Dark Shades Chapter 6: What would Captain Carlen think?
Elyse shuts Captain Carlen's door behind her and stays just outside a moment. Could this really be happening? One of the biggest cases of the OPD has practically fallen into her lap. She bites her lower lip in an attempt to contain a girly squeal. She looks across the way at the door leading to the women's restroom. Elyse quickly walks inside.
She locks the door and goes over to the first sink to look in the mirror. "Because of you, the city of Oltona is a cleaner place; first you put an end to illegal alcohol sales, and now you've infiltrated a notorious underground gambling operation. We don't know what we'd do without you. Please accept this medal. Congratulations Agent Wells." Elyse says to her reflection in a deep manly voice. Then she continues in her normal voice, " It was really nothing. But I am so honored. Thank you Chief Sprocket, thank you." She giggles and finally lets out a shriek of excitement. Elyse sighs and takes her glasses off. She lowers her head to the sink and splashes water on her face. Elyse then brings up the tail of her shirt to dry her face off before looking into the mirror again. She lets out a gasp that echoes within the bathroom's walls.
"Natalee! You-you scared me! I thought I locked the door..." Elyse says while catching her breath.
"I unlocked it." Natalee responds plainly.
"Oh...I get it. You must have a key."
"No key."
"Come on Natalee, you can't get into a locked room without a key! Clearly you have one!" Elyse says slightly irritated.
"If you say so Wells." Natalee answers.
Elyse rolls her eyes, "Whatever." She finally stops talking to Natalee through the mirror and turns around to face her. "Anyway, I guess I better be goi-."
"'Clearly' you're excited about your new assignment." Natalee interrupts.
Elyse's face turns red at the thought that Natalee saw her earlier, "Um...yes of course I am."
"Are you prepared for it?"
"Yes."
"You misunderstand me. You need to educate yourself on the topic; on the inner workings of a gambling operation and on the gambler's psyche."
"Okay...I'll consider it. Thanks for the tip..."
Natalee takes a step closer, "That wasn't a request."
Elyse looks back into those icy blue eyes before replying, "Natalee... It's alright...I can think about this later...if the group even finds me..."
"It's not a question of 'if' Wells. Do you really believe they'll give up so easily on the person who came in contact with their leader's son? You're such a child." Natalee stops to laugh and Elyse observes her. It's odd seeing her laugh. Ironically enough it's more frightening than her usual scowl; which appears again as Natalee continues, "They will find you. When they do, you need to be prepared. This isn't a game."
"Natalee? You seem so certain of this...How is it that you know these things?" Elyse asks, studying her closely. Natalee's eyes look off to the side for a brief second before returning to Elyse.
"It's not your concern."
"Yes it is, who are you really?" Elyse takes a step closer to Natalee but she recoils.
With a slight smirk Natalee answers, "I'm Natalee." She then turns away and walks out of the bathroom.
Elyse lets out a deep breath. That woman is so mysterious. What could she be hiding? There's no time to worry about that now. Elyse can't explain it but she feels like she should trust Natalee and take her advice. She puts her glasses back on and walks out.
Upon entering the lobby, Elyse notices a guy that she hasn't seen in almost two months. She stops at the sight of him and their eyes meet. To her surprise he stands up and walks towards her.
"So I guess congrats' are in order." Chris addresses Elyse.
"For what...?"
"'For what' she says. Davino's has been shut down temporarily because they were busted by the cops for selling to minors. Apparently an undercover agent was involved...I wonder who that could be?" He asks sarcastically.
"Oh! That." Elyse responds.
"So it really was you! Is it your mission to ruin every fun aspect of my life?"
Elyse tilts her head and gives him a smile, "I didn't say it was me. But sorry Chris, I guess you'll have to wait until you're 21 like the rest of us. Now could you step aside?"
Elyse begins to walk around him before he calls out to her, "Wait!"
"What Chris!" She says in a frustrated tone.
"I...uh...I really do think it's kind of cool...what you did. Or what I think you did...You must be a good agent."
"Oh...well thanks I guess..."
"I'm not finished. I think we got off on the wrong foot. You know, with me kissing you, you embarrassing me...twice! Me yelling at you on the street corner..."
"What's your point?" Elyse cuts him off.
Chris sighs, "Can we start over? I'm not the jerk you think I am. I'm actually a pretty nice guy!"
"Really? Where?" Elyse laughs at her joke.
"I'm serious! I was thinking maybe we can be friends..."
"Listen Chris, even if I didn't find you incredibly annoying, you know what my job entails. I shouldn't get too close to anyone...especially not now..." She says under her breath before continuing, "I appreciate the effort though. Besides, you said you wanted me out of your life."
"Come on, don't be like that. I'm sorry..." Chris says quietly. Elyse looks at the pouty face before her and can't help but smile. He notices this and starts again, "What's your name?"
"Chris..."
"Whoa we have the same name! Coolness!" He jokes.
Elyse laughs, "Stop that's not it! But like I said, I shouldn't tell you anything."
"Oh whatever, I know everyone's names here; Jerome, Cheryl, the witch...I mean Natalee."
Elyse pushes his shoulder and whispers to him firmly, "Stop! She's right there! Do you want to get hurt?"
Chris chuckles, "Maybe you're right. So, about that name...?"
"...Elyse..."
He smiles at her, "I like it...much better than Liz!"
"Yeah well...um I need to go..."
"No wait, we should do something! Maybe get something to eat? Hang out? Talk?"
Elyse glances to the right at Natalee shuffling papers on her desk. She looks back at Chris and replies, "Sorry Chris. I have work to do."
An hour later, after a quick lunch, Elyse arrives at the public library. She begins with some online research on gambling operations but mostly found news articles with titles such as "Undercover Sting Shuts Down Gambling Ring", "Gambling Ring Busted", and "20 Indicted in Illegal Gambling Ring". These articles were interesting enough but she still needed more. So she proceeded to research the psyche of gamblers and found a lot more information. Elyse isn't sure of what will happen once she is approached, but Natalee is right; she should be prepared for anything.
Because her online search on gambling operations was unsuccessful, she decided to do things the old fashioned way. Elyse went through aisle after aisle before finding a section on Organized Crime and the like. After obtaining a decent selection of books, Elyse settles down at one of the tables and begins to read.
The hours flew by and Elyse's vision started to go blurry. But she shook it off and continued to read. Suddenly, she hears a sound; like floorboards creaking behind her. She turns her head slightly but the sound was gone. So she continues to read. The sound occurs again, this time it seemed closer. She thought sure she was the only one on this floor of the library. Elyse sits up straight and puts her antenna up. Could someone be watching her? Could it be...one of them...? She holds her breath as footsteps approach her, closer and closer. When the sound stops behind her she quickly turns her head around to face...Chris?
"Ugh! What! Chris! It's you!" Elyse yells at him.
"Whoa! What's your problem?" Chris asks as he takes a seat in front of her.
"What are you doing sneaking up on me like that!"
"I wasn't sneaking, I thought I recognized you so I decided to walk over and...wait. Did I scare you?" He grins.
"N-no...that's not it..."
"I think I did scare you! Aw I'm sorry sweetie."
"Shut up! You did not scare me!" She shouts defensively.
"What's got you so spooked anyway? I mean other than being alone up here in a creepy old library at night."
"I'm fine." Elyse states before looking at her book again.
"I'll say you are." He gives her a flirty smile. She raises her eyes and gives him a stern look. "Okay! Okay! Just kidding..."
"I can't concentrate like this Chris...could you possibly...?"
"Just pretend I'm not here."
She slams her book shut and exclaims, "Chris, get out!"
"Nice try but that only works for my mom."
Elyse sighs, "Great...wait, what do you mean by 'alone at night'? It's not nighttime I've only been here a couple hours."
"Wow someone's been hitting the books hard! It's 7:30 now."
"Are you kidding?"
"Nope!" Chris points at a clock on the wall, "You might want to invest in a watch."
"I can't believe I've been here for seven hours..." Elyse says, still in disbelief.
"What have you been reading that's got you so riveted anyway?" He asks before sliding one of her books to his side.
She quickly pulls it back over, "None of your business!" Elyse proceeds to gather up the rest of them.
"Excuse me then! Take them! Besides I'm more interested in this Psychology crap I've been studying."
"I'm going to go now...library's about to close anyway."
"Need some help carrying those Elyse?"
"No thanks I'm fi-...I can manage."
Chris grins at her, "Wow. I bet it would kill you to ask for help."
"No, but what would kill me is annoying little college boys who can't take a hint!"
"Have you eaten dinner?" He asks, ignoring her insult.
"No..."
"I'm in the mood for pizza, care to join me?"
"I'm going home Chris." Elyse gets up from the table and Chris follows her.
"Works for me, we'll order it from your house!" He says with a smile.
"No, Chris!"
"Come on, it's obvious you're a little jumpy tonight. I'll escort you, check for monsters under your car, and make sure you get home safe. Say yes.."
Elyse shakes her head in defeat, "Yes...Ok...I guess...Has anyone ever told you you're kind of childish?"
"All the time."
After arriving safely at Elyse's apartment, she ordered the pizza as planned. Thirty minutes later the delivery man came and they sat down to eat. "So good...Nothing's better than pizza on a cold November night." Chris says with a mouthful of pizza.
"I know. I love pizza. I could eat it anytime!" Elyse joins in.
"I'm still shocked that this is your apartment. I had no idea you lived here when I saw you outside that time. And to think you weren't making it up when you said you had your own place!"
"Yeah...mistake on my part...I shouldn't have revealed that about myself."
"I won't tell anyone."Chris wipes his mouth with a napkin then continues, "So how did you get so lucky to have your own place when you're only 20?"
"Man, I forgot to lie about that too!"
He laughs and says sarcastically, "What would Captain Carlen think! So...were you lying when you said you didn't have a boyfriend?" He asks eagerly.
"No that was actually true too..."
"Interesting..."
Elyse rolls her eyes, "Anyway, like I said before about this apartment-it's a long story."
"We have all night."
"No we don't, it's pizza, maybe a donut, and then you're leaving Mister."
"Those donuts certainly are tempting. " He says while licking his lips.
Elyse frowns, "Note the emphasis on 'a' donut."
"That figures...But I can't believe you'd make me leave when there's a TV sitting there waiting to be watched."
"Chris!"
"Let's watch some B&B TV." Elyse says nothing at first so Chris tries again, "Don't you like B&B?"
"I love B&B...Okay, one episode..." She gives in.
"Yes!"Chris exclaims, "Thanks mommy." Elyse laughs and then continues eating.
Surprisingly, Elyse had a great time with Chris this evening after loosening up. Chris made her laugh so much that her sides began to hurt. But their show is now over. "Well that was just as good as I expected." He says, "I hope they never get rid of B&B. How much would that suck!"
"Don't even joke like that Chris!" She replies.
"Sorry, you're right. That's not funny at all...But since the show is over, I GUESS I better go as promised..." He says, looking down at her on his lap.
"Yeah I GUESS..." She smiles at him.
"And I have class in the morning so..."
"Yeah...okay..." Elyse sits up and they both walk to the door.
Elyse begins, "So um, thank you for taking me home and protecting me I guess. I mean, not that I asked you to!"
Chris laughs, "Duh, of course not! But you're welcome...anytime..."
"Good night..."
"Night' Elyse..."
Chris takes a step forward and gives her a warm hug. Elyse questions it at first but soon lets go of her nerves. She wraps her arms around him and snuggles close to his chest.
Over the past week, Elyse has been up to her ears in literature on her new assignment. She checked out the books she picked from the library and chose to read chapters that she viewed to be of upmost importance. As for today, Elyse has just finished browsing another book she found at the bookstore. She tosses her empty latte cup in a nearby trash can and takes a seat outside.
She exhales and watches her breath swirl around in front of her. Another cold November day. This reminds her of the night Chris was at her house. Elyse hasn't heard from him since that night and he hasn't been around the office either. He must be busy with class. Or maybe she said something wrong? Perhaps he's been hanging out at the library with another girl. Elyse shakes her head and thinks to herself, "What are you doing Elyse? This is a good thing. You shouldn't be getting attached to that...jerk..." Somehow that description doesn't seem to fit him anymore. She lets out a sigh and decides she's had enough of the cold for today. Just as she's about to leave, a woman speaks to her, "Hey."
Elyse looks up and adjusts her dark shades. She greets the stranger, "Hi..."
Nice daydream at the beginning. I like the careful use of the mirror in it. Those always make for some interesting effects.\
So now it looks like Elyse is getting plenty of undercover training before this assignment! I wonder if she'll also be buying casino themed video games. (Or if they'll be downloaded from abandonware websites.)
That's great that they're both into B&B. But it's stupid how the name gets censored out on the forums.... I'm sure there's some angry University of Georgia fans here that are irate how you can't type Wally *****' name without it getting reduced to stars!
Hey Kaka_Fan ! Precisely why I shortened it to B&B . That EA is something else. You can count me as one of the irate Georgia fans lol. I'm also glad you liked the mirror scene. And now Elyse is on her way to learning about the gambler's mind thanks to Natalee's tip. Will it be enough? Thanks for reading !!
Lol sorry about that Caylynn. I promise the next chapter will make up for it! But yes your fear about Elyse and Chris is justified going by Chris' tendency to pick up women. Also, I wanted to leave you a comment on your profile but it won't let me. So I'll just tell you now how cute your avatar (Christine) is . I gave her a Rec
Hey! Another awesome chapter! I love the cliffhanger!
I giggled at the mirror scene, haven't we all done some variation of that?!
Natalee scared the bejebee's outta me. I really am unsure about her intent. She certainly gave Elyse a good tip with researching and taking this undercover gig a little more seriously.
I just hope that she isnt some one else working undercover..but not for the PD. :O
Chris...eeps..thats a minefield isnt it?! XD Lets see how that works out.
Hey Dusty! I'm happy to hear that the sight of Natalee suddenly being there was shocking. It means my evil plan worked :twisted: . I tried to capture that emotion on Elyse's face . As for Chris, I'll never understand why bad boys are so appealing to nice girls. Hopefully she can tame him! :P Thank you for reading!
That's a good question! TPL actually took place in a different city (sunset valley but I'm going to change the name). So you won't be seeing Trini. BUT as you know Elyse ends up in Sunset valley eventually and the reason for that will be revealed in Dark Shades. And you will see an extension of Trini in the very last chapter
Dark Shades Chapter 7: Surrounded but Alone
"Nice day isn't it?" The woman replies.
Elyse sizes her up. She is a young woman with smooth milk chocolate skin. Her body is lean and toned. Judging by her hair, she prides herself in being all natural. Elyse looks into the stranger's eyes and deduces that this stranger is not here by mere coincidence. She responds, "A little cold...but it is Fall..."
The woman nods her head without saying anything. Then she smiles and asks, "Is this seat taken?"
"Go ahead." Was Elyse's aloof retort. The woman helps herself to the bench.
A smile is plastered on her face as she continues to stare at Elyse. Elyse can feel her eyes burning into her cheek even more than the bitter wind. But she continues looking straight ahead. The woman speaks up, "Cute outfit."
"Thanks...Um, I'm going to go now. Enjoy yourself..." Elyse says. She starts to get up but before she can completely rise the woman grabs her wrist and pulls her back down.
"Not so fast missy. You're not going anywhere." She says in an innocent but firm voice.
"And why not?"
The woman chuckles, "I know who you are. We've been looking for you for quite a long time."
"Okay...What do you mean we?"
"Perhaps you remember about 2 months ago, you saved a kid from some greasy thug?"
"Yeah...that's right. So?"
"It's all very intriguing to us...You see, the kid's a...mutual friend of ours...I guess you can say. We'd like to return the favor."
"It was nothing really. I don't expect anything."
"We insist."
"Well, what do...what were you thinking?"
"Let me ask you this, do you like money?" The woman asks her with a crooked smile.
"Sure, who doesn't!" Elyse answers, choosing her words carefully.
"I thought so...Well if you do like money, you'll be plenty interested in our offer."
"What is it?"
"You'll see...but there are a few things we need to get straightened out first. What's your name?"
Elyse says the first thing that pops into her mind, "Lee." The woman squints her eyes, awaiting more. So Elyse adds, "Sellers."
"Okay...Lee Sellers..." She scoots closer and crosses her legs, "I want you to come to the park tonight...midnight...alone."
"Why?" Elyse asks.
"Aren't you interested in making money?"
"Sure...but...How do I know I can trust you?"
The woman grins, "What's the point of life without risk? It's not a life worth living. What would have happened if you didn't step in to save the boy? Taking risks, is everything...Wouldn't you agree?"
"Well, I can't argue with you there." Elyse says with a smile. The woman certainly has a gambler's mentality.
"Good. Besides, we're all friends here Lee."
"Alright...what's your name, friend?"
"Cute. So you'll be there?"
Elyse thinks a moment before agreeing, "Yeah, okay...I'm game."
"That's very wise of you." The woman stands up and brushes the back of her skirt. She leans over and whispers, "Do the right thing Lee...don't make us come looking for you again." She then walks away.
Elyse stands up and watches as she leaves. She waits until she can no longer hear the clicking sound of the woman's heels before breathing again. For safety measures, Elyse lingered around town for a while. After about an hour of meandering she got on a train and headed to HQ.
"...She wants me to be there at midnight. Actually she demanded that I be there! She also stressed that I should come alone." Elyse finishes her report.
Captain Carlen rubs her chin, "And you didn't get her name?"
"No. I tried but she wouldn't budge on that."
"It makes sense. They're suspicious...cautious..." Carlen's thoughts begin to trail off as she stares at Elyse. Elyse begins to fill uneasy and shifts in her seat.
"Captain? What is it?"
Captain Carlen leans back in her chair and replies, "It's nothing...Agent Wells, when you go tonight, Be diligent, and don't give away too much. You should do whatever it takes to make them trust you...Most importantly, remember to control your urge to react... I'm counting on you Wells."
Elyse nods, "Of course Captain. I can do this!"
Carlen speaks again quietly, "Okay...that's all for now. Oh, on your way out, speak with Natalee. Tell her you'll need an ID for Lee Sellers."
"Yes ma'am." Suddenly, the door swings open and Chris walks into Captain Carlen's office. He exclaims, "Don't do it Elyse!"
Startled, Elyse and Captain Carlen both jump to their feet. The Captain speaks, "Christopher! Have you lost your mind!"
He ignores her and addresses Elyse, "Elyse, don't go tonight. I know I sound crazy but just don't! You have to trust me!"
"Stop it Christopher! Get out now!" Carlen yells angrily.
Elyse speaks softly, "Chris?...Chris...it's okay. I'll be alright. Just calm down!"
"No it's not okay! You can't go. I won't let you! Just please listen!"
Captain Carlen pushes herself between them and shouts, "That is enough Christopher! I said leave!"
"No mom! You know what's going to happen! You can't let her go!" Chris continues to yell with his voice trembling. Elyse, still in shock, keeps her distance.
"Chris. Leave. Now." Natalee says after appearing at the door. Chris turns around and looks at Natalee. Knowing he can't match her he backs away from his mom. His breathing slows down as he walks towards the door. When he finally reaches Natalee, Chris looks her in the eye and says, "Yeah, yeah. I'm going. You stupid-" Before the "b" can fully leave his lips Natalee grabs him by the collar and slams his back against the door frame.
"Natalee!" Captain Carlen quickly calls out to her. "Don't!" Natalee turns her head in the Captain's direction and sees the desperation in her eyes. She looks back at Chris' frightened face and slowly loosens her grip. As soon as she lets go Chris runs away. Captain Carlen and Elyse exhale in unison. Carlen looks at Elyse and asks, "You okay?"
"Yeah...yeah I'm okay. What in the world was that all about!" Elyse answers.
"Don't worry about it..."
"What! You expect me not to worry! He was obviously upset for a reason! Why would-!"
"Shut up Agent Wells!" Captain Carlen barks at her.
Elyse quickly zips it. She looks at Carlen and can tell that she is extremely upset. "I'm sorry..."
"Just be there tonight. You can leave now... close the door behind you." Captain Carlen says without looking at Elyse. Her eyes are now focused on Natalee who is still standing by the door. Elyse says nothing more and exits.
Once she is gone Captain Carlen walks over to Natalee. She speaks to her in a threatening tone, "You listen to me. I know who you are, and where you've come from. I appreciate what you've done for us. But you will not lay your hands on my son again. It happens, and you'll be out of here so fast you won't even see it coming. Do you understand me?" Natalee gives her a simple nod without taking her eyes off of her. "Get out of my office." Carlen finishes.
It is now three minutes until midnight. Elyse looks up at the full moon above and waits anxiously for something to happen. She cracks her knuckles beneath her thick black gloves as her mind goes back to Chris. It was sweet of him to be so worried about her of all people. Is it possible that he actually cares? More than that, could he...Suddenly Elyse hears the sound of twigs snapping off in the distance behind her. She whirls around and looks through the thick darkness.
In the shadows she makes out the frame of a man, standing there as if he'd been there all along. The man speaks, "Lee Sellers?"
"Yeah it's me." She responds.
"You all alone here?"
"What does it look like to you?" Elyse asks sarcastically. The man smiles at her comment. Elyse can see his white teeth shining even in the night.
He approaches her. The tall man has a muscular build and is dressed in nice clothing. The hair on his head is short and dark, just like the stubble gracing his jaw line. As he is right in front of her, he snatches her shades off and throws them to the ground. Elyse continues to stand still. "We've been looking for you...Where have you been all this time?"
"I've been around..."
"So why did you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Help the kid."
"Wouldn't anybody?"
"No...actually they wouldn't. A normal person wouldn't want to get involved. They'd act like they never saw anything. Or they'd call the cops..."
"I didn't call the police." She speaks up.
The man frowns, "Bull! The kid said a cop car pulled up and that's when he took off. He looked back and noticed you didn't run too."
"So? Anybody could have called it in. It's a big city, lots of nosey neighbors..."
"Okay, then why didn't you run?"
"Because I..."
"You have a nice chat with these cops?"
"N-no! I didn't!" Elyse shouts.
He looks deeper in her eyes before responding, "You're lying. You did talk to them. What did you tell them?" Elyse remains silent as she tries to cook up an answer. "Answer me!" He yells.
"Okay...okay. I just told them someone tried to hurt the kid and I stopped them. That's all, I promise!"
"No physical descriptions?"
"I didn't tell them anything else." The man takes a step closer to her. He is so close to her now that his nose almost touches her own. Elyse stands her ground, not moving an inch. He speaks again, "You a cop Lee?"
"No, I'm not." Elyse states, softly but firmly. Without warning he pulls Elyse in, pressing his lips hard against hers. Her first instinct was to give him a well deserved and strategically placed kick in the groin. But she remembered Captain Carlen's words.
He pulls back from her and lifts his hand caressing her cheek. His eyes, which were so expressive before, now show no embarrassment, no anger, and no pleasure. Elyse began to feel her nerves growing as those dispassionate eyes peered back at her. "You don't scare me." She says quietly, trying to convince both him and herself at the same time.
"No?" She shakes her head from side to side as an answer. By now it's her only means of communication. "You know why I'm here Lee?" He asks in his husky voice. Elyse finally takes her eyes off of his and looks to the ground. She now understands why Chris tried to stop her. Her body trembles and she holds her breath as she looks back at the man. "That's right," he continues, "I'm afraid some things you see on TV are actually real."
Time passes. How much time, she does not know. She only wishes she remembered why she came here in the first place. Slowly coming back into consciousness, Elyse digs her fingernails into the ground she lies on. Her eyelids crack open and she turns over onto her back. Pain one could never imagine, pulses in every part of her body. She whimpers and tears streak the dirt on her face. Through blurred vision she can see the man approaching her while cleaning his hands with a handkerchief of some sort. He kneels down beside her and places her shades on her chest. Leaning in close to Elyse's right ear she deciphers his warbled voice, "You hear me princess? If you're still alive tomorrow, come to the Sequoia Lounge at 9:00 a.m." He stands up and brushes the dirt off of his pants. Elyse watches the man stuff the stained towel into his pocket and leave the scene.
She closes her eyes and falls back into a deep sleep. Dreaming of him, and the loneliness she felt though surrounded by the park's tall trees. They did not help her. They stood by watching every moment. Soon they begin to spin, faster and faster, laughing all the while until suddenly they stopped. All was quiet. Elyse felt herself floating off the ground and away from this place and their wicked faces. She was safe from them now.
Rika, I´d like to say I love your writing... but that seems a little inappropriate considering the content of the last chapter.
So I will stick to "excellent" 8)
Loved it, loved it, loved it, oh did I say I LOVED IT!!
What an intense chapter! I was literally at the edge of my seat trying to figure out whats going to happen. First that chick on the bench, I seriously thought she was going to pull a gun and have Elyse follow her. And then Chris's outburst has me wondering what she is not being warned about!
And then there is a tiny reveal about who Natalee can be...I have to say, I like her. XD She creeps me out and sometimes I dont like her, but I am so interested in finding out about her past, whether she is a good guy or a bad guy.
And now the man in the park! I can not imagine how scared Elyse must have felt. She was really brave though to stand up to him. I cant believe after he kisses her he beats her up and then tells her to go somewhere else. I wonder if she doesnt go if they will go looking for her again...
That last paragraph is so sad though...I hope someone finds her fast!
Beautifully written Rika! Its sick to say this is so far my favorite chapter, but it is!!
You scared me for a second there annasommer lol. I'm thinking now that maybe I should have posted some type of caution message or disclaimer at the beginning of this one about the violence . But I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for reading!!
Awww thank you for the kind words Dusty. I like this chapter too. I've actually had the park scene in my mind since before I wrote the very first chapter of this story. I was a little apprehensive at first because I had to enter the mind of a man who would have no second thoughts about attacking a woman like that. And I wasn't sure what people would think of it . More will be revealed about him as well as the woman on the bench in the next chapter. We'll also find out if Elyse is alright! :shock:
Being internet free for a whole day was a little hard, but it was in support of a good cause (Don't censor the web!!) :P . And the best part is that I had plenty of time to work on Chapter 8 . I should be finished writing it today and after that comes the pics! Thank you to all my readers!
I'm speechless. First what looks like a shady opportunity at a moneygrab looking like it was a betrayal... I'm only left to wonder why the stranger would rough-up Elyse like that only to give what appears to be further instructions. I'm sure I'll find out someday, but even if there was outside objections, I trust Carlen ordering Elyse to go through it. (Especially since her name isn't McKelty... LA Noire reference.)
Hey Kaka_Fan! Thanks for reading! It's perfectly understandable for you to be speechless after reading this one. To be honest I was a little speechless myself lol. I hope you aren't mad at me for doing that to your favorite sim of mine :P . The woman on the bench and the man in the park are both shady characters. We'll find out a little more about them in the next chapter. Which, by the way, I just finished writing tonight!
Dark Shades Chapter 8: The Return of Lee
Around one in the morning, Captain Carlen made a call to the Undercover department's personal doctor. Upon arrival he took great care of Elyse and treated her injuries. It will take a while before the bruising fades but at least she is in stable condition. Others in the room, however, are not.
Chris watches Elyse as she sleeps. With his hands clasped tightly, and a seemingly permanent frown on his face, he relives the horrible scene at the park. Practically left for dead she was strewn out on the cold grass, with her face covered in blood. He scooped her up and carried her to the one place he knew would be safe; here at HQ. His mom always told him to come here in case of an emergency but he never thought such a day would come. Chris can see her looking at him through his peripheral vision, but he is too upset to acknowledge her. After at least 15 minutes, she speaks up, "Christopher...?" She gains no response from him so she walks over to where he's sitting before trying again, "Christopher. We need to talk."
Another moment of silence passes then she adds, "Come on, Christopher."
Chris finally answers in a low voice, "I have nothing to say to you."
"Now." Captain Carlen says to him firmly.
He lets out a deep sigh before standing up. "What is it?" He asks, his question heavy with attitude.
"Let's go in here." Carlen says as she gestures to the next room which is also the break room. She walks in first followed by Chris who takes one more look at Elyse before going in.
Captain Carlen stares at him while Chris faces her but keeps his eyes focused on the wall. She begins, "We didn't get a chance to talk about what happened this morning. By the time I got home you were gone."
"I was over at a friend's house..." Chris replies, still looking off in the distance.
"Are you okay? Did she hurt you...?"
"No... I'm alright. Thanks for calling off the dog."
"This is exactly why I don't like you hanging around here. You can't say things like that to Natalee and expect her not to react!"
"Well maybe you never should have let her come here in the first place mom! Ever think of that?"
"Christopher you know we need her..."
He chuckles and replies, "Yeah that figures."
"But anyway, I just want you to know that I talked to her...it's not going to happen again. Okay?"
"Whatever. Was that all?"
"No. You know that's not all." Captain Carlen says with a frown.
She walks closer to Chris and says, "Do you have any idea what you did tonight? It was the most foolish thing you ever could of done! What were you thinking!"
He finally looks her in the eye and replies angrily, "I thought I saved someone's life!"
"You saved someone's life, yes. But you could have ended yours! What if they were still in the area watching her! They could have seen you Christopher! They could have hurt you too, or...or killed you! I can't believe you did this!"
"And I can't believe you did this! You sent her out, knowing this would happen but you didn't do anything to stop her! No warning, no nothing! If you weren't going to help her, I knew I had to!" He exclaims.
"You did not have to do a thing but stay out of it! This is my job! I did not need your help, I did not need you to interfere! Not only did you jeopardize your life, but you also jeopardized this operation!"
"I know, I know, I know, it's the job! It's always about your stupid job! It's all you ever care about! You didn't care that you sent Elyse to be killed as long as you got what you wanted! All because of this job! When is it going to be enough mom! Dad knew! He left you because of this!" Chris shouts. With that, Captain Carlen's face goes from enraged to complete shock. Chris looks at his mom and instantly regrets saying that. But at the same time, it's what he believed. Though he shouldn't have said that, or maybe it needed to be said? He stops fighting with himself about it and turns away from her so he doesn't have to see that look on her face.
Carlen stares blankly at his back for a few seconds before regaining a shaky composure. "He told you about that?...Chris?" She asks him quietly.
Still facing the other way, Chris swallows hard and then says, "No...I was 13...and no matter how high I turned up my radio I could still hear you two yelling downstairs..."
"I didn't know..."
"I know you didn't...It's okay..."
She shakes her head, "No it's not. Christopher? Do you really feel that way about me too?"
"I...sometimes...maybe...I don't know..." Chris says with a sigh.
"Look at me." When Chris stays put she repeats, "I said look at me Christopher!" She grabs him by the shoulders and turns him around.
She looks deep into his eyes and says, "This job, my life, my existence...means nothing without you. If something happened to you tonight...Christopher, I deal with a lot of scary things...it comes with this occupation. But when I got your call tonight, I've never been more afraid; I was afraid for you. All I could think of was if you were okay. If anything ever happened to you, I don't know what I would do." Chris says nothing in response but listens intently. Captain Carlen continues, "You're all I've got. Don't you ever do something like this again." She then wraps her arms around her son.
Chris returns the hug and whispers to her, "I won't. I'm sorry..."
Afterwards Captain Carlen smiles at him and rubs his cheek. She replies, "Okay...You should go home...get some sleep."
"Um...I was actually thinking I could stay here with Elyse..."
"No, you should go home. I'll stay here and look after her...Okay?" She gives him a smile of reassurance.
"Well alright...good night mom."
"Good night." Chris and Captain Carlen walk out of the break room together. Chris stops by Elyse's bed and holds her hand a second. He then waves goodbye to his mom and leaves the room.
The Captain sits down in the chair next to Elyse and watches her. Leaning back in the chair, she folds her arms and begins to piece things together. Small things, but important things. She looks at the door again that Chris just exited and recalls the sight of him tenderly holding Elyse's hand. The same Elyse who was once a psycho in his eyes. Something's different. Before she can dwell on this any longer Captain Carlen drifts off to sleep. The man with the short dark hair approaches. His perfectly white teeth glisten as he jabs Elyse in the face. He then throws her to the ground and repeatedly kicks her in the stomach. She can feel his hot breath against her ear as he tells her, "Sequoia Lounge at 9:00 a.m...." Elyse lets out a loud gasp and wakes up from her nightmare.
Captain Carlen wakes up too and nearly falls out of her chair at the sound, "Jeez! What! What is it!" Then she sees Elyse sitting up in bed catching her breath. "Ah, Agent Wells you made it through the night. Bad dream?"
Elyse slowly turns her head in the Captain's direction and replies, "Captain Carlen...I guess you can say that..."
Carlen rubs at the crick in her neck and says, "That's to be expected. You've been through a lot. Do you know where you are?"
"Yeah...Headquarters...but how did I get here?"
"Well, Christopher brought you here..."
"What!"
"Yeah..."
"What time is it?"
Captain Carlen looks at her watch, "It's uh...8:30 in the morning."
"8:30? I have to go!" Elyse springs from the bed and feels a stabbing pain in her stomach. She groans and Captain Carlen jumps up to catch her.
"Whoa, slow down! You're still recovering." Captain Carlen says.
"Captain, the man told me to be at the Sequoia Lounge at nine!" Elyse exclaims.
"What?...What man?"
"The man in the park! He was the one...who..."
"A man did this to you Agent Wells?" Carlen asks quietly.
"Yeah...but I have to go now if I'm going to make it!"
"Are you sure you're up for this?"
Elyse's face grows serious, "So now you choose to be worried about me Captain?"
Captain Carlen sighs, "I know...how you must feel...but there's no time to talk about this now. You're either in or out..."
"I want to be in...but what if they-"
"It's alright. They won't hurt you again Agent Wells. Last night was a test to get you to squeal...but you didn't." Carlen says with a sly grin.
"That does make sense...Maybe you're right!"
Captain Carlen scoffs, "Of course I'm right! How long have I been doing this? Now go!" Elyse nods her head and pats down her coat. She feels the shades in her left pocket, puts them on, and quickly limps out the door.
Elyse makes it to the Sequoia lounge with two minutes to spare. She wonders why a lounge like this would be open so early in the morning. Perhaps this group made a deal with the owners. Or maybe the group actually owns this building? She makes a mental note-research ownership of the Sequoia Lounge. Elyse takes a deep breath and walks in. She is then greeted by a bouncer . He asked her name and after responding "Lee Sellers", he let her in. Elyse took the elevator up to the 4th floor.
When she steps off the elevator, the first person she sees is the woman who spoke with her outside the bookstore. The woman speaks, "Lee Sellers! Right on time. Follow me!" Before Elyse can reply, the woman motions to her left and begins to walk down a long corridor. Elyse notices that there is also another long corridor on the other side. What could be on that wing? "Come on!" the stranger calls out. Elyse catches up with her.
"So what am I doing here?" Elyse asks while walking.
"Um, let's just call it phase two."
"Phase two? Am I going to get my money now or what?"
"Shh, patience girl. Patience." She answers. After coming to the end of the hall the young woman stops and turns around.
She points at a nearby door, "In here. See ya!"
"Okay...see you later." Elyse responds. She watches her go back down the same path they came from and then grabs the silver handle on the door.
Inside it looks like a normal lounge setting. Except it's much nicer than any lounge she's ever been to. You would have to be pretty wealthy to come to a place like this. She walks in a little further but stops when she sees a familiar looking man standing in front of her.
"Well, well, well. The princess lives." He says to her. That husky voice of his brings chills to Elyse's body. She looks to her left and right but finds she's alone. She has no choice but to trust Captain Carlen now. He raises an eyebrow and taps the space next to his eyes with his finger. Elyse takes this as a sign to remove her shades. So she does. He smiles and walks over to her.
He lifts a hand towards her face and she instinctively flinches. "Somebody's jumpy! Don't worry princess, I just need to check you out. Now be still." He lifts his hand again this time placing it underneath her chin. He tilts her head and examines her face closely. Elyse hopes that he can't hear the sound of her heart thumping in her chest. "You should really wipe that scowl off your face. You're much too pretty for that."
Elyse digs deep inside and musters up some courage, "Sorry I'm not interested in wife beaters."
He snickers, "Don't flatter yourself sweetheart, you're too young for me. Practically still a baby."
"Then why did you kiss me?"
"Easy; because I could. But who knows? Maybe in a few years we can work something out."
"Never." Elyse says to him firmly.
"Ouch! I am crushed! Obviously someone's still a little sore at me. It's nothing personal Lee; it's just my job."
"You get paid to beat up women? Nice...Did you go to school for that?"
The man purses his lips together and says, "Alright feisty; that's enough back talk from you. You don't want to upset me." He finally releases her chin. "Who dressed your wounds?"
"I did." Elyse answers.
"You did a pretty good job considering you were unconscious when I left you...The swelling is nearly gone..."
She frowns, "Are you still doubting me?"
He takes a step closer to her, "You bet I am. It'll take more than surviving a beating for him to trust someone who was caught talking to the cops. We don't like pigs. We'll do whatever we can to weed them out."
"Him?"
"Yes...him"
"Is this "him" going to get me the money I was promised?"
"You'll get your money...in due time. Relax. Now, arms up." Elyse does as she is told and he proceeds to pat her down. "Hat off." She sighs and takes her hat off. He then runs his fingers through her hair and around her ears. "Congratulations, you passed inspection."
"I told you I wasn't a cop."
He smiles showing his teeth, "We'll see. Let's sit down, and have a little chat."
The man leads her to a small corner table in the lounge. Elyse joins him at the table and feels a little uneasy sitting across from the man who assaulted her just last night. It doesn't help that he hasn't taken his eyes off of her since she walked in here. It's obvious that this man isn't the type to let his guard down. She will have to be careful around him. "So last night while you were passed out I did a little probing." The man says. He notices the look of disbelief Elyse gives him and gets a kick out of it. He laughs heartily, "Not that kind of probing sweetheart! Not that kind. I kept my hands to myself. But what I did find was your ID." He reaches in his pocket and pulls it out, "Lee Sellers, born April 3rd. You grow up around here Lee?"
Elyse replies, "No. I actually moved here from a small town because there was nothing there for me. No room for opportunity. I wanted more...I needed more."
"What kind of opportunities you looking for?"
She leans forward on the table and looks into his eyes as she states, "The same thing everybody's looking for tough guy; money."
"Money..." The man says with a smirk.
"Got some for me?"
He leans back in his chair and moistens his lips. After tapping the table with his fingers he responds, "Maybe...but it's not for free. You'll have to earn it."
"I'm listening."
"You know, I like you Lee. As sick, twisted, and perverted as it may be...I do. Your lust for money is endearing." Elyse delivers her own seductive smile to him while secretly feeling disgusted inside. He continues, "Do you gamble?"
She tries to hide her excitement, "I came here today after what happened last night; didn't I?"
The man chuckles, "Funny girl. That is true. But no, no princess, I mean with cards, chips, with money."
"Honestly? Not much...but then I've never found a place worth my time for it..."
"Well then. What if I said I got a place for you that is well worth your time?"
"I'd ask where it is, and what's the catch?"
"17 1/2 G Street."
"Interesting...and the catch?"
He shakes his head from side to side keeping his eyes fixed on hers, "No catch Lee."
"Okay...I'll bite." Elyse says casually.
"Splendid. It'll do you good to remember, Thursday through Saturday...starting at 8:00 p.m."
"Got it."
"Also, as adorable as you may look now, there is a dress code. We're a sophisticated bunch so dress accordingly. And I'd suggest waiting until next weekend to grace us with your presence; you should be all better by then."
Elyse wonders just how arrogant this guy can get. She replies, "Okay. I should be able to swing that. Can I ask one more question?"
"Fire away."
"What's your name?"
The man smiles, flaunting his teeth again, "You're dismissed, kitten."
Elyse gives him a small grin as she rises from the table. He grabs her hand before she walks away and says, "It's been a pleasure Lee. I look forward to seeing you next week... I'll be watching you."
Comments
Dark Shades Chapter 6: What would Captain Carlen think?
Elyse shuts Captain Carlen's door behind her and stays just outside a moment. Could this really be happening? One of the biggest cases of the OPD has practically fallen into her lap. She bites her lower lip in an attempt to contain a girly squeal. She looks across the way at the door leading to the women's restroom. Elyse quickly walks inside.
She locks the door and goes over to the first sink to look in the mirror. "Because of you, the city of Oltona is a cleaner place; first you put an end to illegal alcohol sales, and now you've infiltrated a notorious underground gambling operation. We don't know what we'd do without you. Please accept this medal. Congratulations Agent Wells." Elyse says to her reflection in a deep manly voice. Then she continues in her normal voice, " It was really nothing. But I am so honored. Thank you Chief Sprocket, thank you." She giggles and finally lets out a shriek of excitement. Elyse sighs and takes her glasses off. She lowers her head to the sink and splashes water on her face. Elyse then brings up the tail of her shirt to dry her face off before looking into the mirror again. She lets out a gasp that echoes within the bathroom's walls.
"Natalee! You-you scared me! I thought I locked the door..." Elyse says while catching her breath.
"I unlocked it." Natalee responds plainly.
"Oh...I get it. You must have a key."
"No key."
"Come on Natalee, you can't get into a locked room without a key! Clearly you have one!" Elyse says slightly irritated.
"If you say so Wells." Natalee answers.
Elyse rolls her eyes, "Whatever." She finally stops talking to Natalee through the mirror and turns around to face her. "Anyway, I guess I better be goi-."
"'Clearly' you're excited about your new assignment." Natalee interrupts.
Elyse's face turns red at the thought that Natalee saw her earlier, "Um...yes of course I am."
"Are you prepared for it?"
"Yes."
"You misunderstand me. You need to educate yourself on the topic; on the inner workings of a gambling operation and on the gambler's psyche."
"Okay...I'll consider it. Thanks for the tip..."
Natalee takes a step closer, "That wasn't a request."
Elyse looks back into those icy blue eyes before replying, "Natalee... It's alright...I can think about this later...if the group even finds me..."
"It's not a question of 'if' Wells. Do you really believe they'll give up so easily on the person who came in contact with their leader's son? You're such a child." Natalee stops to laugh and Elyse observes her. It's odd seeing her laugh. Ironically enough it's more frightening than her usual scowl; which appears again as Natalee continues, "They will find you. When they do, you need to be prepared. This isn't a game."
"Natalee? You seem so certain of this...How is it that you know these things?" Elyse asks, studying her closely. Natalee's eyes look off to the side for a brief second before returning to Elyse.
"It's not your concern."
"Yes it is, who are you really?" Elyse takes a step closer to Natalee but she recoils.
With a slight smirk Natalee answers, "I'm Natalee." She then turns away and walks out of the bathroom.
Elyse lets out a deep breath. That woman is so mysterious. What could she be hiding? There's no time to worry about that now. Elyse can't explain it but she feels like she should trust Natalee and take her advice. She puts her glasses back on and walks out.
Upon entering the lobby, Elyse notices a guy that she hasn't seen in almost two months. She stops at the sight of him and their eyes meet. To her surprise he stands up and walks towards her.
"So I guess congrats' are in order." Chris addresses Elyse.
"For what...?"
"'For what' she says. Davino's has been shut down temporarily because they were busted by the cops for selling to minors. Apparently an undercover agent was involved...I wonder who that could be?" He asks sarcastically.
"Oh! That." Elyse responds.
"So it really was you! Is it your mission to ruin every fun aspect of my life?"
Elyse tilts her head and gives him a smile, "I didn't say it was me. But sorry Chris, I guess you'll have to wait until you're 21 like the rest of us. Now could you step aside?"
Elyse begins to walk around him before he calls out to her, "Wait!"
"What Chris!" She says in a frustrated tone.
"I...uh...I really do think it's kind of cool...what you did. Or what I think you did...You must be a good agent."
"Oh...well thanks I guess..."
"I'm not finished. I think we got off on the wrong foot. You know, with me kissing you, you embarrassing me...twice! Me yelling at you on the street corner..."
"What's your point?" Elyse cuts him off.
Chris sighs, "Can we start over? I'm not the jerk you think I am. I'm actually a pretty nice guy!"
"Really? Where?" Elyse laughs at her joke.
"I'm serious! I was thinking maybe we can be friends..."
"Listen Chris, even if I didn't find you incredibly annoying, you know what my job entails. I shouldn't get too close to anyone...especially not now..." She says under her breath before continuing, "I appreciate the effort though. Besides, you said you wanted me out of your life."
"Come on, don't be like that. I'm sorry..." Chris says quietly. Elyse looks at the pouty face before her and can't help but smile. He notices this and starts again, "What's your name?"
"Chris..."
"Whoa we have the same name! Coolness!" He jokes.
Elyse laughs, "Stop that's not it! But like I said, I shouldn't tell you anything."
"Oh whatever, I know everyone's names here; Jerome, Cheryl, the witch...I mean Natalee."
Elyse pushes his shoulder and whispers to him firmly, "Stop! She's right there! Do you want to get hurt?"
Chris chuckles, "Maybe you're right. So, about that name...?"
"...Elyse..."
He smiles at her, "I like it...much better than Liz!"
"Yeah well...um I need to go..."
"No wait, we should do something! Maybe get something to eat? Hang out? Talk?"
Elyse glances to the right at Natalee shuffling papers on her desk. She looks back at Chris and replies, "Sorry Chris. I have work to do."
An hour later, after a quick lunch, Elyse arrives at the public library. She begins with some online research on gambling operations but mostly found news articles with titles such as "Undercover Sting Shuts Down Gambling Ring", "Gambling Ring Busted", and "20 Indicted in Illegal Gambling Ring". These articles were interesting enough but she still needed more. So she proceeded to research the psyche of gamblers and found a lot more information. Elyse isn't sure of what will happen once she is approached, but Natalee is right; she should be prepared for anything.
Because her online search on gambling operations was unsuccessful, she decided to do things the old fashioned way. Elyse went through aisle after aisle before finding a section on Organized Crime and the like. After obtaining a decent selection of books, Elyse settles down at one of the tables and begins to read.
The hours flew by and Elyse's vision started to go blurry. But she shook it off and continued to read. Suddenly, she hears a sound; like floorboards creaking behind her. She turns her head slightly but the sound was gone. So she continues to read. The sound occurs again, this time it seemed closer. She thought sure she was the only one on this floor of the library. Elyse sits up straight and puts her antenna up. Could someone be watching her? Could it be...one of them...? She holds her breath as footsteps approach her, closer and closer. When the sound stops behind her she quickly turns her head around to face...Chris?
"Ugh! What! Chris! It's you!" Elyse yells at him.
"Whoa! What's your problem?" Chris asks as he takes a seat in front of her.
"What are you doing sneaking up on me like that!"
"I wasn't sneaking, I thought I recognized you so I decided to walk over and...wait. Did I scare you?" He grins.
"N-no...that's not it..."
"I think I did scare you! Aw I'm sorry sweetie."
"Shut up! You did not scare me!" She shouts defensively.
"What's got you so spooked anyway? I mean other than being alone up here in a creepy old library at night."
"I'm fine." Elyse states before looking at her book again.
"I'll say you are." He gives her a flirty smile. She raises her eyes and gives him a stern look. "Okay! Okay! Just kidding..."
"I can't concentrate like this Chris...could you possibly...?"
"Just pretend I'm not here."
She slams her book shut and exclaims, "Chris, get out!"
"Nice try but that only works for my mom."
Elyse sighs, "Great...wait, what do you mean by 'alone at night'? It's not nighttime I've only been here a couple hours."
"Wow someone's been hitting the books hard! It's 7:30 now."
"Are you kidding?"
"Nope!" Chris points at a clock on the wall, "You might want to invest in a watch."
"I can't believe I've been here for seven hours..." Elyse says, still in disbelief.
"What have you been reading that's got you so riveted anyway?" He asks before sliding one of her books to his side.
She quickly pulls it back over, "None of your business!" Elyse proceeds to gather up the rest of them.
"Excuse me then! Take them! Besides I'm more interested in this Psychology crap I've been studying."
"I'm going to go now...library's about to close anyway."
"Need some help carrying those Elyse?"
"No thanks I'm fi-...I can manage."
Chris grins at her, "Wow. I bet it would kill you to ask for help."
"No, but what would kill me is annoying little college boys who can't take a hint!"
"Have you eaten dinner?" He asks, ignoring her insult.
"No..."
"I'm in the mood for pizza, care to join me?"
"I'm going home Chris." Elyse gets up from the table and Chris follows her.
"Works for me, we'll order it from your house!" He says with a smile.
"No, Chris!"
"Come on, it's obvious you're a little jumpy tonight. I'll escort you, check for monsters under your car, and make sure you get home safe. Say yes.."
Elyse shakes her head in defeat, "Yes...Ok...I guess...Has anyone ever told you you're kind of childish?"
"All the time."
After arriving safely at Elyse's apartment, she ordered the pizza as planned. Thirty minutes later the delivery man came and they sat down to eat. "So good...Nothing's better than pizza on a cold November night." Chris says with a mouthful of pizza.
"I know. I love pizza. I could eat it anytime!" Elyse joins in.
"I'm still shocked that this is your apartment. I had no idea you lived here when I saw you outside that time. And to think you weren't making it up when you said you had your own place!"
"Yeah...mistake on my part...I shouldn't have revealed that about myself."
"I won't tell anyone."Chris wipes his mouth with a napkin then continues, "So how did you get so lucky to have your own place when you're only 20?"
"Man, I forgot to lie about that too!"
He laughs and says sarcastically, "What would Captain Carlen think! So...were you lying when you said you didn't have a boyfriend?" He asks eagerly.
"No that was actually true too..."
"Interesting..."
Elyse rolls her eyes, "Anyway, like I said before about this apartment-it's a long story."
"We have all night."
"No we don't, it's pizza, maybe a donut, and then you're leaving Mister."
"Those donuts certainly are tempting. " He says while licking his lips.
Elyse frowns, "Note the emphasis on 'a' donut."
"That figures...But I can't believe you'd make me leave when there's a TV sitting there waiting to be watched."
"Chris!"
"Let's watch some B&B TV." Elyse says nothing at first so Chris tries again, "Don't you like B&B?"
"I love B&B...Okay, one episode..." She gives in.
"Yes!"Chris exclaims, "Thanks mommy." Elyse laughs and then continues eating.
Surprisingly, Elyse had a great time with Chris this evening after loosening up. Chris made her laugh so much that her sides began to hurt. But their show is now over. "Well that was just as good as I expected." He says, "I hope they never get rid of B&B. How much would that suck!"
"Don't even joke like that Chris!" She replies.
"Sorry, you're right. That's not funny at all...But since the show is over, I GUESS I better go as promised..." He says, looking down at her on his lap.
"Yeah I GUESS..." She smiles at him.
"And I have class in the morning so..."
"Yeah...okay..." Elyse sits up and they both walk to the door.
Elyse begins, "So um, thank you for taking me home and protecting me I guess. I mean, not that I asked you to!"
Chris laughs, "Duh, of course not! But you're welcome...anytime..."
"Good night..."
"Night' Elyse..."
Chris takes a step forward and gives her a warm hug. Elyse questions it at first but soon lets go of her nerves. She wraps her arms around him and snuggles close to his chest.
Over the past week, Elyse has been up to her ears in literature on her new assignment. She checked out the books she picked from the library and chose to read chapters that she viewed to be of upmost importance. As for today, Elyse has just finished browsing another book she found at the bookstore. She tosses her empty latte cup in a nearby trash can and takes a seat outside.
She exhales and watches her breath swirl around in front of her. Another cold November day. This reminds her of the night Chris was at her house. Elyse hasn't heard from him since that night and he hasn't been around the office either. He must be busy with class. Or maybe she said something wrong? Perhaps he's been hanging out at the library with another girl. Elyse shakes her head and thinks to herself, "What are you doing Elyse? This is a good thing. You shouldn't be getting attached to that...jerk..." Somehow that description doesn't seem to fit him anymore. She lets out a sigh and decides she's had enough of the cold for today. Just as she's about to leave, a woman speaks to her, "Hey."
Elyse looks up and adjusts her dark shades. She greets the stranger, "Hi..."
So now it looks like Elyse is getting plenty of undercover training before this assignment! I wonder if she'll also be buying casino themed video games.
That's great that they're both into B&B. But it's stupid how the name gets censored out on the forums.... I'm sure there's some angry University of Georgia fans here that are irate how you can't type Wally *****' name without it getting reduced to stars!
Wish he knew- wish I could see his face then
I giggled at the mirror scene, haven't we all done some variation of that?!
Natalee scared the bejebee's outta me. I really am unsure about her intent. She certainly gave Elyse a good tip with researching and taking this undercover gig a little more seriously.
I just hope that she isnt some one else working undercover..but not for the PD. :O
Chris...eeps..thats a minefield isnt it?! XD Lets see how that works out.
Also, I forgot if I asked this before, but will be seeing Trini in this?
Also, forgot to message you but Chapter 6 is up on my end too. :}
Dark Shades Chapter 7: Surrounded but Alone
"Nice day isn't it?" The woman replies.
Elyse sizes her up. She is a young woman with smooth milk chocolate skin. Her body is lean and toned. Judging by her hair, she prides herself in being all natural. Elyse looks into the stranger's eyes and deduces that this stranger is not here by mere coincidence. She responds, "A little cold...but it is Fall..."
The woman nods her head without saying anything. Then she smiles and asks, "Is this seat taken?"
"Go ahead." Was Elyse's aloof retort. The woman helps herself to the bench.
A smile is plastered on her face as she continues to stare at Elyse. Elyse can feel her eyes burning into her cheek even more than the bitter wind. But she continues looking straight ahead. The woman speaks up, "Cute outfit."
"Thanks...Um, I'm going to go now. Enjoy yourself..." Elyse says. She starts to get up but before she can completely rise the woman grabs her wrist and pulls her back down.
"Not so fast missy. You're not going anywhere." She says in an innocent but firm voice.
"And why not?"
The woman chuckles, "I know who you are. We've been looking for you for quite a long time."
"Okay...What do you mean we?"
"Perhaps you remember about 2 months ago, you saved a kid from some greasy thug?"
"Yeah...that's right. So?"
"It's all very intriguing to us...You see, the kid's a...mutual friend of ours...I guess you can say. We'd like to return the favor."
"It was nothing really. I don't expect anything."
"We insist."
"Well, what do...what were you thinking?"
"Let me ask you this, do you like money?" The woman asks her with a crooked smile.
"Sure, who doesn't!" Elyse answers, choosing her words carefully.
"I thought so...Well if you do like money, you'll be plenty interested in our offer."
"What is it?"
"You'll see...but there are a few things we need to get straightened out first. What's your name?"
Elyse says the first thing that pops into her mind, "Lee." The woman squints her eyes, awaiting more. So Elyse adds, "Sellers."
"Okay...Lee Sellers..." She scoots closer and crosses her legs, "I want you to come to the park tonight...midnight...alone."
"Why?" Elyse asks.
"Aren't you interested in making money?"
"Sure...but...How do I know I can trust you?"
The woman grins, "What's the point of life without risk? It's not a life worth living. What would have happened if you didn't step in to save the boy? Taking risks, is everything...Wouldn't you agree?"
"Well, I can't argue with you there." Elyse says with a smile. The woman certainly has a gambler's mentality.
"Good. Besides, we're all friends here Lee."
"Alright...what's your name, friend?"
"Cute. So you'll be there?"
Elyse thinks a moment before agreeing, "Yeah, okay...I'm game."
"That's very wise of you." The woman stands up and brushes the back of her skirt. She leans over and whispers, "Do the right thing Lee...don't make us come looking for you again." She then walks away.
Elyse stands up and watches as she leaves. She waits until she can no longer hear the clicking sound of the woman's heels before breathing again. For safety measures, Elyse lingered around town for a while. After about an hour of meandering she got on a train and headed to HQ.
"...She wants me to be there at midnight. Actually she demanded that I be there! She also stressed that I should come alone." Elyse finishes her report.
Captain Carlen rubs her chin, "And you didn't get her name?"
"No. I tried but she wouldn't budge on that."
"It makes sense. They're suspicious...cautious..." Carlen's thoughts begin to trail off as she stares at Elyse. Elyse begins to fill uneasy and shifts in her seat.
"Captain? What is it?"
Captain Carlen leans back in her chair and replies, "It's nothing...Agent Wells, when you go tonight, Be diligent, and don't give away too much. You should do whatever it takes to make them trust you...Most importantly, remember to control your urge to react... I'm counting on you Wells."
Elyse nods, "Of course Captain. I can do this!"
Carlen speaks again quietly, "Okay...that's all for now. Oh, on your way out, speak with Natalee. Tell her you'll need an ID for Lee Sellers."
"Yes ma'am." Suddenly, the door swings open and Chris walks into Captain Carlen's office. He exclaims, "Don't do it Elyse!"
Startled, Elyse and Captain Carlen both jump to their feet. The Captain speaks, "Christopher! Have you lost your mind!"
He ignores her and addresses Elyse, "Elyse, don't go tonight. I know I sound crazy but just don't! You have to trust me!"
"Stop it Christopher! Get out now!" Carlen yells angrily.
Elyse speaks softly, "Chris?...Chris...it's okay. I'll be alright. Just calm down!"
"No it's not okay! You can't go. I won't let you! Just please listen!"
Captain Carlen pushes herself between them and shouts, "That is enough Christopher! I said leave!"
"No mom! You know what's going to happen! You can't let her go!" Chris continues to yell with his voice trembling. Elyse, still in shock, keeps her distance.
"Chris. Leave. Now." Natalee says after appearing at the door. Chris turns around and looks at Natalee. Knowing he can't match her he backs away from his mom. His breathing slows down as he walks towards the door. When he finally reaches Natalee, Chris looks her in the eye and says, "Yeah, yeah. I'm going. You stupid-" Before the "b" can fully leave his lips Natalee grabs him by the collar and slams his back against the door frame.
"Natalee!" Captain Carlen quickly calls out to her. "Don't!" Natalee turns her head in the Captain's direction and sees the desperation in her eyes. She looks back at Chris' frightened face and slowly loosens her grip. As soon as she lets go Chris runs away. Captain Carlen and Elyse exhale in unison. Carlen looks at Elyse and asks, "You okay?"
"Yeah...yeah I'm okay. What in the world was that all about!" Elyse answers.
"Don't worry about it..."
"What! You expect me not to worry! He was obviously upset for a reason! Why would-!"
"Shut up Agent Wells!" Captain Carlen barks at her.
Elyse quickly zips it. She looks at Carlen and can tell that she is extremely upset. "I'm sorry..."
"Just be there tonight. You can leave now... close the door behind you." Captain Carlen says without looking at Elyse. Her eyes are now focused on Natalee who is still standing by the door. Elyse says nothing more and exits.
Once she is gone Captain Carlen walks over to Natalee. She speaks to her in a threatening tone, "You listen to me. I know who you are, and where you've come from. I appreciate what you've done for us. But you will not lay your hands on my son again. It happens, and you'll be out of here so fast you won't even see it coming. Do you understand me?" Natalee gives her a simple nod without taking her eyes off of her. "Get out of my office." Carlen finishes.
It is now three minutes until midnight. Elyse looks up at the full moon above and waits anxiously for something to happen. She cracks her knuckles beneath her thick black gloves as her mind goes back to Chris. It was sweet of him to be so worried about her of all people. Is it possible that he actually cares? More than that, could he...Suddenly Elyse hears the sound of twigs snapping off in the distance behind her. She whirls around and looks through the thick darkness.
In the shadows she makes out the frame of a man, standing there as if he'd been there all along. The man speaks, "Lee Sellers?"
"Yeah it's me." She responds.
"You all alone here?"
"What does it look like to you?" Elyse asks sarcastically. The man smiles at her comment. Elyse can see his white teeth shining even in the night.
He approaches her. The tall man has a muscular build and is dressed in nice clothing. The hair on his head is short and dark, just like the stubble gracing his jaw line. As he is right in front of her, he snatches her shades off and throws them to the ground. Elyse continues to stand still. "We've been looking for you...Where have you been all this time?"
"I've been around..."
"So why did you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Help the kid."
"Wouldn't anybody?"
"No...actually they wouldn't. A normal person wouldn't want to get involved. They'd act like they never saw anything. Or they'd call the cops..."
"I didn't call the police." She speaks up.
The man frowns, "Bull! The kid said a cop car pulled up and that's when he took off. He looked back and noticed you didn't run too."
"So? Anybody could have called it in. It's a big city, lots of nosey neighbors..."
"Okay, then why didn't you run?"
"Because I..."
"You have a nice chat with these cops?"
"N-no! I didn't!" Elyse shouts.
He looks deeper in her eyes before responding, "You're lying. You did talk to them. What did you tell them?" Elyse remains silent as she tries to cook up an answer. "Answer me!" He yells.
"Okay...okay. I just told them someone tried to hurt the kid and I stopped them. That's all, I promise!"
"No physical descriptions?"
"I didn't tell them anything else." The man takes a step closer to her. He is so close to her now that his nose almost touches her own. Elyse stands her ground, not moving an inch. He speaks again, "You a cop Lee?"
"No, I'm not." Elyse states, softly but firmly. Without warning he pulls Elyse in, pressing his lips hard against hers. Her first instinct was to give him a well deserved and strategically placed kick in the groin. But she remembered Captain Carlen's words.
He pulls back from her and lifts his hand caressing her cheek. His eyes, which were so expressive before, now show no embarrassment, no anger, and no pleasure. Elyse began to feel her nerves growing as those dispassionate eyes peered back at her. "You don't scare me." She says quietly, trying to convince both him and herself at the same time.
"No?" She shakes her head from side to side as an answer. By now it's her only means of communication. "You know why I'm here Lee?" He asks in his husky voice. Elyse finally takes her eyes off of his and looks to the ground. She now understands why Chris tried to stop her. Her body trembles and she holds her breath as she looks back at the man. "That's right," he continues, "I'm afraid some things you see on TV are actually real."
Time passes. How much time, she does not know. She only wishes she remembered why she came here in the first place. Slowly coming back into consciousness, Elyse digs her fingernails into the ground she lies on. Her eyelids crack open and she turns over onto her back. Pain one could never imagine, pulses in every part of her body. She whimpers and tears streak the dirt on her face. Through blurred vision she can see the man approaching her while cleaning his hands with a handkerchief of some sort. He kneels down beside her and places her shades on her chest. Leaning in close to Elyse's right ear she deciphers his warbled voice, "You hear me princess? If you're still alive tomorrow, come to the Sequoia Lounge at 9:00 a.m." He stands up and brushes the dirt off of his pants. Elyse watches the man stuff the stained towel into his pocket and leave the scene.
She closes her eyes and falls back into a deep sleep. Dreaming of him, and the loneliness she felt though surrounded by the park's tall trees. They did not help her. They stood by watching every moment. Soon they begin to spin, faster and faster, laughing all the while until suddenly they stopped. All was quiet. Elyse felt herself floating off the ground and away from this place and their wicked faces. She was safe from them now.
So I will stick to "excellent" 8)
What an intense chapter! I was literally at the edge of my seat trying to figure out whats going to happen. First that chick on the bench, I seriously thought she was going to pull a gun and have Elyse follow her. And then Chris's outburst has me wondering what she is not being warned about!
And then there is a tiny reveal about who Natalee can be...I have to say, I like her. XD She creeps me out and sometimes I dont like her, but I am so interested in finding out about her past, whether she is a good guy or a bad guy.
And now the man in the park! I can not imagine how scared Elyse must have felt. She was really brave though to stand up to him. I cant believe after he kisses her he beats her up and then tells her to go somewhere else. I wonder if she doesnt go if they will go looking for her again...
That last paragraph is so sad though...I hope someone finds her fast!
Beautifully written Rika! Its sick to say this is so far my favorite chapter, but it is!!
Awww thank you for the kind words Dusty
You did a good job. Writing violence is always hard, because first you do not know if you went overboard or if it has no effect.
And I cant wait!!
Dark Shades Chapter 8: The Return of Lee
Around one in the morning, Captain Carlen made a call to the Undercover department's personal doctor. Upon arrival he took great care of Elyse and treated her injuries. It will take a while before the bruising fades but at least she is in stable condition. Others in the room, however, are not.
Chris watches Elyse as she sleeps. With his hands clasped tightly, and a seemingly permanent frown on his face, he relives the horrible scene at the park. Practically left for dead she was strewn out on the cold grass, with her face covered in blood. He scooped her up and carried her to the one place he knew would be safe; here at HQ. His mom always told him to come here in case of an emergency but he never thought such a day would come. Chris can see her looking at him through his peripheral vision, but he is too upset to acknowledge her. After at least 15 minutes, she speaks up, "Christopher...?" She gains no response from him so she walks over to where he's sitting before trying again, "Christopher. We need to talk."
Another moment of silence passes then she adds, "Come on, Christopher."
Chris finally answers in a low voice, "I have nothing to say to you."
"Now." Captain Carlen says to him firmly.
He lets out a deep sigh before standing up. "What is it?" He asks, his question heavy with attitude.
"Let's go in here." Carlen says as she gestures to the next room which is also the break room. She walks in first followed by Chris who takes one more look at Elyse before going in.
Captain Carlen stares at him while Chris faces her but keeps his eyes focused on the wall. She begins, "We didn't get a chance to talk about what happened this morning. By the time I got home you were gone."
"I was over at a friend's house..." Chris replies, still looking off in the distance.
"Are you okay? Did she hurt you...?"
"No... I'm alright. Thanks for calling off the dog."
"This is exactly why I don't like you hanging around here. You can't say things like that to Natalee and expect her not to react!"
"Well maybe you never should have let her come here in the first place mom! Ever think of that?"
"Christopher you know we need her..."
He chuckles and replies, "Yeah that figures."
"But anyway, I just want you to know that I talked to her...it's not going to happen again. Okay?"
"Whatever. Was that all?"
"No. You know that's not all." Captain Carlen says with a frown.
She walks closer to Chris and says, "Do you have any idea what you did tonight? It was the most foolish thing you ever could of done! What were you thinking!"
He finally looks her in the eye and replies angrily, "I thought I saved someone's life!"
"You saved someone's life, yes. But you could have ended yours! What if they were still in the area watching her! They could have seen you Christopher! They could have hurt you too, or...or killed you! I can't believe you did this!"
"And I can't believe you did this! You sent her out, knowing this would happen but you didn't do anything to stop her! No warning, no nothing! If you weren't going to help her, I knew I had to!" He exclaims.
"You did not have to do a thing but stay out of it! This is my job! I did not need your help, I did not need you to interfere! Not only did you jeopardize your life, but you also jeopardized this operation!"
"I know, I know, I know, it's the job! It's always about your stupid job! It's all you ever care about! You didn't care that you sent Elyse to be killed as long as you got what you wanted! All because of this job! When is it going to be enough mom! Dad knew! He left you because of this!" Chris shouts. With that, Captain Carlen's face goes from enraged to complete shock. Chris looks at his mom and instantly regrets saying that. But at the same time, it's what he believed. Though he shouldn't have said that, or maybe it needed to be said? He stops fighting with himself about it and turns away from her so he doesn't have to see that look on her face.
Carlen stares blankly at his back for a few seconds before regaining a shaky composure. "He told you about that?...Chris?" She asks him quietly.
Still facing the other way, Chris swallows hard and then says, "No...I was 13...and no matter how high I turned up my radio I could still hear you two yelling downstairs..."
"I didn't know..."
"I know you didn't...It's okay..."
She shakes her head, "No it's not. Christopher? Do you really feel that way about me too?"
"I...sometimes...maybe...I don't know..." Chris says with a sigh.
"Look at me." When Chris stays put she repeats, "I said look at me Christopher!" She grabs him by the shoulders and turns him around.
She looks deep into his eyes and says, "This job, my life, my existence...means nothing without you. If something happened to you tonight...Christopher, I deal with a lot of scary things...it comes with this occupation. But when I got your call tonight, I've never been more afraid; I was afraid for you. All I could think of was if you were okay. If anything ever happened to you, I don't know what I would do." Chris says nothing in response but listens intently. Captain Carlen continues, "You're all I've got. Don't you ever do something like this again." She then wraps her arms around her son.
Chris returns the hug and whispers to her, "I won't. I'm sorry..."
Afterwards Captain Carlen smiles at him and rubs his cheek. She replies, "Okay...You should go home...get some sleep."
"Um...I was actually thinking I could stay here with Elyse..."
"No, you should go home. I'll stay here and look after her...Okay?" She gives him a smile of reassurance.
"Well alright...good night mom."
"Good night." Chris and Captain Carlen walk out of the break room together. Chris stops by Elyse's bed and holds her hand a second. He then waves goodbye to his mom and leaves the room.
The Captain sits down in the chair next to Elyse and watches her. Leaning back in the chair, she folds her arms and begins to piece things together. Small things, but important things. She looks at the door again that Chris just exited and recalls the sight of him tenderly holding Elyse's hand. The same Elyse who was once a psycho in his eyes. Something's different. Before she can dwell on this any longer Captain Carlen drifts off to sleep. The man with the short dark hair approaches. His perfectly white teeth glisten as he jabs Elyse in the face. He then throws her to the ground and repeatedly kicks her in the stomach. She can feel his hot breath against her ear as he tells her, "Sequoia Lounge at 9:00 a.m...." Elyse lets out a loud gasp and wakes up from her nightmare.
Captain Carlen wakes up too and nearly falls out of her chair at the sound, "Jeez! What! What is it!" Then she sees Elyse sitting up in bed catching her breath. "Ah, Agent Wells you made it through the night. Bad dream?"
Elyse slowly turns her head in the Captain's direction and replies, "Captain Carlen...I guess you can say that..."
Carlen rubs at the crick in her neck and says, "That's to be expected. You've been through a lot. Do you know where you are?"
"Yeah...Headquarters...but how did I get here?"
"Well, Christopher brought you here..."
"What!"
"Yeah..."
"What time is it?"
Captain Carlen looks at her watch, "It's uh...8:30 in the morning."
"8:30? I have to go!" Elyse springs from the bed and feels a stabbing pain in her stomach. She groans and Captain Carlen jumps up to catch her.
"Whoa, slow down! You're still recovering." Captain Carlen says.
"Captain, the man told me to be at the Sequoia Lounge at nine!" Elyse exclaims.
"What?...What man?"
"The man in the park! He was the one...who..."
"A man did this to you Agent Wells?" Carlen asks quietly.
"Yeah...but I have to go now if I'm going to make it!"
"Are you sure you're up for this?"
Elyse's face grows serious, "So now you choose to be worried about me Captain?"
Captain Carlen sighs, "I know...how you must feel...but there's no time to talk about this now. You're either in or out..."
"I want to be in...but what if they-"
"It's alright. They won't hurt you again Agent Wells. Last night was a test to get you to squeal...but you didn't." Carlen says with a sly grin.
"That does make sense...Maybe you're right!"
Captain Carlen scoffs, "Of course I'm right! How long have I been doing this? Now go!" Elyse nods her head and pats down her coat. She feels the shades in her left pocket, puts them on, and quickly limps out the door.
Elyse makes it to the Sequoia lounge with two minutes to spare. She wonders why a lounge like this would be open so early in the morning. Perhaps this group made a deal with the owners. Or maybe the group actually owns this building? She makes a mental note-research ownership of the Sequoia Lounge. Elyse takes a deep breath and walks in. She is then greeted by a bouncer . He asked her name and after responding "Lee Sellers", he let her in. Elyse took the elevator up to the 4th floor.
When she steps off the elevator, the first person she sees is the woman who spoke with her outside the bookstore. The woman speaks, "Lee Sellers! Right on time. Follow me!" Before Elyse can reply, the woman motions to her left and begins to walk down a long corridor. Elyse notices that there is also another long corridor on the other side. What could be on that wing? "Come on!" the stranger calls out. Elyse catches up with her.
"So what am I doing here?" Elyse asks while walking.
"Um, let's just call it phase two."
"Phase two? Am I going to get my money now or what?"
"Shh, patience girl. Patience." She answers. After coming to the end of the hall the young woman stops and turns around.
She points at a nearby door, "In here. See ya!"
"Okay...see you later." Elyse responds. She watches her go back down the same path they came from and then grabs the silver handle on the door.
Inside it looks like a normal lounge setting. Except it's much nicer than any lounge she's ever been to. You would have to be pretty wealthy to come to a place like this. She walks in a little further but stops when she sees a familiar looking man standing in front of her.
"Well, well, well. The princess lives." He says to her. That husky voice of his brings chills to Elyse's body. She looks to her left and right but finds she's alone. She has no choice but to trust Captain Carlen now. He raises an eyebrow and taps the space next to his eyes with his finger. Elyse takes this as a sign to remove her shades. So she does. He smiles and walks over to her.
He lifts a hand towards her face and she instinctively flinches. "Somebody's jumpy! Don't worry princess, I just need to check you out. Now be still." He lifts his hand again this time placing it underneath her chin. He tilts her head and examines her face closely. Elyse hopes that he can't hear the sound of her heart thumping in her chest. "You should really wipe that scowl off your face. You're much too pretty for that."
Elyse digs deep inside and musters up some courage, "Sorry I'm not interested in wife beaters."
He snickers, "Don't flatter yourself sweetheart, you're too young for me. Practically still a baby."
"Then why did you kiss me?"
"Easy; because I could. But who knows? Maybe in a few years we can work something out."
"Never." Elyse says to him firmly.
"Ouch! I am crushed! Obviously someone's still a little sore at me. It's nothing personal Lee; it's just my job."
"You get paid to beat up women? Nice...Did you go to school for that?"
The man purses his lips together and says, "Alright feisty; that's enough back talk from you. You don't want to upset me." He finally releases her chin. "Who dressed your wounds?"
"I did." Elyse answers.
"You did a pretty good job considering you were unconscious when I left you...The swelling is nearly gone..."
She frowns, "Are you still doubting me?"
He takes a step closer to her, "You bet I am. It'll take more than surviving a beating for him to trust someone who was caught talking to the cops. We don't like pigs. We'll do whatever we can to weed them out."
"Him?"
"Yes...him"
"Is this "him" going to get me the money I was promised?"
"You'll get your money...in due time. Relax. Now, arms up." Elyse does as she is told and he proceeds to pat her down. "Hat off." She sighs and takes her hat off. He then runs his fingers through her hair and around her ears. "Congratulations, you passed inspection."
"I told you I wasn't a cop."
He smiles showing his teeth, "We'll see. Let's sit down, and have a little chat."
The man leads her to a small corner table in the lounge. Elyse joins him at the table and feels a little uneasy sitting across from the man who assaulted her just last night. It doesn't help that he hasn't taken his eyes off of her since she walked in here. It's obvious that this man isn't the type to let his guard down. She will have to be careful around him. "So last night while you were passed out I did a little probing." The man says. He notices the look of disbelief Elyse gives him and gets a kick out of it. He laughs heartily, "Not that kind of probing sweetheart! Not that kind. I kept my hands to myself. But what I did find was your ID." He reaches in his pocket and pulls it out, "Lee Sellers, born April 3rd. You grow up around here Lee?"
Elyse replies, "No. I actually moved here from a small town because there was nothing there for me. No room for opportunity. I wanted more...I needed more."
"What kind of opportunities you looking for?"
She leans forward on the table and looks into his eyes as she states, "The same thing everybody's looking for tough guy; money."
"Money..." The man says with a smirk.
"Got some for me?"
He leans back in his chair and moistens his lips. After tapping the table with his fingers he responds, "Maybe...but it's not for free. You'll have to earn it."
"I'm listening."
"You know, I like you Lee. As sick, twisted, and perverted as it may be...I do. Your lust for money is endearing." Elyse delivers her own seductive smile to him while secretly feeling disgusted inside. He continues, "Do you gamble?"
She tries to hide her excitement, "I came here today after what happened last night; didn't I?"
The man chuckles, "Funny girl. That is true. But no, no princess, I mean with cards, chips, with money."
"Honestly? Not much...but then I've never found a place worth my time for it..."
"Well then. What if I said I got a place for you that is well worth your time?"
"I'd ask where it is, and what's the catch?"
"17 1/2 G Street."
"Interesting...and the catch?"
He shakes his head from side to side keeping his eyes fixed on hers, "No catch Lee."
"Okay...I'll bite." Elyse says casually.
"Splendid. It'll do you good to remember, Thursday through Saturday...starting at 8:00 p.m."
"Got it."
"Also, as adorable as you may look now, there is a dress code. We're a sophisticated bunch so dress accordingly. And I'd suggest waiting until next weekend to grace us with your presence; you should be all better by then."
Elyse wonders just how arrogant this guy can get. She replies, "Okay. I should be able to swing that. Can I ask one more question?"
"Fire away."
"What's your name?"
The man smiles, flaunting his teeth again, "You're dismissed, kitten."
Elyse gives him a small grin as she rises from the table. He grabs her hand before she walks away and says, "It's been a pleasure Lee. I look forward to seeing you next week... I'll be watching you."