Chapter 52: My First Mind Echo Target
"Adrian." Mr. Hayes’ voice was calm, familiar.
Adrian leaned against the dresser, phone pressed to his ear. "Yeah, I’m here. Everything okay?"
"Everything’s good. I was just checking up on you before your big day tomorrow."
"Oh." Adrian leaned against the dresser. "I’m alright."
There was a short pause.
"Actually alright?"
Adrian’s mouth twitched. "Yeah, dad. I’m good."
"Well, you sound good." A beat. "Atleast, better than the last time we talked."
Adrian glanced toward the mirror. He still looked the same, only with more toned muscles. But the depressed and teary eyes were gone. "Do I?"
"Yeah."
He ran a hand on his jaw, tracing the texture. It was meager but he really had changed. "Maybe I’m getting used to things."
"That’s good." Mr. Hayes replied. "You’re a man now, Adrian. You should be able to adapt to whatever situation you find yourself."
Adrian searched for an answer.
"Speaking of moving forward." Mr. Hayes added. "Your mother and I sent you something."
Adrian frowned. "Something?"
"Your allowance."
Adrian opened his banking app. The balance refreshed.
$7,019.24
He stared at it for a second. About three hundred extra. He sighed. "Dad, you didn’t have to."
"Didn’t have to?" A pause. "How else were you supposed to survive without an allowance."
Oh. Right. No one else knew about his magical cashback system.
Adrian smiled faintly. "Sorry. I meant, thanks."
Mr. Hayes was silent on the other end. Then.
"You’re welcome. Just don’t spend it all in one week."
"You don’t need to worry about that." Adrian glanced at his balance. "I won’t."
"Good." He replied. "University gives you more freedom. That’s good. Just don’t let having it make decisions for you."
Adrian nodded. "Alright.. uh. Thanks for the heads up."
"Anytime, son. I’ve got something I need to handle here." His father’s tone softened again. "Let me know how tomorrow goes."
"I will."
"And call your mother. She misses you already."
Adrian smiled. "Okay. I hear you, Dad. Bye."
The call ended. Adrian lowered the phone and looked at the banking app again.
$7,500.
His eyes shifted toward the System. He navigated to the opened the skill menu.
Mind Echo.
Activation Cost: $5,000.
He stared at the number.
Five thousand.
He had roughly seven thousand now. That left him with two thousand atleast. He could make the money back with cashback or the daily task rewards.
And with the skill, he could discover the deepest thoughts of any target.
That was tempting. It was also invasive.
Adrian stared at the activation option for another second.
I’ll do it.
He’d gotten enough. Now he had all the reasons to utilize it. But waiting for Rose could take hours. Who knows when she’ll be back from her meeting.
He paused and navigated the menu.
Targe #2 Registration.
He smiled.
Or maybe, I can just make Jenna my target and try it out. Kill two birds with one stone. Not bad.
Adrian stood, grabbed his keys from the table, and pulled up the navigation.
Hawthorne Street.
Right. Drew’s cheese sticks. He’d forgotten.
Knowing Drew, showing up without them would somehow become evidence that Adrian didn’t value friendship.
Adrian headed to his car.
The convenience store was only a few minutes away.
Adrian grabbed Drew’s cheese sticks, a couple of drinks, and enough snacks for Jenna that it wouldn’t look like he’d made the trip solely to satisfy Drew. He paid and headed back to the Corolla.
Adrian tossed the bag onto the passenger seat and pulled onto the road.
A few minutes later, he turned onto Hawthorne Street.
Drew spotted him first and headed toward the car. Jenna followed a few steps behind, her expression evident that she didn’t want to be here.
Adrian pulled up.
Drew reached for the passenger door. Adrian locked it. Drew stared through the window as Adrian lowered it halfway.
"You’re in the back."
"Me?" Drew protested. "I want to ride shotgun."
"Jenna’s here, dude."
Drew looked over his shoulder. "That’s discrimination. She didn’t even call dibs."
"She didn’t call me a ghosting bastard."
"She’s not an honest friend." Drew replied with a surprisingly sincere tone. Ouch.
"Back." Adrian responded as he unlocked the doors.
Drew stink-eyed Adrian as he opened the back door and climbed in like he’d just suffered a personal injustice.
"Unbelievable."
Jenna slid into the passenger seat. "Hey," she said.
"Hey." Adrian replied.
They both stared for a moment. Then, Drew leaned forward between the seats.
"Where’re the cheese sticks?"
Adrian stopped.
Jenna’s eyes met his for a second before looking away.
There goes the conversation.
Adrian reached behind his seat and handed the bag over.
Drew grabbed it, rummaged through the snacks, and pulled out a cheese stick. He tore it open with his teeth and took a bite.
"Yeah." He nodded to himself. "That’s the good stuff ."
Adrian shook his head.
"So what’s the plan, Drew." He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. "You decided where you wanna go?"
Drew stopped chewing. That alone made Adrian suspicious.
"Don’t worry." Drew swallowed. "I have the best idea."
Jenna kept her eyes outside the passenger window. "That can’t be good."
Drew ignored her and turned to Adrian.
"Put the next destination into the navigation."
"Where to?" Adrian asked.
Drew mouth tweaked as he leaned forward between the seats. "Northgate University."
Jenna immediately turned around. "School isn’t until tomorrow, dumbass."
"I know." He reached into snack bag again, his tone oddly despicable. "We’re not going for class."
Adrian sighed and tapped the navigation screen. "Go on."
"Tomorrow we have to pretend we’re responsible."
Jenna snorted.
"You?"
"Exactly. Which is why today needs to count."
Adrian glanced at him. "Count?"
"You don’t need to worry about that part." Drew pointed at him. "When we get there, we’ll talk."
That didn’t sound suspicious at all.
Adrian looked at Jenna. She hadn’t said much since they left. He wasn’t exactly thrilled about the detour either, but he’d already brought himself into this mess.
And if they were heading somewhere with her, there was at least a chance he could register her as a target.
That alone made the trip worth considering.
He entered the location into the navigation. A moment later, it announced the next turn.
Adrian followed it.
Jenna turned toward the window while Drew launched into another explanation of how incredible his plan was going to be.
Adrian gave him ten seconds. Then he raised the radio music. Some pop song that sounded better than Drew right now.
Drew continued without hesitation.
Sigh
So much for a quiet afternoon.