A Troublesome Pairing
Chapter 1
Some people were made for each other, some people should never have been allowed to meet. Noir Voleur and Adler Currahee were a prime example of the latter. Presently Noir was chained to a bench in the Atlas police department waiting to be processed for her latest batch of crimes against the dictatorship that ruled over the land. An older officer with sergeant's stripes and gray hair pulled up a chair and sat across from her. For the first couple minutes he just sat there reading through the file that held her name, occasionally humming and looking up at her. Noir meanwhile stared at the shine on his shoes and refused to acknowledge his presence until at last he spoke.
"So um Ms. Voleur, I have to say I am impressed with this list of charges. Let's see here seven counts of breaking and entering, petty larceny, extortion, and if I'm reading this correctly you beat a man with his own shoe. Is that correct?"
"First of all name's Noir, second I didn't break or enter anything it's their fault for having junk locks and third he was trying to make a move on me and I asked him to stop."
"Alright well we contacted your parents and they're prepared to leave you hear for the night."
"Yeah well my dad sucks." Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a man in a black suit with cuffed hands being led by the Lieutenant.
"Hey George." The officer greeted the sergeant.
"Hey Sparky, where'd you grab this one?"
"Downtown, looked like he was settling the score with a couple other lowlifes, they're in the hospital on fifth."
"What is it with these kids?"
"I don't know but hey Julie has dinner ready would you mind doing the paperwork on this one?" the Lieutenant asked handing over another folder.
"Yeah sure, but kiss your wife for me."
"Alright Chief have a goodnight." The officer turned and headed for the door.
"We're not done here." The sergeant said to Noir who mocked him once he turned away. The man sitting next to her turned and nodded.
"Psst. Hey, over here." He whispered.
"What?"
"They didn't search me real well, think you can get me out of these cuffs?"
"Yeah I'll try." The man slid closer to her and turned his back to Noir exposing a paperclip tucked between his cuffed hands. She went to work and quickly popped the double lock before holding the spring down and releasing one of the cuffs.
"Thanks, now my turn." He breathed taking the clip from her fingers, he scraped around in the lock for a moment before finding the catch and tripping the release on her cuffs. As Noir rubbed her one free wrist he popped the lock on his other wrist and handed back the clip so she could remove the other manacle. Once they were free of their restraints the two clicked the cuffs together and secured them to the bench before standing and walking out the front of the police station.
"Nice work back there Noir." The man said as they walked down the street.
"How'd you know my name?" He chuckled and held up her wallet.
"And it seems someone likes to visit the library in town."
"Give that back." Noir said with a growl in her voice, the man handed it over with a mocking bow. "Alright, you know my name so what's yours?"
"Adler, nice to meet you now where are we going?"
"Honestly I don't know, I can't go home and there's nobody I can contact." Noir replied, confidence wavering as she considered the situation.
"Well it's about to rain and I know somewhere dry." Adler said in a soft heavy tone.
"Alright." Noir said nodding, Adler led them down a side street into an alley behind several industrial buildings. As the first raindrops fell the two came to a covered doorway that Adler pushed open they walked in and he turned on a light.
"You live in an abandoned building?" Noir said incredulously.
"No, I live in a house but I don't trust you enough to take you there."
"Oh so you're dumping me off here then?"
"There's a couch and a snack machine, if you're here tomorrow I'll consider working with you. In the meantime goodnight." He said slipping out the doorway and into the darkness.