Chapter 7 - Tea and Messages
~15 years later~
*Ding*
"You have a message." An electronic voice announced proudly out into the dark apartment.
I groaned, rolling over on the bed to slam the laptop close.
"Shut it."
Despite the laptop being closed, it continued to ding loudly in the dark apartment, not willing to be ignored.
"Up and at 'em, Eve."
This time a different voice spoke from the closed laptop - a young male's. A very annoying young male who wouldn't let me sleep.
"Five more minutes." I grumbled under my breath as I rolled back over and away from the annoying sentient laptop.
"No can do. It's time to get to work."
"Fine. Fine." I spoke exasperatedly, throwing the blankets off and stretching. Several vertebrae along my spine popped and I rubbed the sleep from my face.
"Finally!" The laptop spoke. "So we just got a request in for -"
I hushed the laptop, pushing it away from the bed with a foot as I stood.
"Tea first." I said, smacking my lips.
Sore grumbling could be heard emanating from the laptop as I made my way over to the small kitchen, pouring myself a cup of water and placing it in the microwave. I watched it revolve around, the warm yellow light coming from the microwave the only source of light in my small one bedroom apartment. The curtains to the sliding glass door balcony were pulled closed, and they were light blocking - special order.
The microwave gave a cheerful ding and I pulled out my warm cup of water.
"Any day now, princess." The laptop chirped up.
I ignored it, pulling out a tea bag from the cupboard and dunking it into the water. The aroma that came off the mug was soothing and invigorating at the same time. I brought the mug to my lips and breathed in deeply, savoring it before taking tentative first sips.
"Ahh." I gave a delightful exhale.
"Now that we've had our leaf-juice, can we start?"
I retrieved the laptop and opened it on the bed. The camera that had come with it was covered up by several layers of tape.
"What did you wake me up for?" I spoke in between sips, letting the warmth of the mug seep into my palms. "Good morning, by the way."
The male voice sighed, as if this was an obstacle that he had to overcome daily.
"You mean good afternoon, sunshine." The male voice chided, but continued anyway, "You've received a request to find a missing girl, age four. Her parents reported her missing this morning when she didn't turn up at school. It is assumed that she was taken and the police and heroes have been called in to find her. So far no luck."
"If heroes are already on the case, then why did the parents contact me?" I frowned.
"They didn't. The little girl's older brother put in the request."
"How does a kid know about what I do?" I asked suspiciously. "And how did he know how to contact me?"
There was nothing but silence from the laptop.
"Ivan?" I lifted an eyebrow accusingly at the device.
"I may, or may not have been monitoring police channels." Ivan admitted sheepishly. "The parents had already called the police and heroes, and so far there's been no sighting of the little girl. It's like she just up and vanished into thin air on her way to school. Her brother was with her, but he didn't see anything. Considering the circumstances, I thought this was a job perfect for your particular expertise."
"So you so graciously offered my services, right?"
"I may or may not have sent the brother an anonymous and untraceable text message to his phone explaining what we do, and he accepted. The kid feels guilty for letting his little sister get kidnapped when he never even noticed."
"Playing on a child's guilt. For shame, Ivan." I tisked.
"Hey, what's done is done. There's a child missing, so time to get a move on. Time's awasting."
"Fine." I groaned loudly, "Send me over the details."
A pop up opened up on the laptop screen showing me a map of the girl's house, her face, and live video feeds of the streets in her town.
"You'll need to travel for this job, Eve." Ivan spoke. "I'll reserve a room for you to stay the night considering how late it is." He accentuated the word, driving the point home at just how much I slept in.
"You've made your point." I growled.
"Good, cause I've already booked you in. Sending details to your phone."
I drank the last of my tea and glanced out towards the drawn curtains. With the lack of light in my apartment I couldn't even tell what time of day it was outside.
"Ivan." I said out into the darkness, "Since you started all of this and woke me up from a perfectly fine dream, I'll leave it to you to tell the kid the usual procedure for this kind of thing. But also tell him to keep quiet on this. Don't need heroes or police on my ass."
Ivan chuckled. "Don't worry. I'll monitor his cellphone and computer."
"You know that's creepy, right?" I cringed, now looking at the several layers of tape over the laptop's - hopefully only - camera. I had found out the hard way when Ivan and I first met that there was no such thing as privacy in this digital age. Especially not when it came to Ivan.
"One person's creepy, is another person's vigilance." Ivan replied. "Now get moving, or you'll miss your train."
"Yes, sir." I stuck my tongue out at the laptop.
"I saw that."
Immediately I slammed the laptop closed, banishing it under the covers of the bed.
"I'll talk to you tomorrow then, Ghosty. Safe travels and happy hunting!" Ivan's muffled voice came from under the blankets before going silent.
I sighed and got off the bed. Whenever I talked to Ivan I always wondered where exactly the cameras were hiding, but I could never find a single one. How Ivan and I met was definitely not through traditional means. I had arrived home one day to find a package on my doorstep containing a single laptop. Normally I would have thought that the delivery guy had mistaken my apartment for the intended recipient - that was until the laptop started talking to me on its own, spouting off details of my life that no one had business knowing. I honestly thought that the people who had held me at the auction house had somehow tracked me down and wanted revenge. It was enough to freak me out and send me packing. But wherever I went, no matter how many times I moved apartments, or changed my identity, there was always a package on my doorstep the next day. Ivan eventually wore me down and we had our little chat through the laptop - one in which I threatened to drag his soul from his body if he ever tried to reveal my identity to the world. He had laughed at that.
Ivan was a persistent bastard - borderline stalker for sure, but he was one of the good ones I came to find. He only wanted to help.
For a long time I had been searching for any sign of Natsu, and soon I had attracted unwanted attention by being an urban legend of sorts. News about a female ghost popping up across Japan, taking down criminals that thought they were safe behind their bodyguards and high walls before vanishing into thin air had spread fast on the web and I soon found myself being hunted by both criminals and heroes alike instead of me doing the hunting. It was at this point that Ivan found me and erased my presence from the web, or at the very least controlled it enough that I wasn't constantly looking over my shoulder. He kept the heroes and police from discovering me by feeding them misinformation and controlling the information that got out on the web. When I had asked him one time how he was able to do what he did, all he said was that he was very intimate with all forms of digital technology - his words, not mine. Whatever that meant.
It was also because of Ivan that I even had a steady source of income that let me lead a comfortable life. He had set up a forum on the dark web where paying private citizens could reach out and request for my particular skill set - all managed and background checked by Ivan of course. I had become known for being an excellent tracker, a person to turn to when all other paths failed. I would say about eighty percent of the requests that came in on the forum dealt with a missing person, while the other twenty percent was a mish mash of invading criminal undergrounds, information retrieval, and the odd hospital visit for coma patient revival as long as the person wasn't braindead.
Ivan kept me reasonably busy. But he was also well aware of the limitations and drawbacks of my quirk. Which is why he had checked me into a hotel for tonight and also why I had to travel to the area where the little girl went missing. While I was certainly powerful in my spirit form, my range was limited to a 20 km radius around my body. So case in point, I had to lug my body close to the site just to get started. It would have been nice to leave my body here in my nice cozy apartment, to be able to fly off the balcony and travel as far as I needed to. But no. Even I had limits that I had to adhere to.
I glanced over to the clock on the wall. It read 2:39 in the afternoon. I had to pick up the pace and get ready to leave, or I would certainly miss my train and my connecting line. But first a shower was desperately needed.
The cool tiles under my bare feet sent goosebumps up my calves as I entered the small bathroom. Turning on the shower tap, I waited for it to come up to temperature as I pulled off the sweat pants and loose black t-shirt. The mirror reflected my now 22 year-old body back at me. I had grown significantly since those days at the orphanage. No longer the awkward lanky girl, but a full grown woman and all that entailed. I would even say that I was pretty in the right light if not for the permanent bags under my deep violet eyes and the unkempt silver hair that stretched down to my lower back that looked like it had never been introduced to a comb. The frequent use of my quirk meant that my body was often immobile for long periods of time, and therefore my physique suffered significantly. I would not be running any marathons any time soon, but I could do what was required of me in short takes. A few long hikes out into the wilderness to reach hidden criminal hideouts had ensured that some muscles got used at least. All of this combined had made me utterly unnoticeable and unrememberable.
I turned away from my reflection in the mirror then, and stepped under the running warm water, running my fingers over my skin. Working quickly, I scrubbed my body and lingered under the pure bliss that only warm running water could give. But time was wasting, and I needed to go. Grabbing the towel from the rack, I dried and gathered my wet hair up into a high ponytail knowing that it would be dry by the time I reached the train station. I was not one to spend time on my appearance, and I had no one who I wanted to make an effort for. I led a single life, and that suited me just fine.
Flying around the apartment, I dressed quickly while tossing some clothes into an overnight bag before grabbing my cell phone, dawning my sunglasses, and exiting the dark apartment. It locked behind me with a secured and heavy clang. It certainly wasn't builder-grade. Ivan had installed security measures at some point - without my prior consent or knowledge, but I was grateful to the bastard just the same. It was nice knowing that my possessions - and my body - would be safe from theft and break ins. How he did it though without me seeing him still remained an irksome mystery. In all of our years of working together I had never even seen the stalker's face.
I reached the station just in time and boarded my train. Thankfully today I had my choice of seating as it wasn't rush hour just yet with employees and students making their way home. I dropped my bag into an empty seat and sat next to it, watching the city pass by from behind my shades at high speeds. My phone suddenly buzzed within my hand and I glanced down at it, swiping down to unlock it. The little girl's image and address popped up on the screen along with a message from Ivan.
Still hasn't been found. More heroes and police have been called in for the search. Have fun!
I scoffed at his last bit. Sometimes he was just downright too energetic for me. Though the new information he gave me caused me to frown. With increased hero and police presence, things could be more difficult. While I was confident in my abilities to evade and hide, remaining undetected was another matter. It wasn't often, but there were people with the sight out there that could see my soul even if I was invisible. These encounters were rare, and nothing really bad came of them. If anything the people were curious more than anything. And thankfully none of them had been heroes or criminals. But these encounters did make their way onto the internet through hearsay, giving fuel to the urban legend that was the Ghost. Ivan was quick to scour the internet of these, but every now again there was a murmur on the web that the Ghost had been seen here, or had been seen there. True or not, I still had to be careful.
With each station, the car slowly began to fill with more passengers. Some were students skipping the last class of the day to head to the arcade, others were mothers doing a final round of grocery shopping before making their way back home in time to make dinner. And of course there was the occasional sidekick that got on, traveling probably to somewhere important to complete some sort of mission. You rarely saw a Pro Hero on the mass transportation system - at least not in costume.
My stop had finally come and I got off, switching lines to take me to my final destination. The train was heading out of the city to the suburbs that surrounded it. Apartments and high-rises gave way to smaller towns and large houses with green yards. If I squinted hard enough, I could even make out the ocean far off in the distance. I didn't mind being out here. It felt lighter - I felt lighter - than being in the city. Far too many people were crammed in there. Far too many souls for my eyes to see and comprehend.
But the city was a necessary evil for me to tolerate. I could get to places faster if I lived in the city. Plus, with more people about, it was harder to pick me out of a crowd. Safety in numbers after all.
The hour ticked by slowly, and my stomach grumbled in hunger. I had foregone both breakfast and lunch by sleeping through both and didn't have time to eat anything before heading out. My insides voiced their ministrations at my neglect once more as I clamped a hand over my midsection in effort to quiet it down.
"I'll feed you when I get there." I grumbled more to myself than anyone. I hoped the hotel Ivan had booked for me had room service.
It was an hour later when I finally arrived at my destination. The sun was hanging low in the sky, signaling nightfall was not far behind. Stepping out from the station I saw several news crews and television vans. The town square was active despite the late hour - no doubt due to the sudden interest of the case of the missing little girl.
I took in the area around me. The place looked like one of those tourist towns you find in travel brochures. It was a place where everyone knew everyone. Hard to imagine anyone kidnapping a young girl all the way out here. It would have been immediately noticed. Not very smart of whoever took the girl.
My phone pinged in my pocket and I fished it out. The map was drawn up on its surface showing where I was and a line directing me where to go.
"Ivan." I sighed internally. It was annoying just how much influence he had around me. But even I knew that I would be lost without his help.
With the evening sun slowly setting behind the trees I didn't have time to sightsee as I needed to find my way to where I would be staying for the night. Several streets later and a trip down a back alley my phone buzzed in confirmation.
"You have arrived." My phone announced in my hand. I paused and looked up from my phone to a pathway that led off to my left to a large traditional Japanese house. A garden sat out front with tiny little lights lit along the path, inviting visitors forwards and inside. It was a bed and breakfast, I surmised.
I made my way down the path, knocking lightly on the screen door and calling out before stepping inside. I closed the sliding door behind, dearly hoping I was in the right place and had not just entered a person's home unannounced. I didn't see anyone at first glance, but I did see several souls nearby.
"Um, hello?" I called out down the corridor.
"Oh, welcome!" An older lady in her fifties popped her head around the corner, quickly shuffling into view. "Are you Ms. Evelyn? We've been told to expect you."
I nodded at the name. Ivan often used it since it was close to my real name.
"Please follow me." She smiled at my confirmation, turning and proceeding over to a reception desk. She brought out a large book from under the counter and started flipping through it.
"Ah, yes. Ms. Evelyn I have you down for a one room and one night stay." The older woman flipped through her guestbook, stopping on a page and sliding her finger down the list, "You're all paid up for your stay with us. We've also had the cook prepare your evening meal per your specifications. You'll find it in your room when you arrive."
"Meal?" I questioned, instantly curious. My stomach had heard the word and had started up the war inside of me again.
"Yes," the receptionist responded with a smile, "Your service called head and scheduled a meal to be delivered to your room upon arrival."
"Bless you, Ivan." I sent up a quick thank you to my stalker partner.
"Thank you very much, ma'am." I gave her a quick smile and shifted the heavy bag on my shoulder - a subtle hint that I was tired.
"Please follow me. This way." She led me down the hallway and passed by an inner courtyard with a small fountain at its center. The place was actually beautiful. If I didn't have things to do, I might have actually wanted to stay longer.
We stopped before a sliding screen and the woman reached across, opening it and beckoning me to enter.
"Your room, miss." She gave a short bow and I entered.
Immediately my eyes - and stomach - zeroed in on the covered bowl on the low table that sat in the middle of the space. My dinner awaited.
I gave a look around the place for show, and gave the lady another smile to say that it was acceptable. Honestly, I wouldn't be able to enjoy it enough anyways to appreciate it, but I had to act the part of being a tourist.
"It's lovely. Thank you." I dropped my bag to the ground with a resounding thunk.
She thankfully picked up on the hint.
"Have a wonderful evening. If you need anything, please call us using the service phone." She pointed to the landline that sat on the entryway table console.
"I will. Thank you."
She gave a final bow and slid the screen door shut. I breathed a sigh of relief and instantly relaxed, the smile dropping from my face as soon as she was gone. My fingers massaged my strained cheek muscles as I dropped myself in front of the table and my meal. Lifting up the cover from the tray I breathed in the savory aroma of ramen noodles and dug in without want or care for manners. I slurped down the last remnants of my meal, silently thanking Ivan for the foresight I lacked and set the bowl back down.
Now that my stomach had been pacified, it was time to tend to the other matter - the reason for being dragged out here in the first place. A quick search of the room and I found the sleeping futon, dragging it into the center of the room while shoving the table off to the side. I unfurled it on the ground and turned off the lights in the room.
I flipped out my phone one last time to look at the little girl's face, memorizing her details for later.
"Right," I turned the phone screen back to black before turning to the futon, "Time to get tracking."