We're Coming and We're Going

Chapter 4, Once Upon a Time

Dexter Speaks

Sometimes I think Wednesdays are just as bad as Mondays. The middle of the week is torturous, but not as torturous as waking up to find Ms. Sociopath fast asleep on my couch with half a bottle of Jack Daniel's clenched to her chest.

I keep wondering how she manages to guzzle so much liquor in a short amount of time and not have liver failure. Maybe she does, but with the way she acts, not likely.

"Don't worry about her. It helps her relax." I turned around to see Mehnit pouring herself a glass of orange juice. Deb should take lessons.

"Oh...really?"

She nodded and gave me a half hearted smile. "It's her way to escape this life. Rather foolish if you ask me, but whatever works for her I suppose."

"Yeah...whatever works." Hers is drinking and mine is...killing. They go hand in hand it seems.

Mehnit shrugged and took a sip from the glass before setting it down on the counter. "Hey, um, Morgan? I've got some business to attend to, d'you think you can cover up my absence with LaGuerta? I have a feeling she doesn't like me...."

"Sure...LaGuerta doesn't really like others, but I think you've more to worry about with Doakes," I replied, attempting a jest with her. My pathetic attempt went up in smoke as she have a phoneysmile.

"Heh...yeah...more to worry about with Doakes..." she replied in a way that was all too similar to my own. She gave a forced laugh and set down her glass of barely drunken juice.

I knew full well what it's like to force an emotion even though you're feeling the opposite. I can't quite blame here. Within the course of this week, there have been more discrepancies between the two of them than ones with me.

"Nnn...why? What'd he do now?" I asked, unable to stop myself. I should keep playing the reliable Dexter. What better a way to get to know someone with so many dark secrets than being nice?

Mehnit sighed and leaned against the bar. She looked stressed, far more stressed then moments ago.

"C'mon...you can tell me."

She smiled faintly. "I caught him tailing me the other night. No matter where I turned, he turned. He stayed about a car's length behind me, but I knew it was him. He's become my shadow."

I looked over as Ms. Sociopath lightly snorted in her sleep, the bottle of Jack Daniel's falling from her arms.

"Did you report this to LaGuerta?"

"No...she's on his side. She'd probably start suspecting me of something if I did tattle on Doakes," she paused and looked to me. "Dexter, I don't know what to do. I know I should have gone to LaGuerta about it, but he's always been in the way. Every time I get near him, he shoves me off."

Come to think of it, I remember her constant attempts to speak with someone about his harassment and he's always conveintly blocking her way. Part of me is relieved that Doakes is taking a break with tormenting me, but it fuels for the loathing that he's now picked an innocent as a target.

"If things end up getting really bad, just come and hang with us lab geeks. Doakes doesn't bother to go back by us. I think it's Masuka, personally, who keeps Doakes at bay. It all else fails, go to Deb. She can hold her own."

She smiled and I guess I was glad that I managed to cheer her up a little.

"Thanks Dexter. This means a lot to me," she replied and hugged me fiercely. My eyes widened as she kissed me. It wasn't demanding or anything, just a light kiss. I was frozen.

"Uh...no problem," I stammered, guessing my eyes were wide.

She gave me another smile and left my apartment.

Mehnit Nashoba. She never ceases to surprise me. Never before has she called me 'Dexter' before. It's always been 'Morgan', which I'm fine with. The sudden change...baffled me. From a distance, she's open with people she considers friends and family but keeps her self detached from any others.

She kissed me. Rita kisses me all the time and sometimes Deb gives me a kiss on the cheek, but Mehnit.... Not only did she kiss me on the mouth, but she also hugged me. The only other time I've seen her hug someone was my sister Deb one evening.

Dexter narrowed his eyes as he thought of what had happened and hardly noticed the rousing Tala Nashoba.

"You look surprised, Morgan, what is it?" she asked from where she sat on the couch. Her cold eyes as keen as ever, showing no sign of a hang over.

"Huh? Nothing..." he lied and looked over to Tala.

Her eyes narrowed as she stood up, closing the distance between herself and Dexter in a few dangerous steps. She roughly grabbed the collar of his button down shirt and pressed him against the refrigerator, using all of her body weight to keep him pinned.

"Stay away from my daughter. I know men like you and you can do no good for her. If you even think about getting close to her, I will kill you," Nashoba growled, her teeth clenched.

Dexter gripped her wrists tightly, glaring back. He shoved her away from him and straightened his shirt. He remained silent, content with staring Tala down. He had no intention of starting anything with Mehnit. He had Rita and that was good enough.

A beaten up Jeep pulled off the main freeway onto a gravel road, pulling up to an old run down building. A darkly clothed form exited the car and walked up the short driveway before unlocking the door.

Inside, the building was covered with about an inch of dust varying from sawdust to dirt particles brought in from the elements. Over head the lights flickered, humming just slightly. A hunched over form sat in a chair in a dimly lit corner, a blind fold tightly wrapped about the person's eyes.

The darkly clothed form stopped right before the restrained victim.

"Please...don't kill me...." said the dark form's captive."I'll give you anything! Everything I have! But please! Let me go!"

A cruel smirk pulled at the DarkMan's mouth, a hand pulling forth a long blade. "Pathetic," the DarkMan sneered and struck the victim across the cheek with the flat side of the blade. "Begging for your life will do nothing, but I'll make you a deal. Do you feel like making a deal with me?"

The victim shook their head, their entire body shaking with fear. They cried out in pain as they were dealt another sharp blow to the face.

"Of course you do!" sang the DarkMan, laughing now. The DarkMan kicked over the chair, intent on watching the victim squirm in an attempt to regain balance. The loud clatter of the wooden chair falling backwards almost didn't exist.

"Please! Let me go-ah!" cried the DarkMan's prisoner, struggling as their captor put a heavy foot on their chest.

"Not yet," the DarkMan whispered smoothly. The DarkMan leaned against the foot placed on their toy's chest and smirked again. "You, my dear friend, are going to tell me everything you know about a man named Leso Varen."

At the mention of Leso Varen, the victim stilled, mouth agape.

The DarkMan grinned.

"Wh-What do you-ah!-need to know about Varen?" The victim flinched as the DarkMan's cold laughter reverberated inside of the empty building.

"As much as you can," replied the DarkMan and backed off of the victim. "And if I believe you, I will set you free."

A pause. "How will you know if I'm speaking the truth or not?"

"Oh, well that's the fun part."

A few hours later, the entire Nashoba family arrived at Miami Metro late. All three clambered out of the car and up to the elevator. Once inside the homicide department, LaGuerta looked furious.

A new body was found.

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AHA! An update! Sorry it took me so long. I've been hacking away at them but I haven't ever had time to post them. It's Winter break now so I should have more time! I'm currently working on chapter 5!! Yay?