Chapter Text
The more you delved into the case, the complicated it became.
You had a whole pin board set up in your room with everything you’d found in Hannah’s cloud and all the conversations with the group, you thought were important. And as much as you connected something with the other, the more tangled everything got.
Your earlier conversation with Thomas played in your mind. You had first thought that Hannah was kidnapped because she saw something she shouldn’t have. Now, even if that did happen, after listening to Thomas about how she had been acting, you felt there was more that she knew.
The only question was what it could be. With Jake out of commission for a while, you were all on your own and had no one to bounce your ideas off. It was difficult but you were determined.
The shrill sound of your ringtone, made you turn away from the pin board and look for your phone. You raised an eyebrow in curiousity when Thomas’ name flashed with an incoming call. As soon as you picked it up, you heard Thomas’ voice greeting you.
“Hey, Thomas, this is a surprise. Is everything all right?”
He tried to say something but a sob broke out of his throat and your breath hitched.
“Thomas? Are you okay? Are you safe?”
Your first instinct was to assume that the man without a face was responsible for his sudden breakdown but his voice assured you that he was at home, safe.
“I’m at h-home, safe for now but I just wanted to talk to someone.”
You let out a breath of relief at that and he continued.
“Everyone has been acting so distant lately and I know it’s because they suspect me.”
“Thomas, that’s not what—” you began but he interrupted before you could finish.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to cover for them. I get how it’s looking to them right now but I just—” Another sob broke through and you tried to shush him, offering words of comfort.
“I just want to Hannah back. I don’t care who did it, I just want her back,” he said, voice thick with sadness and resignation.
“Thomas everything’s going to be okay. The hacker and I are doing our best to find her, you know that.”
“Why are you lying to me?” He said sharply.
“What?” You didn’t understand where this hostility came from all of a sudden.
“Nothing is okay! And even if we find her, nothing is going to be the same anymore! And you’re both outsiders, you don’t know how it feels!” His words was full of anger and frustration and it stung when he said you were an outsider. That might be true but you’d been trying everything you could, spending sleepless nights searching through Hannah’s cloud and trying to find any hint. Him saying that it didn’t matter to you, stung a lot.
Your quietness on the other side of the phone made Thomas sober up and he quickly realised what he said.
“I don’t mean that, fuck. I’m so sorry I really don’t mean that. I know you’ve been trying but it’s hard.”
You sighed and let him off the hook this once.
“I know you’re worried Thomas, but so are the rest of us. Implying we don’t care what happens to Hannah is a low blow.”
“I know, I’m so—” he began but you had already continued.
“It’s understandable because you were the closest to her but we’re doing all we can. Everyone is. It’s hard but being irrational won’t solve anything,” your voice was gentle, like you were explaining a child and Thomas felt even more guilty.
“I know. And thank you so much. For helping and for listening to me. You didn’t have to,” he said, awkwardly.
You laughed a little at his hesitant tone.
“We’re friends Thomas, of course I’ll listen. And don’t worry, we’ll bring Hannah back. I promise.”
“I belive you,” he said and you could guess he was calmer than before.
You talked with him for a few more minutes about Hannah and his life, which he was happy to talk about and you felt he finally slipped into a better mood. After ending the call, you once again started working on Hannah’s cloud.
You were going to do everything in your power to find her.