by Juniper Hart
Is this happening, or am I in a weird dream? Aaron asked himself. There was a surreal quality about the scene, like a haze had overfallen the room with the arrival of the man.
The blond seemed confused that his request was not heeded. He leaned forward and reached into the single pocket of his red button-down shirt, producing a wad of money. Once more, the members of the flophouse drew inward, their eyes like saucers at the sight.
“I have currency,” the stranger proclaimed. “I will purchase for everyone. A treat.”
A gasp filled the room, and Aaron was at a loss for words.
“Come on, Dame,” Josh whispered urgently, licking his lips. “He’s got the money.”
Aaron’s mind was racing. Who is this guy? What the hell is he doing here? And why do I feel like I know him? Immediately, he was consumed with fear that this stranger was someone whom he had encountered in another undercover operation, but that idea did not sit right. Something was tickling his brain, something elusive yet terribly important. He became aware that everyone in the room was staring at him. He forced himself to focus on the man.
“What’s your name?” he demanded. The beautiful being smiled, and it was serene and lovely, a feeling of warmth emitting from the perfectly shaped mouth.
“Sylvester,” he answered. Aaron thought he caught wind of an accent, but he could not be certain.
“How did you come to be here, Sylvester?” he asked suspiciously. “Who told you to come here?”
“Who cares?” Josh muttered.
“Just give him what he wants, Damien. He’s treating,” Phil encouraged, scratching his arms and face like he had an allergic reaction. The man was experiencing withdrawal, and Aaron knew that he was about to get much worse with each passing minute. Reluctantly, Aaron pulled another bag of powder from his pants and threw it at the fair man on the ground.
“It’s going to cost you,” he warned Sylvester, but the visitor only smiled.
“Name your price.”
“A thousand dollars!” Phil barked out before Aaron could respond. The cop shot him a look but did not contradict his words. Instead, he watched Sylvester peel bills off the top of the stack and hand them to Aaron. He noticed that the stack barely diminished as the foreigner tucked it back into his shirt pocket.
“I believe this is sufficient,” he told Aaron. Aaron grudgingly accepted the cash and stepped back as Kelly, Phil, and Josh jumped toward the stash like vultures on a rabbit carcass. He shook his head sadly and turned away.
“Where are you going?” Josh asked, wrapping a rubber tube around his upper arm.
“I have somewhere I have to be,” he answered, suddenly feeling nauseous.
Despite his resolve to remain distant and objective, Aaron had developed a sad feeling of endearment toward these lost causes. He knew they were people with emotions and hopes just like him, but they were so far gone in their addiction, they were only shadows of their former selves. The mortals didn’t stand a chance against this issue, not like the Enchanted, who could bounce back and heal from these illnesses.
You have a job to do. You need to bring down Demir’s boss. By bringing down people like Demir and his associates, you are fighting the war on drugs, Aaron thought and realized how much his inner voice sounded like a trained parrot. Is this really doing anything? If I can get to Demir’s guy, another one will just come in and take his place. If I save Phil, Kelly, and Josh today, tomorrow there will be three more in their place. It is an infinite circle which will never end. The world is a sad place.
Idly, he glanced up and watched the others begin to destroy themselves as the euphoric drug piped into their bloodstream; all except the stranger, who stood back and watched.
“What about you?” Aaron asked suspiciously. “Aren’t you having any?”
The man barely looked at him, watching the trio poking themselves with keen, morbid interest.
“No, thank you,” he replied. “I much prefer to watch.” Aaron thought he had misheard, but as he continued to stare at Sylvester, he saw that the man had no interest in the heroin whatsoever.
What a freak, he thought. People get off on anything these days!
“I gotta go,” Aaron mumbled, suddenly facing an overwhelming desire to flee the house and forever put the scene from his mind.
There was a grunt of acknowledgement as he left. He needed to see Demir and pay him the debt. In his opinion, the sting was going much too slowly. Demir had cautiously kept him at arm’s length, meeting him in public places and speaking in code. While “Damien” had proved to be one of his best runners, Demir had not shown any interest in bringing him higher up the chain of command.
This operation is useless. I need to ask for a transfer.
Aaron was becoming impatient with the lack of progress and disheartened with his life in general. He thought it was ironic that Berlin had come into his life when he was feeling the lowest. He wondered what she was doing. He didn’t understand where she had come from or why she had chosen him, but he decided not to look a gift horse in its mouth. A part of him wanted to forget about meeting Demir altogether and drive back to the apartment where she was waiting.
Is she waiting? It could get boring in there by herself. Maybe she left. I hope she didn’t go out dressed like that. Someone will give her trouble, and she’s so defenseless. I wonder why she was wearing that outfit if she wasn’t a working girl, or why she approached my car yesterday in the parking lot. It seems strange that… Wait a minute, what if she really is a working girl? What if she just saw you as an easy mark for a clean out? Oh, shit, what if she robbed you?
Aaron wracked his mind frantically, trying to remember what he had in the small place worthy of stealing. Instantly, he hit the Bluetooth on his dashboard, calling his home number. She’s not going to answer, you moron. She’s pawning your service revolver at the nearest hock shop, he fumed as the phone rang. Demir is going to have to wait, I’ve gotta—
“Yes?” Aaron exhaled at the sound of her liquid voice filtering through the car.
“Berlin?” he asked stupidly. Who else would it be?
“Yes, Damien,” she said fluidly. “Are you well?”
“Yeah, I’m fine… I, uh, just wanted to see how you were doing,” he told her lamely. He thought he heard her chuckle, but he wasn’t certain. He became aware of the fact that his foot was nearly on the floor. He immediately released the gas.
“I am well,” she replied.
“So… uh… what are you doing?” he asked. Home Depot was looming up ahead, and impulsively, he turned right to extend the drive so he could listen to Berlin’s musical voice longer.
“Meditating.” It was not the answer Aaron was expecting, but he shrugged. Better than shooting up, he thought.
“Sorry I interrupted you,” he said. “I’ll be home soon. Do you want me to pick up something to eat?”
“No, thank you.”
“Have you eaten?” he asked. She did not reply, and for a moment, Aaron thought they had been disconnected. “Berlin?”
“Yes?”
“Have you—?”
“I must go. See you soon.” Dead air replaced her tone, and Aaron dismissed the feeling of unease in his stomach.
See? She’s still there. You’ve been surrounded by too many shady characters lately. You are expecting the worst in everyone. Still, make sure you put your revolver in the safe from now on. He turned into the parking lot and searched for Demir’s white SUV. He found it parked at the rear, Demir standing outside the vehicle, smoking a cigarette. As Aaron pulled up beside him, the Turk turned, his oily dark eyes lit with irritation.
“You are late,” he announced. Aaron did not respond, instead handing the cash packed envelope to the olive-skinned man. Demir snatched it from his outstretched palm and counted it. Then he peered at Aaron with suspicion. “How did you get this together so fast?” he demanded. Aaron shrugged nonchalantly.
“That’s what you pay me to do,” he answered. Demir’s mouth pursed
together, and he stared at Aaron pensively.
“I am not going to ask unnecessary questions,” he said slowly. “The less I know about how you conduct your business, the better it is for me. But I am impressed. Do you think you are ready for the next step?”
Aaron’s gut fluttered with excitement at the words.
“What do you mean?” he asked dumbly. Is he asking what I think he’s asking? Does he mean it?
“I would like to move you up higher in the organization,” Demir told him, lighting another Marlborough. Aaron’s heart began to hammer furiously.
This is it! This is what I’ve been doing here for the last two months. Maybe this operation hasn’t been an exercise in futility after all! He forced himself to maintain a casual look upon his face as he nodded at Demir.
“Yeah, okay,” he agreed. “But that means more money, right?”
Demir laughed, a sound which quickly became a hacking cough. Aaron waited impatiently for him to regain his breath. “Yes, Damien. It means more money. Tomorrow, you will meet some of my associates, and we can discuss your promotion.”
“Great!” Aaron said enthusiastically.
Down, tiger, he warned himself. Don’t look overeager. Demir waved his hand in dismissal, and Aaron turned back to his car. He offered the drug dealer a small smile before backing out the spot. Now we’re getting somewhere. From here on in, I’m going to be wired up everywhere I go. I have to get everything recorded.
He smiled to himself, but just as quickly, the gesture turned into a frown. He was suddenly concerned about how that would affect his relationship with Berlin.
18
A week after Berlin had come into his life, Aaron suddenly had an epiphany. He had watched her gracefully walk across the splintered wood floor of the bedroom naked, seemingly unaware of the wood jabbing into her lovely toes. There had been a quality which Aaron had been trying to pinpoint about her since the first moment he had seen her, but it was always just out of reach.
Her confidence reflected something beyond that of an everyday woman who happened to chance into his life. As she slipped into the bathroom, Aaron realized that she had been sent to him by a higher power.
She’s an undercover operative, too! Averson has sent her in to check on my progress!
It made sense. Berlin never seemed to have anywhere to go or anything to do but stay near him, yet he was certain when he left the apartment that she was busy doing things she never discussed. He thought, with some horror, that she was reporting to Averson. But even as the realization struck him, he found he was not as appalled as he should have been. There were times when he caught her staring at him when he could see something longing in her eyes.
The department isn’t paying her to sleep with me, he thought. She really cares about me. I can see it in her face. After some soul searching, Aaron decided to keep his findings silent. He did not want to ruin the magic the two had found in one another. Eventually, everything will come to light, and we will figure out where to go from there. In the meantime, I just want to relish the time I have with her.
The hold Berlin had upon him was like nothing he had ever experienced. He craved her smooth skin when she was not in reach. It was beyond the intimacy they shared night after night. It was as if she had reached into the depth of his soul and imbedded herself there. He was in a constant state of worry that he would return to the apartment and she would be gone for good. He had no way of knowing if his fear was warranted or paranoia, but a primitive instinct told him that she was not staying. As promised, Demir had begun to introduce him to other captains in the area, promoting Aaron to a captain himself. He was to no longer spend his days hanging out with the junkies in the flop house. Instead, he was taking orders from the security of the Turkish social club. It was then that Aaron realized that Demir himself was an underboss and not merely a high-ranking captain.
I am closer than I thought. I can get to the top level and end this madness. When the arrests come down, I will arrange for Phil, Kelly, and Josh to get treatment. They aren’t bad people. They have just lost their way.
He had no way of knowing how much his sentiments were about to change.
Berlin’s inner clock told her it was time to instigate contact with the others. She also needed to report to His Highness that day. She could sense the urgency in her superior as the days melded into weeks. They were no closer to finding the prince than they had been the day they had arrived.
A small part of her wondered if that was her own doing, her growing feelings for Damien stopping her from fully seeking out the whereabouts of the prince. She firmly pushed any feelings of affection she had for her companion and tried to focus on the task which she had been ordered. Berlin pursed her full mouth into a fine line and rose from her usual spot on the beanbag chair.
From what material is this seating device constructed? she asked herself, not for the first time. She had never sat in a more comfortable area in her life. She would have happily forsaken any other plans than to sit in the beanbag chair drinking coffee all day, but alas, there was work to be done.
Her hand on the doorknob, poised to leave the apartment, she was startled by a sharp knock as someone announced their presence. She paused, momentarily unsure of how to act. Immediately, she decided to wait for whomever it was to leave, increasingly aware of her deadline to connect with her subordinates. She remained standing in the spot, telepathically encouraging the visitor away.
She stepped back, completely prepared for the door splintering open, mere seconds before it did. In the threshold stood three sweating people, one of whom Berlin recalled.
He was here looking for Damien, she thought as her eyes narrowed, carefully evaluating the intruders. The trio seemed startled by Berlin’s presence and glanced at one another.
“May I assist you in some fashion?” Berlin asked, reaching for her weapon. To her surprise, she realized she had not thought to arm herself.
I am becoming too comfortable in the security of Damien’s home, she thought, but she didn’t have time to reprimand herself. She would need to resort to magic if need be.
“Who are you?” the girl hissed, pushing her way into the apartment. The anorexic brunette glared hatefully at Berlin, sizing her up as she walked inside. The men followed behind, quickly shutting the door upon entry, but the portal did not fit into the frame from the damage.
The three drew upon her, threateningly. Berlin was unconcerned by their nearness and did not retreat, despite their obvious intentions.
“I would think I would be the more appropriate party to voice that inquiry,” she said smoothly.
Step back, mortals, she urged them silently. I do not wish to kill you here.
“Don’t get mouthy with me!” the woman screeched, her face contorted in anger. The smaller man, Josh, began to circle around her, licking his lips slightly. Berlin tried to keep him in eye’s view as the irate brunette continued to yell at her. She resisted the urge to reach out and snap her neck. She looked at the huge man who had begun searching the apartment, randomly opening drawers and strewing items about.
He has bear blood but no shifting abilities, she realized, quickly noting that none of them were immortal. That was definitely to her advantage.
“Damien is not here,” Berlin tried again. “Perhaps I can assist you in some fashion?”
The big man grunted, but Josh laughed, closing the distance between them, a shaky hand reaching out to touch her flaxen hair. The female scowled and disappeared, apparently disgusted by what she was seeing.
“You can help me,” Josh whispered in her ear. “Berlin, right?” Berlin nodded quickly and felt her body tense as the bony addict continued to stroke at her hair and face.
“Where does he keep the money and H?” the woman yelled, ripping apart sofa cushions and looking in closets. Berlin did not understand the question and continued to regard the group, deciding her best plan of attack.
Josh’s hands had made their way to her bare shoulders now, a
nd a shudder of disgust ricocheted through her, understanding his intentions with nauseating clarity. His palms were rubbed over her breasts, and without a moment’s hesitation, she reached between his lips, withdrawing his tongue and ripping it from his mouth.
Josh’s eyes filled with pain and horror as blood began to spurt forth. The gargled noise of liquid filling his throat caught the attention of the other two, who were still frantically pulling the apartment apart. Josh dropped to his knees in agony as the other two turned to understand the commotion. Berlin tried to brace herself for the attack, but she had never come up against the likes of two withdrawing heroin addicts in a fury.
The woman ran at her, screaming like wild turkey, and when Berlin sidestepped her, the bear tackled her to the floor with his overweight body. He ruthlessly punched her in the face to subdue her, but Berlin did not feel the blow. She watched the female, still screaming, tower above them both and plunge a kitchen knife toward her head. The huge man spun his head just as the woman entered, and he grabbed her arm to stop the attack, his knees still pinning Berlin to the floor.
“Are you crazy, Kelly?” he yelled at her. “You can’t stab her!”
“Did you see what she did to Josh? We have to do something to her, Phil!”
Phil nodded, releasing Kelly’s arm. He looked back down at the bruised blonde, and a light seemed to overcome his eyes as he had a thought. “Reach inside my jacket and set up a fix.”
“Are you kidding me, Phil? We can’t get high now! We have to figure out what to do with her!”
“Just shut up and do it!” Phil snapped. “Double it up.”
Kelly pursed her lips but obeyed his instructions. Berlin did not comprehend what was happening, but she did not move or make a sound, her mind whirling as she considered an escape route.
It was not until Kelly returned a few moments later with a syringe that true fear coursed through Berlin’s veins. She did not have time to fight back as Phil grabbed the needle and plunged it into her stomach. Slowly, she began to lose control of her motor functions, and Phil rose off her limp body. Her eyes were still open, and though she could hear the two speaking, she could not move, paralyzed by the potent drug they had injected into her body.