I'm walking to my favoritefavourite little coffee shop. You know the little blue and white siding with a nice awning over the small patio. This cute little place that only the locals know about with great food and even better coffee. I definitely could use a coffee, I haven't been there since my last mission and I feel like treating myself. I hope Jaime is on time today, as much as I love people watching I'd love to just go home and soak in a nice hot tub with a show. I walk in and order my special treat-myself coffee and look around, like I usually do while I'm waiting for my coffee, to see if I can spot him, but to my chagrin I see my sister sitting by herself. Should I go over and say hi, I haven't seen or talked to her in a long time? I barely talk to her anyway, ever since that falling out. I keep my head down hoping she won't notice me. I hear my name being shouted I look over again and see my sister waving at me. I grab my coffee, put on a smile, and walk over.
"Hey, how are you doing!" she says. I am blinkingblink trying to think up good story that might seem plausible.
"Not so good." I look away scanning for no-one in particular just hopping that she would get the hint.
"Why are you hurt; did that jerk of a boyfriend hurt you again?" I look back searching around the patio. "Who are you looking for? Are you waiting for someone? Oh, did you finally dump that psycho boyfriend of yours?" I stare at her trying to choose an option truth or make up a story at the same time. Thankfully I don't have to.
"Yes, I am waiting for someone and yes I am waiting for my boyfriend. If you will excuse me I see him." I stalk away slightly angry. I walk over and kiss Jaime on the cheek. He looks up and smiles at me I sit down beside him. He nods at the menus in front of him and I pick one up. I feel a nagging feeling but I can't identify it so Ii ignore it.
"How are you darling? Looking good today how was last night?" I glance over the menu specifically the sandwich section. "I am fine, but severely unnerved why didn't you mention it was going to be so dangerous?"
"Well darling, I knew you could handle it. Was it that hard my precious little rose needed back up?" I sit back in my chair glaring at him. Him and his stupid British accent. Why do I have to like it so much? There is something strange about his eyes. He is usually quiet.
"You do know that I almost died and let Angela die!" I looked around looking for a way out. I hate being in cramped spaces he should know that, and why did he not stand up to give me those ungodly bear hugs. Wait he, so why… "I need to go sorry to bail on you, but I have a paper to write, so if you'll excuse me…" Too late.
"Why hello there Ms. McAlear, may I have a word with you in private? I'm sure that Jaime won't mind." I feel the point of a gun in the small of my back. I look over at Jaime who looks up no longer hiding concern in his eyes. I look at his hands bound to the chair with what looks like heavy duty hand cuffs. I'm so stupid I should have read the signs earlier. I flash Jaime a look to tell him that I will be ok. I start walking forward and soon get lead to a tiny room at the back of the restaurant. I walk in and get shoved into a chair then get bound with the same restraints that held Jaime only I got twice as much binding. Lucky me.
"So, Star is it? I just want to let you know that I'm a huge fan of yours. NoSo no hard feelings this is just business ok?" Damn they found me I knew I had a bad feeling.
Before I can speak I feel a needle penetrate my upper right arm. "You think a little anesthetic will put me under that easily?" I scan my surroundings and notice that I could no longer find the door. Ok minor setback. A laugh pierces the air. I look at the man standing in front of me. He had short blond hair brilliant blue eyes and is about 5' 11'', 6 feet. I try and think of a way out back to Jaime.
"You think… that… she… anesthetic…" he is trying to contain his laughter obviously failing miserably. "Ok, to clarify that was not anesthetic it is a pain amplifying concoction I whipped up myself. So, we can perhaps get some truth out of you." He says straightening himself. "Alright let's begin." I feel a stabbing pain through my arm. It feels like a French knife is penetrating my arm. I look over to see the guy with a little Swiss army knife and a small cut along my upper left arm. He was on the shorter side like 5' 8'', 5'9 and has longer brown hair then the man in front of me.
"I'm sorry did I cut you?"
"Yes, and, I would like to know who you are and why I'm here. I would also like, no, demand you release me." I look around once more I see two flood lamps pointed at me and the room solid grey concrete and no windows and a drain in the far- right corner of the floor and above it a tap and hose and directly in front of me is a floor length mirror and five other men scattered around the room. This would not end well for me.
"Well alright then if you want to know who I am that's fine, but I will think about it." Says the guy in front of me. "But like I said, I am a big fan of yours. Swooping in saving people, special people. No one has ever seen how you do it…" I manage to stay perfectly still and expressionless even though I am flipping out on the inside. "I thought… Never mind. Please answer the following questions as truthfully as possible. Is your name Staravia McAlear?"
"Why should I?" I feel another round of pain in my arm.
"That should be enough motivation for you to answer these questions, now is your name Staravia McAlear and are you a freelance journalist?"
"…" I feel another shooting pain this one lasting significantly longer.
"Are you a supernatural?"
"Yes, a supernatural journalist, pursuing stories that others will not. I am supernaturally good at my job." I am backhanded across my face.
"That is not what I meant and you know it."
"If you want specificity please be specific, by what you mean by supernatural, or there is no point in myme answering pointless unspecified questions." I look around it take a deep breath, inhaling through my nose.
"Fine… Do you have special abilities that a human would not possess, i.e. shapeshifting, telekinesis, flying, something along those lines?"
"Well, by that definition, I'lli'll be it a poor one, everyone in this room is one." Everyone looks around, uneasily.
"Yes, very clever, can you tell what we are?"
"Is that a mandatory question?"
"No, but I would like to know if you can tell."
I flinch and recoil. I take a deep breath to recover.
"What to scared of our kind sweet heart?" I glare at him.
Crap, he must be feeling my pain. 'Jaime can you hear me? Please answer me!' Nothing.
"What have you done with him." My eyes closed, trying to concentrate on contacting Jaime.
"Who is that sweetheart?" he says with a smirk.
"Who do you think." I say flatly.
"Well if you don't tell me who you're talking about I will have to assume that you mean me."
"Jaime"
"That was harsh. I'm not at liberty to say right now."
I glare at him.
"Shall we proceed with the questions?"
"Sure, be my guest"
"Well it's good to know your still in good spirits. We'll see how long that will lasts." He glances over at the guy behind me and chuckles. I look around at the men around me, what would drive them crazy enough to leave…? Think Star, think. I can't seem to reach Jaime, that means that there is some sort of block on this room, either physical or magical either way I'm screwed.
"Next question, what is the location of Angela Lopez?"
"I'm not at liberty to say."
"Ok, I see we have to do this the hard way. I say again, where is Angela Lopez?"
"I can't say where she is."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure I cannot tell you where Angela is at this exact moment."
"So, you want the hard way then?"
"That a rhetorical question."
He glares at me. I feel a piercing pain soar through me across my right shoulder. I inhale sharply.
"Painful, isn't it?"
"Sure, you can believe that." He nods at the guy behind me. Another shot of pain erupts through my right shoulder blade. Damn they found it.
"Oh, so that's your little weak spot eh?"
"Nope, I'm just ticklish."
"Oh, so you won't mind if we continue to 'tickle' as you say?"
I take a deep breath slowly shifting my shoulder blades into something stronger than skin. "No be my guest." Now something that feels like tickling runs across my back. I laugh out loud before I can stop it. Damn it I need to work on that. All the men in the room takes a step back.
"Well it seems that we might need to step up our game." The werewolf in front of me says to the guy behind me. This is not going to end well for me… or Jaime…
