New York at night was a sparkling place of bright lights, especially as we passed the framed broadway avenue. There was an impressive display of neon signs and lights that were on a bunch of screens. Most showing ads for things like movies and plays that were coming up and now I had a bunch of other things to add to my already long list of places to visit when I finished. The streets were somehow even more busy now than they were before. People were heading to bars nearby, I think their basketball team was playing tonight or something. Skimpy clad women and men were waiting outside in long lines for clubs; the thud of the bass could be heard even through the thick doors that closed people off. New York was almost a different world from Atlanta, there were no peaceful nights it seemed, it seemed like this city had no idea what sleep was.
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Mr. Benny pulled into a parking spot nearby, and dropped me off outside of the restaurant she was supposed to be at. He walked around to my side of the door and helped me out of the car. “I will be just across the street,” he pointed towards a bar that was sitting cozily on the corner.
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“Getting drunk tonight?” I lightly teased the man.
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Mr. Benny let out a small chuckle before saying. “You do not need to get drunk to go to a bar, my lady.” He looked at me for a moment before bending down, before I could ask what he was doing he pulled my newly bought scarf up over my neck instead of hanging loosely over my shoulders. “Much better, we are gonna get you an instruction manual or something. Perhaps dressing warmly for dummies?”
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I swatted him on the arm, my cheeks flushing a bit, but that did manage to get a giggle from me. “Leave me alone already, Mr. Benny.” The man gave me a wave before climbing back into our SUV and a second later he pulled out into the evening traffic. I took a deep breath allowing this chilly air to spread throughout my body, the city smelled cold and dirty for some reason, the air cold and metallic. I looked up at the restaurant trying to make sure I was in the right place. “The Capital Grille.” I stepped inside and I was greeted by a much more appealing aroma of roses and sweet scents. It looked like a pretty fancy place, the walls were velvet red and the tables were covered with spotless white tablecloths that seemed even whiter thanks to the walls. Paintings hung around the restaurants protected by golden picture frames, and the entire place was covered in a dim light. As I walked to the register a handsome man looked down at me, a glimmer of curiosity in his bright eyes. “Did you get lost, young lady?”
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I held back the urge to snap at him before politely saying. “No sir, I am here to meet someone.”
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“And do you have the name? Or perhaps a table saved in advance?” My brain seemed to stop working for a moment as the realization that I didn’t even know who I was supposed to be meeting.
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“Ivy Oren?”
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We both turned our head as a mysterious voice called out my name breaking the brief silence that had overcome this restaurant. The voice was coming from an absolutely beautiful women. Despite the uncomfortable heels I was wearing, she was still a good eight inches taller than me. She was not dressed nearly as good as the other paterons, as she was in a tight business suit that seemed to hug her body in the best angles. Her eyes were an odd looking dark yellow almost like that of the sun, her hair was long and a lovely brown color. Her face was shaped like a heart that ended in the gentle point of her chin. Around her was the very faint outline of lemon yellow aura, she was a jepei user and I was ninety perfect sure she was my client.
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“Whitney Dawnbreaker, do you know this young lady?” The man asked.
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She smiled at him and then at me showing off a pair of pearly white teeth. “Of course I do, she is my dear niece.”
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The Oren had a few codes we used to indicate if they were our hirers, in my case as I was younger than 16, that code was my clients claiming I was either their nieces or youngest cousin. Now knowing that this was hirer, I gripped the edges of my flowing white skirt and gave her a passable curtsey. “Aunty Dawnbreaker, my mother has told me all about you, and I am grateful that you invited me to stay with you.”
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“Such a respectful young lady, my sister has taught you well.” Whitney beckoned me over with a finger. “Simon you may send someone to serve now, I believe I am ready to eat.”
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“Y-Yes ma’am.”
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As I followed this woman, I couldn’t help but notice how every time we passed someone they seemed to grow nervous or scoot their chair a bit to make room for her. She took me to a table in the far back of the room, almost as if it had been isolated from the rest of the restaurant. There was already a server filling up her glass with a thick red liquid. Resting on one of the chairs, its head slowly bobbing back and forth as if studying me, was a large yellow raven. She kindly pulled a chair out for me before taking her seat, she folded up her laptop and set it in a backpack she had brought with her. Once I was seated she finally spoke to me again. “I am happy to see that you came so quickly my dear. I thought I would be sitting in this spot for another few days.”
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“It is my first trip to New York, I was excited to come and see the city.” I said.
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“As an Oren you are from Atlanta, Georgia correct?” I gave a hesitant nod towards her. “The youngest of the clan if I am not mistaken? Unless you mother has had another child that I was not aware of?”
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“And what exactly are you aware of when it comes to my family?”
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“I am simply aware of what I need to be aware of. The Oren’s head branch has four daughters they send on their missions. Wisteria aged 21, the twins Poppy and Zinnie aged 17 and finally the youngest daughter.” She pointed one of her lanky fingers my way. “You, Miss Ivy Oren, see I am very careful with whom I deal business with and knowing that Oren take secrets to grave with them makes you the perfect family to work with. As well as your very high success rate.”
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“I am very happy our work has reached your ears, and I am very happy that you saw fit to do your own research on my family.” I said taking a page out of Zinnie’s book to fake my politeness. In reality I was livid that this woman seemed to know so much about my family, even if it is just basic information. “Most don’t and just assume we are mindless killing machines.”
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“Aren’t you?” Whitney questioned.
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A small tinge of annoyance started to run up my spine. “We are not mindless monsters, you would know that if you truly did your research like you claim.”
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“You have issues holding your tongue don’t you, Ivy Oren?”
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“Ivy is fine, or if you want to be respectful, Lady Ivy.” I corrected it.
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“Alright, Ivy,” she reached into her bag and retrieved a large file. “Now onto business, I have contracted you to handle a little torn that has been stuck in my side for a few months now. Her name is Ori Oikawa, and I request that you bring her back to me dead or alive, alive if possible.”
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She placed the file down in front of me, as I opened the file. The contract in front of me was much like the ones Zinnie kept in her room as trophies. However the price was much higher than anything she had received when she was my age. “You are offering me 750 thousand dollars for me to bring her to you dead and one million for her being brought back alive?” I questioned trying to hide the excitement threatening to spill over me.
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“Yes I am.” She replied simply before placing a briefcase on the table. “Inside this case is 300,000 dollars in cash. You will receive the rest upon completion. See it as a show of good faith.”
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My eyes snapped onto the briefcase before me, my fingers so desperately wanting to reach out and grab the handle. However, I had to restrain myself, I didn’t want to look like such a child in front of this woman. “A bit unorthodox but I have nothing against these terms, but may I ask you one question?”
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“You can ask me whatever you want to better confirm the details if you need them.” She took a long sip of her wine before adding. “Though I should warn you in advance my dear that I do not know where she is currently hiding. The last time someone tried to tail her, they came back missing an arm.”
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“No ma’am that wasn’t my question. Why are you going through so much to find a little girl? What trouble has she caused that someone as strong as you, or with access to such resources could need help from me?”
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Her calm expression briefly turned into a look of rage, it took another long sip of wine to bring her gentle expression back. “Let’s just say that she has something of mine that I want back. A certain prize that has taken me and my team years to find, something that she doesn’t deserve to have. Something that…”
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She suddenly trailed off for a moment, “something that,” I said trying to coax an answer from her. My hirer didn’t respond and I knew why. One of the servers came and asked if we were ready to order. “Filet Medium Rare please,” I ordered without looking at the menu.
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Once my employer finished ordering her meal, some kind of salmon dish, I tried to get her to finish her earlier sentence. Yet she shrugged it off as if I had said nothing, instead changing the subject. “I suggest that you do not underestimate this young lady, she is quite skilled in her own right. Perhaps she can give you a challenge that you Oren seem so fascinated in getting.”
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“Not all of the Oren are interested in fighting hard battles.” I corrected, allowing a small frown to creep across my face.
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“I did not mean to insinuate things like that.” said Whitney, a small hint of apology in her words. “Tell me, young lady, can you truly deny that you aren’t looking forward to fighting a girl like this?”
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“I am excited to finish this mission and hopefully have your support to hire me or my sisters for future missions.” I answered quickly.
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“Complete this mission and I promise I will spread your name to people who have not heard it.” She reached one of her lanky hands over the table and offered it to me to shake. “Complete this mission for me and I will personally hire you for any and all trouble that might come my way. Let’s make this the start of an absolutely beautiful relationship. Shall we, Lady Ivy?” As soon as I felt her fingers embrace mine, it felt like I had just made a deal, a deal with a true devil.
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As we waited for our dinner to arrive, I spoke politely and listened patiently to everything she told me. It was such a stark difference from any other meeting I had had up to this point. She was very smart and unnaturally wise, she had the same poster and manners that my mother had. Unlike other clients back home, she never once talked down to me and listened to my tales like how a mother would listen to her kids. Her ravan sat patiently and silent during all of this, though its yellow voids for eyes never left me. It seemed to be studying me but I didn’t know why. During our idle chats she informed me that she basically owned every museum in New York. She even had a few relics that she kept in her more private section that only the true elite could come and see. As she said that, she asked me. “Are you interested in History, Lady Ivy?”
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“Both yes and no, if I am being honest.” I answered carefully, cutting a piece of my newly arrived steak. “Most of the history I am interested in no one seems to have answers for?”
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“Such as?”
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“I wanna know more about the world that we live in, there are hundreds upon thousands of theories of how the earth was made, how some came into contact with jepei energy. Maybe I am not interested in history, as I am interested in finding the truth.”
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“What is the biggest truth you are looking for?” She asked. “The history of the world? Or is there a certain mystery that you are looking for?”
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I swallowed the piece of meat in my mouth enjoying the juicy taste for a few moments before saying. “Nothing in particular, perhaps my family maybe, there are a lot of things that are missing if I am being honest?”
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“Such as?”
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“Or odd hatred towards the god of israel.” I answered honestly.
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Whitney Dawnbreaker smiled for a moment, a look of intrigue flooding over her eyes. “Aw, The God of Israel, Jehovah Jireh, The Great I Am. The god of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. He goes by a lot of names but I believe right now those that believe in him call him father or abba. That has interested me as well, there are those that hate him in this world, him and his prized son. However, you Oren have a closer relationship to them don’t you? I believe the last living people that came into contact with his powerful hand? How does that story go again?”
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“The first line of the Oren came from Japan to Africa during the first great war. We dwelt there for nearly a hundred years, slowly but surely taking territory with our great ability. One of our first leaders heard rumors that the slaves of Egypt had been taken away, taken by the true God of the world. That they had been wandering in the wilderness for nearly 40 years afterwards. The day soon came when they came over the Jordan river and conquered the five great kings of the time. The Oren, seeing a powerful ally, wanted to make an alliance with them, but their God hated us for our late worship of the great serpent and our animal spirits being serpents. So he set his people after us and they killed most of the first clan, with only 20 escaping to return to Japan.”
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Once I finished my explanation. I didn’t even notice that she had taken out a small notebook and was writing down every word. Once she finished writing she picked the book up and slipped into a small pocket inside of her suit. “Interesting, and what is untruthful that makes you not believe the story?”
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“Because I don’t believe in God.” Those words seemed to echo in the air for a while, I could feel a few eyes lock onto me from a nearby table.
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“How come?”
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“Because I just don’t,” I said. “I refuse to believe that some mythical man in the heavens is just watching from above and doing nothing.”
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“I believe the God of Israel is doing much more than just sitting and doing nothing.” Whitney Dawnbreaker said. “I believe there is an old book that we have translated into numerous languages that explains what he was doing. The covenant he made with the people of Israel, their judges and kings.”
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“Aren’t you supposed to be an historian?” I asked suddenly. “You have access to probably more ancient books and scrolls that have better explanations for the world than some thousand year old book made up of other scrolls.”
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“Other scrolls that align within 96% accuracy of each other.” She countered, sensing my growing frustration, she added. “Lady Ivy, I am not here to debate the existence of God with you. I have my beliefs and you have yours.”
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“What do you believe?”
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“I believe that there is a God, a God that goes by many names and has gifted certain people with special gifts. A God who choose to give his son for the entire world, the bible has answers and so many more questions on what makes us who we are and why.” As she spoke, I couldn’t help but notice that odd look in her eyes. “If you do not belief in him, than you do not hate him?”
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“I do hate him.”
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“How can you hate someone you don’t belief in?” She countered and much like playing chess, I felt like I was currently in check.
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“Because let’s say there is a chance I might be wrong, than I hate all the more reason to hate the person that is responsibly for the near genocide of my entire bloodline.” I said through gritted teeth trying not to cause too much of a scene in this restaurant. “Can we please just drop this subject.”
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“As you wish, though, I quite enjoy speaking on this subject.” Whitney said, looking from me to her half eaten salmon. “Tell me something, Lady Ivy.” She paused waiting for the noise in the restaurant to grow a bit louder. “Do you enjoy killing your prey?”
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“I try to make it painless.”
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“That wasn’t my question.”
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“And I don’t want to answer.” I responded rudely.
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Her eyebrow raised in an annoyed fashion but quickly settled down. “Fair enough, I suppose I wouldn’t response to such a question either.” She took out her cellphone, I think the newest model of Iphone and looked at the time. “Lady Ivy, would you care to come somewhere with me? There is something I would like to show you.”
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“Is it interesting?”
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She gave me a small smirk. “I believe it will catch your eye in more ways than one.”
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I looked out of the window, through bright lights of the streets. I could see Mr. Benny carefully tailing us in his large black suv, wherever we turned he turned, if someone tried to get between this limo and us. He was quick to get them to move out of his way, I probably should have texted him that I was going somewhere with this woman. The inside of this limo was a dark red color with matching dimmed lights. The seats were a bit to warm for me and I had to keep moving my bare legs around to they would stop burning them. I had a feeling she was enjoying my squirming since she ignored my requests to turn the heated seats off. She was sitting across from me slowly swirling a glass of wine in her right hand and reading a book in her left. We had been driving for a few minutes and finally we pulled into a parking spot. She reached across from her and threw a scarlet red coat with white ruffles over her shoulders before opening her door and beckon me to follow her.
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The cold air slammed into my chest sending a terrible chill running through my body. Standing outside with a not so happy look on his face was Mr. Benny, his long black coat hid most of his strong body and to some he might look just really tall. “Lady Ivy, please inform me when you are going somewhere. If I hadn’t looked out of the bar when I did I would have missed you.”
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“I can handle myself, Mr. Benny.” I said moving forward to use his large body as a shield from the wind. “Besides, I couldn’t say no to a client especially if she wants to show me something.”
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“I am guessing this is one of the famous butlers that follow your family like armor bearers.” Whitney's voice was as crisp as the cool wind, she was already walking up the steps to the museum she had taken me. “Shall we make proper introductions inside or will you have him stay and wait in the lobby?”
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Mr. Benny looked towards my client then back down at me. “I will wait outside, I was never a fan of museums.” He kneeled down in front of me and fixed a few buttons on my coat and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Watch your words with this woman, even more than you have been. There is something about her I don’t trust.”
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“I will take your judgment into consideration, Mr. Benny.” I gripped the edges of my dress and lifted it slightly so I could sprint up the stairs after her. She had just opened the door and slipped inside a few fingers holding the door up slightly so I could follow her. The door slammed closed behind us, the echo booming across the room.
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“Follow me, please.” Whitney said her hands clasped behind her back and a graceful sway to her step.
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She led me through the lobby towards a nearby elevator, it was a plain gray color. As we stepped inside, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a single key. She carefully took a button off the elevator revealing a secret keyhole, she slipped the key inside and after one strong twist. What I thought was just a simple wall behind her slowly rumbled to life before swinging open. “A silly place for your secret compartment?”
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“Not so silly when you are the only one with this key and this door could take a nuke and still stand strong.” She countered.
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I followed her out of the elevator and down a set of stairs, I counted 102 in total before we reached another door. Whitney slipped the same key inside of the door and swung it open, stepping aside as if to allow me entrance first. As I stepped inside the lights snapped on, probably motion detected, and I found myself in a small museum maybe as big as half a football field. We passed a few displays protected by thick looking glass, inside held weird objects such as cracked netrix crystals. A few stone tablets in a language I couldn’t read, broken swords, a very old looking book. “I am guessing this is your personal collection?”
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“Part of it, the really good stuff I keep in another section.” She lead me through the displays and came to a stop in front of a broken one. The case looking as if someone had sliced through it as cleanly as a butter through knife. Underneath the display in bright blue letters read, fragment of the netrix stone of the great serpent, the leviathan. “You asked me what she took from me and this is what she took.”
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My eyes grew wide in shock as I struggled to find the proper words. “You had a fragment of one of the three great beasts?” My mind began to travel as old legends of the three great beasts that were rumored to have created the world flooded through my mine. The Queen of the skies, The Phoenix, The King of the earth, The Behemoth, and The master of the seas, the Leviathan. “Why on earth do you have something like that and why does this girl want it?”
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Whitney Dawnbreaker looked at me with a small smirk spreading across her lips. “That is what I need you to figure out my dear, that is one of five fragments of that beast that is on the earth. Scattered across the world, I found that one while diving at the wreckage of a ship off the coast of Japan. Now why this little thorn has decided to stick in my side, I do not know. It is the reason why I would rather you bring her to me alive, though death is perfectly fine as well.”
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She beckoned me once more to follow her. We walked into a messy office space, a computer lighty humming in the background, books and papers spilling off the desk and forming two piles on either side of her desk. Thrown in the corner was a sleeping bag and pillow, the room smelled funky and as dirty as it looked. “Why are we here?” I asked carefully, stepping past a pile of clothes in the room.
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“Pardon the mess, Lady Ivy.” She said as she walked over to a large safe. “I have been sleeping in here recently, studying and learning trying to figure out the key to something very important, but I won’t bore you with those details.” The door of this safe swung open and inside were stacks upon stacks of money. “Bring me back the netrix gem she took from me and I will give you another 300,000 dollars in cash.”
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As if teasing me with a treat, she quickly closed the door before I could take a better look at my possible earnings. I quickly counted up all the money I could gain if I did everything right and it was more than a million dollars. I felt a sickening smile start to form across my face. “I will get you the girl alive or dead and that gemstone will return to you.”
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“I am very happy to hear that.” Whitney walked over to me, covering the distance with a few steps. She towered over me and in the dim light it almost seemed like a veil of shadows was covering her eyes. “Do this for me and I believe you and I will have a wonderful working relationship. I give you my word that you will be the only Oren I will hire if I need help with anything else.” She held her hand out to me, “normally we would sign a contact but I believe a firm handshake is just as good.”
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I looked at her hand for a moment and then back at her. “What happens if you break your word to me?”
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“Then you can have my hand.” She said without even a hint of worry. “I do not break my word with people, it is up to you whether or not you will trust it.” She stepped closer to me and on instinct I took a single step back. Something about her presence made me uneasy, it was the same feeling as if being caught in a web by a spider.
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I stood tall and proud as I reached out to take her hand in mine. “I believe we have a deal, Whitney Dawnbreaker.”
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“Excellent.” I hid a wince as her nails dug into my hand for a moment. “Now it is getting late, shall I escort you out?”
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“You aren’t gonna sleep here tonight?”
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She shook her head before placing a hand on my shoulder to monever me towards the door. “I promised that I would spend the rest of the evening with my children.”
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“You have children?”
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“Twins in fact, Carter and Chloe, perhaps if you have time you could maybe meet them. It is hard to find proper sparring partners and while training with each other is okay. Fighting against someone different is much more fun.” As we stepped out of her office, she locked the door behind her.
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“Are you much of a fighter
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“I can defend myself but my skills are more up here.” She tapped her forehead a few times with a more gentle smile on her face.
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Our trip back to the front doors of the empty museum was in silence. As we reached the front doors once again, she took the original suitcase she brought with her and gave it to me. “Now that is for you, the rest upon completion and much more on top of that. If you ever need me, come and find me.”
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That suitcase felt so heavy in my hand. I have her clumsy courtesy with my head bowed. “I will return to you with the success you are looking for. You have my word on that.”
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“I am glad I do, because I have no problems taking that suitcase right back.” She opened the door to me allowing the cold air to creep inside. “Goodnight, Lady Ivy and please have a good night's sleep.”
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As I stepped outside the doors slammed behind me with a loud bang. It seemed even colder now but that didn’t stop my heart racing with joy. I began to let out a loud joy filled laugh that echoed through the air. I gripped that suitcase against my chest and practically skipped down the steps back towards Mr. Benny. The old man was waiting by our car with a lit cigar, the horrible scent didn’t even bother me I was just too happy. Upon my arrival, Mr. Benny opened my car door and I jumped inside settling into my seat. The car rocked as he climbed into the driver’s seat. “What has you in such a good mood, Lady Ivy?”
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“So much good has happened today and I am gonna be a very rich little girl once this is done.”
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“How long are you gonna keep counting that money?” Mr. Benny asked me, breaking me out of the trance I was in.
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“Until I get sleepy,” I said with another laugh before throwing the last stack inside of the case and closing it. I laid back in my bed, my head bouncing slightly on the soft pillow. “I am three hundred thousand dollars richer. Perhaps I can use it to buy more winter clothes?”
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“I would hold onto that money if I was you, little girl.” Mr. Benny said his words a bit stern. “While she gave you that money up front in good faith. If you somehow fail then she will probably expect every last cent back.”
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“Do you not believe in me, Mr. Benny?” I asked, faking hurt.
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He looked over from his bed, his glasses were off and his hair now trapped underneath what I believe was called a drewrag. “Excuse me for being so blunt, my lady, but you have not shown me anything to put my faith in your skills just yet.”
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I felt a smirk spread across my face as I said. “We could always find somewhere and I could show you just how skilled I am.” Hoping he would accept my challenge for a little sparring.
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“I would rather not ruin that ego you are growing,” he said plainly. “Would you care for something to drink before I turn in for the night?”
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“Surprise me.”
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His bed creaked a bit as he walked into the small kitchen we had and after about 10 minutes he returned with two mugs with a steaming out liquid inside. “Have you ever had hot chocolate before?”
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“Not really,” I answered, taking the cup in my hands, enjoying the warmth coming off it for a few moments. I took a hesitant sip to not burn my tongue and the warm taste of dark chocolate filled my mouth. “It tastes good, Mr. Benny, thank you.”
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“No reason to thank me.” Mr. Benny sat down on the edge of my bed, his large hand gently patting at my leg. “So, what is your plan tomorrow?”
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“I have no idea,” I answered. “This city is huge and I have nowhere to even start my search.” Those words hit me like a ton of bricks, I never really thought about how I was gonna find her or if she was still even in the city. “Even worse she had a fragment of the leviathan in her hand, who knows what she can do with that.”
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“Hard to believe that someone actually found a piece of that ancient creature.” Mr. Benny said a slight tone of disbelief in his words. “Unlike other mystical animal spirits only three had their full powers split into five pieces. The Phoenix, Behemoth and Leviathan, all just children’s stories never really having an actually host.”
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“Some children’s stories are very true.”
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“That they are,” said Mr. Benny, a gentle smile creeping across his face. “I am not allowed to give wisdom on what you can do, but be a guide to help you think this through.”
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“That’s the problem, I see no reason why she wouldn’t try to leave the city. I doubt she has any money to buy a plane ticket and from the report I have she has been attacking Whitney Dawnbreaker for the last month or so. Causing trouble where she can, but why would she do that?” I asked trailing off to think for a few seconds. “She has a piece of one of the most powerful animal spirits in the world, so why stay around when the woman that wants it will kill you for it?”
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“People do things for many reasons, in case she probably has a very good one if it means risking her life for it.”
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“She would also need somewhere safe to stay, somewhere no one would look for her.” Out of curiosity I rolled out of my bed and back to the desk where I kept her file. Upon looking at her brief picture, I saw spilling out of her shirt was the christian cross, and that got me thinking. “Mr. Benny, I think I know where to look first, please wake me up at no later than 10:00 no matter how much I may whine about it.”
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“As you wish.”
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