| "By the Day" | ||
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Lower Manhattan May 8, 2008 1500 hours "So is it me, or do things just keep getting weirder by the day?" Paige sighed contemplating Baz's question as she sipped through the straw in a paper cup. It had been filled with plain old cola, Pepsi, her favorite, but Baz had produced a small bottle of good old Captain Morgan, and both enjoyed a splash of it in their drinks. "I dunno," she said quietly and it was the truth. "You're pretty weird." She smiled slightly the straw still in her teeth as she looked to him. "Ha ha," he said never taking his eyes off the front of the club. From where they were now they could only see the front and barely make out the people going in and out. Lucky for them, those numbers were few. They had parked here after following Sara. She had went into a bank and came out moments later empty handed. Baz hadn't even found a space to park before she had returned to the black cadillac with the strange man. They decided not to approach her, though Paige was pretty sure a giant rhinoceros could have approached Sara and the woman would have simply shrugged it off with one of those airy smiles. "Do take that as compliment," Paige added after getting only a small response from the usually playful Baz. Not, she considered, that she blamed him, after all, it was not a playful sort of sortie they were on. They were spying, that was true, but on a team member, worse, a friend. "Of course," he said sending a hand out to playfully slap the side of her leg. Still, his gaze never wavered from the front of the club. "We've got one entrance up here and two in the back. Kind of makes you wonder where the rest are." "Depends on fire code I assume. Access to the adjoining buildings could fluff that over with the inspectors." Paige added. "Wouldn't be the first time," he said. "No, it wouldn't," Paige commented. She watched the people move across the sidewalk in front of the club. They looked happy as they moved from one environment to the next. She couldn't know for sure but most of them appeared happy; definitely not all of them but certainly 'some' of them. Even those few, if it were a few, tinged a bit of jealousy off her inside. She could not move purposefully through the environment without constantly looking over her shoulder. It was not fair, it had been chosen for her, but it was her life. She let out a small sigh as if doing so might rid her body of the unwanted jealousy of those happy people. "Ok, well this is mad boring," Baz said finally looking at her, "up for some food?" Paige forced a smile, "yeah, whaddayou want?" "Ooooh," he said his eyes lighting up, "you buying?" "Sure," she said grinning about finally seeing a reaction from him, "but only because you are my fav spy boy." "Fair enough," he nodded, "I'll hold down the fort." She took his order and headed out to find a decent pizza place careful to move away from the club. One pizza, half a sicilian pie, bread, sauce, and mozzarella sticks later, Paige returned to the truck. They started eating in silence, Paige doing well, but certainly not back up to her usual standard of gorging herself. She flipped on the radio and settled back to eat another slice. The radio woman seemed to be bored. "Local officials in Washington DC announced today the break in to one of their research facilities last week is being considered an 'inside job' during an early morning press conference. Officials stated the investigation would continue focusing on individuals who had access to the facility. Though no suspects are currently in custody officials confirmed they had very good 'leads' they were following up on and expected something sooner rather than later. No comment on to what, if anything, was stolen..." "More of those weird things," Baz commented. Paige nodded her head in agreement, "not like they would tell us what was really going on anyway," she added. "True," he said. He then leaned forward and interrupted mid sentence the bored radio woman with the local emo station. They whittled away the time with small talk and of course the watching of the club. Around five thirty the club started gaining attention as college students and workers alike sauntered in for some pre-dinner drinks. (2100 hours) Baz and Paige finally made it into the club. Not guestlisters this time, they were forced to stand in line, which thankfully was not that long. It offered a chance though to listen to other conversations though they seemed to be limited to the expensiveness of the local 'x' dealers and the anticipation of a newer, and hopefully cheaper, street version. They scanned the place briefly before Baz wrapped his arms around Paige's waist and spoke into her ear, "shall we find out White Rabbit?" Paige nodded pulling her cell phone out of tiny handbag and taking Baz by the hand led him into one of the three hallways that snaked away from the main room. She dialed Saf's number. The phone call confirmed what they had suspected...that Alexei indeed had an apartment penthouse style in the building. The conversation, check that, confrontation with Saf, Sara, Katrin, whatever the hell her name was nowadays, left Paige with a bitter taste in her mouth. She stared after the retreating figure of Sara with that disgusting man's paws around her. "What just happened there?" Baz asked pushing Paige towards the bar again. "I think we just got blown off," Paige said signaling to the bartender for two...two strong ones. They both grabbed the shot glasses and after clinking the glass softly together downed the clear liquid. Paige made a face, remembering the last time she had partaken in the Blackhaus. "Something different this time," she nodded towards Baz. "I got the impression," Baz said elbowing her softly, "that girl is a bit obsessed with that boy." Paige took the meaning clearly. She had taken the key out of Saf's purse and shuffled it off to Baz, who in return, got an impression of it before giving it back to Paige. The whole process was quick and lasted seconds. No one would have picked it up, certainly not even Saf who stood nary a foot from them. Then again, Paige was quite certain seeing the way Saf looked around as if she had lost her prized puppy, they could have attached a ticking time bomb to her and she would not have noticed, nor cared if she did. "I think you're right, but there's something...weird about the whole thing." "How's that," Baz said finally gaining the coveted bartender's attention. "With her other guys, there was an attachment but this...this is just..." "Is it because we know what he's all about...what do you want?" "Irish Car bombs," Paige said without skipping a beat, "no, I think it's more than that but I can't quite figure it out...she's not...herself...she's different." They paused watching the bartender fill the mugs with the foamy Guinness as if within the darkened mass of heavenly brew answers would somehow spring forth. "She is different," Baz said finally. "Have you ever seen a first time mother?" Paige looked at him confused. What did first time mothers have to do with this? "A first time mother," Baz began to explain as the three quarter filled mugs were put in front of them, "has this look about her. It's very noticeable the first time a big get together happens, like a christening or something." The two shots filled with Bailey's were placed next to the mugs. "She engages in conversation, smiles, laughs, appears somewhat normal, but underneath, if you watch her carefully, she never lets that baby out of her sight. She's nervous for it as if she's its only protector and the rest are evil demons just waiting for her to turn her back for one second so they can whisk it away." "You have a very vivid imagination," Paige arched an eyebrow at him. "I'm telling you, it's the same look in Sara's eyes. If Alexei is out of her sight for one second, she's lost and is constantly looking for him. He's her baby and she'll do anything to anyone to keep him safe and at her side. Everyone is the enemy." Baz stared evenly at Paige as she slowly understood his meaning. Whatever had transpired between her and Saf no longer mattered. She was quite positive what had been in that envelope Saf had been carrying was not flyers advertising the new club. No, she knew instinctively whatever was in there was illegal, and Saf had delivered it without hesitation. If anything were to turn out right again Alexei would not only have to be taken down...but eliminated. She wasn't unsure if the SIA hadn't already figured that one out. If it were simply an arrest some other agency would have handled it. Then again, she wouldn't be privy to that sort of information anyway. Her mind conjured a picture of Alexei's grinning face slobbering all over Saf's body and Paige shivered and grabbed her shot glass. Tonight, she would have to find happiness at the bottom of a couple shot glasses. Or in the least, she tapped her shot glass against Baz's, she would have to find fuzziness. They dropped their shot glasses into their respective mugs simultaneously and chugged down the mixture. Paige had a little difficulty with the last couple sips but finally placed her empty mug with the shot glass in it next to Baz's. "Dance," Paige said flatly staring at the mug and beginning to feel the effects of the previous shot of Blackhaus. Baz was silent as he took her hand and took her out on the dance floor. They didn't speak, as it would be nearly impossible to hear each other anyway, just danced next to and close to each other. Each was in their own little world paying out the scene with Saf over and over looking for any other hints as to what was going on. The DJ was calling for requests so Paige asked Baz to get them some drinks whilst she answered the DJ's wishes. She sauntered over to the booth, that was raised almost into the third floor and past the faithful keeper of the records, or whatever the DJs sidekick labeled themselves these days. She climbed the couple of stairs as the DJ bouncing to whatever was going through the one side of his headset, watched her carefully. "Taking requests?" she purred leaning carefully against some sort of equipment or another. "Anything you want," he grinned dropping his startling hazel eyes along her body. She returned the smile and moved towards him tracing a finger along the edge of the equipment. He watched her intently unsure she thought of what she might do. Girlfriend, she immediately thought, he acts like he has a girlfriend. Oh well, she sighed audibly, stopping her advance, "Decoy or Tina Moore?" His eyes lit up, "old school girl," he responded, "how about Moore?" She noticed the accent then, but could not place it. She was not good with accents, or any part of language for that matter. But this one was worn, or, she corrected herself, he was trying very hard to hide it. "Great," she smiled warmly and turned to leave the booth. "Your name?" he asked her. She paused for a moment then turned to him. "By the end of the night?" she smiled softly, "most likely...it will be Trouble." He moved his head slightly as he looked to her, then she winked and proceeded back to Baz. He was waiting for her near the dance floor beer in hand. She took the offered beverage. "You look guilty," he said grinning at her. She just smiled knowingly then chugged the beer. "He," she motioned up to the DJ both, "is already taken I'm afraid, so I guess I'm stuck staying at your place tonight," she said matter of factly. He offered her a wicked grin grabbing her around her waist, "forbidden pleasure," he mocked her in a deep voice. She hit his shoulder playfully, "you're an ass, you are so not getting piece of this." "Hey, I can try, right," he said moving now to the beat that was picking up and forcing her to move with him. "No, you cannot try you male chauvinist pig," she said. "I love it when you talk dirty," he said laughing as he pushed her on to the floor. They danced closely ignoring those, male and female, that tried to get between them. They had already had a rough day, a difficult night, and for some reason, they already knew, it was going to be a difficult late night into early morning. They could not be bothered entertaining advances from others. "One or two more," he shouted to her, "then we have to meet our friend." "Whatever," she shouted back as her request filled the large expanse of the club. They took that one in and two more songs as Paige committed herself to an attempt at erasing the evening's memories by drowning them in shots. She wouldn't know for sure if she succeeded until the morning, but it was worth the effort, however much in vain it was. Besides, she reminded herself as they finally left the club, Safehouse One has a fully functioning bar anyway... Return |
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