out by the machine yet. They can’t smell the filth and greed poisoning the air. But, in time, they will.
They all want something. Fame. Fortune. Purpose.
Want. Want. Want.
I remember being chained to that treadmill too. All I wanted was my mother’s love. It’s funny how time and distance bring everything into perspective. After today, I doubt I’ll ever have a reason to come back here again.
Phillip’s office is in a building on Wilshire Boulevard. Clearly, he wants too. But I can’t fault him for not knowing any better. He’s lived here his whole life. He was driven from a young age, lured in by the glitz and glamour. He works hard, and he lives well, all things considered. Other than the fact his Bluetooth is permanently attached to his ear, and he’ll probably work himself into an early grave from the constant pressure of this job. When that happens, I’ll remember him as an ally when I needed one most.
“Oh, Landon.” His receptionist shoots out of her chair as if there’s a bomb in the seat cushion. “I didn’t know you were coming in.”
She frantically combs back a few pieces of stray hair in her face, blinking at me like a deer in the headlights. Grace is usually well put together, but it’s obvious my arrival shocked the hell out of her. Given that nobody has been able to find me for the last two months, I’m not surprised by her response.
“Is Phillip in?” I glance down the hall.
“Yes, of course.” She waves me forward. “Follow me.”
Phillip’s office doesn’t have a door. It’s one giant cube of glass, and I’m not sure how he gets anything done in this fish tank. Everything is sharp, clean, and shiny, much like him. When Grace ushers me in, he’s propped against his desk, staring out the window as he talks through the device in his ear. She lightly taps the doorframe, and he jolts upright when he sees me standing there.
“Brad, let me call you back.” He doesn’t wait for a response before he ends the call and rounds the desk. “Holy shit, Landon. I’ve been worried out of my mind.”
He pauses like he wants to hug me, but then shakes my hand the same way he always does. Phillip has worked with me since I was a child, but he never treated me like one. I’ve always respected him for that.
“Where have you been?” He pulls out a chair for me, and I take it. “I was seriously considering sending out a search party.”
“Sorry about that,” I murmur.
Grace stands there awkwardly, probably trying to ask me if I want a drink, but Phillip waves her away without a word. He resumes his position leaning against the desk, this time facing me.
“So?”
“Florida.” I shrug. “I rented a beach house there. Bummed around in the sun for a while. Read a few books. The usual.”
“What happened to your phone?” he asks.
“I tossed the phone. I needed to disconnect for a while.”
“You could have at least told me where you were.” He sounds affronted, but deep down, I know he gets it.
“I didn’t need to hear all the dirty details. I just needed to get away.”
“Well”—he sighs—“that’s the thing. There haven’t been any new stories, which is odd. I was certain that it was just the beginning. I kept waiting for another call requesting more cash, but it never came.”
I expected it too. When I finally typed my name into the search engine last week, I anticipated a flood of articles since I left, but it was just more of the same. When I came here, I was pretty certain Phillip would tell me Kail was demanding more cash. That’s the only thing that would make sense. Now, I don’t know what to think.
“Maybe the media payout was enough.” I intentionally leave out her name. I’ve been trying not to think of her, and talking about her isn’t part of that plan.
“I guess anything’s possible.” Phillip drags his fingers through a thinning patch of hair. “Either way, I’m glad to see you. I had the housekeeper watch your place while you were gone. And I spoke to your principal. He said he’d keep your spot at school until you were ready to come back. But you’ll have some catching up to do.”
“Thanks, Phillip. I appreciate that.”
“Now, I’ve been thinking about how we could spin this absence. We could tell them you’ve been on a mountain in Tibet, enlightening yourself with Buddhist monks. Or a spiritual