Emma couldn't help but muse to herself over the conversation bits she'd just heard. It seemed they were talking about the captain, questioning where he could be, it was only a matter of time before they'd figure out that he'd been in her room, and he'd never left. This could get ugly real fast, she knew well enough how these things worked. The police would be involved soon enough and she'd not be able to provide a good enough excuse as to why he'd never left and where he was.
Her thoughts could only take her to a dark place, and so she got up and left, walking glumly back to her cabin. Her feet guided her along, watching the swirls and dots, the patches of gum and the worn spots all pass under her feet, lost in thought, wondering what was to come. She stopped in front of her cabin and slid her key into the slot, slowly stepping inside. She knew in the back of her mind, she had to get off this ship as soon as possible. What would happen if she was caught? It was only a matter of time, maybe she'd been too reckless in her actions.
Would Graham be able to help her? Or was she going to spend her last days in jail before her time was up and Graham came for her? She shuddered at the thought, wasting away in jail before being found dead for unknown reasons, or maybe they'd let her die of the injuries she'd had already. Her mind jumped to the thoughts of her wounds still there, festering under the surface, invisible to everyone but still very clearly present. She really didn't want to think about that, because that thought made her feel like a zombie. She was technically one wasn't she? After all, hadn't she died and been brought back? Emma couldn't help but chuckle at these thoughts, maybe she wasn't a zombie and was actually the second coming of Jesus, and he too had risen from the dead much as she had.
She plucked her phone unceremoniously off the charger, turning in on to see what her next mission was, if she indeed had one. Or maybe she would prefer texting Graham for some help. And there was that pesky issue of if she'd fallen asleep on the phone with Regina.
Biting her lower lip, she slid open her messages and tapped on out quickly to Regina, better to start with an apology for something she wasn't sure if she'd done or not, but it might save her some embarrassment later. Her only other option really was to pretend it never happened and hope Regina didn't bring it up later.
Waiting for a reply, she flipped over to her last string of texts from Graham, she started typing out a message, then shaking her head, she erased it all and started over. She'd gotten a couple sentences when her phone buzzed with life in her hands. A new message from that same mysterious string of zeros she'd come to recognize as death had arrived. She read it as it scrolled across the top of her phone.
Good job catching him. Payment has been sent, your next mission will be different. Graham will give you the details.
Emma looked back down to her halfway constructed message to Graham and erased it all, ready to once again start over.
So, what's this next mission you've got for me?
She stood still, holding on to her phone, eyes unmoving from the screen, unwilling to even blink in case she missed the next message. Soon enough, it appeared with a buzz.
You're next target will be a fellow by the name of Neal Cassidy. We've been watching him for some time. He's gotten careless with his age. You'll be following him, get to know him, see what you can discover. We want to know who it is that's keeping them alive, we think he's the link.
Emma smiled down at her phone, this she could do, it was back to familiar territory. She released a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding as she waited for a response. A glimmer once again appeared in her eye as her life became that much more comfortable, she thumbed out a message once again to Graham.
Where's he at? What's the time frame I'm working with?
The response came quicker this time, Tucson, Take your time, we need intel more than we need him dead. I'll expect updates every week though. Another message buzzed in just a second later, an exact address and job info, then another, a photo of him appeared below that. This was going to be easier than she could have hoped. But she couldn't help but wonder, if they already had that much information, what was keeping them from finding out what they needed to know? What could she possibly get from him that they couldn't? After all, she was sure death would be better at following him undetected than she could ever hope to do.
Emma paused, thinking for a moment, contemplating if it was even worth asking or not, finally she shrugged to herself, thinking what's the harm, and she typed out another message to Graham, How do I get off this ship before they get suspicious? Heard the crew talking, they'll figure it out soon enough.
Her answer came soon enough, not in the form of a text like she'd been assuming, but rather a change in the atmosphere. Her body felt light, tingly, as though it was drifting apart, present but not, calm floated through her mind, surprisingly contrary to the feelings that she thought she should experience at the sensation of being ripped to pieces. A darkness had surrounded her, a sharp juxtaposition to the daylight that had been flooding through the room moments before.
She found herself surrounded by those same dilapidated buildings and run down streets she'd awoken to weeks before. Graham stood in front of her smiling, "Help is only a text away, all you need to do is ask. I may be a reaper, but I'm not heartless. Do you want me to return you to Tucson or would you like a stop by home first?"
Emma couldn't help but smile, comforted by his presence this time rather than intimidated. The scenery sure didn't look any better now than it had before, but she hadn't expected death to ever look cheery. Shaking her head to clear her mind of its stupor, she realized he was still standing there with his ever so charming smile waiting for an answer. She stuttered a moment, trying to formulate a cohesive thought, before a somewhat apprehensive "Tucson" was said.
The same feelings as the first time came flooding back, but instead of ending in a weightlessness she could feel the pounds coming back, pulling her down, solidifying her once again as a member of the living world.
She could feel a firmness beneath her feet, one she hadn't realized she'd missed having already adapted to the gentle swaying of the ship, the black asphalt beneath her radiating the heat it had trapped all day, sweat rolling down her legs. A car horn honked behind her and she couldn't help but jump at the sharp sound, breaking the silence she'd been experiencing in that other world.
Realizing she was in fact standing in the middle of the road, holding up traffic, much to the irritation of the other drivers around her, she ducked her head sheepishly and gave a slight apology wave, muttering a 'sorry' under her breath. She silently cursed Graham for dropping her in the middle of a road of all places, it was like he wanted her to actually die again or something. Upon reaching the sidewalk, Emma spun around, a little bewildered, noticing for the first time, that she didn't have her suitcase with her and there was only one place it could be, still on the ship, occupying her now empty cabin, hundreds, if not thousands of miles away from her current location.
"Seriously, Graham?!" She knew she wasn't talking to anyone in particular and that others could hear, but in that particular moment, Emma found she didn't exactly care about their mutterings and stares, she was fine being labeled the crazy one. No one here mattered to her anyways, except that is, for one Neal Cassidy, who she was now responsible for following.
Emma looked around, for the first time, really taking in her surroundings, noticing she was in a business district of the city, the wide city streets laid out neatly in front of her, a light tan sidewalk breaking up the dark colors surrounding her, leading up to the black skyscrapers, blindingly bright in the afternoon sun. Cars whirred past her, resuming their busy lives, unfazed by the interruption that had passed only moments before.
She couldn't help but hold her hand up to shield her eyes, the sunlight glinting sharply off the glass of the buildings around her, turning them white. Unsure exactly of where she was headed, she stepped off, walking down the street, hoping to find something that looked of use to her, be it a hotel or a coffee shop, maybe a diner. She'd definitely need to set up a base first, and maybe find some transportation, the city was much too large for her to walk.
At this rate though, she'd be here for a while, after all, she wasn't exactly sure how much information Neal would have, let alone wish to divulge to a complete stranger. And the challenge would be figuring out exactly how much he knew and how much she could get from him before he'd be suspicious of it all. But in the meantime, a little aimless wandering couldn't hurt too badly could it?