Page 92 of Icarus

Icarus sat down next to him and took a deep breath.

Brick

Luca looked at the pictures of Helios on Icarus’s phone with a tight expression.

“How . . . did you meet?” he asked gently.

Icarus felt his heart beating out of his chest.

“Our dads know each other. His dad has something my dad wants in his house, so I was breaking in to get it. When I did, I found him. I’ve been visiting him in there ever since.”

Icarus had thought this through. The exact words to use to not give so much away that it would put Luca in danger just for knowing, but enough that Luca would understand. He had rehearsed it.

“You know breaking and entering is a crime, right?” Luca raised an eyebrow. “How are you going to get him out?”

Icarus shrugged. “I’m going to climb up there, strap an emergency transport harness onto him, and carry him down.”

Luca handed Icarus his phone back, then he stared down at his lap for a moment, processing. After a while he threw his head back and laughed.

“You’re serious? This isn’t a prank or anything?” Luca was smiling but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“I can’t leave him there,” Icarus said firmly. “If you knew you could get another kid in this situation out, wouldn’t you?”

“I would call the police,” Luca said, standing up. He closed his bedroom door and locked it. “Did you try that?”

Icarus fingered the edge of the duffel bag’s strap. “I . . . actually went in person to the police station. It’s considered domestic abuse, which requires a visit from a social worker before any major moves can be made. They said it would take a couple months before anyone was able to come by. He can’t stay there for a few months.”

Luca covered his eyes and took a deep breath.

“Why isn’t anything involving you easy,” he whispered. “I feel like I’m an NPC meeting the main character at the very end of a game. I feel like we’ve had fifteen minutes together and you’re about to die in an explosion.”

Icarus just stared up at Luca as he paced, hands tucked under his armpits in obvious anxiety.

“Luca.”

Luca shook his head and didn’t answer.

“Luca,” Icarus tried again. “I need you. I can’t do this on my own.”

“You shouldn’t be doing this at all,” Luca hissed. “This isn’t something for you to have to handle! This is a job for cops or like the FBI.”

“I’ll call them as soon as we get him out. Please, Luca.”

Luca kept pacing.

Icarus hid his face in his hands.

“Are you going to tell Celestina?” Luca asked suddenly.

Icarus didn’t look up. “She’s important to me too.”

Luca stopped pacing and leaned against his desk. He took a long, deep breath.

“Fine, let’s do it.”

Fall

Luca strapped himself in while Icarus watched, pleased that it was so easy. Helios wouldn’t need his help.