TWO
The traitor had gone to ground.
There was no mention of him anywhere and no one was talking; no matter how much I beat the living shit out of them.
Delphine had disappeared on me and I was lost.
I was stuck in Berlin with nothing to go on other than to hit the bars and clubs late at night and try to find some answers from drunk idiots or barmen.
If I was telling the truth; it was just a good excuse for me to go and drink until I couldn't see straight.
It was one of those nights when I thought I saw her; she was at the bar, ordering a drink and my blurry vision locked onto her as best as it could.
I stumbled from the bar stool and made my way through the throng of people, but when I reached the bar, she'd gone.
"Where-where did that girl go?" I slurred at the barman, hanging onto the bar for dear life.
"What girl?" The barman asked as he cleaned a pint glass.
"The one with-with the black hair-y-you just served her. Tell me where she went."
The man shook his head and I groaned, looking around.
There she is!
I moved forward.
She was heading to the back, there had to be an exit at the back and that's where she was heading.
"Delphine!" I called after her, trying to walk faster and almost falling over in my high heels.
"D-Delphine!"
The door opened and she was gone.
No. Not again. I couldn't let her. She had walked out on me once, I wouldn't let her do it again.
I stumbled after her into the alley. The cold air hit me, making my head spin.
I fell to the ground and hit my head.
"Delphine...I-I need you..."
Those were the last words I uttered before everything went black.
...
Icy water hit me and I woke with a start, spluttering and coughing.
"Good morning!"
My eyes adjusted quickly and I looked up to see David Percival grinning down at me.
I tried to move forward but then found that I was tied to a chair.
"I've heard you've been looking for me. I'm touched."
"You're him."
"I am." He confirmed proudly/
"You prick."
He tutted distastefully.
"Now that's not very nice. After all, I did just save you from being left to fend for yourself in an alley. I know a few people who would have taken you as their play thing." He said and his voice held a tone that I could only describe as perverted.
"Maybe that's what you should have done." I muttered.
My head felt heavy and I was currently experiencing the worst hangover ever.
"No. I wanted you here, Lorraine. You see, I've been watching you and I have to say, you are very...interesting."
I narrowed my eyes at him and he continued.
"Well first you seem like a woman with a plan. You fight better than any man I've ever known and you get information quicker than most people. Then you meet Delphine, the one who's been following you since you arrived, then you fuck her and now you chase after anyone who looks like her. I think it's safe to say you've taken the wrong path somewhere, don't you?"
He knew everything. Well...almost.
I suddenly felt trapped and this caused me to become angry but I had to be smart and try to find a way out of here.
"OK. So you know how to follow someone without being seen. Clever but not an amazing talent."
He shrugged and smiled at the same time, clearly pleased with himself and choosing to ignore the second part of my comment.
He then crouched down in front of me, that same mad smile on his face and my stomach dropped.
Whatever he was about to say, it wasn't going to go down well with me.
"Have you wondered where Delphine has gone lately?"
There it was. The thing I didn't want to hear and even though I shouldn't reveal anything, my anger took control and I clenched my teeth at him.
"If you've done anything to hurt her-"
He looked mildly shocked.
"Ah, so we do fancy the little french girl!"
I looked down, feeling stupid to have revealed even that much.
"Lorraine Broughton, London's finest, gets tangled up with a camera girl."
"You know she's more than that." I hissed.
He just laughed in my face and got to his feet.
"You know what I find really interesting about you Lorraine?"
I just glared at him but he continued anyway.
"You are so mysterious...no one gets to you, no one can, but then just this one, little french girl comes along and bam! You become this fierce protector. She must be really good in the sack, eh?"
I kicked out and he jumped back.
"You don't know anything about her, you sick fuck."
He nodded.
"I know more about her than you do." He said, his voice sing-songy.
"In fact, I know where she's run off to."
"Because you have her." I said knowingly.
He wouldn't be flaunting this in my face if he didn't.
He pointed at me.
"You're good...I like you."
"The feeling isn't mutual."
He shrugged.
"Can't win em all but...I bet you'd like to see her, wouldn't you Lorraine?"
I bit in the inside of my cheek to keep from blurting out something that could put her in danger. Then again, maybe I already had.
Percival knew she meant a lot to me, maybe that would be enough to make me do whatever he wanted; keep his secret, walk away from Berlin and go AWOL...and fuck me, I'd do it. I'd do anything to save Delphine.
"If you have her." I said at last, trying to keep my voice even, my expression unreadable.
He nodded, moved towards me.
"Now, I have to untie you because I'm not going to carry you to see her but if you try anything Lorraine, I have men I can call and they won't think twice about taking you and that pretty little french girl, out of the picture. Understand?"
I nodded and relaxed to show him I wasn't about to do anything stupid.
He then walked behind me and untied my hands slowly, still looking for signs that I might lash out but I think he knew I wouldn't. Being reckless could mean putting Delphine in danger and I couldn't risk that.
Once I stood and brushed myself off, he then gestured for me to follow him.
"This way please."
I rolled my eyes and followed him out of the room and down a dirty corridor to a room with a metal grey door.
He knocked then chuckled.
"I'm joking, she can't answer it."
He then pushed it open and I walked into the room, looking around.
She was curled up on some dirty mattress in the corner, her wrists and ankles tied together.
"Delphine." I breathed.
She looked up at the sound of my voice.
Her face was streaked with mascara and her eyes had taken on such a sad look.
"Lorraine..." She said, tearing up again.
"I'll give you two a minute." Percival said and backed out of the room, closing and locking the door behind him.
I went to her, going to my knees and cradling her face in my hands, kissing her tear stained cheeks.
I could taste soot. How long had she been here?
"You shouldn't be here." She whispered.
"He brought me here." I told her.
She frowned and shook her head.
"He knows about us. He knows we won't do anything."
I nodded.
"I know but maybe we can figure out a way to get out of here, bargain with him."
She shook her head again.
"We can't trust him."
I smoothed her dark hair back and looked into her eyes.
"What if we left Berlin? Together. We never look back and go wherever we want, I have enough money."
"And what about the people of Berlin? You still haven't found Satchel and who knows what will happen if he isn't found. There could be chaos. Are you just going to let that happen?"
I bit my lip.
"All I care about...is you Delphine."
"You can't abandon everything you believe in for me. Who's to say we'll even last?"
"Because I know how I feel, and I think you do too."
Delphine looked away from me, her head hanging down as a bittersweet smile crossed her features.
"So you know I'm in love with you." She said softly.
I smiled and rested my head against her's.
"I've known it since we first slept together. I felt something. It didn't take long but there was this moment when we just looked into each other's eyes and...I knew."
She chuckled.
"I didn't think you would be saying anything this mushy to me."
I laughed too.
"Neither did I. Guess you bring it out in me."
We both stared at each other for a little while until our smiles faded and we returned to our current situation.
"Now, about Percival, do we bargain?"
"You still want to leave Berlin?" She asked.
I nodded and touched her cheek, it felt so cold against the warmth of my palm.
"OK then, see what he says." She said, finally giving in. At least now she knew she had a future with me, maybe that was what was holding her back when I'd first suggested it.
I nodded and stood, promising that I would see her again.
I went to the door and knocked on it a couple of times.
He opened it instantly.
"That was quick." He said with a big grin.
"We want to call a truce with you." I said, folding my arms.
He looked down at Delphine and then back up at me.
"Your terms? I suppose you have some."
I nodded.
"Delphine and I won't say anything to anyone about what you do or what you want to do. I know you turned your back on your country a long time ago. As long as you let us both go, my lips are sealed."
He laughed loudly then.
"You expect me to just trust you two?! How stupid do you think I am?!"
"Is that a rhetorical question?" I asked calmly.
"I can't trust either of you to keep quiet."
"We will. We'll leave Berlin. You'll never see us again. I promise."
Percival looked at Delphine again and she glared at him.
When his eyes locked with mine, his expression turned serious.
"You really love her, don't you?"
I didn't break his gaze but I didn't admit to anything either.
He shifted from one foot to the other.
"You'd do anything for her, wouldn't you?"
Again, I said nothing.
"Bet it'd break your heart if she died..."
I heard the safety click too late and the next thing I knew, Percival had fired at Delphine.
I turned and screamed as she slumped forward.
I never screamed.
