Chapter Text
'Mr. Sangster, I'm glad to hear back from you.'
It was silent in Thomas' apartment and besides the deep voice on the other side of phone, nothing else was interrupting it.
'Yes, I've meant to call back, but I just haven't had the time', Thomas answered and shifted uncomfortably around in his armchair. Truth was, the young man had pushed the matter away for a while now. He had googled the man's name after he had missed the call and the result of his research was no reason to be looking forward to.
'Well, we're all busy, aren't we?'
Thomas nodded and bit his lip.
'However', the man continued to speak, obviously not having seen Thomas' nod, 'I have called to make an offer.'
'What kind of offer?'
The blonde was nervous and his gut told him that he wouldn't like whatever the man had to say.
'It is concerning your past work with us', he explained, 'We'd like to profit from your experience as an animal trainer.'
'I'm not interested.'
Thomas was about to hang up, when a name was mentioned. A name Thomas himself would probably never forget.
'Mr O'Brien.'
'What?', the blonde whispered as he held his breath. He could feel his heart racing and he pressed his eyes shut as he waited for the man to speak his next words.
'Mr O'Brien, you have worked with him in the past, haven't you?'
'Y-Yes.'
'Great. I could arrange him showing you around if that would be of interest to you.'
'He's alive?'
Thomas could barely believe his ears. Was Dylan really alive?
'Very much', the man chuckled, 'so, what do you say? Do we have a deal?'
'And I have to do nothing more than to take a look and share my notes and experiences?'
'That's right, Mr Sangster.'
'..okay', Thomas hesitantly agreed, unsure about the amount of trust he could put into the man's words, 'We have a deal.'