Flip the Coin [BL]-Chapter 440. Air in the Ware

Henry’s POV

The rest of the drive went uneventful, and I was sure that this was the case because Mrs. Howard convinced herself that she was riding in the car with ’Air.’

There were a few times when I had the feeling that she casually looked right through me, as if I wasn’t even existing.

I have never been so successfully ignored in my life, and that was not because I had never been ignored in the first place, but because she was just so damn good at it.

The power of an old rich woman—it was frightening.

But most of all, it redirected my attention from all the crap I had to say and all the shit I had to hear.

What remained was overwhelming relief, as I had strengthened my position as Kenny’s partner, and I knew he would be proud... he would probably not beat me as hard if he knew just how fiercely I fought for him.

I miss him already.

When we arrived, we passed a few already parked cars outside of the metal warehouse fence, while our car parked inside, on the lawn directly in front of the warehouse and its many metal doors.

I put my mask back in place while tilting my head to listen and estimate how many people there were.

About twenty; they had been waiting inside their cars and were now exiting.

"Security measures." Ethan came to my side with Mrs. Howard and explained, standing between us.

Looking at the tall muscular people, each with masks covering their mouths just like mine, all dressed in black, I couldn’t help but notice that most of them had a similar height and figure to me.

Now I understand why he had given me these clothes.

Did Ethan estimate that someone from the Lawrence family would come, and had he, because of that, dressed us all in the same way, choosing people with a similar stature as me?

Just in case the Lawrence family searched for me among the people today?

Omar had probably informed him about the fact that someone from that family would come; nevertheless, the way he prepared things was meticulously planned.

I nodded at the attorney, starting to understand why Kenny was always so appreciative of him.

Ethan pushed his glasses up and smiled before walking to the men and giving them instructions, although it seemed they had already talked about everything before: stay in the background, draw your weapons on Ethan’s signal, or whenever Mrs. Howard was threatened.

Another person was behind the young men, in stark contrast, as he wasn’t as tall as them and was much older, but nothing could stop people from noticing his presence.

"Judge Kroh. Thank you so much for coming today." Ethan walked to his side and shook his hand enthusiastically.

Fancy seeing him again; it had been some time.

The old man’s hawk-like gaze met mine while he came to us; the security people, meanwhile, entered the warehouse with Mrs. Howard.

Contrary to me, they were not ’Air,’ so she even greeted them.

"Boy, are you doing fine?" The old judge asked when standing in front of me.

"Yes, sir. Thank you for everything." I took my mask off and nodded at him.

If he hadn’t ruled the way he had in my case back then, I wouldn’t have been able to enter Kenny’s prison.

And I wouldn’t have been able to accompany him to the hole in the south district, and without the time together there, our relationship would have never evolved the way it did.

Judge Kroh nodded back.

"I didn’t do much. Did you stop threatening people carelessly, young man?" He broke into a smile at the end.

"...I didn’t threaten other judges..." I answered eventually.

"So I was the only one? What an honor." He patted my arm with a chuckle before passing me and entering the warehouse.

"We have a seat prepared; please let me bring you." Ethan offered his arm to the old man, and he gladly accepted.

I entered the warehouse with the mask back on and found unbelievably many shelves placed sideways, forming corridors. They started about one-third into the room, all reaching to my chest, so that even the plastic boxes on top were easily reachable.

The warehouse ceiling was much higher, but to speed up the process, the right shelf size was important.

Besides, like this, we could always overlook the people who would do the counting, as they couldn’t hide in between.

The smell in here, however, was far from pleasant, as the conjured-up bodies had started to decay, which was probably the reason Ethan wanted to let time pass between Kenny conjuring them up and someone coming to inspect them.

I looked up at the ceiling and saw the cameras; I was surprised, as I thought they would be more hidden, but like this, it was more ’threatening,’ so hopefully everyone would behave.

Everything was thought through.

Thinking that Kenny was watching over me, I got giddy again.

Turning away from the others who talked or stood by and didn’t really pay attention to me anyway, I blew a kiss to the cameras, already knowing how handsome and cute he would look while cringing.

I chuckled and walked past the people, under them the old lady and Judge Kroh talking while sitting on the only two chairs here, and they were even upholstered.

I took a look at the shelves and pulled out a few boxes to see that each of them contained one rat.

I smirked; with everything so thoroughly cared for, it was like we served the government their lunatic demand on a silver tablet.

Even for the dumbest people, it should be clear that this deal had already been fulfilled.

With the warehouse being so big, the sound traveled much easier, and listening to the old lady talk with Judge Kroh, it seemed that they had been long acquainted.

When I came back from looking through the shelves, I found the men standing ready behind the seats, and I took the empty spot that seemed to be left for me, waiting with the others and looking at the cameras.

"How is your grandson?" Judge Kroh asked.

"...That troublemaker...always trying to get me into cardiac arrest...and he made a hole in the wall in my office he still hasn’t fixed," Mrs. Howard harrumphed.

"Oh dear, I can relate. Boys are especially difficult to raise," the old man answered.

"Because of that, I want a great-granddaughter," she hissed, and although she didn’t turn back, I felt her killing intent targeting me.

"Oh yes. My great-granddaughter is the spitting image of me and always draws me the most adorable pictures. She is so precious," the old man answered.

A mistake, because that was the moment when he also became air; Mrs. Howard fully ignored him as if to punish him for having what she wanted.

Luckily, Ethan stepped in speedily and continued with small talk, albeit changing the direction of the topic, while the old woman was enjoying the view outside through the only open door by herself, with ’nobody’ sitting beside her.

I looked at one of the cameras, as if exchanging a look with Kenny, and was sure that he was laughing at the moment.

I really... want to go home soon.

We waited for a long time before more cars arrived, an unfamiliar man around 30-40 with frameless glasses stepping out and coming to us first.

There was a bit of gray in his sparse hair, and he was dressed in a suit similar to Ethan’s.

He seemed to be of power, given the way he moved, and the men behind him seemed to be from the military, equipped with weapons. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

There were, however, a few people in white coats present as well.

Good... a few scientists to count.

Under the people in white coats, I saw a woman with thick black-framed glasses. There was no mole drawn on her chin, and her blond hair, bound into a high ponytail, had been dyed in a deep black, as had her eyebrows.

I nevertheless recognized her, as I had seen her in the vision Kenny had of Jeyjey not long ago; she was the woman telling her to spy on us before leaving Jeyjey in the center to rot by herself.

So it was her who came from the Lawrence family; albeit, seeing how she was hidden between other people, they didn’t want to point her presence or origin out.

I am relieved to see that she was doing well. It would be a pity for her to die if not by my hands.

"State attorney Bonwick." Ethan instantly went forward to greet the man with the frameless glasses, who waved his hand in front of his nose the moment he stepped into the warehouse.

"Ethan Hendricks." The man nodded and gave a smile that made him look like a hyena ready to pounce.

He turned his head as if looking for someone.

"Where is Mr. Howard? He surely wouldn’t risk the deal becoming invalid by not being present, would he?"