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:D Thanks for making me feel better! I was nervous that all this different stuff was making your head spin... :>
Story: King
Chapter Title: Oddly Won't Know What Hit Him
Evangeline picked the lock of the black safe in Doyle’s study. After a few minutes, the lock clicked and the door swung open to reveal a stack of manila folders that were full to the bursting. She looked through them and found the VIVIAN KING – JAMES KING file. Tucking it into her bag, she shut the door of the safe and briskly walked out of the study.
Right into the guns of three Oddly soldiers. Well, they didn’t look like soldiers, of course. Oddly couldn’t be too obvious. But the guns did make them very foreboding.
“Hello,” said Evangeline cheerfully.
Her attitude threw the men off, giving Evangeline enough time to crouch down and send a spinning kick underneath the first man, which made him hit the ground hard. She grabbed the gun out of his unresisting arms and shot the other one, but with his bullet proof vest he would only be severely hurt. The last one, over his surprise, aimed his gun at Evangeline, but he was hesitant to shoot her because she was, after all, a child. This is was his undoing as Evangeline conked the gun over the soldier’s head. One of them started to stir, so she conked him over the head as well. She lightly ran back into the study and looked out the window. Shoving it up, she hopped out of the window, grabbing the sill and swinging down to the ground.
Landing in a crouch, Evangeline crept along the ground, making no sound, and looked around the corner of the building.
Two large trucks and a bunch of soldiers were parked outside of the house, presumably waiting for those three men to come out of the house with a kicking and screaming Evangeline. Fat chance.
Evangeline pulled her head back, pondering on what to do. She could try to run, but she wouldn’t be able to get far without being caught. Well, she could try hiding until they left, but knowing Oddly, they wouldn’t leave until they at least found out that the person they were looking for had left.
The only answer she could think of at the time was blending in. Evangeline pulled a quick change, switching her coat and putting on a hat. She did a touch of makeup to look more girlish, because her features had aged prematurely due to months of hard work. She sneaked around the undergrowth before coming to the road and started walking slowly and crying.
A soldier, as expected, stopped her. “What are you doing?” he asked gruffly, taking note of her tears.
“My… my momma,” Evangeline sobbed. “I can…can’t find her. I was… just… looking… in the… window, and, and she was gone!” She unleashed a fresh torrent of tears, which disfigured her face, which of course was just what Evangeline wanted.
“Oh,” said the soldier uncomfortably. He hadn’t received orders on what to do if a crying child showed up. “Well, have you seen this girl around? Her momma doesn’t know where she is.” He produced a photograph of Evangeline turned sideways with a mischievous smile on her face – an old photograph, to be sure, but it still captured the girl it was portraying.
Evangeline continued to sob for thirty seconds or so before glancing at the picture. “No… have you seen my momma? Is she looking for me too?”
“I don’t know. You go find her.” The soldier spun around, still feeling very awkward, and went back to his commander.
Evangeline continued walking away, crying still, until the traveling agency and all the soldiers with it were out of sight. She wiped her tears away and went to the bus stop.
By the time that Oddly realized that that little girl they had let through was Evangeline, the girl in question was eighteen miles away in a basement in a house in a town.
*^*
Evangeline, after having eaten her supper, opened the manila folder. The first page showed two pictures, one of her father and one of her mother. Evangeline, with all her skills in hiding her emotions, could not stop one tear from trickling down her face. She looked at those two pictures for a long time, before shaking herself and turning the page.
Both her mother and father had started at Oddly around the same age that Evangeline had: since birth. And their parents before them. And their parents before them. They hadn’t gone to regular school. While other children were learning the ABCs, Evangeline’s parents (and she herself when she had grown to the age) had been learning how to knock someone out eight different ways without having a weapon and speaking three different languages. They had gone out on their first Oddly mission at age 5 as a backup. They had been two of Oddly’s best spies. They had gotten married and had Evangeline. But when Evangeline was four, they had died. The file did not include how, but to Evangeline’s immense frustration, the file ended there.
Evangeline threw the folder across the room, her face a mask of anger and frustration. She had known all that already! Considering the risk she had gone to receive that folder, it was useless to her. Apparently Doyle was no longer high enough in Oddly’s system to have the real files. The ones with all the secrets – all the dirty secrets – included. In fact, Evangeline reflected, the only person who would have those files nowadays would be Orlando Oddly himself.
Evangeline sucked in a breath. That would be a difficult job. She grinned mischievously, however. It would be fun. She leapt out of her chair and ran to a different room of the cavern.
It was every bit as big as the first room – the caverns ran all under town. But instead of cozy furnishings, there was a wall with every weapon imaginable from a machete to a samurai sword hanging on it. There was a basketball court, an overhead running track, punching bags, big mats for wrestling, climbing ropes… well, if it could be used to train, it was there. Evangeline changed into a pair of shorts and wrapped tape around her knuckles before punching a bag with all her might, putting all her anger and sadness and frustration into it. Her punches flew faster and faster, and Evangeline’s face grew more relaxed with every punch. Soon she started adding kicks and tricks to the movements until it became a solid rhythm.
An hour passed and Evangeline was still punching away at the bag. Finally, she punched it so hard it flew off its hinges and into the wall behind, causing a rain of battle axes that had been hanging above it. The sharp clattering echoed throughout the cavern.
Evangeline, breathing hard, put her hands on her knees and downed about a gallon of water from the strategically placed drinking fountain in the corner. After she had regained her breath, she went over to the wall and started replacing the battle axes. She could use a Gatorade. And food.
Evangeline picked up the last battle axe and, exhausted, went to the door of the cavern. The door grinded open and Evangeline opened the freezer and shoved a Fit-Life container of beef, green beans, and a whole wheat roll into the microwave. She snatched a purple Gatorade from the fridge and collapsed onto the couch, thoroughly spent. She knew that it was dangerous to exercise for so long because she lived under the constant fear of detection. If a squad were to come in at that moment, Evangeline doubted she would be able to hold them off for more than a few seconds. A bath would be required to sooth her sore muscles later or else she would be dealing with seriously creaky joints in the morning. She ran a hand through her sweat-soaked hair.
The microwave clicked. Evangeline had manually taken off the buzzer so that it didn’t give her away. She, after a minute’s contemplation, heaved herself off the sofa with a groan and went and pulled the container out of the microwave. It was too hot to eat, so Evangeline took another swig of her Gatorade, blowing occasionally on the food, her mouth watering.
As soon as it was cool enough to eat, she gobbled it down. In seconds the container was clean, and Evangeline sat back, sipping her Gatorade.
It was about six in the evening when Evangeline finally got enough strength to get up. She heaved herself off the couch, groaning and creaking like an eighty-year-old. Literally dragging herself along the ground, she undressed and slipped into the tub with the jets on full blast, sighing with relief at the wonders the hot water was working with her muscles. She closed her eyes, her eyebrows knitted together with concentration. She had to get into Oddly’s files. He would have a state-of-the-art security system, of that Evangeline was sure. Cameras, lasers, motion sensors, guards… just about everything imaginable.
Evangeline got out of the tub, feeling much less sore but still exhausted. She got dressed in a plain white shirt and fluffy fleece pants and crawled into bed with her laptop.
Most search databases would have barely a scrap of news on the things Evangeline was planning on searching, but she had a special search tool that included everything about Oddly that she had discovered when she had still worked for them. It had lost some information when Orlando had tried to wipe it, but most of it had been recovered. Most of it.
Evangeline searched a few things, saying some choice swears when she didn’t find what she was looking for, which happened often. Finally, her serious-looking face broke into a grin of triumph as she clicked the file she had been looking for. She looked over the file about ten times, clicking to make little lines and notes on file in the screen.
Oddly wouldn’t know what had hit him.
Chapter Title: Oddly Won't Know What Hit Him
Evangeline picked the lock of the black safe in Doyle’s study. After a few minutes, the lock clicked and the door swung open to reveal a stack of manila folders that were full to the bursting. She looked through them and found the VIVIAN KING – JAMES KING file. Tucking it into her bag, she shut the door of the safe and briskly walked out of the study.
Right into the guns of three Oddly soldiers. Well, they didn’t look like soldiers, of course. Oddly couldn’t be too obvious. But the guns did make them very foreboding.
“Hello,” said Evangeline cheerfully.
Her attitude threw the men off, giving Evangeline enough time to crouch down and send a spinning kick underneath the first man, which made him hit the ground hard. She grabbed the gun out of his unresisting arms and shot the other one, but with his bullet proof vest he would only be severely hurt. The last one, over his surprise, aimed his gun at Evangeline, but he was hesitant to shoot her because she was, after all, a child. This is was his undoing as Evangeline conked the gun over the soldier’s head. One of them started to stir, so she conked him over the head as well. She lightly ran back into the study and looked out the window. Shoving it up, she hopped out of the window, grabbing the sill and swinging down to the ground.
Landing in a crouch, Evangeline crept along the ground, making no sound, and looked around the corner of the building.
Two large trucks and a bunch of soldiers were parked outside of the house, presumably waiting for those three men to come out of the house with a kicking and screaming Evangeline. Fat chance.
Evangeline pulled her head back, pondering on what to do. She could try to run, but she wouldn’t be able to get far without being caught. Well, she could try hiding until they left, but knowing Oddly, they wouldn’t leave until they at least found out that the person they were looking for had left.
The only answer she could think of at the time was blending in. Evangeline pulled a quick change, switching her coat and putting on a hat. She did a touch of makeup to look more girlish, because her features had aged prematurely due to months of hard work. She sneaked around the undergrowth before coming to the road and started walking slowly and crying.
A soldier, as expected, stopped her. “What are you doing?” he asked gruffly, taking note of her tears.
“My… my momma,” Evangeline sobbed. “I can…can’t find her. I was… just… looking… in the… window, and, and she was gone!” She unleashed a fresh torrent of tears, which disfigured her face, which of course was just what Evangeline wanted.
“Oh,” said the soldier uncomfortably. He hadn’t received orders on what to do if a crying child showed up. “Well, have you seen this girl around? Her momma doesn’t know where she is.” He produced a photograph of Evangeline turned sideways with a mischievous smile on her face – an old photograph, to be sure, but it still captured the girl it was portraying.
Evangeline continued to sob for thirty seconds or so before glancing at the picture. “No… have you seen my momma? Is she looking for me too?”
“I don’t know. You go find her.” The soldier spun around, still feeling very awkward, and went back to his commander.
Evangeline continued walking away, crying still, until the traveling agency and all the soldiers with it were out of sight. She wiped her tears away and went to the bus stop.
By the time that Oddly realized that that little girl they had let through was Evangeline, the girl in question was eighteen miles away in a basement in a house in a town.
*^*
Evangeline, after having eaten her supper, opened the manila folder. The first page showed two pictures, one of her father and one of her mother. Evangeline, with all her skills in hiding her emotions, could not stop one tear from trickling down her face. She looked at those two pictures for a long time, before shaking herself and turning the page.
Both her mother and father had started at Oddly around the same age that Evangeline had: since birth. And their parents before them. And their parents before them. They hadn’t gone to regular school. While other children were learning the ABCs, Evangeline’s parents (and she herself when she had grown to the age) had been learning how to knock someone out eight different ways without having a weapon and speaking three different languages. They had gone out on their first Oddly mission at age 5 as a backup. They had been two of Oddly’s best spies. They had gotten married and had Evangeline. But when Evangeline was four, they had died. The file did not include how, but to Evangeline’s immense frustration, the file ended there.
Evangeline threw the folder across the room, her face a mask of anger and frustration. She had known all that already! Considering the risk she had gone to receive that folder, it was useless to her. Apparently Doyle was no longer high enough in Oddly’s system to have the real files. The ones with all the secrets – all the dirty secrets – included. In fact, Evangeline reflected, the only person who would have those files nowadays would be Orlando Oddly himself.
Evangeline sucked in a breath. That would be a difficult job. She grinned mischievously, however. It would be fun. She leapt out of her chair and ran to a different room of the cavern.
It was every bit as big as the first room – the caverns ran all under town. But instead of cozy furnishings, there was a wall with every weapon imaginable from a machete to a samurai sword hanging on it. There was a basketball court, an overhead running track, punching bags, big mats for wrestling, climbing ropes… well, if it could be used to train, it was there. Evangeline changed into a pair of shorts and wrapped tape around her knuckles before punching a bag with all her might, putting all her anger and sadness and frustration into it. Her punches flew faster and faster, and Evangeline’s face grew more relaxed with every punch. Soon she started adding kicks and tricks to the movements until it became a solid rhythm.
An hour passed and Evangeline was still punching away at the bag. Finally, she punched it so hard it flew off its hinges and into the wall behind, causing a rain of battle axes that had been hanging above it. The sharp clattering echoed throughout the cavern.
Evangeline, breathing hard, put her hands on her knees and downed about a gallon of water from the strategically placed drinking fountain in the corner. After she had regained her breath, she went over to the wall and started replacing the battle axes. She could use a Gatorade. And food.
Evangeline picked up the last battle axe and, exhausted, went to the door of the cavern. The door grinded open and Evangeline opened the freezer and shoved a Fit-Life container of beef, green beans, and a whole wheat roll into the microwave. She snatched a purple Gatorade from the fridge and collapsed onto the couch, thoroughly spent. She knew that it was dangerous to exercise for so long because she lived under the constant fear of detection. If a squad were to come in at that moment, Evangeline doubted she would be able to hold them off for more than a few seconds. A bath would be required to sooth her sore muscles later or else she would be dealing with seriously creaky joints in the morning. She ran a hand through her sweat-soaked hair.
The microwave clicked. Evangeline had manually taken off the buzzer so that it didn’t give her away. She, after a minute’s contemplation, heaved herself off the sofa with a groan and went and pulled the container out of the microwave. It was too hot to eat, so Evangeline took another swig of her Gatorade, blowing occasionally on the food, her mouth watering.
As soon as it was cool enough to eat, she gobbled it down. In seconds the container was clean, and Evangeline sat back, sipping her Gatorade.
It was about six in the evening when Evangeline finally got enough strength to get up. She heaved herself off the couch, groaning and creaking like an eighty-year-old. Literally dragging herself along the ground, she undressed and slipped into the tub with the jets on full blast, sighing with relief at the wonders the hot water was working with her muscles. She closed her eyes, her eyebrows knitted together with concentration. She had to get into Oddly’s files. He would have a state-of-the-art security system, of that Evangeline was sure. Cameras, lasers, motion sensors, guards… just about everything imaginable.
Evangeline got out of the tub, feeling much less sore but still exhausted. She got dressed in a plain white shirt and fluffy fleece pants and crawled into bed with her laptop.
Most search databases would have barely a scrap of news on the things Evangeline was planning on searching, but she had a special search tool that included everything about Oddly that she had discovered when she had still worked for them. It had lost some information when Orlando had tried to wipe it, but most of it had been recovered. Most of it.
Evangeline searched a few things, saying some choice swears when she didn’t find what she was looking for, which happened often. Finally, her serious-looking face broke into a grin of triumph as she clicked the file she had been looking for. She looked over the file about ten times, clicking to make little lines and notes on file in the screen.
Oddly wouldn’t know what had hit him.
It appears that I cannot say no to you, Lex, but of course you know I'm going to write more. :)
Story: Baines (temporary title)
Chapter Title: The Phone Call
I pulled up into the driveway of my small house on the corner of Oak Street after work at precisely 8:36. I went inside and tossed my keys onto the table, rubbing the back of my neck.
As I put on a kettle for some tea, I was thinking hard about the phone call that would most certainly be coming in the near future. I was uncertain. I longed for something more, for answers to why this all was happening and maybe, why men were so attracted to me. It was unsettling. There were too many questions and not enough answers. What was this job that John Doe needed me to do so desperately and what does my strange ability about attracting the opposite sex have to do with it? What sort of organization employed him?
The kettle whistled loudly, bringing me back to reality. I poured the hot water into a mug with the teabag and stirred a bit of honey in it, just about destroying my mouth by sipping it when it was still a gazillion degrees. I sat at the table, my shoulders hunched over, sipping my tea, uncertain. Yes, that’s the word that describes me. Uncertain. If John had only given me a bit more information, had given me a bit more time, some leeway, I think this decision could be made in a pinch, but all he had given me was a lot of questions and a phone number on the back of an index card.
I ran a hand through my unruly brown hair. Uncertainty is terrible. I hate not knowing things.
Just then, the phone rang.
An icy feeling filled my stomach. My particular phone only rings four times before directing the caller to voicemail.
I had four rings to figure out what I wanted to do.
What kind of job was this? It sounds like they would give me a lot of money if I did it…
“Brrring!”
What is this agency that he works for? Is this the way they always find new people for the jobs?
“Brrring!”
Why did they need me? My talent isn’t something cool, at least not the way I look at it. What do they want me to do, charm people? Someone with a smoother tongue than I could do it better.
“Brrring!”
Oh, but I needed answers. I couldn’t let these questions just hang over me for the rest of my life, could I? I could just pick up the phone, find the answers, and if they weren’t to my satisfaction, they had to leave me alone, right? What could go wrong?
“Brri-!”
I had picked up the phone.
“Hey, sweetie!”
What? Who was this? The voice did not sound like John at all. In fact, it sounded like my mother…
“I just wanted to see how you were doing,” she trills. “I haven’t called you in ages, and I feel terrible about it. How is your autumn season going? I heard all about your break up with Robert. Are you okay? He was a good-for-nothing anyway. I hope that you find someone better. How’s work going? I was afraid you’d get fired after that one incident in September. I’m so glad that you found your feet again. Your father and I are having a spectacular time in New York. I was so happy when I found out that Beth got the tickets. Are you still going to come when you have your week of vacation or should we make our way to California and meet you there? How’s the weather, by the way? I should’ve known that those trees would make your nose itch.” She finally stops to take a breath, so I decide to use it.
“Mom, I’m expecting someone to call, and if the phone’s busy… well, they can’t call back,” I say quickly. “Can I call you back later?”
My mom stops in the middle of her explanation on how Beth’s allergy medicine worked miracles on her gout. “Oh, course you can, dearie. Tomorrow works best – the time differences, you know. Beth was saying the other day how she tried to Skype her friend in Germany and found him in his jim-jams! Can you imagine that? She was ever so embarrassed, because evidently it was three in the morning over in Amsterdam. She said she’d never heard so much swearing in her life. Needless to say, they aren’t friends at the moment after what he said last night but I do reckon they’ll get together again soo-“
“Mum!” I say, a bit louder than necessary. “I’ve got a call, remember?” Wow, I really was frazzled by all this Doe business. It was making my nerves crack.
“Oh, right, dearie,” she said hurriedly. “Call me later! Love you!”
I set down the phone, glad that that was over but having the feeling of dread. I had to rethink everything all over again. I needed to pick up the phone. The answers. I needed them. Nothing could go wrong.
The phone rang again.
This time, I barely had to contemplate my decision. I needed those answers, and it was a no-strings-attached situation. I picked up the phone at the second ring.
“I forgot, dearie, to tell you what happened to your father the other-“
“Mum!”
“Oh, right, your phone call. Sorry, dearie!”
I set down the phone, my nerves frayed to the max. Would Doe just hurry up already?
After five minutes of giving dark looks at the telephone and sipping my tea, the object that I now so despised for causing me so much trouble rang once again. This time, I noted, the little screen said UNKNOWN CALLER. It would recognize my mother, so this had to be Doe.
Was I really going to do this?
Yes, I was.
I picked up the phone.
“You picked up the phone.” This time, it is most certainly John.
“Obviously,” said I, trying to sound nonchalant and imperious so that I didn’t sound like this business had had me worried or anything. “Now, I want answers to my questions before I sign up for your little task.”
“That’s on a need-to-know basis,” he replies with an ease of tone that, for some reason, infuriates me.
“Well, guess what? I need to know or else I won’t be doing your monkey business for you,” I retort angrily, all pretenses of being nonchalant gone. “I want to know what this business is, and enough of your riddles and games. I’m not going to go into a job without knowing what the heck I’m doing.”
After a minute of silence, John finally speaks. “Fine. I wasn’t given instructions on what to do if you resisted. So we’ll do this on your terms.”
I snorted. “Your superiors thought that I would just drop everything?”
“No, not exactly.” I hear the phone being set down and some strange clicking noise before John picks up the phone again. “We need you for a special job.”
“That’s already been established!” I cry. I was mad. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“My organization had been looking for a person of your talents.” He goes on as if I did not interrupt. “The task we want you to do is simple: we would like you to come to our organization to fill in a position that fits a very specific person, and that is you. A simple secretary job, similar to the one you fill at the law firm. Except the organization is not a law firm. It is decidedly different. You will be paid eight hundred dollars per day.”
That was it? They wanted me to fill in a secretary position? Eight hundred dollars? Eight hundred dollars? Who gives a secretary eight hundred dollars? But something was fishy. “Okay, what’s the catch?” I ask, trying to keep on the angry front so that Doe wouldn’t know I was weakening. “You don’t just give a secretary eight hundred dollars. And what does my talent have to do with this?”
“If you are going to accept the position, there is a small catch.” Again, he acts as if I did not speak.
If he does that one more time, I’m going to kill him. Actually, I might kill him anyways. He’s annoying.
“You must tell everyone that you are going on a mission trip to Africa and you must quit your job at the law firm,” says John. “Our organization doesn’t like being noticed nowadays – a lot of bad publicity. We’ve changed our name to prevent unwanted attention, but a single word could bring us back into the spotlight and bring business down. I hope you understand.”
I think I heard of a business doing that before, changing their name and stuff after they got bad publicity for a product. It was sort of suspicious, but for eight hundred dollars a day, it wasn’t a big factor. “Alright,” I say as evenly as I can. “I’ll do it. When do I start?”
“At 2 o’clock in the afternoon, after you’ve told everyone that you are leaving for Africa and you’ve quit your job at the law firm, meet me at the back of the bakery on 49th.” I can hear John smiling over the phone. “I’ll pick you up and we can go to the place together. I can brief you on some of your duties along the way. Sound good to you?”
“Yes!” I ejaculate. I’m a bit giddy. Eight hundred dollars…. I could retire early with that. And go to Europe without hitching a ride with my mom’s stuffy old friend Beth. And secretary work I’d done before.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” The phone clicks, signaling that the conversation is over.
I set the phone back onto the base, grinning a little. Eight hundred dollars a day. A fortune made in a week! It was a little suspicious, sure, having to meet in the back of an old bakery, and the fact that I had to tell everyone I was going to Africa, but it was alright. I don’t know what I was so worried about. Eight hundred dollars. I did a happy dance, forgetting my tea, which sloshed all over the place, but I didn’t really mind.
Then, remembering what John had said, I grabbed my cell phone and texted everyone I could think of that I was going on a mission trip to Africa. Maybe I’d actually go on a mission trip once I got all the money! Although probably not to Africa. I never had liked animals.
I went to bed a happy woman.
Chapter Title: The Phone Call
I pulled up into the driveway of my small house on the corner of Oak Street after work at precisely 8:36. I went inside and tossed my keys onto the table, rubbing the back of my neck.
As I put on a kettle for some tea, I was thinking hard about the phone call that would most certainly be coming in the near future. I was uncertain. I longed for something more, for answers to why this all was happening and maybe, why men were so attracted to me. It was unsettling. There were too many questions and not enough answers. What was this job that John Doe needed me to do so desperately and what does my strange ability about attracting the opposite sex have to do with it? What sort of organization employed him?
The kettle whistled loudly, bringing me back to reality. I poured the hot water into a mug with the teabag and stirred a bit of honey in it, just about destroying my mouth by sipping it when it was still a gazillion degrees. I sat at the table, my shoulders hunched over, sipping my tea, uncertain. Yes, that’s the word that describes me. Uncertain. If John had only given me a bit more information, had given me a bit more time, some leeway, I think this decision could be made in a pinch, but all he had given me was a lot of questions and a phone number on the back of an index card.
I ran a hand through my unruly brown hair. Uncertainty is terrible. I hate not knowing things.
Just then, the phone rang.
An icy feeling filled my stomach. My particular phone only rings four times before directing the caller to voicemail.
I had four rings to figure out what I wanted to do.
What kind of job was this? It sounds like they would give me a lot of money if I did it…
“Brrring!”
What is this agency that he works for? Is this the way they always find new people for the jobs?
“Brrring!”
Why did they need me? My talent isn’t something cool, at least not the way I look at it. What do they want me to do, charm people? Someone with a smoother tongue than I could do it better.
“Brrring!”
Oh, but I needed answers. I couldn’t let these questions just hang over me for the rest of my life, could I? I could just pick up the phone, find the answers, and if they weren’t to my satisfaction, they had to leave me alone, right? What could go wrong?
“Brri-!”
I had picked up the phone.
“Hey, sweetie!”
What? Who was this? The voice did not sound like John at all. In fact, it sounded like my mother…
“I just wanted to see how you were doing,” she trills. “I haven’t called you in ages, and I feel terrible about it. How is your autumn season going? I heard all about your break up with Robert. Are you okay? He was a good-for-nothing anyway. I hope that you find someone better. How’s work going? I was afraid you’d get fired after that one incident in September. I’m so glad that you found your feet again. Your father and I are having a spectacular time in New York. I was so happy when I found out that Beth got the tickets. Are you still going to come when you have your week of vacation or should we make our way to California and meet you there? How’s the weather, by the way? I should’ve known that those trees would make your nose itch.” She finally stops to take a breath, so I decide to use it.
“Mom, I’m expecting someone to call, and if the phone’s busy… well, they can’t call back,” I say quickly. “Can I call you back later?”
My mom stops in the middle of her explanation on how Beth’s allergy medicine worked miracles on her gout. “Oh, course you can, dearie. Tomorrow works best – the time differences, you know. Beth was saying the other day how she tried to Skype her friend in Germany and found him in his jim-jams! Can you imagine that? She was ever so embarrassed, because evidently it was three in the morning over in Amsterdam. She said she’d never heard so much swearing in her life. Needless to say, they aren’t friends at the moment after what he said last night but I do reckon they’ll get together again soo-“
“Mum!” I say, a bit louder than necessary. “I’ve got a call, remember?” Wow, I really was frazzled by all this Doe business. It was making my nerves crack.
“Oh, right, dearie,” she said hurriedly. “Call me later! Love you!”
I set down the phone, glad that that was over but having the feeling of dread. I had to rethink everything all over again. I needed to pick up the phone. The answers. I needed them. Nothing could go wrong.
The phone rang again.
This time, I barely had to contemplate my decision. I needed those answers, and it was a no-strings-attached situation. I picked up the phone at the second ring.
“I forgot, dearie, to tell you what happened to your father the other-“
“Mum!”
“Oh, right, your phone call. Sorry, dearie!”
I set down the phone, my nerves frayed to the max. Would Doe just hurry up already?
After five minutes of giving dark looks at the telephone and sipping my tea, the object that I now so despised for causing me so much trouble rang once again. This time, I noted, the little screen said UNKNOWN CALLER. It would recognize my mother, so this had to be Doe.
Was I really going to do this?
Yes, I was.
I picked up the phone.
“You picked up the phone.” This time, it is most certainly John.
“Obviously,” said I, trying to sound nonchalant and imperious so that I didn’t sound like this business had had me worried or anything. “Now, I want answers to my questions before I sign up for your little task.”
“That’s on a need-to-know basis,” he replies with an ease of tone that, for some reason, infuriates me.
“Well, guess what? I need to know or else I won’t be doing your monkey business for you,” I retort angrily, all pretenses of being nonchalant gone. “I want to know what this business is, and enough of your riddles and games. I’m not going to go into a job without knowing what the heck I’m doing.”
After a minute of silence, John finally speaks. “Fine. I wasn’t given instructions on what to do if you resisted. So we’ll do this on your terms.”
I snorted. “Your superiors thought that I would just drop everything?”
“No, not exactly.” I hear the phone being set down and some strange clicking noise before John picks up the phone again. “We need you for a special job.”
“That’s already been established!” I cry. I was mad. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“My organization had been looking for a person of your talents.” He goes on as if I did not interrupt. “The task we want you to do is simple: we would like you to come to our organization to fill in a position that fits a very specific person, and that is you. A simple secretary job, similar to the one you fill at the law firm. Except the organization is not a law firm. It is decidedly different. You will be paid eight hundred dollars per day.”
That was it? They wanted me to fill in a secretary position? Eight hundred dollars? Eight hundred dollars? Who gives a secretary eight hundred dollars? But something was fishy. “Okay, what’s the catch?” I ask, trying to keep on the angry front so that Doe wouldn’t know I was weakening. “You don’t just give a secretary eight hundred dollars. And what does my talent have to do with this?”
“If you are going to accept the position, there is a small catch.” Again, he acts as if I did not speak.
If he does that one more time, I’m going to kill him. Actually, I might kill him anyways. He’s annoying.
“You must tell everyone that you are going on a mission trip to Africa and you must quit your job at the law firm,” says John. “Our organization doesn’t like being noticed nowadays – a lot of bad publicity. We’ve changed our name to prevent unwanted attention, but a single word could bring us back into the spotlight and bring business down. I hope you understand.”
I think I heard of a business doing that before, changing their name and stuff after they got bad publicity for a product. It was sort of suspicious, but for eight hundred dollars a day, it wasn’t a big factor. “Alright,” I say as evenly as I can. “I’ll do it. When do I start?”
“At 2 o’clock in the afternoon, after you’ve told everyone that you are leaving for Africa and you’ve quit your job at the law firm, meet me at the back of the bakery on 49th.” I can hear John smiling over the phone. “I’ll pick you up and we can go to the place together. I can brief you on some of your duties along the way. Sound good to you?”
“Yes!” I ejaculate. I’m a bit giddy. Eight hundred dollars…. I could retire early with that. And go to Europe without hitching a ride with my mom’s stuffy old friend Beth. And secretary work I’d done before.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.” The phone clicks, signaling that the conversation is over.
I set the phone back onto the base, grinning a little. Eight hundred dollars a day. A fortune made in a week! It was a little suspicious, sure, having to meet in the back of an old bakery, and the fact that I had to tell everyone I was going to Africa, but it was alright. I don’t know what I was so worried about. Eight hundred dollars. I did a happy dance, forgetting my tea, which sloshed all over the place, but I didn’t really mind.
Then, remembering what John had said, I grabbed my cell phone and texted everyone I could think of that I was going on a mission trip to Africa. Maybe I’d actually go on a mission trip once I got all the money! Although probably not to Africa. I never had liked animals.
I went to bed a happy woman.
Third chapter!
Story: Baines (temporary title)
Chapter Title: Of Course
I woke up earlier than usual, about four in the morning, having gotten a terrible night’s sleep. The excitement had kept me tossing and turning past midnight. I got out of bed quickly, shoving on a skirt and a fresh shirt and I was pulling my boots on when I remembered: the meeting wasn’t until 2. I sank back into my bed. What would I do until then? That was still ten hours away.
“Still alive but I’m barely breathing Just praying to a God that I don’t believe in,” crooned a voice out of nowhere.
I bolt upright immediately. “What in the name of all things bright and beautiful is that?” I cried, aghast. The ungodly noise continued until I was able to locate the source: my phone. I snatched it up off the charger, answering it without looking to who it was. “Hello?” I asked, only just realizing how gravelly my voice was. I coughed, and then said the greeting again in a voice more like my own. “Hello?”
“Miss Baines.”
I grinned. “Doe,” I said excitedly.
“My schedule has been set back by some new information that I just received. Do you think I could meet you at nine instead of two? I hope it won’t terribly inconvenience you.”
“No, no, that’s perfect!” I cry. “Same place?”
“Of course. Thank you for being so flexible, Miss Baines.”
“Please,” I giggled. “Call me Jennifer.”
“Very well. Thank you… Jennifer.” The phone clicked, signaling our conversation was over.
What a stroke of luck! It was almost like he had been able to sense my emotions, my impatience, and had acted accordingly. Doe really was a wonderful guy. I can’t believe that I had even begun to think those terrible thoughts I had thought before. And yet… there was something about him, something strange, something that wasn’t right. I fell back on my bed, smiling from ear to ear and giggling occasionally. Mystery men are much more fun.
-o 0 o-
I climb out of my car, my whole body jittery with excitement. It is still thirty minutes away until we meet behind bakery, but I’m hungry and I couldn’t bear to wait any longer in the empty house. I skip into the bakery, the metal door sitting behind me.
And to my immense surprise, I see Doe sitting in the corner.
“Doe!” I cried a cry that probably was heard all the way to Africa. I scuttled over to him like a schoolgirl. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here so early.”
“That much is evident,” Doe said pleasantly. He sounded as wonderful as ever, but his smile looked exasperated, like an adult wears when speaking with a small child playing a make-believe game. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here either. I was hungry and I supposed it would be good form to be early for our meeting, so here I am. It appears you were thinking along those same lines as well, hmm?”
“Yep.” I grin, sliding into the seat opposite him, setting my purse down underneath the table. “Do you mind if I sit with you?”
“Not at all,” Doe replied courteously.
I giggled. “I’ll grab something and be back in a jiffy.” I hopped out of my seat and quickly ordered an egg sandwich, a muffin, and a cup of coffee. It took a while, and I fidgeted where I stood, earnest to get back to Doe. Maybe he could give me some more information on the job. Although I didn’t think it really mattered much. Funny. I could’ve sworn saying to myself that I needed more information earlier this morning. Ah, well, my mother has always said that I have a mind that changes with the wind.
“Here you go, ma’am,” said the man behind the counter. “That’ll be 7.50.”
I paid for my breakfast and then took it back over by Doe. “So,” I say through a mouthful of blueberry muffin. “Anything else I should know before we head to the facility?”
“It’s not extremely far away, but the road to get there is winding and has different roads going off it that tend to get people lost in there, so I’ll have to give you explicit directions when we get there so that you won’t get lost when you come to work each morning.” He took a small sip of his coffee. Despite him saying he had been hungry, I saw no food or evidence that he had eaten yet. “That’s all the information I’m going to give for now.”
“We can get a jumpstart on the day,” I suggest, meticulously picking the crumbs off the muffin wrapper and tucking them into my mouth. “Can’t you brief me here?”
“No.” Doe pressed his lips together and gave me a pained smile. “That’ll have to wait. Won’t it, Miss Bain…Jennifer?”
I was confused for a minute. Why would it need to wait? “Why does it….oh.” It needed to wait. That’s right. “Of course.”
Doe’s smile grew less strained. “Thank you for understanding, Miss Baines.” He took another sip of his coffee.
“Why aren’t you eating?” I asked him. “I thought you said you were hungry.” I waved my partially eaten sandwich in his face. “They make the best egg sandwiches here that I’ve ever tasted. You should try one.”
“I ate before you got here,” Doe replied, studying his perfectly shaped nails. “That sandwich is bought and eaten.” He looked wistfully at my sandwich. “That does smell good, however. I hope you enjoy it.”
“Why don’t you buy another one then?” I asked him, pulling the sandwich back and taking an enthusiastic bite out of it. “Or are you on a diet of some sort?” I grin. “C’mon.”
“I’m perfectly alright.” Doe’s voice has become steely and as icy as the winter wind.
I blink, stunned. He has never taken that tone with me before. Especially not over something as simple as food.
“Forgive me, Jennifer,” Doe said quickly. “You forgive me, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.” I smile at him. “What are friends for?” I coyly sip my coffee, smirking over the top of the Styrofoam cup.
“Are you done?” He asks after a few minutes of silence. “We really should be going, you know.” He drums his fingers on the table, clearly eager to go. “It would be good if we could get to the offices before everyone else arrives…” He glances over at me meaningfully.
“Right,” I say hurriedly, wiping egg off my lips. I toss the wrappers and empty cup into the garbage can, straightening my shirt and starting for the door.
“No, no, I parked out back,” Doe says, stopping me. He smiles winningly, flashing those brilliant white teeth of his. He takes my hand and gently leads me to the back of the shop. Opening the door, he bows gallantly, letting me go ahead. “Ladies first.”
“Thank you.” I giggle a little despite myself. Doe is quite charming. I’ve never fallen in love before because men always seem to only be paying attention to me because of my weird attracting thing, but the friendship I have with Doe feels genuine. I don’t know what ever made me have any misgivings in him. Charming Mr. Doe. The model of a gentleman.
There is a luxuriant, shining dark-grey Lamborghini Reventon parked there. I gasp. “Is this your car?” I ask, afraid to touch the awesome vehicle, let alone get in it.
“A beauty, isn’t it?” Doe chuckles. “A gift from a friend.”
“Your friend has fantastic taste,” I murmur, lightly touching the shimmering metal. “Are you sure I won’t wreck it?”
“It’s tougher than it looks.” He pulls his keys out of his pocket, twirling them on his finger as he gets into the driver’s seat. He raises his eyebrows expectantly at me. “Coming, sweetheart?”
I giggle again, hopping into the driver’s seat with girlish abandon. Buckling on my seatbelt, I turn to look at Doe. “I feel like Catwoman in the Batmobile or something.”
“Unfortunately, this isn’t quite as high tech as the Batmobile.” Doe smiles lazily, gunning the engine to amplify his point. “But she’s got some tricks.”
We pulled out of the alleyway, the engine roaring. If not for Doe’s fantastic reflexes, we would’ve hit a good dozen pedestrians, and my eyes were permanently widened with horror and surprise until we got onto the highway. Conversation was impossible over the immense noise of the car, although I desperately wanted to talk to him. I was so very excited.
And yet… something did not feel quite right. There was something wrong. I looked at myself. I looked perfectly presentable. I had my purse. I grabbed it, rummaging through it to make sure everything was in order. It all was. My seatbelt was on. Everything was fine.
Except for the unavoidable fact that it wasn’t.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
“Doe!” I yell, trying to catch his attention over the sound. He does not even turn, but a very nasty look is on his face. I yell again, but he does not hear me.
What was wrong? I was riding in an amazing car, with a charming man, on my way to a high-wage job. Nothing should be wrong. Nothing at all.
A huge bump in the road that would’ve nearly knocked me out of my seat if not for my seatbelt cleared my head. I looked around me and noticed that Doe had driven the Reventon off the highway onto a frugal dirt road. Other than a clump of trees a little ways ahead, there was nothing to attract Doe’s attention.
“Doe!” I shake his arm, finally able to get his eyes to turn to me. “Where are we going? What’s going on?”
His eyes widen for a fraction of a second. He stops the Lamborghini suddenly. “We’re going to the facility, remember?” He smiles sweetly, patting my hand. “Everything’s going quite all right. Didn’t you see the sign a few miles back? There was construction on the main road, so we had to go down this one. Don’t you remember?”
A sign? I didn’t recall seeing a sign about roadwork. “No, I don’t remember a sign. What are you talking about, John?”
“The sign,” Doe soothes. “There was a sign next to the billboard about Walmart. A sign, Jennifer. A big, orange sign.”
I relax, and take my hand off his arm. “A sign.” How could I have forgotten? It had been nearly as big as the billboard.
John relaxes as well. “Yes, the sign.” He starts the car again and takes off, making it clear that we were finished with the conversation.
Despite the bumping of the car, I was tired. I laid my head on Doe’s shoulder. He shifts so that I am more comfortable. “Yes, that’s right, Jennifer,” he says in a comforting, homely voice. “Just sleep.”
I obey, and fall into a deep sleep with twisted, dark dreams. I imagine shouting, harsh voices, and something rough being pressed against my skin. I am cold and in a dark prison, and I shiver.
When I awake, my hands are tied.
Story: Baines (temporary title)
Chapter Title: Of Course
I woke up earlier than usual, about four in the morning, having gotten a terrible night’s sleep. The excitement had kept me tossing and turning past midnight. I got out of bed quickly, shoving on a skirt and a fresh shirt and I was pulling my boots on when I remembered: the meeting wasn’t until 2. I sank back into my bed. What would I do until then? That was still ten hours away.
“Still alive but I’m barely breathing Just praying to a God that I don’t believe in,” crooned a voice out of nowhere.
I bolt upright immediately. “What in the name of all things bright and beautiful is that?” I cried, aghast. The ungodly noise continued until I was able to locate the source: my phone. I snatched it up off the charger, answering it without looking to who it was. “Hello?” I asked, only just realizing how gravelly my voice was. I coughed, and then said the greeting again in a voice more like my own. “Hello?”
“Miss Baines.”
I grinned. “Doe,” I said excitedly.
“My schedule has been set back by some new information that I just received. Do you think I could meet you at nine instead of two? I hope it won’t terribly inconvenience you.”
“No, no, that’s perfect!” I cry. “Same place?”
“Of course. Thank you for being so flexible, Miss Baines.”
“Please,” I giggled. “Call me Jennifer.”
“Very well. Thank you… Jennifer.” The phone clicked, signaling our conversation was over.
What a stroke of luck! It was almost like he had been able to sense my emotions, my impatience, and had acted accordingly. Doe really was a wonderful guy. I can’t believe that I had even begun to think those terrible thoughts I had thought before. And yet… there was something about him, something strange, something that wasn’t right. I fell back on my bed, smiling from ear to ear and giggling occasionally. Mystery men are much more fun.
-o 0 o-
I climb out of my car, my whole body jittery with excitement. It is still thirty minutes away until we meet behind bakery, but I’m hungry and I couldn’t bear to wait any longer in the empty house. I skip into the bakery, the metal door sitting behind me.
And to my immense surprise, I see Doe sitting in the corner.
“Doe!” I cried a cry that probably was heard all the way to Africa. I scuttled over to him like a schoolgirl. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here so early.”
“That much is evident,” Doe said pleasantly. He sounded as wonderful as ever, but his smile looked exasperated, like an adult wears when speaking with a small child playing a make-believe game. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here either. I was hungry and I supposed it would be good form to be early for our meeting, so here I am. It appears you were thinking along those same lines as well, hmm?”
“Yep.” I grin, sliding into the seat opposite him, setting my purse down underneath the table. “Do you mind if I sit with you?”
“Not at all,” Doe replied courteously.
I giggled. “I’ll grab something and be back in a jiffy.” I hopped out of my seat and quickly ordered an egg sandwich, a muffin, and a cup of coffee. It took a while, and I fidgeted where I stood, earnest to get back to Doe. Maybe he could give me some more information on the job. Although I didn’t think it really mattered much. Funny. I could’ve sworn saying to myself that I needed more information earlier this morning. Ah, well, my mother has always said that I have a mind that changes with the wind.
“Here you go, ma’am,” said the man behind the counter. “That’ll be 7.50.”
I paid for my breakfast and then took it back over by Doe. “So,” I say through a mouthful of blueberry muffin. “Anything else I should know before we head to the facility?”
“It’s not extremely far away, but the road to get there is winding and has different roads going off it that tend to get people lost in there, so I’ll have to give you explicit directions when we get there so that you won’t get lost when you come to work each morning.” He took a small sip of his coffee. Despite him saying he had been hungry, I saw no food or evidence that he had eaten yet. “That’s all the information I’m going to give for now.”
“We can get a jumpstart on the day,” I suggest, meticulously picking the crumbs off the muffin wrapper and tucking them into my mouth. “Can’t you brief me here?”
“No.” Doe pressed his lips together and gave me a pained smile. “That’ll have to wait. Won’t it, Miss Bain…Jennifer?”
I was confused for a minute. Why would it need to wait? “Why does it….oh.” It needed to wait. That’s right. “Of course.”
Doe’s smile grew less strained. “Thank you for understanding, Miss Baines.” He took another sip of his coffee.
“Why aren’t you eating?” I asked him. “I thought you said you were hungry.” I waved my partially eaten sandwich in his face. “They make the best egg sandwiches here that I’ve ever tasted. You should try one.”
“I ate before you got here,” Doe replied, studying his perfectly shaped nails. “That sandwich is bought and eaten.” He looked wistfully at my sandwich. “That does smell good, however. I hope you enjoy it.”
“Why don’t you buy another one then?” I asked him, pulling the sandwich back and taking an enthusiastic bite out of it. “Or are you on a diet of some sort?” I grin. “C’mon.”
“I’m perfectly alright.” Doe’s voice has become steely and as icy as the winter wind.
I blink, stunned. He has never taken that tone with me before. Especially not over something as simple as food.
“Forgive me, Jennifer,” Doe said quickly. “You forgive me, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.” I smile at him. “What are friends for?” I coyly sip my coffee, smirking over the top of the Styrofoam cup.
“Are you done?” He asks after a few minutes of silence. “We really should be going, you know.” He drums his fingers on the table, clearly eager to go. “It would be good if we could get to the offices before everyone else arrives…” He glances over at me meaningfully.
“Right,” I say hurriedly, wiping egg off my lips. I toss the wrappers and empty cup into the garbage can, straightening my shirt and starting for the door.
“No, no, I parked out back,” Doe says, stopping me. He smiles winningly, flashing those brilliant white teeth of his. He takes my hand and gently leads me to the back of the shop. Opening the door, he bows gallantly, letting me go ahead. “Ladies first.”
“Thank you.” I giggle a little despite myself. Doe is quite charming. I’ve never fallen in love before because men always seem to only be paying attention to me because of my weird attracting thing, but the friendship I have with Doe feels genuine. I don’t know what ever made me have any misgivings in him. Charming Mr. Doe. The model of a gentleman.
There is a luxuriant, shining dark-grey Lamborghini Reventon parked there. I gasp. “Is this your car?” I ask, afraid to touch the awesome vehicle, let alone get in it.
“A beauty, isn’t it?” Doe chuckles. “A gift from a friend.”
“Your friend has fantastic taste,” I murmur, lightly touching the shimmering metal. “Are you sure I won’t wreck it?”
“It’s tougher than it looks.” He pulls his keys out of his pocket, twirling them on his finger as he gets into the driver’s seat. He raises his eyebrows expectantly at me. “Coming, sweetheart?”
I giggle again, hopping into the driver’s seat with girlish abandon. Buckling on my seatbelt, I turn to look at Doe. “I feel like Catwoman in the Batmobile or something.”
“Unfortunately, this isn’t quite as high tech as the Batmobile.” Doe smiles lazily, gunning the engine to amplify his point. “But she’s got some tricks.”
We pulled out of the alleyway, the engine roaring. If not for Doe’s fantastic reflexes, we would’ve hit a good dozen pedestrians, and my eyes were permanently widened with horror and surprise until we got onto the highway. Conversation was impossible over the immense noise of the car, although I desperately wanted to talk to him. I was so very excited.
And yet… something did not feel quite right. There was something wrong. I looked at myself. I looked perfectly presentable. I had my purse. I grabbed it, rummaging through it to make sure everything was in order. It all was. My seatbelt was on. Everything was fine.
Except for the unavoidable fact that it wasn’t.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
“Doe!” I yell, trying to catch his attention over the sound. He does not even turn, but a very nasty look is on his face. I yell again, but he does not hear me.
What was wrong? I was riding in an amazing car, with a charming man, on my way to a high-wage job. Nothing should be wrong. Nothing at all.
A huge bump in the road that would’ve nearly knocked me out of my seat if not for my seatbelt cleared my head. I looked around me and noticed that Doe had driven the Reventon off the highway onto a frugal dirt road. Other than a clump of trees a little ways ahead, there was nothing to attract Doe’s attention.
“Doe!” I shake his arm, finally able to get his eyes to turn to me. “Where are we going? What’s going on?”
His eyes widen for a fraction of a second. He stops the Lamborghini suddenly. “We’re going to the facility, remember?” He smiles sweetly, patting my hand. “Everything’s going quite all right. Didn’t you see the sign a few miles back? There was construction on the main road, so we had to go down this one. Don’t you remember?”
A sign? I didn’t recall seeing a sign about roadwork. “No, I don’t remember a sign. What are you talking about, John?”
“The sign,” Doe soothes. “There was a sign next to the billboard about Walmart. A sign, Jennifer. A big, orange sign.”
I relax, and take my hand off his arm. “A sign.” How could I have forgotten? It had been nearly as big as the billboard.
John relaxes as well. “Yes, the sign.” He starts the car again and takes off, making it clear that we were finished with the conversation.
Despite the bumping of the car, I was tired. I laid my head on Doe’s shoulder. He shifts so that I am more comfortable. “Yes, that’s right, Jennifer,” he says in a comforting, homely voice. “Just sleep.”
I obey, and fall into a deep sleep with twisted, dark dreams. I imagine shouting, harsh voices, and something rough being pressed against my skin. I am cold and in a dark prison, and I shiver.
When I awake, my hands are tied.
Random bit of fanfiction - normally I don't like fanfiction, but I was bored to pieces.
Alexis the walking Inheritance wikipedia may have some qualms with the accuracy, but here it is.
Just a short snippet. :)
"Try to kill them," Morzan whispered in my ear. "See if you are everything you say you are."
I stare back at the men that I must kill, a ghost of a smile flirting with my lips. This wouldn't be difficult. I do a nod of sorts to Morzan, signalling that I am ready to begin.
"Commence," Morzan orders the men.
They all come for me at once, clearly hoping to overpower me by numbers. Because to overpower me means life for them.
Unfortunately, that was one luxury they would not be allowed to keep.
"Heill," I say in the ancient language, my voice strong and commanding. I focus on healing their minds of their hate and loyalty or greed or whatever was making them attack me. I healed them of their motives, so to speak.
They all stared at their weapons confusedly, most dropping their weapons. They smiled idiotically at each other like sleepy children.
I smiled, sparing a single glance towards Morzan. He looked intrigued, and rather curious. I slid a dagger out of my sleeve and calmly glided over to the first man and slit his throat.
The smile never left his face as he dropped to the floor. I disposed of the rest in the same way.
Wiping the dagger on the jerkin of the last man, I turn to the sound of slow clapping.
An amused smile has quirked Morzan's lips. "Well done, my lovely. You may prove useful yet."
I raise my eyebrows. "I'm sure I will." I curtsey, my eyes never leaving his, and leave the room, pleased with the results of the test.
Alexis the walking Inheritance wikipedia may have some qualms with the accuracy, but here it is.
Just a short snippet. :)
"Try to kill them," Morzan whispered in my ear. "See if you are everything you say you are."
I stare back at the men that I must kill, a ghost of a smile flirting with my lips. This wouldn't be difficult. I do a nod of sorts to Morzan, signalling that I am ready to begin.
"Commence," Morzan orders the men.
They all come for me at once, clearly hoping to overpower me by numbers. Because to overpower me means life for them.
Unfortunately, that was one luxury they would not be allowed to keep.
"Heill," I say in the ancient language, my voice strong and commanding. I focus on healing their minds of their hate and loyalty or greed or whatever was making them attack me. I healed them of their motives, so to speak.
They all stared at their weapons confusedly, most dropping their weapons. They smiled idiotically at each other like sleepy children.
I smiled, sparing a single glance towards Morzan. He looked intrigued, and rather curious. I slid a dagger out of my sleeve and calmly glided over to the first man and slit his throat.
The smile never left his face as he dropped to the floor. I disposed of the rest in the same way.
Wiping the dagger on the jerkin of the last man, I turn to the sound of slow clapping.
An amused smile has quirked Morzan's lips. "Well done, my lovely. You may prove useful yet."
I raise my eyebrows. "I'm sure I will." I curtsey, my eyes never leaving his, and leave the room, pleased with the results of the test.
The new chapter of King (Two Little Girls) is actually TOO BIG to post here, so you can find it on my profile
here
.
Hope ya like it!
Hope ya like it!
βιβλιοφάγος (a.k.a. Cat) wrote: "This one isn't as good as the first two in my opinion, but here it is.Chapter 3 of the People
“I’ve already told you everything,” said Tyler Grey as he sat in his chair, looking across the ta..."
That is me, reading your stuff. Oh, Cat, it's some good stuff!!
βιβλιοφάγος (a.k.a. Cat) wrote: "Evangeline lay in her cot, sleeping heavily under her thick orange blanket that kept out the dank chill of the room. She turned over in her sleep, but she was very tired and did not stir at the noi..."FRINGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry.
Hahaha love the gif Elevetha! I'm glad you enjoyed.
I couldn't resist putting Fringe in there.
It's supposed to be creepy, Lex.
I couldn't resist putting Fringe in there.
It's supposed to be creepy, Lex.
βιβλιοφάγος (a.k.a. Cat) wrote: "Hahaha love the gif Elevetha! I'm glad you enjoyed.I couldn't resist putting Fringe in there.
It's supposed to be creepy, Lex."
:)
New chapter of King! The letter is supposed to be in a cool font, but it doesn't work on Goodreads, sorry.
Story: King
Chapter Title: Confusion
“How is dear Evangeline these days, Lilith?”
Lilith held an icepack to her face, wincing in pain as it touched her raw skin. “She’s still trying to find out what happened to her parents. What are you doing, Master Oddly? This tangle of lies… it makes no sense to me. What are you working towards?”
“Smoke and mirrors, poppet. It’s necessary in the business. We wouldn’t want anyone – especially not her – discovering things, would we?”
“No, I suppose not.” Lilith looked down at the concrete floor, her face an expressionless mask even though there was a rage of emotions inside her. Oddly had taught her well. “I don’t understand, Master Oddly. Why did she let me go? Why did she not kill me? She had a mind to, I could tell.”
“Evangeline is a mere child. You may have noticed that she has yet to kill someone.”
“But that man in Surrey…”
“He was injured enough for death, but she made sure he would get help and that way not die. As much as she likes to pretend that she can do anything, Evangeline does not want to kill anyone.” Oddly pressed his long fingers together.
“Master Oddly, forgive my curiosity, but what are you thinking? Where is this all to lead? One moment I believe that you are trying to restore order in the world and do the things that the government can’t, get there and neutralize the situation before them for a good cause, and the next…I’m not quite sure about the things you have told me.”
“Are you thinking of leaving my service?”
“No! Of course not. But…”
“Yet you question my motives. Do not worry, child. It will all turn out for the better in the end.” Oddly smiled at Lilith, a terrible, cold smile that would have made anyone shiver with fear. “Running Oddly is a bit more complicated than I have led you to believe, but all shall become clear, if you are patient. Are you willing to wait, Lilith?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now let’s have no more talk of dark subjects. Those can wait for another hour. How are the initiates doing? Do any of them match up to my standards?”
“Master Oddly, the serum seems to be…petering out,” Lilith said in the same nervous tone she had used the entire conversation. “The initiates are not feeling well. They’re burning up.”
“Are they? Interesting.” Oddly stroked his chin. “Do they show any sign of returning to full health?”
“It is early days, sir,” Lilith replied.
“If the serum was in full tilt, they would have been cured within minutes of contracting any sort of disease.”
“That is why I believe the serum to be petering out,” Lilith explained, her voice becoming stronger. “I think that the sudden bout of illness was caused by a flaw in the serum itself. We’re already working on it.”
“Work faster, Miss Reed.”
“Are we on a schedule?” Lilith replied bitterly, forgetting to whom she was speaking too and allowing her customary cockiness to show through.
“As a matter of fact, we are.” Oddly ignored the slight, even though it usually displeased him to no end. “So hurry up with it.”
“Yes sir.”
***
Evangeline stumbled through the alleyway, shivering. She knew that Oddly would most likely be looking for her and that it was dangerous to be out of the mansion at the moment, but she needed the fresh air.
It was just all so confusing. What was Oddly playing at? First the bit with Jackson – the CEO of the biggest weapons supplier in the country had been kidnapped, most likely by Oddly, and Jackson had been shot and apparently part of something that wasn’t Oddly, and then Lilith, and what had really happened. Oddly knew where she lived, and as much as she liked to pretend that the defenses of the mansion were enough to block an attack from Oddly, it would only hold them off for so long, and he was smart enough to realize that, so why hadn’t he gone ahead and done it? Did he not want her back? Did he enjoy having her run around destroying his things? She just didn’t understand.
Who was she? She was Evangeline Eileen King, ex Oddly agent. Yes, she knew all that. But who was she really? Was finding what had happened to her parents her purpose? What would happen after she found out? What would she do next?
She leaned against the wall, staring up at the sky. It was a beautiful orange color as the sun set. It was peaceful.
A clattering noise brought her back to reality.
Four teenagers walked out of the shadows towards Evangeline.
“Hey little girlie,” they teased. “Gotta few bucks to spare?”
“Sadly, no,” Evangeline replied, completely unworried by their presence.
“You sure?”
“Oh, positive.” Evangeline didn’t even look at them, continuing her study of the sky.
“He said not to mess with her,” one of the teens whispered to the girl in the front.
“Whatevs. This is for you, girlie.” One of the teenagers threw a letter at Evangeline. She caught it with one hand, still not looking at them. “Make sure you read it, or else you’re not going to know what it said.” They retreated back down the alley.
Evangeline waited until they were out of earshot to scan the letter. It was clean. Clean of everything, in fact. Not even fingerprints.
An Oddly trademark, to be sure.
Popping open the seal, she pulled out a piece of paper that had seen better days. She unfolded it, her heart in her throat.
It was her mother’s handwriting. She’d know it anywhere. She’d once studied every single bit of writing her mother had left behind for anything that could give a hint to her mysterious disappearance and death.
Dear Evangeline, it read.
Many things are racing through your head. You question your own purpose, Oddly’s plans, and just what is going on.
All of Oddly’s initiates go through this at one point or another. Oddly is very cryptic in his meanings.
You were not wrong to run away. Anyone would have, especially you. Oddly children were born to be bright, but I daresay you didn’t need enhancing.
Your father and I will be dead by now. We are also brighter than the other Oddly members, and have questioned too much for Oddly to let it go. I hope you’ve made use of the tools we left in the mansion and finished touching up the security. Careful with the lasers, I burned all the fingernails on my left hand off trying to set that up.
Forget our deaths. We died painfully, to be sure, but being dead actually isn’t that bad.
Not that I would know. I’m alive when I’m writing t his, obviously.
But you need to focus on the real problem.
Oddly plans to take over the world. So original, I know. He plans to do it by kidnapping major people, but in such an order that most will not connect the puzzle pieces until too late. He has an army. He’s deviously smart, and although I doubt on him taking over the world, he most certainly will do damage.
You need to get this information to Jackson, if he isn’t dead already. If he is, we’re officially screwed.
Just kidding.
Get Lilith to help you. She will have become Oddly’s new pet, and she will hold a considerable place in the system. If Oddly dies, it all falls apart. Good luck trying to kill him, however.
Love you.
Sincerely,
Mom
P.S. I’M TALKING TO SOMEONE WHILE I’M DEAD…why am I laughing…I’m dead…this is so weird.
P.P.S. Oddly isn’t alive.
Evangeline looked blankly at the letter. It hadn’t sunk in yet, everything…
She slid to the ground, her eyes glazed, the paper loose in her hand.
Oddly wasn’t alive?
Story: King
Chapter Title: Confusion
“How is dear Evangeline these days, Lilith?”
Lilith held an icepack to her face, wincing in pain as it touched her raw skin. “She’s still trying to find out what happened to her parents. What are you doing, Master Oddly? This tangle of lies… it makes no sense to me. What are you working towards?”
“Smoke and mirrors, poppet. It’s necessary in the business. We wouldn’t want anyone – especially not her – discovering things, would we?”
“No, I suppose not.” Lilith looked down at the concrete floor, her face an expressionless mask even though there was a rage of emotions inside her. Oddly had taught her well. “I don’t understand, Master Oddly. Why did she let me go? Why did she not kill me? She had a mind to, I could tell.”
“Evangeline is a mere child. You may have noticed that she has yet to kill someone.”
“But that man in Surrey…”
“He was injured enough for death, but she made sure he would get help and that way not die. As much as she likes to pretend that she can do anything, Evangeline does not want to kill anyone.” Oddly pressed his long fingers together.
“Master Oddly, forgive my curiosity, but what are you thinking? Where is this all to lead? One moment I believe that you are trying to restore order in the world and do the things that the government can’t, get there and neutralize the situation before them for a good cause, and the next…I’m not quite sure about the things you have told me.”
“Are you thinking of leaving my service?”
“No! Of course not. But…”
“Yet you question my motives. Do not worry, child. It will all turn out for the better in the end.” Oddly smiled at Lilith, a terrible, cold smile that would have made anyone shiver with fear. “Running Oddly is a bit more complicated than I have led you to believe, but all shall become clear, if you are patient. Are you willing to wait, Lilith?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now let’s have no more talk of dark subjects. Those can wait for another hour. How are the initiates doing? Do any of them match up to my standards?”
“Master Oddly, the serum seems to be…petering out,” Lilith said in the same nervous tone she had used the entire conversation. “The initiates are not feeling well. They’re burning up.”
“Are they? Interesting.” Oddly stroked his chin. “Do they show any sign of returning to full health?”
“It is early days, sir,” Lilith replied.
“If the serum was in full tilt, they would have been cured within minutes of contracting any sort of disease.”
“That is why I believe the serum to be petering out,” Lilith explained, her voice becoming stronger. “I think that the sudden bout of illness was caused by a flaw in the serum itself. We’re already working on it.”
“Work faster, Miss Reed.”
“Are we on a schedule?” Lilith replied bitterly, forgetting to whom she was speaking too and allowing her customary cockiness to show through.
“As a matter of fact, we are.” Oddly ignored the slight, even though it usually displeased him to no end. “So hurry up with it.”
“Yes sir.”
***
Evangeline stumbled through the alleyway, shivering. She knew that Oddly would most likely be looking for her and that it was dangerous to be out of the mansion at the moment, but she needed the fresh air.
It was just all so confusing. What was Oddly playing at? First the bit with Jackson – the CEO of the biggest weapons supplier in the country had been kidnapped, most likely by Oddly, and Jackson had been shot and apparently part of something that wasn’t Oddly, and then Lilith, and what had really happened. Oddly knew where she lived, and as much as she liked to pretend that the defenses of the mansion were enough to block an attack from Oddly, it would only hold them off for so long, and he was smart enough to realize that, so why hadn’t he gone ahead and done it? Did he not want her back? Did he enjoy having her run around destroying his things? She just didn’t understand.
Who was she? She was Evangeline Eileen King, ex Oddly agent. Yes, she knew all that. But who was she really? Was finding what had happened to her parents her purpose? What would happen after she found out? What would she do next?
She leaned against the wall, staring up at the sky. It was a beautiful orange color as the sun set. It was peaceful.
A clattering noise brought her back to reality.
Four teenagers walked out of the shadows towards Evangeline.
“Hey little girlie,” they teased. “Gotta few bucks to spare?”
“Sadly, no,” Evangeline replied, completely unworried by their presence.
“You sure?”
“Oh, positive.” Evangeline didn’t even look at them, continuing her study of the sky.
“He said not to mess with her,” one of the teens whispered to the girl in the front.
“Whatevs. This is for you, girlie.” One of the teenagers threw a letter at Evangeline. She caught it with one hand, still not looking at them. “Make sure you read it, or else you’re not going to know what it said.” They retreated back down the alley.
Evangeline waited until they were out of earshot to scan the letter. It was clean. Clean of everything, in fact. Not even fingerprints.
An Oddly trademark, to be sure.
Popping open the seal, she pulled out a piece of paper that had seen better days. She unfolded it, her heart in her throat.
It was her mother’s handwriting. She’d know it anywhere. She’d once studied every single bit of writing her mother had left behind for anything that could give a hint to her mysterious disappearance and death.
Dear Evangeline, it read.
Many things are racing through your head. You question your own purpose, Oddly’s plans, and just what is going on.
All of Oddly’s initiates go through this at one point or another. Oddly is very cryptic in his meanings.
You were not wrong to run away. Anyone would have, especially you. Oddly children were born to be bright, but I daresay you didn’t need enhancing.
Your father and I will be dead by now. We are also brighter than the other Oddly members, and have questioned too much for Oddly to let it go. I hope you’ve made use of the tools we left in the mansion and finished touching up the security. Careful with the lasers, I burned all the fingernails on my left hand off trying to set that up.
Forget our deaths. We died painfully, to be sure, but being dead actually isn’t that bad.
Not that I would know. I’m alive when I’m writing t his, obviously.
But you need to focus on the real problem.
Oddly plans to take over the world. So original, I know. He plans to do it by kidnapping major people, but in such an order that most will not connect the puzzle pieces until too late. He has an army. He’s deviously smart, and although I doubt on him taking over the world, he most certainly will do damage.
You need to get this information to Jackson, if he isn’t dead already. If he is, we’re officially screwed.
Just kidding.
Get Lilith to help you. She will have become Oddly’s new pet, and she will hold a considerable place in the system. If Oddly dies, it all falls apart. Good luck trying to kill him, however.
Love you.
Sincerely,
Mom
P.S. I’M TALKING TO SOMEONE WHILE I’M DEAD…why am I laughing…I’m dead…this is so weird.
P.P.S. Oddly isn’t alive.
Evangeline looked blankly at the letter. It hadn’t sunk in yet, everything…
She slid to the ground, her eyes glazed, the paper loose in her hand.
Oddly wasn’t alive?
These are awesome, Cat :D I've just been reading through The People; it's really good! :)
Alexis wrote: "βιβλιοφάγος (a.k.a. Cat) wrote: "New chapter of King! The letter is supposed to be in a cool font, but it doesn't work on Goodreads, sorry.
Story: King
Chapter Title: Confusion
“How is dear Evang..."
Notifications just sucks sometimes.
It isn't too confusing, I hope? :/
ღ♣✽Hobbit and Proud✽♣ღ (a.k.a. Johanna) wrote: "These are awesome, Cat :D I've just been reading through The People; it's really good! :)"
Thanks Jo! I'll try to add to The People soon, I've been more focused on King for a while.
Story: King
Chapter Title: Confusion
“How is dear Evang..."
Notifications just sucks sometimes.
It isn't too confusing, I hope? :/
ღ♣✽Hobbit and Proud✽♣ღ (a.k.a. Johanna) wrote: "These are awesome, Cat :D I've just been reading through The People; it's really good! :)"
Thanks Jo! I'll try to add to The People soon, I've been more focused on King for a while.
:) I have yet to read that. And you're welcome ^^
you don't know how freaked out I was when I saw that this topic had new posts.
Ethan wrote: "you don't know how freaked out I was when I saw that this topic had new posts."My reaction also xD
I read back through her writings that I missed the other week. Just, wow. Wish I'd read them before; they're brilliant:)
Thank you. I most certainly will.
Sorry about all these different stories! My mind refuses to stay on track.