Ian sighed. “Yeah, that’s ‘the’ dream. Trey, buddy, I’ve been there and let me tell you, it is not as wonderful as you think.”
It was Ian’s first time out of Disten. The large expanse of water before him was humbling. He gained a sense of just how small he was in the world, how fragile he was.
“Beautiful.” Even though trip had taken longer than expected, due to unforeseen weather disruptions, Ian was able to find peace in the miracle before him.
“Now if you two are done being pansies, we should mingle with the local’s and give the performance of your life.” Sean was referring to blending in and not causing suspicion. “Not that I need to tell you what you should already have tattooed into the back of your minds.”
Snapping back to reality, Ian was pulsing with the determination not to mess up his first leading mission. It was not far to town from the beach. They only had to walk half a mile before they were getting lost in the crowds of tourists and locals. Trey went off in one direction, Sean to another, and before he knew it, Ian was all alone.
For the first time since he had landed on the beach, Ian felt alone. No one among the crowd was familiar to him. He had no friends to share his thoughts with. It was like the night Recarie showed up and changed his whole world, changing everything he was used to. But none of this mattered now.
“Alright.” Balling his fist, Ian took a step forward. “I can and will do this!”
“Hi!” A high pitched squeal took all of Ian’s focus.
“Oh hell…” He immediately recognized the shriek. A pair of boney arms wrapped around his neck from the back.
“Mm.” She seemed to be enjoying herself.
“Justine? What are you doing here. No wait.” He pushed her arms off and looked her in the eyes. “How did you get here?”
“Ouch! That really hurts.” In a mock fit of anger, Justine pushed Ian away. “Your fiancée travels almost half way around the world and goes through all the trouble of getting this visa just for you to ask why she is here?” Her act was not convincing.
“For an entire month you treated me like I wasn’t even supposed to be around you and now you pull this stunt?” Ian was almost at his boiling point. A second later Ian’s heart lurched, but not from guilt. It was like he was being pulled into one certain direction and whatever was in this direction was his sole purpose for living.
Justine was pretending to be hurt. “I just realized that I take you for granted sometimes… And after you left, well I knew I had to make it up to you.”
“I am on a miss… Let’s not speak here. I have work to do.” He took control of the situation. “This is the name and location of my hotel. Will you please go there and wait for me? We can talk more about this over dinner.” Ian’s big and beautiful round eye’s made Justine give in. She took the paper he was holding and left without another word.
“So you two disappear for three days and without a single word to anyone and then you show up alone!” Caleth threw the dish rag that was slung over her shoulder at the floor. Daouen dodged the projectile just in time. It was a soft piece on linen, but with Caleth’s arm, it could have broken a limb. “Well all is good now.” Her mood was ever changing. “Just get to work and I am sure Recarie will be back in no time.”
In the café’s kitchen, the back screen door popped open and Recarie bolted in and headed right for her room. Her movements did not go unnoticed as Caleth, Daouen, and in all of the confusion, Tory followed right behind her. Caleth pressed her round ear against Recarie’s door.
“Recarie?” Daouen and Caleth asked concerned. They could hear her sobbing on the other side of the door.
“I just don’t know what to do!” Inside her room, Recarie crawled into a ball on her plush couch.
“If you open the door and let me in, maybe we can talk about it.” Caleth pointed out and a split second later the door opened on its own.
Daouen tried to follow her into the room, but was pushed flat against the wall on the other side of the hall. He would have to settle for listening through the closed door.
“What?!” Caleth screamed and the sound of a porcelain vase slamming against the wall told the boys in the hallway that the situation was not good. “Breaking their own rules! Do these idiots even understand the true consequences for what they’re doing?!” A mirror could be heard shattering during the pause in Caleth’s rant. “Oh well, no matter.” Her mood had suddenly changed again. “I know how to solve this.”
Recarie wiped off the tears that had stung her eyes and made her mascara run. “Really?” Her glossy eyes were hard to resist at this point and Caleth wrapped her lanky arms around the shaking girl.
Inside the room, Caleth instructed Recarie on how to use her own power. The girl’s idea was to change Recarie appearance and attempt to alter her D.N.A. so that the Hunter could not use his flames to trace her. Several bright flashes of light, a lot of yelling, and some screams of horror later, they were done.
The door to her room creaked open and Caleth stepped out first, much to both of the boy’s displeasure. “Listen you two!” Caleth grabbed Daouen and Tory by their shirt collars. “This here,” she pointed to the lengthy, black haired woman behind her. “Is Sazelina and she has been working here three years, got it?!”
“What is this all about?” Tory was able to cough out a full sentence before Caleth tightened her grip.
“Just do what I say and don’t ask questions. It is better for safety and that of our great nation that you don’t know.” She let them down gently and Recarie, now calling herself ‘Sazelina,’ joined them.
Once the boys had agreed to the new arrangement, everyone went about their work as usual. Sazelina, the now six foot tall Recarie, was out waiting on tables. An hour into her job, she had become disgusted with the number of people who asked where Recarie was.
“What happened to the little cutie?” A red haired plump man asked Sazelina as he sipped green tea from a dainty pink cup.
“Yeah, where that Recarie go?” The customer behind the first man voiced his own concerns.
“Looking back on it now, I should have never let anyone know my real name.” Recarie thought to herself as she headed back to the kitchen for the next customers’ orders. She turned around and saw many of the male customers in the waiting line outside looking for something and she had a pretty good idea about what the something was.
At the front entrance, Recarie watched one of those male patrons ask Caleth something. She then got to see Caleth scream at the man and make some sort of threat. Being too far away from the situation, Recarie didn’t hear the words that had been exchanged, but knew it had to do with her. The man picked himself off of the white tiled floor and ran out the door.
“Don’t worry.” Caleth reassured any nearby staff. “He’ll be back.”
Sunset was coming and Ian was out to make contact with the other lieutenants on the mission. He had to collect their information for the day and clear any questions and grant any orders they might have. Using his psychic abilities might be a dangerous decision as it could be intercepted by any other clairvoyant in the town.
Lieutenant Armen was over the east end of town and Ian was in charge of the south. The east part of Farous contained the café Acanelle’s and their NSSH mole. Armen was to erase all traces of their presence or suspicion from the locals mind. This was just courtesy of another branch of the massive psychic tree. He could sense emotions and twist the thoughts of anyone with a week mind. This was Ian’s first report to get.
Atop one of the various hills that lay scattered on Farous’ landscape, there stood Armen. He was tall and slender like someone who should be behind a computer somewhere and not on a life or death field mission. His short golden blond hair was moving fiercely with each swift move of his hands. In his mind, Armen was conducting an invisible orchestra. The towns people were his musicians and their thoughts were the music they played.
“Beautiful sunset.” Ian began a generic conversation.
&
nbsp; “I can assure you one hundred percent that there are no civilians within a mile or hearing distance from here.” Even as he spoke, Armen never took his eyes off the land.
“Err, well good. And what is it that you have for me?” Ian sat next to his companion’s feet. He had been standing for hours and this was the first break he had taken.
“Even in our street clothes, the locals and even other tourist notice us.” Making swift movements with his hands through the oncoming breeze, Ian knew he was altering someone’s mind.
“And you are on top of this right?” A very informal way of proceeding through his testimony.
Silence from Armen was the only reassurance he needed. After dusting himself off Ian decided he would make his way to Lioel and then on to Gillian. The sun was falling quick and the air was getting colder. He had to be quick in his work; after all he had to get back to Justine.
“Gawd, my life keeps getting worse and more messed up.” Ian rested his head in the palm of his hand. “Maybe when I finish this mission, it’ll all come back together.” Optimistically, Ian smiled and headed for the woods.
Gillian had a hold of the west side of town. She slowly hypnotized people to act on her behalf if the need ever came. At the current moment she had twenty people under her spell and was working on another three. Nothing could distract her from her job, not even the sound of dead leaves being crushed beneath a pair of hiking boots.
“Hey Hunter trash, could you be just a little less noticeable and not shake the earth with each step you take?” She did not even need to look up to tell who was there.
“And shouldn’t you know to not address me as Hunter now that the mission has been initiated?” Not so much as a question, but as a warning.
In her presence, unnoticeable in enclosed space, like the boat they rode in on; his body gave off a soft glow as hers did the same. Gillian was not paying him any attention as Trey watched over her shoulder while she sent her flames into people’s bodies. She was stitching her power into them and then sending them back off into the word until they would be needed.
“Is there something you needed?” In a rage she flicked one of her violet flames at his face.
“Just to tell you that you would be better to stay over here, hidden in the woods.” He flicked a wave a flames at her.
“Hm, hm, hm.” Now she was not paying Trey any attention at all. Once more than a minute passed without another word from the Hunter, she gave in and took a break from her work, only to find no one was there.
“That man needs to stick to his own business and worry about himself.” Gillian tilted her head to see if there was any view of Trey left. “Hm.” She was alone and part of her kind of wished that he was still there annoying her.
As Ian finished his rounds he made his way back in to town to retrieve Justine. She was spread out on the yellow and blue comforter twisting locks of her lemon hair. Once in the room with her, with the door closed, he could not bring himself to speak. It was not because of her pose, but the realization that she was actually there that had stunned him.
“I’m hungry.” She sat straight up and crossed her legs. “And I have been in this room all day.”
“Not that being hungry is the least of you worries.” Sitting on the bed next to Justine, Ian opened a menu he had withdrawn from the bed stand.
“No room service!” Ian suddenly found himself on the floor after she pushed him off the bed. “Someone mentioned to me about the cutest little café with a perfect view of the whole city and that is where we are going.”
“But we can’t make any more waves in this town than necessary.” He gently pushed Justine off of him. “I need you to stay in this room until the mission is over and then we can go home.”
“No, I am here legally and it took a lot to get that visa! Ugh!” Her bone like fingers grabbed him up off of the ground. “I want salad, soup, dessert, and tea! I want to go out and feel the cool air as it blows through my hair!” Knowing he could not fight Justine as she usually always won, Ian hung his head. She had won.
Sazelina, also known as Recarie, was back to her old self dashing around Acanelle’s. The day was almost over and with it, her shift. Her three foot long ponytail tied back on the back of her head, dancing with her every move, round puffy sapphire eyes, and juicy red lips made everyone forget about Recarie. Now customers were coming back every half hour or so just to gaze at the vixen.
With the added number of patrons to Acanelle’s stress seemed to build on the entire staff, but mostly on Sazelina. If she had remembered that her veins pulsed with immense power she had displayed in Disten, then maybe her night would not end in such a way. Wobbling back to the kitchen and then to front of the café where her section was located, was building pain in her arms from the sting of her heels. Recarie had the distraction of an additional unseen energy that had her thoughts everywhere else.
One more customer and then it would be time for Sazelina to retire for the evening and she was looking forward to it. She was to wait on table six, a young couple who were just seated. The man’s back was turned towards her and could only see the woman’s face.
“Hello, my name is…” And Recarie froze. His neatly combed chestnut hair, sky blue eyes, and round face… The same face she had thought about for many nights and recently was just forgotten.
Her mouth went dry and all words had escaped her thoughts. Should she run and give anyone reason’s to doubt her identity? Or maybe jump in his lap and swing her arms around his thick neck? Recarie could feel a pull to him.
“Sazelina and how may I start you out this evening?” Playing the long and awkward pause, she handed them their menus.
About a minute or so after Sazelina had approached the table, Ian never laid his eyes on the beauty again. He was sure he didn’t want his fiancée to catch him ogling another woman. Though he had never seen this Sazelina person before, his body was drawn to her presence.
“I will have the side salad and the grilled chicken breast.” When Ian was sure she was finished, he began to make his order. “And he will have the sirloin steak, medium rare, roasted potatoes, and,”
“No.” Recarie jumped at the sound of his youthful, and yet mature voice. “I will have the tilapia and sour cream and chive mashed potatoes.”
At the sound of his voice, she could only stare at her black note pad. After so many months, Recarie was finally hearing his voice for the first time. Her knees wobbled and her hand shook. It took everything she had to hold back the tears that were building in her eyes without a reason.
“Are you going to write down our order or do you not even know how to do the job you are paid to do!” Justine wasn’t loud, but it did not take the sting out of her words.
At the sound of Justine’s words, Recarie froze. She was shaking. “Be back with your order in just a minute.”
“Are you not going to ask what we would like to drink? Or how about asking what appetizers we want?” More spiteful words.
Recarie could not turn around to face the pair for a second time.
“That’s okay.” Came Ian’s voice, much to her relief. “Just bring us two waters.”
Taking a deep breath Recarie turned back around to the table. “And I will have them to you shortly.”
“Ugh!” Justine had no problem showing her frustration, wherever it stemmed from. She got up from the table without another word and left to the rest room.
Back in the kitchen, Recarie was giving her table’s order to the cooks. She was smiling like some love sick fool, yet her eyes were plagued with anxiety. After she had filled the two glasses with the finest filtered water in Farous, Recarie was headed back out to the floor. Happiness was clouding her better judgment and her sight.
Justine had just exited the restroom the exact moment Recarie left the kitchen. Recarie was still blinded by her wandering thoughts and Justine was wiping her hands dry. This was the entire perfect recipe for disaster. It was only seconds before they met at a cross section in the mid
dle of the café.
“Omph!” Justine cried out falling to the floor, two glasses of water falling on her in the process.
On the floor, Sazelina was flat on her back after falling backwards from her run in with Justine. The back of her head was sore and she could feel someone grasping her hand to help her up. As soon as her sight cleared she was looking into the cutest and most sincere pair of blue eyes she had ever seen.
“Um, thank you.” But she had failed to notice it was Justine’s hand digging her claw like nail into her arms.
“Are you okay?” Ian wanted to ask the waitress, but spoke to his fiancée instead.
Justine pushed passed Ian and went to the girl with the olive hair and tan skin. “I would like to speak to the owner of this, this, this circus! If the owner is unavailable, I would like to talk to the manager.” Her shirt was dripping wet from the two glasses of water that had spilled on her.
Caleth helped to steady her friend who was missing one of the heels from her shoes. “And luckily for you, I am both.” She enjoyed watching Justine blink twice at her remark. “Just go rest up, I have got this.” Caleth whispered to her friend.
“I am so sorry.” Shaking, Recarie tried to make her apologies, first to Ian and then to Caleth. “Thank you.” She left the scene and limped to her room.
Past the kitchen, past the glares of her coworkers, Recarie stood in front of her door. Hands shaking she turned the knob and ran in and fell to the ground by the back wall. Her eyes squinted and tears pushed through her eyelids.
“Huh!” She gasped for air curled against the wall with her head in her arms. “Humph, humph, humph. Oh gawd!” Recarie muffled her cries.
Inside her room, Recarie could still feel a faint pull on her heart to somewhere in the café. It made her feel complete, wanted, and in the most pure of senses, it made her not feel alone. Slowly the tears stopped, but her chest still ached.
Her heart searched for any reason to stop hurting, but each time she found one two more reasons would take its place. Recarie reached down to her feet, removed her shoes, and then tossed them at the wall. After wiping her face dry, she slipped out of her work clothes and into a black tank top and a pair of forest green shorts, which was not something she would normally wear. At this moment she wanted to be anyone but herself.
Misery Saves the Night Page 13