"Whatever the hell is in that, Mike, I do not want any part of it," I stated firmly, my resolve unwavering.

Mike picked at his food, his brow furrowing in deep thought. "I don't blame you, Casey. You're better off not knowing."

I shook my head, my frustration growing. "That's not going to cut it anymore, Mike. We're in this together now, whether we like it or not."

He sighed, seemingly defeated, and looked up at me with those sharp, playful eyes of his. "You're right. I can't do this alone, especially with those people on my tail. We need a plan."

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "First things first, we need to figure out what's in that case. There's no way I'm dragging myself into this mess blindly."

Mike nodded in agreement. "Agreed. I've tried everything I know, and it won't budge. It's locked tight."

I reached over and picked up the box, studying it closely. It was sleek, blood-red, with no visible locks or openings. "We need someone who knows how to crack this open."

Mike nodded in agreement, realizing the importance of knowing what we were dealing with. "Okay, fine. But after that, we're going to need some help. You mentioned a guy named X in Qadesh who might be able to assist us?"

Mike nodded. "Yeah, X is a friend. He knows the underground scene pretty well. He might have some answers, or at least a safe place for us to lie low."

I considered this for a moment, taking another bite of my food. "Alright, let's give it a shot. But I have a lot more questions, Mike. Like who the hell hired you for this job and why it's such a big deal."

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

Mike sighed, his gaze troubled. "I promise I'll tell you everything, Casey. But for now, let's focus on getting that case open. We'll deal with the rest later."

I leaned back in my seat, my skepticism still lingering, but a reluctant acceptance settling in. "Fine, but you better keep your promise. And one more thing, Mike."

He looked at me, his eyes meeting mine. "What is it?"

I smirked slightly, unable to resist the opportunity to tease him. "You know, for a big guy, you're practically a good-for-nothing."

Mike chuckled, a hint of his usual confidence returning. "Well, that hurts."

"It was intended," I replied with a smirk, feeling a strange sense of camaraderie forming between us, born out of the bizarre circumstances we found ourselves in.

"You know, Mike, you're not as bad as I thought. You didn't just leave me to die back there," I said, a mischievous grin on my face.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his eyes darting around. "Yeah, well, maybe I've got a soft spot for roommates," he mumbled, almost defensively.

I couldn't resist poking at his apparent insecurity. "You're pretty tall for a guy, you know," I teased, gesturing to his frame.

He chuckled nervously, clearly not used to such comments. "Well, it's not always about height," he muttered, picking at his fries.

I decided to cut him some slack and shifted the conversation to more pressing matters. "So, Mike, when you're not ditching classes, what do you actually do for a living?" I asked, my tone more serious.

He hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I do... hits, mostly. Retrieve items for people who don't want to ask too many questions," he admitted.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued yet wary. "Hits, huh? Sounds like you're involved in some shady business."

Mike nodded, his expression grim. "It's not all glamorous, Casey. Sometimes you end up tangled in a web of trouble."

"Trouble seems to follow you around," I observed dryly.

Our conversation was interrupted as we attempted, once again, to open the mysterious case. Frustration crept in as our efforts yielded no results. It seemed the object inside was as secretive as Mike's life had been until now.

With the case sitting there, taunting us with its locked secrets, we had no choice but to prepare for the journey into Qadesh, a place as enigmatic as the contents of the case itself.