Beauty Kills (Tmnt Story)

Meeting

Today was the day I would come in contact with April O'Neil and her two friends, Casey Jones, and Vern Fenwick. It wasn't an easy task, and after many hours of planning - and hearing Sack complain about my snail speed with this mission - a light bulb finally shined above my head. 
The plan was simple, but needed a lot of backstory. I should simply look for a job in the same building as April. Not as an reporter sent out on live TV since it would draw too much attention, but something of that kind. I mean, I did have a talent in spying on people and gaining their personal information. But no way I'd say that to the boss. Maybe a journalist would be a suiting job for me.

The waiting room was simple, no bright colors, nothing that stood out too much. A hall similar to a hospital's halls. A green-grey color on the walls, simple lights, and laminate on the floors. Awful choice of color though. Green matches up with light a and warm tree colored, not grey one. No wonder everyone looked so down and blank, the rooms looked dead and cold. And the more I thought about it, the more I got cold. 

-Are you here too, suffering from this cold and boring atmosphere?  Why am I talking to a plant?

At last, the boss went out from her office and asked me kindly to come in. I blinked myself, and my lies awake, and went in to the office. Her office was the exact opposite of the halls. I even notices a picture of a kitty in a frame in one of the corners. 

Her chair made a small noise as her bottom hit the seat, the same as mine. More out of a reflex, my right leg places itself over the left one for comfort, and my fingers tangled themselves together. Bernadette Thompson reacted differently. Her elbows rested on her desk. One on a pile of paper, and the other one on plain wood. 

"Good after noon Francesa Flores" It's actually 11:57, and you pronounced my name wrong. 

"Please, tell me about yourself." The woman continued and suddenly got a very interested expression on her face. I shivered underneath my red blazer, and it spread all the way down to my toes. The tight boots didn't help. With a deep breath, I opened my mouth and began simple.

"Well. I am new to New York, I recently moved here from Los Angeles. Currently unemployed, but my previous job was a journalist at Los Angeles Times." Her smile widened. I copied her, and did my best too look professional in front of this woman, even though everything is a total lie. I continued.

"I mostly covered mysteries or events that couldn't exactly be explained, like sudden disappearances or-"

"You sound like one of my reporters. April O'Neil" Thompson cut me off and smiled wider down at her desk. Her hands went up from resting on her table to her face to let her chin rest. The interest in me was quite hard to spot, especially after I named my 'Specialties' .  Her silence told me to continue. 

"Is that a good thing or bad?" My question made her head to turn upwards to tool directly at me. The smile softened on the black woman's face and her mouth opened, explaining herself. The meeting went on for about 32 more minutes, and despite all of the questions the woman threw at me, I answered them. My camera skills were pf course mentioned. I successfully made her believe that I came from a family of people interested in capturing moments.
"What do you usually take pictures of?"
Well you know... People at random times when they're not looking and are completely unaware of me stalking them.
"People. Usually on weddings, big events, theaters and more"
The woman had a very satisfied expression and before the meeting was supposed to end the woman gladly informed me that she couldn't wait to see me at work. I cheered in my head.
Success!
Just as the woman was about to escort me out, a brunette hurried herself in to the boss's office with papers falling out of her grip. I recognized her, but hid it with a confused face.

"Bernadette!" The woman known as April tripped over the corner of the carpet and landed on her stomach next to my chair. 

"You won't believe this, Bernadette!" The brunette shouted out in to the office, not noticing my presence. The black woman covered her face with her hands slightly out of embarrassment before looking up at her employee. My gaze followed hers and scanned O'Neil discretely. 

Soft brown hair, nice smile, curves yet very slim, painted nails and an ordinary taste in clothes. My gaze stopped at one of her broken nails for a moment, and then continued on to the rest. Keys in her pocket according to the bumps, and a pack of gum in her back pocket. I couldn't help but notice some dirt in the small crack of her broken nail, that could easily be examined, if I only got the chance to shake her hand. 

"How nice of you to inform me right away Miss O'Neil, but in case you haven't noticed, I am in a meeting." I kept in a smile when Bernadette explained her situation. O'Neil's eye widened with realization, and her blue orbs met mine for the first time. I sensed a weak and ignorant mind.

The silence and eye contact became awkward between us three, so I decided to break it.  My hand reached out and she shook it gladly. I managed to scrape off some dirt from the crack in her broken nail without her noticing, and put in on the cotton cloth inside my pocket. I rolled the cloth together and put it in the plastic tube with her name on it. That little amount of dirt could give me her whereabouts. It could be only some dirt from a plant she touched if she's in to gardening or it could tell me exactly where in the sewers she was. But that is a 10% chance, because dirt could come from everywhere. Maybe she had found it in her hair. 

The brunette excused herself from the office, clearly embarrassed. Some pictures were left on the floor with her footprint on them. I picked one up and looked at it. A picture of a blurry figure in the distance. Definitely not human. The woman by the desk sighed tiredly, and apologized for her employee's behavior. I explained that there was nothing to worry about, and stood up from the comfortable chair. After I had wiped the picture with a handkerchief we exited the office and she escorted me out. I caught a glimpse of the cameraman, Vernon. He was in the corner of a big office, fixing his camera lenses. I didn't bother looking at him for more than 2 seconds. I would be seeing him a lot soon. 

"Well. It was a pleasure to meet you Ms.Flores. Good luck tomorrow!" Bernadette cooed and shook my hands for the last time before letting me go my way. 

I don't need luck. I've got exactly what I deed.