Chapter One

I sighed quietly. It had been a long, long night. I was seated at the Backwoods Infamous Rino's Bar. It was a crusty old bar, lit by lamplight. Everything here had a wood finish, making it glow warmly. I often came here six out of seven days. Mostly, because the food was good. Beer, according to the customer's more regular than I. And the music was okay, too. "Hey!" Someone was calling. I turned my head. "Laurel!" I looked up to see Rino. He was wearing a red country boy's shirt and a pair of washed out blue jeans. It was a wonder they still fit him.

"C'mon girly, I ain't gonna stay open all night. It's time for you to git' on." He finished in a thick country drawl. I inhaled, nodded, then stood, my back to the Liquor booth. I had to leave anyway, go home. "Yeah. Sure. See you around." I buttoned my jacket. A simple dark ruggedy brown leather jacket, that fit me quite nicely. I would have worn my jean vest and my favorite band t-shirt, but those were in the wash. Oh well.

I began to walk towards the exit. I waved a quick goodbye and started my way home.

My house was a short distance from Rino's, so I walked. I wasn't drunk or anything. I didn't even like drinking. Not after my parents died anyway.

But that's a story I am not yet ready to tell.

I preferred walking next to driving. You have more time to study your surroundings and to take in new perspectives. I glanced upward as a sound of thunder roared. And I smiled. Tonight was a nice night. A good night to relax. The wind began to blow, damp with the scents of rain and musk. There was a hint of something else, but I couldn't quite figure.

Then I was running. My black combat boots gently sounding on the asphalt covered road. I didn't realize I was running, not until I felt a chill on my face. When I had reached the end of my gravel driveway…

My smile faded.

The flames licked at the sky, and to my left, on a gurney, was a body. It stood near an ambulance. The shape was covered by a white tarp. There was a red stain seeping through the cloth. I gulped. Firemen were desperately trying to quench the thirst of the inferno, to no avail. What was going on? How come my house was burning? I was asking myself so many questions, I felt like my knees were going to give way. I pictured myself lying on the dirt of my lawn, leaves crunching under my weight. "Ma'am?" Someone touched my shoulder, making my image dissipate. I jumped slightly and turned around, coming back to reality. It was a fireman. My eyes darted to his name plate.

Merkar.

"Ma'am, do you know what could have caused this?" He asked me, I shook my head vigorously. "No, no, no. Not at all…" I gasped. "I-I just got home…" I replied nervously. I was trying to be calm. Trying, not to break down and cry over my childhood home being burned to the ground, soon to be nothing more but ashes, dust, and soot. "So," I heard a deep voice say. I looked up as two men approached. Suits. Government, most likely.

"This your house Miss?" Questioned a suit with ear length dark hair. I studied him, his features. It was a habit of mine. He was well built, the suit he wore hugging tightly around his body. And light eyes. His hair, still long, but covering the tips of his ears. It was fringed at the edges, and was a dark brown in color. To me he looked like a puppy dog. He wasn't the one who had spoken first. I flicked my eyes from him to the suit at his side. He was much shorter than his colleague, who was extremely tall. But both towered my height. Yet the second suit was just under a few inches, he had short, clean-cut, fair and yet dark hair. He also possessed those emerald green eyes. Eyes like my father's. Which would all different shades with his mood. And this suit was much more handsome, in my opinion.

"Hello?" Said the green-eyed Suit. His voice was gruff, raspy, and still very smooth. Sort of like a knife cutting away at cardboard. I recovered from my pondering, and straightened my back to acknowledge his gaze. "Y-yes. This was my house...Why?" I questioned, and furrowed my brows as well to make my point clear. The green-eyed suit and his partner each pulled out a badge. "State Police Detectives. My name is Agent Paige, and this is Agent Bonham." Introduced the puppy-like agent. As quickly as they appeared, the badges went back into their dark suit pockets. Hey, wait a second, those names sound familiar...Where have I heard them?

"My name is Laurel. Laurel Madriel." I answered, cautiously shaking both of their hands. Both had extremely firm grips. I then pushed a strand of wavy amber hair from my face. Unlike these guys, my eyes were a very light chestnut. I uneasily slipped my hands into my back pockets of my blue jeans. Paige looked over at Bonham, and Bonham in turn mouthed something to Paige. I couldn't figure out what though. "We're gonna have to take her in for a few questions. She's not in trouble, but we would like some information...Is that okay with you, Ms. Mardriel?" Paige asked. I nodded, crossing my arms under my chest, holding my waist. "You have a nice night…" Bonham said to Merkar, who was still, surprisingly at my side. He nodded. "Yeah sure...Anything for our boys in black." Bonham grinned, then motioned for me to follow he and his partner.