Italics: Flashbacks

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Chapter Ten: Into the Frying Pan

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"In which my friends are brainwashed by Mr. Freeze."

I wasn't the type to just walk away and assume that the little girl with Mr. Freeze was his daughter. No, my curiosity involved a bit of detective work. If that was his daughter, then that would mean that he was probably married before or had a girlfriend. And that would tie in to that whole thing where he was annoyed and left the office for a couple of minutes during that day we received the briefing for the investigation. It could be a custody battle or something, which would humanize Mr. Freeze to a certain degree.

This was a working theory, just so you know.

Maybe he doesn't have some evil grudge towards women but why is he so hostile with me? And who on earth would be insane enough to date him, let alone marry?

Not that I was going to hold anything against him whatsoever. Then again, it was tempting, based on the hell he put me through. However, it's important to note that spy work should be done as stealth-wise as possible. That means keeping your friends in check and praying to whatever deity was out there that they did nothing to expose your location or embarrass you in the first place.

"Wait, who are we hiding from?" Rebecca whispered, confusion written all over her face.

"Yeah, what gives Claire?" Jill echoed.

I swallowed hard and said from behind my menu. "…He's in here."

"What do you mean he's in here?" Jill couldn't resist asking that silly question I wished she wouldn't ask. "Who?"

"My new partner!"

"In here? As in…the restaurant here or outside in the mall?"

"In the freaking restaurant Jill!"

"Wait, how did that jackass know we were in here?! Has he been stalking you or something?"

I scowled at her. "How the hell should I know Jill? Keep those menus up! Do not screw this up for me, I'm warning you right now...!"

"...Oh wow, he's hot."

Of course, Rebecca had to turn away from her menu to look at my worst possible nightmare, ruining my train of thought and forgetting that one little fact that we were hiding from Mr. Freeze to begin with. Gee, I wonder what happened to him being a jerk?

Oh, I guess that disappeared the minute she saw him!

Did I also mention that my friends have a tendency to embarrass me when it comes to men?

I should have known!

"Rebecca!" I hissed, peeking up from my menu. "I need you to support me, not side with the freaking devil! What is wrong with you?! I don't want him to see us!"

"Wait, where's that stupid jackass?" Now Jill was peeking from her menu as she stood up and turned around in her seat. "I want to see what he looks like…uh…um...well…wow."

"Sit down Jill!"

Just lovely.

Now I have two awestruck friends.

Even Jill forgot for a minute that we're talking about a jackass here. How this man overrides her stance on men is a frightening sight to behold.

I shouldn't have told them that Mr. Freeze was here, let alone that he was my new partner. As much as I would have to deal with that scenario of 'meh, why are you so quiet Claire?', it would have been much better than what I was faced with right now.

Well, guess this was another episode of 'Claire makes yet another mistake in the wheel of misfortune! See what else she screws up!'.

…I am so doomed.

You may wonder why he's still there with the little girl (which looked around seven or eight years old). The restaurant was crowded and there were people waiting to be seated. We were lucky to get the last seats available, otherwise we would have waited too and things would have been much worse. There was a lot of commotion, with kids screaming and conversations here and there, but that didn't stop a few people to stare in our direction and wonder what the hell was going on.

By the way, the poor teenage waiter explaining to Mr. Freeze that he'll have to wait looked like he was about to pass out.

As much as Mr. Freeze was a jerk, he also took intimidation to a whole new level.

But I already mentioned that.

Still, there was nothing wrong with emphasizing that one permanent detail.

"Holy crap..." Jill is stuck in 'dazed la-la land' at this point.

"Jill, sit down!" I freaked out, jumping up to grab her by the edge of her shirt, but my menu toppled over and I was exposed.

"I just wanted to see him!"

"Would you sit down before he sees us, preferably me?!"

And just to make matters worse, our waitress came over just in time to see us 'fighting'. Usually, when my brother senses that something is wrong, he would say 'that's no good'. (1) Well, in this case, my Claire senses are tingling and I just know that this situation with Jill was not good at all.

"Um…is everything okay with you ladies?" She gave us one of those weird looks, like we were aliens from another planet. "I…just came over to let you know that your entrees will be around five more minutes."

Jill gave me a withered smile and mumbled an apology before she sat down. I tried to sit down as fast as my legs carried me but it was already too late. Mr. Freeze's gaze somehow zeroed in on my current location. And when I mean zeroed in, I mean that he was staring directly at me.

...Crap.

I couldn't even get the menu back up to my face.

I expected a slow, deliberate grin to make me jump out of my seat and run out, but the look on his face was surprised. Then again, it wasn't like we were supposed to meet in the middle of a random fast food restaurant that happens to be crowded. Or the fact that a little girl was with him and I could draw conclusions that it was either his daughter or he was babysitting.

I think the world just cracked in half.

Mr. Freeze displaying emotions other than the deadpan stare and the creepy smirks?

Ladies and gentlemen, the universe we once knew just imploded on itself.

I know I mentioned the genuine smile but this was freaky. The day that Mr. Freeze displays other emotions other than a cold stare and one of those 'you're an idiot' smirks is the day the world has met Armageddon.

He wasn't wearing his glasses, so I could see his subzero eyes well enough.

But then, his expression changed to the point I'm sure the temperature plunged in the restaurant. The monotone 'I am the terminator' stare was back.

I think my inner ghost ran out of my body by the way.

"Um…hello?" The waitress was still there. "I'm just asking if everything was okay."

"Um...that's perfectly fine!" Jill said, nervous as all hell. "We'll wait!"

The waitress nodded and walked off, while mumbling something about weird women and she needed a new gig. I found myself placing my head in my hands after being frozen from 'Dracula's gaze' two minutes ago. This was not happening. This was not happening at all. I am in my inner yen circle and I will calmly assess the situation—freaking hell, at this point I was flipping out.

Rebecca shook me. "What should we do?! I think he knows we're here— "

Great, way to state the obvious Rebecca. Next thing you'll tell me is that water is wet and the wind provides air for us to breathe. In fact, why don't you tell me that we need medicine when we're sick?!

"You know, if it wasn't for Jill, he wouldn't have known!" I snapped, glaring at Jill. "Now we can't get out of this restaurant because he's standing there! And seriously Rebecca? You had to look? Really?"

"I wanted to know what he looked like!" Rebecca began fiddling with the napkin in front of her. "Um...sorry?"

"Well I had to see what he looked like too!" Jill shot back. "I didn't know he was so…well, you know— "

"Did you completely forget he was a jackass?!" I hissed. "Why is it that my own friends are awestruck by a man that intends to make my life a living hell?! Am I the only one that lives in reality?"

"He's still a jackass!" Jill insisted. "He's just a very attractive jackass…!"

"I know he's attractive Jill! Gee, what a way to state the obvious! It doesn't change anything!"

"Wait a minute, are you blushing? Your face got red for a minute there Claire. I'm dead serious…"

I just stared at her with the worst horrified look I could muster. "W…What?! I was not blushing? What the hell are you on Jill?"

"I'm not kidding Claire— "

"How could you even suggest that?!"

"Your face got red the minute I said he was…well you know!" I couldn't tell if she sounded excited or not but either way I was about to squash this fantasy of hers. Where in the world did she get the idea that I was blushing? Now I don't know if she was joking around or not but the look on her face indicated that she wasn't.

What have I done?

"No it didn't!"

"It did! I swear!"

"Shut up Jill!"

"Um guys, I think he's coming over here." Rebecca's head was turned and she was staring yet again. "Along with the little girl."

My horrified expression was even more horrified than before.

Mr. Freeze didn't do what I was beginning to think he did. The only way for him to come over is if he just told the waiter that he had friends in the restaurant and he was sitting with them. Then if I objected or said anything, then everyone would sympathize with him and that little girl.

I don't trust this man at all.

Why was this happening to me?!

I was just fine when Kennedy left! I wasn't in need of a new partner! I was taking down the muggers and criminals just fine by myself! And now I must deal with a man who somewhat has a daughter and is more humanized than I thought. But I will not stop calling him Mr. Freeze because guess what? He's still a frozen television dinner in my eyes!

Worst. Saturday. Ever.

This encounter was nothing more than a dark, miserable fate. I don't even know what I did to deserve this. I must have angered somebody and they placed this curse on me. That's right, someone had it in for me because there is no way that this could be happening in the space of four days.

It didn't take long for Mr. Freeze to reach the table. I mean, he wasn't even hiding the fact that the little girl in question was his daughter. He just walked over like this wasn't even a big secret. I…really couldn't deny that the girl was adorable and in some ways looked like him, except that she wasn't wearing a malicious smirk and her hair wasn't blond.

Maybe her mother wasn't a conniving woman and just lived a normal life until she crossed paths with Mr. Freeze. I can imagine him swaying her with his looks, only to bring her until his control. Okay, maybe I was watching too many horror movies but him having a wife/girlfriend and producing a child? Never in a million years would I ever think this was possible.

"Well, well, this is a surprise."

That casual tone was enough to make me grab Jill by the throat and strangle her.

My teeth ground together like coffee beans again. My attempts to stay incognito has been ruined by my two good friends who were supposed to be on my side.

"Yes…it certainly…is." I managed to choke out. "What brings you…here? Don't you think it's coincidence that we're here, together in a random restaurant …?"

That son of a…okay you know what? I won't even go there. To go there would mean killing both of my friends and running out of the restaurant as fast as I could.

Mr. Freeze just gave me one of those deliberate smirks and said; "Why yes, it is, Officer Redfield."

"Daddy, is that your partner?" Can you even imagine Mr. Freeze having a daughter? Like really?!

Rebecca and Jill's jaws dropped open to the point they could easily win the chubby bunny challenge.

"Yes, Lin." No trace of malice was in those words at all. I swear, it was like a casual talk between a father and a daughter. Oh, sure, give me that dark smirk but change your tune for the girl! "I'm sure that Ms. Redfield won't mind accommodating us for the time being, yes? We can share the bill, of course and I'm sure her friends won't mind."

"What the he— "I began but I felt a kick under the table, causing me to yelp. Rebecca recovered from the shock and gave me as look that clearly said 'not in front of the kid'.

"No, of…of… course not!" Jill recovered as well and was now stammering like a bobble head.

If glares could kill, Jill would have been murdered on the spot.

She would have been castrated and hung out to dry.

"I'm sure Claire wouldn't mind, right? I mean after all; you guys do know each other and this would be a great opportunity to get to know—"

"Um…I need to talk to my friends in private." I interrupted, cutting Jill off and rushing to get out of my seat. "You know, girl talk? Where guys aren't allowed and it's just girls only? We'll be back in a few."

Of course, Rebecca and Jill followed me, considering that I gave them glares at the corner of my eye.

"I hope that you're not using this 'girl talk' to get out of this arrangement." Mr. Freeze said. "I would be very disappointed if you tried to run away, with my daughter present. We should get acquainted, after all there's no harm in having a pleasant conversation and giving proper introductions. I'm sure you'll agree, yes?"

And…we've just stepped into a frying pan, filled with hot, grease infested oil.

I gave him a wary, miserable look. "I…um, wouldn't dream of it! I mean, how could you think I'm going to just run off with my friends? Of course not! As creepy as...uh...it is to meet like this...I'm perfectly okay with it! We'll be out sooner than you think!"

And that's when I dragged Jill and Rebecca towards the pathway leading to the restrooms.

I…hate my life right now.

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"Jill, what the heck did you do?!" I screeched, waving my arms around like a frustrated monkey demanding to be fed bananas. "Don't you see what he was trying to do?! He's the devil incarnate! Are you insane? Inviting him and that little girl to sit with us while I'm sitting there?! How could you even do this?!"

"How is this even my fault?!" Jill shot back. "I wanted to see what he looked like! You're the one who got up in the first place! It can't be that bad! He has a cute little girl with him and they were probably standing there for a while! You know, which happens to be his daughter!"

"That little girl is a trap! You didn't see those smirks he was giving me?! And you're the one who got up first!"

"What the heck does that even mean? And what smirks?"

"In the space of two days, I've figured out how deceptive that man is! You guys got manipulated! Or did you forget agreeing that he was a jackass? And how could you not see that? How could you not remember what he just said? That means that we're stuck in this restaurant with no way of getting out with him sitting there! Are you guys happy now?! Saturday afternoon completely ruined, thanks to my friends ogling the worst man on the planet!"

"Claire, don't you think you're being a bit too melodramatic?" Rebecca chimed in. "I mean, you were practically turning red the minute he was approaching our table— "

"My face was not red! What the hell are you insinuating Rebecca?! And I am not overreacting! Overreacting would be slamming my head against the wall! You guys placed me in a difficult situation here! You do realize that he's going to sit next to me, right? Right next to me!"

"I wasn't insinuating anything! I'm just suggesting that you should probably calm down a bit and that your face— "

"Rebecca, I'm warning you!"

"What? I'm just saying—"

"Zip it Rebecca!"

"But—"

"Look, I have an idea that will solve this whole thing!" Jill interrupted, cutting Rebecca off. "We'll just go back in, act normal and cool our heads off. I mean, what better way than to start a conversation about him? I mean, you said that he was in the military and was some top CIA guy, which makes for an interesting conversation, right? He wouldn't even have time to notice you Claire."

"Or…we could always start a food fight!" Rebecca suggested. "I mean, it worked in the movies, right? I could order a couple of pies and..."

I groaned and smacked my head into the wall next to the ceramic sinks but not hard enough to knock myself out. I mean, knocking myself out would have been the best option I ever took to get out of this mess. But then again, I could wake up in a hospital room with Mr. Freeze staring right at me, causing me to scream and fall out of the hospital bed on my ass.

The bathrooms were clean, for the most part, perhaps the cleanest one I've ever been to since that fancy Italian restaurant Chris took me to for my birthday. The colors were the same as the restaurant and had that same sixties feel to it. Thankfully, we were the only ones in the bathroom, otherwise we would have gotten more weird looks from other women using the restroom.

"No Rebecca, we are not starting a food fight." I muttered, interrupting her. "Not only will Chief Randall hear about this, I'm not sure how my new partner would react to a pie being thrown at his face, as much as he's a jerk. Let's just…get back in there and try to ride this one out." Then my head lifted and I glared at them again. "And you two will not cause any more trouble, otherwise I'm going to strangle both of you in this freaking restaurant! And you!"

I pointed my finger at Jill. "I better not hear anything more about me blushing because my face was not red okay? You got that? My face was not red! Even if it was red, it wasn't because of him! And I don't want to see you or Rebecca flirting with him! Flirting does not and will not work with him! And for the last time, whatever you do, don't embarrass me!"

"We didn't even embarrass you in the first place!" Jill insisted. "I just suggested that we should let them sit with us because of the little girl! I just thought it was cute how he was holding her hand and— "

"Jill, just stop."

"But— "

"Jill, zip it right now okay? Zip it! We go back out there and pretend none of this happened!"

"Well technically we can't because…wait what was his name again?"

I just stared at Rebecca.

And stared.

This wasn't going to work out.

And I'm going to lose my sanity by the time this day is over.

Rule #10: Friends can be trouble sometimes.

Author Notes

Thanks so much for the reviews, I really appreciate them! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, and next chapter is going to be even more fun. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I had fun writing it because I imagined this whole scene while I was typing it.

Will Claire keep her sanity? Will her friends try their best not to embarrass her further? The next chapter's going to be even more fun...

(1) My high school Math teacher would always say 'that's no good' when something came up, ha ha.