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May-9-2012 18:06

The office door slammed against the wall with a bang, and papers swirled restlessly across the desks of the darkened room. He looked up from his bottle of gin, bleary eyes just registering the figure outlined in the doorway. It was tall, and from the cast of the hips and tucked in-waist silhouetted in the black trench, it was a woman. She stood on black stilettos, and a black snood concealed her hair from view as surely as the netted veil did her face.

"Who is that?" he asked nervously, squinting his eyes. There was a pause, and then the figure moved forward, legs, hips rolling smoothly in an unmistakable way. He paled; rearing back in the chair so that it almost fell. He righted it with a clatter, fingers shaking.

"A ghost?" he breathed, suddenly terrified. Was the moonshine bad? Giving him the jake- was he hallucinating? The black ensemble of the woman suddenly seemed more foreboding than chic. "You...I thought you were dead!"

She moved forward, just inches away from him in the dim lamplight. Slowly, black satin-clad hands lifted up, grasped the edge of the veil, and pulled it back. Her glossy red lips shone in a vulpine smirk in the light.

"I never die. Nine lives, you know." Molly Maltese breathed in her sotto voice. "I've been to the end of the world, my dear, and I've brought back the case to end all cases for you."

Jun-24-2012 23:49

Zeo shifted his car to neutral and pushed it quietly away from the safe house. When he was at safe distance he would be able to drive it to town without being noticed. As he was about to get in the car, he looked back at the house and saw from Riza's window that her room was still lit.

He felt his craving coming on, but Zeo couldn't leave. Both Riza and the child needed him. At his current state, he wouldn't be a fit father, but if he was to leave now, he would never become one. Slowly he stood back up and quietly closed the car door. Zeo walked back to the safe house. Each step he took became heavier then the previous one.

What would he say to Riza? He knew already that his tongue would be tied. Zeo was always analytical and cool headed in all the work he did, including the not so glorious jobs in the recent month. That's what made him good at what he did. When it comes to personal life, he was a mess. Look what happened to Anais. He had blamed no one but himself for Anais and Josee's disappearances. He waited too long, he never confessed his feelings to Anais. The guilt was so strong that the only solution was to desensitize himself with narcotics, and now he was faced with another responsibility. He had decided right then and there that he would not make the same mistake twice... but what if Riza had already lost the child? He could still remember her face when she left the examination room. Zeo did not think he could handle the news if it was a bad one... perhaps Bernie has something to help him so he doesn't even have to find out; all he needed to do was to turn around and go back to his car... Zeo stopped that thought immediately.

The safe house loomed like a castle as he stopped in front of it and looked up. He entered from the back door in silence and returned upstairs. Light was flooding through the crack at the base of the door to Riza's room. Hesitantly, he knocked.

Jun-25-2012 16:26

The door opened and the smell of strong coffee filled Marc Lacrimosa's nostrils, Andrew Corelli handed him a steaming cup while looking at the medical instruments, the only other person in the room was Molly, she was sleeping.

"Thanks."

"How is Miss Maltese?"

"She'll be fine, but she needs some rest." Marc took a sip of coffee.

"So do you, you've been here since last night, go take a nap. I'll be here."

Marc shook his head "I don't think I could sleep."

"No one."

Molly's barely audible breathing filled the air for a couple of seconds, Marc cleared his throat.

"So... Andrew, what's the deal with you?"

"Do you mean why I'm here?"

"Uh Huh."

"Well... it was a favor for the friend of a friend, to track one Joseph Zeo, a former FBI agent, who out of the blue disappeared, I just asked to the NYPD for a couple of weeks off."

"That friend of a friend, does he have a name?"

"A friend passed me the job, but it looks like the client is a lawyer firm, Nichols & Newmann. " Corelli looked at his watch "and I'm supposed to report my findings."

"Who gave you the details?"

"A secretary for that firm, one Anne A. Niedermann, 5ft 6in, slim, brunnette, green eyes, right handed and thirty-something, she was really worried about Zeo... What's on your mind, Lacrimosa?"

"Nothing. I'm going to take a walk, let me know if something happens."

Jun-26-2012 06:04

As Vulkie took a glander from her hiding spot, she could see that Marc was furiously running towards Jack, knocked him out, and then began to shouts commands "Andrew, handcuff Joseph" Marc shouted, while pointing towards Joseph and Riza, who were looking at each other. Vulkie saw that Joseph had his hand on Riza's belly. Was there something wrong? "Vulkie, help Riza" Marc shouted after that and that made Vulkie snap back to reality.

There seemed to be no one left from the Hellfire club after Marc had punched Jack. "Seems they aren't anything without their precious leader" Vulkie thought, while rushing towards Riza. When she reached Riza, Riza snarled "I'm fine, I can walk myself", but Vulkie took her hand nonetheless and guided her towards a car. Marc gently kneeled down and picked up Molly in his arms and rushed towards the other car, that Andrew had unlocked.

***15 minutes later***

As Vulkie drove with Riza sitting next to her through London, she sweared in the car. "Goddamn traffic!" Vulkie said, while turning her steering wheel towards the left, to try and keep up with Marc and the gang. As they were riding through London, Riza rubbed her belly and took a second to slowly breath.

"Are you alright? What's wrong with your..." Vulkie began while taking a glance towards Riza's belly ,but Riza shouted "RIGHT, TAKE THE NEXT RIGHT!". Vulkie immediately focused on the traffic and took the next one right.

Andrew finally pulled up in an alley and Vulkie stopped the car right behind them. As Riza got out of the car, she tried to walk, but failed to do so and almost fell, if it weren't for Vulkie who rushed towards the other side and caught her. "Careful. That leg wound is taking it's toll!" Vulkie almost shouted.

Marc guided the team towards an underground medical facility which was probably illegal and while Andrew and Marc were busy with Molly, Riza and Joseph were taken into different rooms, leaving Vulkie all alone in a sort of waiting room...

Jun-26-2012 06:10

"Since this is an illegal underground medical facility.." Vulkie murmered, while looking for a cigarette from her handbag, "I bet they don't mind me smoking for a bit." she added and lit up her cigarette. As she puffed the cigarette, Marc and Andrew came walking out of the room.

***A few hours later***

Finally, everyone was in the waiting room except for Molly. The doctor came out and told that it was a miracle that nothing vital was hit and the bullet could've been removed. "She needs to rest for a few days" the doctor added.

"Doctor, we don't have a few days! We-" Marc was interrupted by Andrew Corelli. "Marc," he said, "let it go for now. I don't think Mr. Billings is going anywhere for the next few days. Not after what happened today."

"Billings?" The doctor asked suspiciously. "Jack Billings?"

Marc turned to him. "You know him?" Marc asked.

"No." The doctor said quickly. Almost too quickly. "I've..only heard of him."

Marc saw right through his lie "You work for him, don't you?"

The doctor opened his mouth to reply but never could. A gunshot rang out in the room and half of the doctor's head exploded.

Marc and Andrew quickly drew their guns and turned to see Zeo standing up holding his. "He would sell us out," Zeo said.

"Andrew," Marc said, "get Molly, let's get out of here."

As the team went outside, Vulkie stopped Marc. "Is it ok to hand Zeo a gun? Do we know that he's not acting weird like earlier on?" Vulkie asked Marc, while she took a glance towards Zeo, who was being pushed into a car. "I think he'll be fine for the moment, I've taken care of him" Marc added, while getting in his car.

Riza stepped into Vulkie's car and looked at Vulkie for a moment. "Don't... I'll hear it when you're ready" Vulkie said, while Riza looked forward again. The team of detectives then went towards another safehouse, a safehouse that was owned by Marc and off the record for anyone except him...

Jun-26-2012 18:07

Riza was startled out of her thoughts by a rapping on her door. She set aside the pillow she had unconsciously been hugging and walked over. It was late and Riza was tired. But she couldn't sleep. Not after the day she'd had. Being shot at was nothing new for her; it didn't faze her at all, though the fact that it had been Joseph shooting at her did.

Riza turned the knob and swung open the door. Upon seeing the man standing there, she had to fight a strong impulse to slam the door in his face. Her countenance momentarily mirrored the mixed emotions fighting inside her, and then softened as she saw Joseph's face.

She stood aside to let him in, perching on the edge of her bed as he shuffled over and sat beside her. They avoided making eye contact. Both waited for the other to say something, but neither did. He was afraid, but she was terrified. She had spent all day trying to untangle the plethora of thoughts whirling around in her head.

"How's your leg?" Joseph finally asked, breaking the silence. He gazed down at the gauze wrapped around Riza's leg.

"Fine," Riza said tersely, taking a sudden interest in the wallpaper. She paused. "How's your shoul—"

"I'm really—" said Joseph simultaneously, cutting her off. They fell into silence once more.

Riza was startled when Joseph took her hand in his. She felt something stir within herself and instantly pulled away. She was afraid if she looked at him, she might burst into tears; if she tried to speak any more, she would lose her words; if she tried to touch him, she might try to strangle him.

But then a realization hit Riza. Joseph was there, right beside her. More importantly, he had chosen to be there.

He reached for her hand again, holding it between both of his. This time she didn't pull away.

A cloud of unanswered questions loomed overhead, but the only one which had to be answered right then was...

"It's okay," Riza breathed, more to herself than to Joseph. She looked at him. "It's okay."

Jun-26-2012 19:36

Joseph felt the weight of the world lifted away from his shoulder when he heard that the baby was alright. If it was anything else, Zeo did not think he would be able to handle it.

Riza's hands felt icy. He knew the gunshot wound on her leg had taken a heavy toll on her. If the baby was fine, then by Riza's reactions back at the clinic, Zeo knew he was responsible for her fall. No verbal apologies would make up for what he did even if he was forced into it. Zeo could feel that Riza was still angry with him, as she rightly should.

"You need to rest now. It's getting late." Zeo said softly, "If it is alright with you, I want to stay here tonight... Just sitting here by the bed is fine!" He quickly added.

Zeo was a very focused man, and at the moment, all his attention was on Riza and the health of the little one inside her. He knew he could fight his addiction as long as he could fix his mind on them. Everything else was out the window, including the thought of Anais.

Anais... Josee... Zeo didn't think he would ever see them again, and he knew Anais would take good care of his daughter anyhow. At the moment only what's in front of him was important, and he felt at peace.

Jun-27-2012 13:44

Molly came awake with a gasp that turned into a high-pitched whinny of pain as the bandages at her chest pulled. She lay there for a moment, basking in the washes of pain as she steeled herself to rise and examine her surroundings.

"Upsy daisy." she breathed, and hoisted herself up with a wheeze, green eyes darting around in curiosity. She saw, to her surprise, Andrew Corelli sitting in a chair nearby, chin tilted forward as he slumbered. "What are you doing here?" she murmured to his slumbering form but he slept on, oblivious.

Molly shuffled her way to the door, making her way down the hall on silent feet. As she passed Rizas door, she heard the low murmur of voices. Josephs and Rizas. She smiled to herself and moved on into the main room, where she sat at the table with a pen and a notepad.

"When in doubt, make a list." she said grimly. She hoped everyone enjoyed their night of respite and reunion, because from the way things were shaping up, in the morning they would be dispatched to the headquarters of the Helfire Club.

Jun-27-2012 20:14

It was after midnight when Marc started on his way to the safe house. The last two days had been extremely hectic. Marc pulled out a rather long cigar, clipped the end and lit it.

Marc's mind was still on the recent past. Marc knew he royally screwed up when he forced Zeo into the safe house. Riza still had not spoken to him. Was he in the wrong?

Marc smiled at his thoughts. "What am I worrying about?" He asked himself. "It's over with..."

Marc opened the door and walked in. He had to say something to Zeo about the law firm looking for him. He walked next to Zeo's room and thought about knocking on the door. He raised his fist and paused. It was now nearly 1 am. Zeo was probably fast asleep and Marc didn't know how cranky Zeo could get if he was woken up this late. Instead he went to bed.

***The Next Morning***

Marc woke up early. Unaware if anyone else was awake, he showered shaved the 5 O'clock shadow that was forming on his face. Marc sat down after making a cup of coffee and lit up another cigar. Zeo joined him shortly after.

"Zeo, before everyone else wakes up," Marc started. "I wanted to know if I can talk to you. Just me and you, man to man."

Zeo agreed.

"Andrew Corelli is NYPD sent to get you. Apparently, you are being looked for by one Nichols and Newmann Lawfirm. Zeo, I hope to God that it's nothing bad."

Jun-28-2012 06:44

Zeo would never be tired of watching Riza sleep, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm of breathing. She looked serene. Zeo looked at his watch. Sunrise should arrive in another hour or so. He himself was not sleepy, but the pull of the narcotics was still strong. Zeo decided a coffee might be what he needed.

Someone else was already in the kitchen when he walked in. The smoke from Marc's cigar reminded Zeo too much of everything, but he chose to ignore his cravings beckoning him. Marc wanted to talk. Excellent. That should keep his mind busy.

"... Apparently, you are being looked for by one Nichols and Newmann Lawfirm. Zeo, I hope to God that it's nothing bad." Marc continued.

"Nichols and Newmann...." Zeo pondered. He heard of this firm before. It's a mid-size establishment which at times perform legal services for the underground dealings, but most of their practices were legit. "Do you know how Corelli find me? Did anyone give him a pointer as to my whereabouts? Beside Riza, whom I bumped into the night before I left New York," Zeo recalled that alluring evening, but quickly directed his mind back to the task at hand, "no one knew that I was coming to London."

"I have little information, but Corelli did mentioned a secretary from that firm... I think her name was Anna Niedermann or something like that, a slim brunnette with green eyes." Marc replied.

Lightening bolta shot through Zeo. It sounded too much like a cover Anais Ninn would use. It could be just a coincidence, but what if it was not? "Did Corelli mentioned anything more about this Niedermann lady?"

Marc tried to recall his conversation, "Corelli thinks that she was really worried about you?"

Just when Zeo was giving up on finding Anais, had Anais been monitoring him all along? The chance was slim, maybe Zeo was reading tea leaves, but what IF? Again Zeo's head was a turmoil of storms. Before he could clear heads from tails in his thoughts, a rasp cough echoed from the main room.

Jun-28-2012 06:55

Both men's heads turned. Marc took out his gun by reflex.

Zeo quietly moved to the main room, only to find Molly steadying herself by the table, a pen and a notepad in front of her. On the notepad was a long list, as if she had been working on it for hours.

"Molly! You should be resting in bed." Marc said brusquely. He was not happy to see Molly working herself to a cough in her present condition.

"Helfire Club ain't waiting for the late birds!" Molly snickered, "but I'll let our friends wake naturally before I sum up the plan, and trust me -- it's going to be a long day ahead."