(No worries, friend!!)
Codi's eyes lit up when Arcade spotted him. He picked up his pace, throwing up a small wave in greeting and pocketing his phone with the other hand.
This was another reason that it had felt so important to rescue Arcade. Understanding sign wasn't a common skill, neither was it one one that was likely to be picked up in their line of business. And of course, those who knew of his condition were the issuing orders type, where Codi's input was not only unneeded but undesired. Thus the number of people he could talk freely to was few.
Arcade, though, always seemed to make it a habit to greet him in sign. It wasn't necessary–Codi wasn't even sure if the other man knew he had his hearing–but the gesture was appreciated nevertheless. It meant the man saw him as an equal, or at least something close to that. It also gave him a chance to practice reading signs, as everyone had a different flavor of "accent", as it were, and varied from the slow and practiced movements of his caregiver.
Now, however, he was most glad for the opportunity to speak in private.
Codi's eyes eagerly followed the motion of Cade's hands–and his brow creased. 'Something was off? Are they already making their move?' He wished he still had his own walkie, but ever since one of the capos had insinuated it would be useless in his hands, he'd been stuck listening in on his various assigned partners to stay in the loop.
Which he was sure didn't help him with the deaf allegations.
'Who called you?' he asked, signing out the letters R-A-D-I-O and cupping his hand to his ear.
When he realized Cade was looking at his phone, though, he frowned. The surprise on the man's face turned quickly into suspicion, and wariness reared it's head like an ugly bull.
Codi slowed and stopped, still several feet away from the store front Cade was appraising him from. He paused, uncertain in the face of whatever information Arcade had just discovered.
He wasn't about to back down, though.
'Rabbia knows about you,' Codi signed quickly, casting a glance back the way he came to ensure Archie and the others hadn't left in pursuit of him. 'You need to run. Tonight.'
Anticipating disbelief or even hostility at the implication, he hastily added, 'I am,' He hesitated to sign the word for traitor. It felt like inviting bad luck to admit something so openly, regardless of the language, and so he substituted it with the sign for "same".
'I have a safe place to stay for one night. Maybe two.' He wiggled his hand side to side to emphasize the "maybe" in that, but his eyes were serious.
'Will you come?'
