The Heart System

Chapter 568: Chapter 568

The bouncer stepped forward as we approached, one hand resting against the doorframe. He looked us over, then focused on Cora.

"ID for the girl," he said simply.

Cora quickly pulled her wallet out and handed it over. "Here."

He glanced at it, gave a short nod, and stepped aside. "Alright. Have fun."

"Thanks," I said, pushing the door open.

Warm air hit us immediately as we stepped inside, along with the low hum of conversation and soft music playing somewhere in the background. The place wasn’t loud like a club. It was calmer, almost cozy in a worn-down kind of way.

Dim lights hung from the ceiling, casting a golden glow over the wooden interior. The bar counter stretched along one side, lined with stools that had clearly seen better days. A few small tables were scattered around, most of them occupied by quiet groups or lone drinkers minding their own business. The smell of alcohol and old wood lingered in the air, mixed with faint cigarette smoke that clung to everything.

And there he was.

Jack Kuinn.

He sat at the bar, slightly hunched forward, a drink in his hand. A cap was pulled low over his head, probably to keep himself from being recognized too easily. Still, I would’ve spotted him anywhere. The way he carried himself, that quiet confidence... it stood out.

I nudged my head slightly toward an empty table. "There."

Cora followed my gaze, then nodded. We moved over and took our seats, keeping just enough distance to avoid drawing attention.

A waiter approached us after a moment, notepad in hand. "What can I get you?"

"Beer," I said.

"Same," Cora added quietly.

"Got it," he nodded and walked off.

Cora leaned in slightly once he was gone, her voice dropping. "Is he... a bad person?"

I glanced toward the bar, watching Jack take a slow sip from his drink.

"Yeah," I muttered. "He is. And I need to take him down."

She nodded, though I could see the uncertainty in her eyes.

A few minutes passed. Nothing unusual at first. Then a woman slid onto the stool next to Jack, leaning in like she was trying to start a conversation. Jack turned his head slightly, said something I couldn’t catch.

The woman’s expression shifted almost immediately. She scoffed, rolled her eyes, and got up, walking away without another word.

I let out a quiet breath. "Not interested, huh."

Our drinks arrived shortly after. I gave a quick thanks and took a sip, the bitterness settling in. Leaning back slightly, I ran through options in my head.

Time Stop would make this easy. Too easy. But it was expensive now. Way too expensive to waste on a gamble. And Jack didn’t strike me as the kind of guy who’d keep anything important on him anyway. If he had something on his phone, it’d be locked down tight.

I rubbed the back of my head and took another sip of beer. Maybe I wouldn’t find any incriminating evidence, sure. But I could find his boyfriend’s phone number, maybe? Or what he looked like? That’d be enough.

"What are you thinking?" Cora asked softly.

"Just trying to figure out the cleanest way to do this," I replied. "I want this to go right."

"I’m sure we can handle it," she said, a little shy but trying to sound confident. "Right?"

I looked at her for a second, then nodded.

"Right."

I slipped my phone out of my pocket and angled it just enough to keep things subtle, snapping a quick photo of Jack at the bar. The dim lighting helped; no flash, no attention drawn. I lowered the phone again and took another sip of my beer, letting the bitter taste settle while I kept him in my peripheral vision.

Before I could think further, someone stepped up to our table.

"Hello, handsome." A woman smiled, holding some kind of orange cocktail. I didn’t know the name, just that it looked expensive and strong. "I’m renting, you buying it?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"

"Get out of here." Cora’s voice cut in sharply.

I turned to her, and for a second, even I was taken aback. Her expression had twisted into something straight out of a horror movie, eyes locked onto the woman with a cold intensity that made the air feel heavier.

The woman let out a small, awkward laugh, clearly not expecting that reaction. "Jeez... fine."

She turned and walked off, quickly finding another man at a nearby table. Cora kept watching her until she was fully gone, then exhaled slowly, her shoulders relaxing.

"Um... you really changed, by the way, Evan," she said, her tone softer now.

"As in?" I asked, glancing at her.

"You’re not the same man I saw in that gas station market," she continued, a small smile forming. "A lot cooler now. Hehe... my Evan."

I suppressed a sigh and took another sip of my drink. Hearing her say things like that still felt strange, no matter how many times it happened. I didn’t even try to unpack it anymore.

My attention snapped back to the bar as Jack suddenly stood up. He adjusted his cap slightly and turned toward the hallway leading to the restrooms.

I watched him for a second, then set my glass down.

"I’ll be back," I said. "Stay here."

"Okay. Be careful," Cora replied, nodding.

I moved casually, not too fast, not too slow, heading toward the men’s restroom. The place was crowded enough that no one paid me any mind. When I got close, I stopped just short of the door, leaning slightly against the wall like I was just waiting my turn.

The sound of running water came from inside, followed by Jack’s voice. It was muffled through the door and drowned out at times by the noise of the bar, but I could still catch pieces.

"...did that," he muttered. "But they’ll be gone. I promise."

The sink kept running for a moment, then shut off. I stayed still, listening.

"They’ll be gone, Robert," he continued. "I promise. And, plus, no one would think anything weird. Just two friends hanging out."

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

Robert.

So that was the name.