Abe sat by the golden trimmed bookcase while time clicked by slowly. A red obnoxious light came on, as well as the usual ear piercing siren. The crinkled bookmark was wedged into the slightly yellowed pages as Abe stood and left.
"Hey Abe… What is it this time ya' think?" Hellboy looked at Abe waiting anxiously for a response.
"I have no idea Red. I sure do hope it's near by… I'm quite fatigued from moving hundreds of those boxes yesterday. I really don't see why it was necessary to move those books upstairs, but I did….." Abe said while massaging his back with his right hand.
Outside standing by a black truck was Johann Krauss.
"I've been expecting you. Please, we must hurry." Krauss led Hellboy, Liz and Abe to their ride.
"Hey, No face… Were we goin'? Don't we need to get 'debriefed'?" Hellboy said mockingly.
"Just a second agent Hellboy. We mustn't waste time. Please sit down." The smaller, black Ford truck they rode in was far less suspicious than the garbage truck they were used to.
"We are on a very interesting case… I hear that a woman has been held hostage at a location not far out of Topeka, Kansas. The Bureau needs her intellect and abilities apparently. A little background history...hmm... Ah! She was raised by her father in secrecy... supposedly he was the Sultan of Jordan until he was kidnapped. She was abducted about 20 years ago at age 13 and sold off into some type of black market. Somebody by the name of Andy Wilson apparently thought she was perfect to work as his sidekick and take all her profit. They strongly suspect a prostitution ring... the children that were reported missing in the area were all strangely 13, so they think it all leads back to this diner in... what you call... the boonies? We must work diligently and when we rescue her, prepare for some emotional scarring. We have no idea what we are expecting, so we will have to wait and see." Johann closed the file quickly and looked out the window. Agent Beau, the chauffeur continued to drive. The crew headed out into the small mom and pop stores of Kansas City. The next day when they arrived, Hellboy and Abe woke up to a deserted and barren landscape. The only place that seemed active was the diner.
Their car rattled along the bumpy roads and Hellboy started complaining about how thirsty he was.
"Red... you're being a baby." Liz said while rolling her eyes.
They finally reached the diner they suspected she'd be at, and they parked snugly between a red and blue big rig.
"Hellboy, you and I are staying here for backup. Abe and Liz are going to go in undercover." Krauss then handed Abe and Liz the ear piece they would use for communication. Abe was clad in dark clothes and a 50's style suit hat and sunglasses. And liz in her normal black clothes. They then bar was playing some type of boppy country music as the agents walked in.
"Welcome! Welcome! Please find a seat! A waitress will be out shortly." The man with salt and pepper hair smiled and walked to the back kitchen.
"Liz, Should we sit at the bar or in a booth?" She pulled Abe over to the bar and they sat. Abe pretended to study the menu while Liz sat and fiddled with the creamer cups.
Abe Whispered to Liz,
"Liz, if you notice anything put your foot on my stool." Just as he finished, a woman walked out of the back kitchen.
"So, what can I getcha'?" Her blonde hair swiveled slowly in front of her face. By her blue eyes, Abe doubted this was their woman. Her profile said green eyes he remembered.
"I'll take some hot tea and she'll have a black coffee." She made sure that that was it, and that was the last they saw of her.
"Abe, I don't think that was her. What're we going to do?" Abe shrugged. Just then a woman walked out. She was kind of jumpy and looked like she had a void in her heart. Liz saw her and panicked slightly.
"Here's a hot tea and a Black coffee for the Mrs." She spoke in a thick middle eastern accent. Abe felt Liz's foot weigh down the poorly cared for stool and he had to think quickly. The man with the black and white hair came out and pulled her aside. He could faintly hear them from a distance.
"Remember what I told you about the accent? Knock it off Kiera!" He said shushed.
Abe walked up to them. "Ma'am, could you please show me were the restroom is? I have impaired sight… will you please?" The woman nodded and she walked him to the corner were the bathrooms are.
He pulled her gently, deeper into the alcoved area and the woman began to freak out. She said softly but with a terrified tone,
"You're just like them, you pervert! All you want is to have your time with me and make my life miserable! Leave me alone..." She looked at him sternly with her finger inches from his face.
Just as she was about to walk away, he grabbed her again by the hand and whispered,
"I know who you are. We're here to get you out of this place. Just work with me, okay?" Even though Abe had sunglasses on, she could tell he was sincere.
"Are you the one we are looking for?" She shook her head no.
"I… I have no idea what you're talking about…*whispering* How did you know?" She pulled him out of the sight of the man. Abe didn't notice the black and white haired man had saw them.
"Me and that woman over there have come to help you out of here. We heard that you have an ability that has been kept hidden for quite a while. Are you able to sneak out of here? There's a truck out front that…"
"I... don't know what to do… I..." The guy with the salt and pepper hair grabbed the Woman. The man whispered in a serious and aggressive tone,
"Excuse me sir, but I'm afraid my bprostitute/b is working. If you want a little action why don't you try after her shift?" Abe looked appalled.
"Why, I was just asking her were the bathroom was!"
"Yeah right, like that was the only thing you were asking for!" The woman darted for the door but was grabbed by the other male employees.
"You want her, you'll have to get through me!" The click of a rifle startled both Liz and Abe. The man holding the gun pointed it at the Woman's head.
"Please, don't let him kill me! I'm pregnant!" Abe felt a jolt of fear go through his body and pressed the indicator on his beeper to alarm Hellboy and Johann. Hellboy Crashed through the doors and walked casually towards Abe and Liz. Johann stayed his distance, allowing Hellboy to do his thing.
"You pickin' on my friends? Now… I don't think I like that." Hellboy said while lighting a cigar. Abe quickly kicked the rifle out of the man's hands while Liz threw a few flares of her flame at the men.
"Abe, grab the gal and get outta here. Liz why don't we bring down the house?" She turned and smiled at him with flames engulfing her hands.
"Let's do this." Liz said.