as long as there was beer and women.

With the party in full swing, the gates and doors were wide open. Cars lined the driveway, people lounged by the pool, and couples were making out in plain sight. Rohda was about to join in, but Tiara reminded her why we were there.

I thought we'd slip by unnoticed, but Markus spotted us. He paused his billiards game, his face flushed and reeking of alcohol. "Liam, why are you baaaaack?" he slurred. His eyes landed on Rohda and Tiara. "Oh, you brought girls. Hi—" Before he could finish, Raymond knocked him out cold.

Luckily, everyone else was too preoccupied to notice. We dragged Markus to the locked door and pressed his thumb against the biometric scanner. The screen turned red saying it was invalid. We tried all his fingers, but none worked.

Then it hit me. I remembered Markus once boasting that, aside from fingerprints, tongue prints were also unique. That's what he'd meant.

I lifted Markus's head and grabbed his slimy tongue, nearly gagging at the stench. My friends looked equally disgusted. I stretched it as far as I could and pressed it against the scanner. The screen turned green, and the door unlocked.

We dragged him inside and finally saw the tower. It was cleaner and more polished now. The warehouse shelves were empty - perhaps Markus thought he had discovered a hidden treasure near his home and decided to quit the family business. We instructed the girls to keep an eye on him and tie him up; he was too unpredictable to leave unattended.

I gave Raymond the same instructions I'd given my family. His face lit up with unparalleled joy as his own black scroll materialized before him. I glanced at it, curious about the ability he'd been granted.

This time, his gift was different from before.

A pang of envy shot through me, but with this power, he'd become far stronger - stronger than Markus or even me. It was astonishing how, in both lifetimes, Raymond had been so extraordinarily blessed. Perhaps it was his good nature that made him so favored.

"What does it say? What are my powers?" he asked eagerly.