Chapter 137: Rick going to Ray, to find Roy
Chapter - 137
Rick gripped the steering wheel as he drove through the bustling city streets, his mind racing with a whirlwind of thoughts. The lunch date with Amanda was a brief task done in the midst of a more pressing matter – finding out who had hurt Emily.
The system had slapped him with a 24-hour deadline, and he had already burned through 5 hours of that ticking clock. The clock was ticking, but Rick seemed oddly unfazed by the looming 24-hour deadline the system had given him.
The image of Emily lying on the ventilator bed, connected to machines, barely hanging to her life loomed in his mind. Whoever had messed with her was about to get a taste of their own medicine. Rick clenched his jaw, his grip on the steering wheel tightening.
The traffic moved at a snail's pace, much to Rick's frustration. He mulled over the limited information he had about Roy, the key to solving the mystery. The university seemed like a dead end at this point since Roy was probably long gone.
"Alright, Rick, think. Where would Roy be hiding?" Rick muttered to himself, eyes darting around the moving city scape.
"Where would Roy be?" Rick mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "Definitely not at the library, that's for sure."
His gaze focused on the rear view mirror, and a plan started forming in his mind. "If it is Rick I am sure..."
A sly grin spread across Rick's face as he thought it through, "That guy's probably partying it up somewhere. But I have to find out where? That's the challenge."
Rick did not know much about Roy except for the fact that he was the gut Emily had a crush on. She spend hours and hours talking non-stop about him whenever the two of them met up for drinks at his apartment.
It was hard for Rick to Emily that time, but somehow after getting the system. In about two weeks, he actually didn't care. In fact he would hardly think about Emily, let alone his unrequited love for her.
In fact, Rick wanted to find Roy, but somehow finding him felt like doing it for Olivia rather than Emily. He did not want Olivia to have this lump in his throat all her life.
"Club or some hotel?" Rick's car made a sharp turn, heading towards the city's nightlife district. He chuckled to himself, thinking about Roy in the middle of a wild party, "Some hotel room in an orgy."
The sun was setting, casting a warm glow on the city, and the nightlife was just beginning to come alive. Rick cruised down the neon-lit streets, scanning the area for any signs of revelry that might lead him to Roy.
Rick's brain kicked into overdrive, and a he suddenly had an idea. He reached for his phone, quickly dialing Ray's number. Rick was sure Ray would know about Roy, no matter what.
Ray wasn't very popular in the college, just like Rick, but Ray had a knack of mixing with the right crowd, and knowing everything that happened around them.
"Yo, Rick! Where the fuck are you man?" Ray's voice came through the phone, accompanied by the distant thump of bass and the clamor of a lively crowd.
Rick smiled hearing his only friend's voice from the other side, "Hey, Ray! Just the man I needed. Where are you? And what is all this noise?"
Ray's voice crackled with excitement. "Man, it's crazy! You should be here. Music's pumping, drinks flowing. It's a party!"
Rick chuckled, imagining the scene on the other end of the line. "Sounds like a blast. Listen, you seen Roy around? I've got some business with him."
There was a momentary pause, and Rick could almost see the cogs turning in Ray's head. "Roy? Yeah, he was here a while ago, tearing up the dance floor. Haven't seen him in the last few minutes, though. What's up?"
Rick's mind raced with possibilities. "Perfect! Keep an eye out, will you? Let me know if he shows up again. I owe you one, Ray. And yes, send me the location to where you guys are."
Ray laughed, the sounds of the party still audible. "Gotcha, Rick! You owe me a drink next time. Good luck with whatever is going on."
~~~~~
Rick approached the massive iron gate of the Kent family mansion, eyes narrowing at the imposing structure. He couldn't help but feel a mix of determination and disbelief. "The nerve of Roy," he muttered to himself, glancing at the ornate nameplate beside the gate – the Kent mansion.
"The Fuck he has some balls," As he stepped inside, the scene was nothing short of chaotic. Drunken zombies stumbled around, laughing, dancing, and stumbling on their feet..
Rick couldn't shake the pang of envy that hit him as he watched couples making out on the grand staircase. He shook his head, refocusing on his mission.
"I could've been doing that with Amanda," he mumbled, pushing through the crowd towards the mansion's entrance.
Inside, the mansion was alive with pulsating music, the beat reverberating through the walls. The air was thick with the scent of alcohol and the energy of a wild party in full swing. Rick navigated through the crowd, feeling like a fish swimming upstream against the tide of intoxicated partygoers.
The grandeur of the mansion's interior was juxtaposed against the chaos unfolding within. Rick's eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of Ray amidst the sea of dancing bodies.
And just like the mansion, the party was loud as well – the expensive decor, the gleaming chandeliers, and the impressive staircase. The staircases all around were somehow the spot for every boy and girl in the party to entangle like snakes, their tongues exploring each other's mouth.
Amidst the cacophony, Rick finally spotted Ray, standing near the window, his eyes on the dance floor with a drink in hand. Rick pushed through the crowd, determined to get some answers.
"Ray! You're a lifesaver, man!" Rick greeted him, trying to be heard over the thumping music.
Ray turned, a wide grin breaking across his face as he noticed Rick. "Rick, my man! You made it! Welcome to the party!"
Rick chuckled, exchanging a quick bro hug with Ray. "Yeah, yeah, all that aside. I need to talk to you about Roy. Where is he?"
Ray took a sip of his drink, glancing around the room. "Roy? Oh, he's around here somewhere. Having the time of his life, as usual. What's up? Look at the party that bastard has thrown.
He has been throwing a party almost daily since that Emily episode." Ray said but just as he got to Emily, his words turned more to a deep sigh.
"Emily is why I am here," Rick's expression turned serious, his eyes narrowing. "We need to talk about what happened with Emily. It's not something that can be brushed under the rug, and it's definitely not party material."
Ray's face fell for a moment, the seriousness of Rick's tone registering. "Rick..."
Rick crossed his arms, "Ray, this is serious. Emily is in the ICU. This can't wait. Where's Roy?"
Ray sighed, recognizing the urgency in Rick's voice. "Fine, fine. He's upstairs. But don't do anything stupid man. We can't afford it."
~~~~~
Rick weaved his way through the pulsating crowd, leaving Ray to his drinks in a corner and embarking on a mission to locate Roy. The thumping bass reverberated through the mansion, the rhythmic beats guiding Rick's steps as he scanned the sea of partygoers.
Unable to spot Roy among the chaotic dance floor downstairs, Rick decided to try his luck on the upper levels. He ascended the grand staircase, the distant sounds of laughter and revelry echoing in the opulent halls. Rick's determination fueled his search as he went from room to room, hoping to find a clue to Roy's whereabouts.
The first few rooms were empty, the thumping music seeping through the walls as Rick pressed on. However, as he moved farther down the hall, the ambiance of the party took on a more passionate tone. He passed by rooms where couples were entwined in passionate embraces, lost in the ecstasy of the moment.
Rick couldn't help but shake his head with a chuckle, excusing himself politely each time he inadvertently stumbled upon a private rendezvous, not wanting to disturb their crazy love making, but those guys were so busy fucking their brains out they did not even notice the spectator enjoying their show.
"Guess love knows no boundaries, even in the middle of a wild party," he mumbled to himself. For a brief second he could not remember Olivia. Fuck, the did it in front of her husband, right there at the dining table where Greg lay drunk.
The scenes around him ranged from romantic to downright wild, and Rick couldn't help but feel a mixture of amusement and disbelief. "This Kent mansion has seen it all, apparently."
As he reached the room at the end of the hallway, Rick's curiosity intensified. His instincts told him that he might be closing in on Roy. He approached the door cautiously, placing his ear against it to catch any sounds from within.
Just as Rick was about to knock, a tap on his shoulder startled him. He turned around to find a member of the mansion's staff – a waiter, holding a tray of drinks. The man regarded Rick with suspicion.
"What are you doing here?" the waiter asked, eyeing Rick up and down.
Rick grinned, thinking on his feet. "Oh, hey! I'm Roy's friend. He called me up, said there's a real show going on in here. You know how it is!"
The waiter's expression shifted from suspicion to mild amusement. "A show, huh? Well, don't make a mess. I've got a job to do."
"No worries, mate. I got it covered," Rick said, accepting the tray from the waiter. With a cheeky wink, he added, "I'll take it from here."
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