Chapter 55

"So have we decided yet?" Ash asked, shuffling the cards lazily as Crow set down two bottles of beer at the table.

"About?"

"If it's Melyssa."

"She looks like Melyssa, beneath all that make-up, and the weird way of dressing. But she doesn't ACT like Melyssa."

Well… Crow HAD also gone out of his way to bait her, noting the minute changes in her tone, the way she had said things. Nobody offered 'opinions' on situations they weren't up to date on in polite society, not unless they knew something. His time with Ouroboros, with the Duke, had taught him a few things.

"I'm… mostly sure, maybe." Where he tended to wind up hitting the wall was the fact that his Lyssa had spent all that time trying to get him to remember her. He could not, WOULD not, believe her so cruel as to fake purposefully not knowing him.

Makeup covered up the dark circles beneath her eyes, thankfully.

Melyssa walked up the steps at City Hall, ready to get this paperwork done and over with. She stayed out way too late last night, barely got 2 hours of sleep and was running on pure adrenaline. Once she arrived on the mayor's floor, an assistant of his asked her to wait since he was in a meeting at the moment. Machias told her to come in the morning, but he didn't specify what time. Melyssa nodded and walked over to sit down, really hoping she could make it through this without falling asleep. Ash and…Crow would be here since they were security guards, more than likely right by the Mayor's side. Her eyes widened very slightly and briefly when Aurelia Le Guin stepped out of the double oak doors about 20 minutes later. Melyssa immediately lowered her eyes to her lap and hoped the woman didn't recognize or approach her.

Aurelia had been the one to bring Melyssa into Thors, she had been the one to find the girl after the attack in the very city they were in now, impressed with her courage and fiery determination. Aurelia Le Guin was not an idiot. She spotted the young woman sitting there with her eyes lowered and raised an eyebrow, glancing back at the now closed oak doors and frowned.

A second later, Ash Carbide had come out, running a hand through his hair as he blinked his pink eyes. "That went well."

"At least I didn't threaten him."

"You sort of did."

"As one old friend to another." Her attention had been drawn away, momentarily.

"The mayor will see you now."

Ash nodded at Ms. Reynolds, waiting until she had slipped through those doors before following her.

All Aurelia could do was stare at those now shut doors.

Melyssa had looked up when she heard Ash's voice, locked eyes with Aurelia and could NOT hide who she truly was, even through the makeup. Even through the façade of Lysa Reynolds. The woman was too smart and wasn't called the Golden Rakshasa for nothing. She had been around for a while and Melyssa could only hope she went back to Leeves and left her alone.

"Good morning, Mr. Mayor." She greeted, shaking Machias' hand and took a seat in the chair in front of his desk. The same seat Aurelia had occupied mere moments ago. "I know you said sometime this morning, but I figured the sooner we get this done, the better."

"I couldn't agree more, Miss Reynolds." Machias didn't waste time and handed over the paperwork for her to fill out. "If you wish to take it home and do it, feel free, or you can do it here and we will have it filed today."

"No, I'll do it here."

It was a little nerve-wracking having Crow and Ash watching her, along with Machias, but Melyssa managed to do it. It took her a little while since there was a lot of paperwork to get through. Finally, she finished and jumped when she felt hot breath on her ear, not realizing Ash had moved to hover over her shoulder. DIRECTLY over her shoulder. This man really didn't understand the concept of invading someone's personal space. He'd always been that way. Standing, forcing him to step back, she handed over everything to the mayor and waited for him to sift through it all, making sure she didn't miss any I's that needed dotted or T's that had to be crossed.

Ash had been analyzing her handwriting. He knew she had studied with Crow a time or two at Thors. Not with him, however, though she had caught him reading out in the hallway during the early AM hours. He had told her, at the time, that it was the only way he could get peace and quiet from his roommate, Monique, as well as maintain his reputation.

Well, he had told MELYSSA that, not Lysa Reynolds.

Machias finally nodded, passing everything over to his temporary assistant. The woman was retiring, hence the need for a new one. Personal assistant, personal secretary, he had 'inherited' this woman when he had gotten the job. She had agreed to stay on long enough for him to hire and train a replacement.

"This is Mrs. Willias, she'll be training you over the next few days and… I'm afraid etiquette is one of those things she'll be instructing you on."

"I did him too, for the media." Mrs. Willias informed her replacement with a kindly smile.

Melyssa breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that, shaking the woman's hand with a smile of her own. "Thank you so much. I look forward to working with you." For however much longer she would be here.

"Likewise. Be prepared, I can be rather stern, as Machias will tell you."

Machias nodded emphatically and even saluted the older woman.

The women laughed in response and Mrs. Willias made her way back to her desk to file the paperwork from her new replacement. She had to admit, Lysa was easy on the eyes, had the look and with a little training, she would be a shoo-in for the media. As long as she learned how to speak to the media and handle them, she would do fine.

"Well, if that's all that you need from me today, Mr. Regnitz, I'll take my leave and let you get back to your duties." Melyssa shouldered her purse, stepping back when Ash invaded her personal space again. "Okay look, we barely know each other and I'm not comfortable with your hot breath on my ear constantly. You do realize how rude that is to do to someone, right?" Not to mention, it sent shivers down her spine and she could not deal with that with everything else going on.

"You might as well get used to it and you really are going to have to learn to toughen up. You have to have a harder skin for when the press comes at you." Ash informed her with a wry smile, shaking his head at her exasperated huff and eye roll. "Besides, when Machias," He knew the guy personally and only ever referred to him as Mr. or 'Mayor' when out in public or at events. Ash wouldn't ever get so formal and stuffy that it became an all the time thing and he had even warned Machias he'd put his scythe ax up his backside if his ego got too inflated. "Goes out, you go with him and you both will be sandwiched between Crow and I."

"I'm aware of that, but that doesn't mean you have to breathe directly on my ear like you were earlier and just now." Melyssa narrowed her eyes back at him, folding her arms in front of her chest. "And believe me, Mr. Carbide, I DO have a thicker skin than you could possibly imagine. I just really don't want your awful breath on my skin. Good day, gentlemen." She directed that toward Crow and Machias before heading out, hoping that was enough to keep both men at bay. As much as she hated being a bitch to them, it was the only way to keep them at arm's length, so she could do her job for Ouroboros.

"I give her a week before she's eaten by the press." Crow made sure she could hear him as she walked away. "If she can't deal with you, there's NO way she's going to handle those vicious hounds. She'll wind up screwing Machias over."

"Well, maybe he'll get someone to do the speaking instead of her. He could probably hire someone better for that. She just needs to be his assistant, not his mouthpiece."

"If you two are quite finished."

They both flashed Machias sheepish grins.

"Go stand somewhere and look imposing, stop harassing my new hire." He ordered, waving his hand.

"Actually, I'm going to go through the building, it's time for my rounds." Crow said, glancing at the clock on the wall.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Melyssa did not let out a shriek until she was in her car with the windows rolled up. Suddenly, the passenger door opened and Melyssa went to open her mouth, when a sword was pressed against her side.

"Drive, Melyssa, and don't say a word."

AURELIA! Melyssa swallowed hard and nodded, knowing Aurelia would not hesitate to cut her down here and now. She drove off as instructed and instead of going to her apartment, she was ordered to take them somewhere they'd be completely alone. The only place she could think of was the clearing from last night. No words were spoken between them until Melyssa pulled over on the side of the road, not hiding her vehicle like last time. She did not remove her hands from the wheel and stared straight ahead, wondering what Aurelia planned on doing with or to her.

"Most people think you're dead." Aurelia said conversationally, her eyes focused straight ahead as well, hands folded gently in her lap. "Or, those like Rean, believe you to be a captive of Ouroboros. Clearly, you are neither." Her relaxed posture began shifting, something another warrior would recognize as a readying change. "So… the question is, why did our Melyssa Brackett come back, to Crossbell of ALL places, and is now working for the mayor?" Because that wasn't suspicious at ALL given what they knew of Melyssa's abduction. So help her Goddess, if Melyssa was a traitor, as much as it would pain her to do so, she would cut the girl down now and regret it for the rest of her days.

"Are you going to strike me down or give me the opportunity to explain?"

"I want an explanation and then I'll see how I feel after that."

"Fair enough." Melyssa removed her hands from the wheel and rested them in her lap, not looking at the woman. "Two years ago, I was taken captive by Ouroboros, as you pointed out. The Grandmaster gave me a choice – become an Enforcer or…I would become McBurn's toy for him to play with and torture until he decided to kill me. I told the Grandmaster I would become an Enforcer, under one condition."

"And that would be?"

"All of Class VII, old and new, at the time, were to remain unharmed, along with my mother." She didn't give a flying fig about her father, not after everything he'd done. He was the reason her Papa was dead, even if he didn't strike the man down himself. "Their protection in exchange for my cooperation."

Aurelia remained quiet, listening to her explanation. "Go on."

"I was ordered to find out who the new mayor of Crossbell City was. After I reported the information, I was then ordered to eliminate Machias Regnitz at the party that just happened a week ago…and I defied the Grandmaster. I made it clear to her I would not harm anyone in Class VII, no matter what they did to me. So instead, she sent me here as a spy for Ouroboros and ordered me to get close to the mayor. This is the first freedom I've had in two years, so I agreed to do it, but I'm also doing it to stay close to Machias in case Ouroboros strikes." Now, she looked at Aurelia. "I want to protect him any way I can. And I'm not planning on telling the Grandmaster anything, only small things that Machias plans to do with Crossbell City. She wants to know what direction he plans on taking the city now that he's mayor. And I don't have a clue why Ouroboros is targeting Crossbell City, though I've got my guesses, as I'm sure you do too. So, to summarize, I'm supposed to be here as a spy of Ouroboros, I'm technically an Enforcer not following orders and I'm very much alive, living an entirely new identity to hide who I used to be. I'm not the same Melyssa Brackett I once was. She died two years ago when I started training and Lysa Reynolds was born."

Aurelia was silent for a very long time, considering all of that. The first freedom she had and instead of running for help from the people who cared about her, she had decided to play the role to continue protecting them. Or at least, that was the story she was telling. She knew quite well how people could be turned by Ouroboros, Crow was a prime example. But Crow was also an example of hope and redemption as well.

"I'll be watching, Melyssa Brackett." She said sternly, finally turning her gaze onto the younger woman. "For now, I'll leave you be, but one false move and I will finish what McBurn started in Crossbell."

It was obvious Aurelia was no longer the Thors Branch School principal and she now resided in Crossbell City as well. Did Ouroboros know that? "I understand and if I do make a false move, I won't even fight you. I'll let you cut me down." It would be a mercy killing compared to what Ouroboros would do to her. "I hope you believe me when I say I don't want to be part of that poisonous group. I don't want to be an Enforcer. And I'm here to protect my friends from the very group who forced me into their world. I hate them all, Aurelia, and I want them all to pay for everything they've done. I have to play this close to the chest and that's why I will not tell anyone else who I really am."

"Why not come to us?" Aurelia asked, which was really the glaringly obvious question. "Crow has gotten out successfully and maintained his independence."

Crow had finally learned to trust his friends. Ouroboros was beyond adept at keeping one step ahead, but they had also been proven that they were not infallible. With patience and determination, Ouroboros COULD be beaten and they could be sent scurrying back to the shadows where they belonged.

"You don't have to keep living this lie, you've taken on a great burden, sacrificing yourself for your friends." She took a deep breath. Aurelia knew how much it had hurt Melyssa, Crow's 'death' and then lack of memory, she wondered if Melyssa had considered how much that had hurt Crow, losing his childhood best friend after finally 'remembering' her properly. "And if you choose not too, if you insist on continuing with this," Which while honorable was also foolish. "Then don't ever let them know the truth of who you are, some damage… can be made worse."

Rean came to mind.