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Jul-6-2015 11:19

New York, 1938
St. Regis Hotel
Rooftop Nightclub

"So there I was, staring down a barrel INCHES from death...and I told the man, 'darling REALLY, if you simply must shoot me do allow me to remove my earrings. They are Cartier, you know." Molly Maltese paused to take a sip of her Red Snapper, popping the olive neatly between her cherub lips before gnashing it to a pulp. "And the man was quite flummoxed, he said- I say, is that Riza Hawkeye?"

She rose, the group of rapt men in tuxedos and women in glittering dresses and furs murmuring their protests as she wended through their knees. But the apparition she was quite sure had been Riza Hawkeye had vanished in the crowd of New York socialites populating the exclusive terrace.

"Well, this place is a bit ritzy for Riza." she murmured, fairly certain her old acquaintance didn't make a habit of populating social-climbing fetes. And she reasoned, any time Riza had appeared before it was hardly ever for a pleasant cause. Well, maybe that was unfair. It just seemed she was more the swirl-of-furs-and-stiletto-daggers type than a frothy socializer like Molly herself.

Peering around, Molly saw nothing but the shadowed faces of revelers partially cloaked in the smoky haze. She had just been about to give up and go back to her companions when the most shocking hubbub began. Over on the north part of the terrace, she could distinctly hear the shouts of men and panicked screeching of females. Moving forward, she could just make out..

"Did you see... The Ambassador... who could have... murder! Someone has pushed the Ambassador off the building!" Molly picked up speed, expertly weaving through the crowd of panicked voices. Sirens already began to sound twenty stories below. Just as she grasped the ledge and looked over, an all too familiar voice sounded in her left ear.

"Oh hello there, old friend. Lovely breeze out today."

Before her stood Riza Hawkeye herself, looking utterly unruffled as several ladies fainted behind her.

Jul-25-2015 06:41

*** The Next Morning ***

As Vulkie's alarm clock rang at 7.15 in the morning, she quickly stood up and got dressed and had a small breakfast. During her breakfast, she also made sure to clean her Colt 1911 and the revolver, just to make sure that they were at least usable. She imagined that the desert sand from the Sahara wouldn't do any good for her guns, so the least they deserved was a clean up in New York.

An hour later, she stood near the airplane that was to take them towards Cairo. The plane would leave around 9 o'clock and it would take at least a couple of hours time to reach Alexandria Airport.

As she pulled out her cigarette case and picked out a cigarette, Marc approached and pulled out his lighter. Vulkie lit her cigarette and offered a cigarette to Marc, who generously accepted and lit it himself as they waited for Riza and Molly to arrive at the airport.

"So Marc... Can you divulge me into why you went away for at least 3 years? There must be a reason for it, right?" Vulkie said, while looking out of the corner of her eye towards Marc.

As Marc blew out the cigarette smoke, he looked at Vulkie and said: "When the time is right, I will explain. But the time isn't right at the moment. And I would prefer if you don't ask me about my affairs again, thank you very much" Marc said, laying the subject to rest.

Vulkie didn't want to pressure Marc any further, so for the next 15 minutes, she tended to her cigarette and enjoyed the view of airplanes taking off and landing nearby.

As she put out her cigarette with the tip of her right shoe, she noticed that Molly and Riza were coming in at the same time. Vulkie waved them over and as Molly and Riza reached the plane, the pilot arrived as well.

"Good evening sir and ladies. We will be taking off in a short while, your cargo will be taken care of now. I suggest you get seated into the plane and we'll take off in a couple of minutes" the pilot said.

10 minutes later, they were on their way to Egypt...

Jul-25-2015 20:16

As Marc approached the stairs to his apartment, he heard a familiar voice behind him. "Marc Lacrimosa," she said. He knew that voice anywhere. "Pansy Dew," Marc said turning to face the beautiful woman. She walked up the steps towards him.

"You left," she said, "without saying goodbye. Gone for three years."

"Pansy..." Marc started. Could he explains to her? What would she think? "I'm sorry," he said quickly.

"Save it," she replied wrapping g her arms around his neck and pulled him close. "I'll forgive you this time," she whispered in his ear. Then she pulled him close and kissed him on the lips.

They made their way to his apartment studio, still holding and kissing, slamming his bedroom door opened and falling onto to the bed.

"I've missed you," she whispered, and the rest of the night was eventful.

**The Next Morning**

Jul-25-2015 20:35

Marc awoke the moment the sunshine came through his window. He looked over at Pansy, lit g next to him still sleeping. The bed crawled as he stood up to make coffee. Moments later he returned and she woke up and smiled at him.

"Come back to bed," she pleaded. She sat up and took a sip of the hot liquid. Marc looked at the clock. 7:30.

"I have to leave," he replied. "I'm heading to Cairo for a case I took on last night."

"Were you even going to tell me?" She asked.

Marc was caught off guard. Truth was, he was going to just leave after they were both dressed. "I'll only be gone a couple of weeks," Marc replied.

"Don't go," she pleaded. "Please stay?"

Marc sat down on the bed next to her. "I can't not take this. Surprisingly it's more important than any case I've ever done. Ambassadors are being killed."

She looked at Marc. "Okay." She said. She pulled him close for another round.

By 8:00 , Marc realized he would be late if he didn't leave. "Promise me," Pansy said, "that you'll come back alive."

"I promise," Marc said. He gave her one more kiss and left.

He approached the meeting spot to find Vulkie their first.
As she pulled out her cigarette case and picked out a cigarette, Marc approached and pulled out his lighter. Vulkie lit her cigarette and offered a cigarette to Marc, who generously accepted and lit it himself as they waited for Riza and Molly to arrive at the airport.

"So Marc... Can you divulge me into why you went away for at least three years? There must be a reason for it, right?" Vulkie said, while looking out of the corner of her eye towards Marc.

As Marc blew out the cigarette smoke, he looked at Vulkie and said: "When the time is right, I will explain. But the time isn't right at the moment. And I would prefer if you don't ask me about my affairs again, thank you very much" Marc said, laying the subject to rest.

Marc stayed quiet when Molly and Riza arrived. Moments later they were all on the plane and bound for Cairo.

Jul-25-2015 20:56

Note, where it says the bed crawled, it's supposed to say creaked. My kindle has some stupid Autocorrect that's killing me

Jul-25-2015 22:53

Poor Marc, he thought he planned everything carefully. Truth is he planned nothing. The deal he had with Vulkie only got him trapped in this quazi situation.

However... He does have a hook on Riza...its big, do I dare use it now or wait........

Jul-26-2015 07:01

Wait..what? Lol

Jul-26-2015 09:03

Marc knows that Riza does nothing without the approval of the Prince. She is after all the Princes' spiritual advisor and he has given her power over all that is his. Marc has been manipulating her using hypnotism which he learned from the Order of Socrates.

Jul-28-2015 09:39

"Hellfire." Molly said, planting her hands on her waspish waist as she peered around her suite. "What do I have for Cairo! It's not even in season... perhaps the white pantsuit. Now where did I put that..."

Three hours later and at least several curses uttered, Molly had packed three suitcases for their trip along with no less than six hatboxes. "I wonder if there will be photographers." She thought to herself.

It was time for her nightly ritual. Washing her porcelain face and brushing her teeth, she finally sat at the vanity in her room and began brushing out her long auburn hair. 50 strokes on each side... as she stroked her eyes glazed, lost in memories of another time in Cairo, chasing an amulet with her team of friends.

She couldn't help but wonder if her ex husband Jack Billings was in Cairo. She didn't have the heart to look for him, didn't know which side of Jack she would encounter next- if she should ever encounter him. He had taken their daughter with him, and though Molly never spoke of it she was relieved. The child, however much she loved her, was tainted through and through with Jack's bile. It was a new life, a new time. But still there was an awareness everywhere she went, wondering if she would see them again...

"To hell with them." She murmured to her reflection, and casting a critical eye on her glowing tresses, she got up and went to tuck herself into bed.

****

The next morning:

"I wonder if Marc knows there's lipstick on the side of his neck." Molly said conversationally to Riza out of the corner of her mouth, waving and smiling at Vulkie and Marc as they approached. Riza gave a smirk in response.

"It looks like that dreadful color Pansy Dew is always wearing." Molly said in sotto voice as they approached slowly. "An awful orangey red. I must ask her where she gets it so that I can personally burn the warehouse of the manufacturer--DARLINGS, SO LOVELY TO SEE YOU!"

She affectionately cupped Marcs neck, cooing as she swiped the

Jul-28-2015 09:40

color off. What an idiot, that IS Pansy Dew's demonic color. She thought.

"Now darlings, are we going to wait around or get on this monster?" She asked, peering at the plane in front of them. "And will anyone help us with our bags? Mine are still in the trunk, theres quite a bit!"

Jul-30-2015 17:57

Riza draped herself across her armchair in a most unfeminine manner and heaved a heavy sigh. So much had happened in the last 24 hours. She was exhausted, but at the same time she felt that strange tingle of excitement she thought had long vanished. If this case was going in the direction she thought, well then it could mean…no, she was too tired to think about that right now.

As Riza’s eyelids began to droop, she remembered that she had to prepare for the trip. She hoisted herself up and meandered over to the bed. She reached an arm down and pulled a suitcase out from beneath. Inside was everything she would need for a trip: a few changes of clothes and shoes, a couple of handguns, and a generous assortment of gleaming daggers. Nothing but the essentials. It always helped to be prepared in case she had to make a quick getaway.

Yawning, Riza undressed and hopped into the shower. She turned the hot water knob as far as it would go and leaned her head against the wall, letting the scalding hot water run down her back. As the room began to steam up, Riza began to relax.

Not even a minute later, the phone rang. “Dammit,” Riza cursed, and hurried to pick up. “Yes?” Her brow furrowed. “I’m busy; I don’t have time to take your case.” A pause. “Did you hear me or are you deaf?” Still, the voice continued to chatter away on the other end of the line. “HEY!” Riza screamed into the receiver. “If you didn’t go around sticking your dick into corpses, you wouldn’t be in this mess!” She slammed the receiver down.

***

The next morning:

As Riza and Molly walked side by side, Molly commented on the conspicuous lipstick stain on Marc’s neck. Riza smirked. How very like him. And for some strange reason, Riza felt comforted by the predictability of her companions. It was strange, but it was like…coming home. No matter where she went with these people, and no matter what they would encounter and discover along the way, she knew things would turn out okay in the end.