ARIADNE

Mac studied Ariadne over the lip of his wine glass. She had the beauty of a classic noir star with long wavy dark hair and wore a black gown that sparkled under the light. From a distance she looked young and vibrant but up close Mac could see that the wrinkles showing her true age were covered by the thick layer of makeup. In her dark eyes, Mac could only see a deep sadness.

"So where are you from?" She asked, her voice too creaky to be sultry.

"Los Angeles, you?"

"New York, I used to play Broadway." The woman looked down, her bottom lip quivered only a second before she schooled her face.

"You're an actress?" Mac asked setting his wine glass down on the table. She leaned forward and smiled a well-rehearsed seductive smile that was too shiny, making Mac think she was wearing dentures.

"Oh, boy, this one is a shark," Jack said. Mac cleared his throat and coughed to cover up his surprise.

"She was a theater star in the '60s and had a run on a TV show in the '70s, something called Oil Fields."

"Oh yeah, it was a nighttime soap about a family that was competing for the family fortune made from oil…"

"Is there any cheesy TV show you haven't watched?" Riley snapped.

"It was on before football every Sunday. "Jack said, "you better be careful Mac, she could stick a knife in your belly, twist it then smile at you sweetly."

"She was an actress playing a part," Riley said.

"No, I'm talking about behind the scenes drama, she was quite the diva…" Mac cleared his throat again and took a sip of wine, tuning his teammates out. Ariadne didn't look like a shark, she looked like a sad actress whose time had come and gone.

"Are you alright?" Ariadne said reaching out her hand to lay it on Mac's. Her hand was cool and well-aged. Mac frowned, it reminded him of his Grandmother. He swallowed and just barely managed to keep from pulling his hand away.

"I'm fine." He said offering a polite smile. "You were on a TV show weren't you?" Mac asked. And just like that, a switch was thrown.

"Yes, Oil Fields, I gave the best years of my life to that show! My husband was the producer, do you know he fucked every girl on that set? I made that show what it was, but did he care? Hell no! I was glad when the bastard dropped dead…"

"Bet you $50 she killed him." Jack offered. Mac sat back, pulling his hand away from the woman whose voice had become shrill. Mac swallowed glancing around the set, automatically looking for something to use for an escape.

"Wow she is a diva, do you think she could be our assassin?"Riley asked.

"Not unless you're married to her, bail Mac, bail out," Jack said. Mac smiled awkwardly and nodded letting the woman vent. Buck Miller himself brought out two limp green salads. Mac took a small nibble and barely kept it down. Ariadne stabbed into her salad and shoveled in a fork full of greens. After she finished chewing she stabbed the air punctuating every nasty word her husband ever told her. And there were a lot. Mac nodded and smiled when she paused encouraging her on.

The meal was a half-hearted attempt at meatloaf covered in bacon with potatoes also full of chunks of bacon. Mac sucked his wine dry. He pushed around the food on the plate. It smelled as greasy as it looked. Dessert was a piece of apple pie flattened on the plate soaked by the melted runoff from a small puddle of what Mac thought must have once been ice cream. He didn't even pretend to eat it.

"Ok, cut! That's it." Marley bellowed. Mac's shoulders sagged. He stood up and shook Ariadne's hand even though she held it out for him to take and kiss. She pursed her lips and winked.

"See you later, lover." She husked out. Mac nodded. She turned and flounced away with the grace of a runway model with a broken heal. Mac sat back down and put his face in his hands.

"I think you should vote her out of the clubhouse," Riley suggested.

"Yeah, you don't want to swim in that ocean." Jack agreed. Before Mac could say anything, Jessi had him by the lapels and hauled him back to wardrobe.

"I can walk you know." He blurted.

"Uh-huh." She muttered not facing him. Mac was thrown into the wardrobe. This time it was a burgundy suit with a sheen to it, black shirt and red tie. He was shuffled off to the bouffant's layer, repacked with makeup, then shoved back into the restaurant. The table was set up the same as it had been. He glanced around, the extras were leaning back and talking enjoying their break.

"Riley, check out all these extras too." He murmured.

"Got it." Riley agreed, "but it will take some time to go through everyone." Mac fought the urge to itch his nose. He could feel sweat run down his back and closed his eyes feeling dizzy with hunger.

"You ok, bud?" Jack asked. Mac didn't answer just looked up as the next date stood in the wings.

"And action!" Marley called.

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JOY

Mac stood, needing to hold onto the table to steady himself.

"Mac?" Jack's voice was sharp, a familiar mix of frustration and worry. Mac managed to put on a smile and stood to welcome Joy. The woman had a short, almost shaved haircut and long earrings that reminded Mac of the model of the solar system he'd once made out of paperclips. Mac went to pull the chair out for the woman, but her flat green eyes shooed him back to his chair. She wore a black lacy gown that had a high neck. It was flat black and her arms were bare. She had skulls tattooed up both arms, most of them leaking blood.

"Hello," Mac asked offering a smile. The woman scowled at him and took a deep drink of wine. Mac swallowed and sipped his own wind.

"Is this the teddy bear freak?" Jack asked.

"No, that's Molly. This gal looks way different than she did earlier. Then she was all goo-goo eyes and blond hair, very Marilyn." Riley said. Mac smiled a genuine smile and leaned forward, feeling excitement that he might have found their killer.

"Where are you from?" He asked. She leaned forward and met his gaze studying him intently.

"What do you think happens to you after you die?" She asked softly.

"Oh hell, Mac I think this might be our girl," Jack said, moving closer to the stage.

"I'm not sure, what do you think?" Mac challenged back. She smiled and up close Mac noticed a tiny diamond skull embedded on her right canine tooth.

"I don't think there's anything. I think you die and that's it, you're gone. I don't think life has any more reason before death either, do you?" Mac frowned as a glint of over enthusiasm lit her eyes and the rest of her face flattened. Mac leaned back.

"This chick needs a Prozac," Riley said.

"You think?" Jack asked. Mac took a sip of wine and sat back. The woman smiled slyly and sat back sipping her own wine. Something about Joy was off. Mac felt that she would not have the problem breaking any norms or crossing any lines, but an assassin? Mac genuinely didn't know.

"Well, don't just have a staring contest, talk to the woman." Jack breathed. Mac nodded.

"Why are you obsessed with death?" Mac asked. The woman spilled a little wine on the table and slowly circled her finger through it. Unlike Ariadne, her nails had been mercilessly chewed. As their salads were laid before them she sat back and sucked the wine off her finger. Mac was sure the salad was the same one he'd seen earlier. Joy ignored the salad staring at Mac intently.

"Why are you obsessed with life?" She said softly.

"This chick is totally creepy," Riley said. "All I can find from her is a few published poems, all about death, go figure, and she graduated from Oxford."

"That's in England, right?" Jack asked. "She's got the whole Sylvia Plath thing down."

"Who's Sylvia Plath?" Riley asked. Jack huffed in frustration.

"Seriously do you not take in any culture?"

"Whatever, Jack. Her husband of three months disappeared, no one's heard from him again."

"She looks the type," Jack said. Mac finished his wine, his eyes never leaving Joy. Like the salad, the meatloaf and pitiful excuse of pie both made reappearances. The two were silent, staring at each other until Marley yelled cut.

Joy leaned forward with a winning smile, all trace of her creepiness erased. She grabbed Mac's hand and stared dreamily into his eyes.

"That was fantastic, I really like you." She said. Mac raised and eyebrow as the woman giggled and almost skipped off the stage.

"What the hell was that?" Jack asked. Mac shook his head forgetting that Jack probably couldn't see him.

"What the hell was that?" Another voice boomed. Mac turned to find himself almost lifted off the ground by his lapels. Marley Doxen's eyes were wide and his face flushed. He looked like a bull about to take down a matador.

"Oh, honey, don't bruise the merchandise." His wife squeaked as she followed him her arms fluttering around her.

"You date these women! You don't sit there and stare at them. This is entertainment, be entertaining!" Mac blinked at the man's hot breath smacked into his face.

"I'm on my way, Mac," Jack said.

"No," Mac said. "No, I'm sorry...she was just…" Mac babbled.

"Are you sure, partner?" Jack asked. Marley smiled and set Mac down. Mac automatically straightened his suit.

"She's something, isn't she? She'd be a ride in the bed." The larger man bent down and almost knocked Mac over with a heavy slap on the back. "Am I right?" The man didn't wait for a reply. "So which one do you want to keep?" Mac frowned in thought.

"Joy." He said. The man grinned.

"You like freaky! Awesome." The man turned away his wife following her arms flapping like an ostrich. The lights flipped off and the cameras were hauled away. The extras slowly exited the set and the restaurant was broken down. Mac closed his eyes in relief. If Joy was the assassin, then this was over.

"Man you look like hell," Jack said appearing at Mac's side. Mac looked at him and wordlessly turned heading for the car. He was dimly aware of Riley joining them. Mac sat in the back of the rental before either of the other two could speak. He sat with his head down rubbing his temples.

"...Mac!" Mac looked up slowly wincing as Jack's voice rattled through his sore head. He squinted at Jack.

"What?" He asked. Jack looked at him through the rearview mirror. Mac could see the worry on his face.

"Are you ok? Seriously?" Jack asked. Mac sighed.

"I'm just tired and have a headache." Jack shared a worried glance with Riley thrown by Mac's unusual honesty. "I'm fine, Jack, really. I'm just tired." Mac found himself yawning as if to prove it.

"And you haven't eaten all day," Riley said turning halfway in her seat to face Mac.

"Did you see that food?" Mac said with a small shudder. Jack turned into the hotel's parking lot. Jack said glancing at his watch as he turned into the parking space closest to their room. After he parked he twisted to face his partner. Jack frowned not looking how tired and washed out Mac looked. "The cafe should still be open, why don't we get a bite to eat?" Mac yawned.

"I need a shower first." He said blinking to stay awake.

"Why don't you go up, we'll get some food then bring it up?" Jack offered. Mac managed a weak but honest smile.

"Fantastic." They got out and walked down the hall to the elevators. A family of four dressed in wet bathing suits and swim gear walked by them staring at Mac. Mac was too out of it to notice, but Riley glared at them until they scurried away. Mac got into the elevator.

"Are you sure-?" Jack began. Mac glared at him.

"I'm fine. I'll be down soon." Jack nodded but didn't move until the doors shut. Mac leaned against the wall of the elevator and finally itched his nose. He wrinkled his nose at the thick cake of makeup that came off under his fingernail. He glanced at his watch surprised to see it was only 10:00 pm. Mac yawned as he walked down the hall to his room. The swirling bright patterns in the hall closet made his headache flare. He opened his room's door surprised to find him in a dark room. He reached out for the light switch, before he could touch it someone grabbed him by his lapels and bashed him against the wall.

Mac gasped as whoever had him didn't pause but body slammed him to the carpet. Mac's air whooshed out. A huge man crouched over him and plowed huge fists into Mac's head. Mac struck back blindly. He howled in pain as he hit the man's face which was hard as a metal mask. The man stood dragging Mac with him and tossed him across the room as if he were a doll. Mac yelped as he flew into the mirror over the dresser. Mac grabbed the lamp beside him, rolled off the dresser and slammed it into the man rushing him. It actually stopped the giant for a second. Mac grabbed the man's head by his ears and slammed it down, bringing his knee up at the same time. Mac was rewarded of the crushing of the man's nose. The man fell to his knees. Mac stood up and tried to flee out the door. He was grabbed by the back of his neck, pivoted and slammed face first into the floor. He felt blood pour out of his mouth and nose. Before he could recover, the man hit him over the kidneys.

Mac howled and tried to move away. The man then grabbed him by the back of his neck and the crotch of his pants, thankfully only the pants, Mac thought muzzily. He was dimly aware of being lifted over the man's head, almost scraping his face against the rough roof. Then the man slammed him again into the carpet. Mac felt like he'd been hit by a truck. He managed a wheeze before everything went black.