Something Lost (Original Draft)

Chapter 41: Followed by a Whisper

"How's the experiment playing out? Have you bonded with the girl yet?"

I exhaled, waving the puff of smoke out of the window. "She's lying in my bed sleeping now, so what do you think."

"Good." The voice rasped closely to the speaker, it sounded as if the person behind the phone was speaking into my ear. "You're going to need her." He added ominously.

"You don't say." I scratched my shoulder and flicked the dangling ashes that clung to my cigarette out of the window.

"Do you believe in ghosts?" He asked unexpectedly.

I coughed, "What?"

"Do you believe in ghosts, Justin? Yes or no, which is it? It's a simple question really..."

"No." I replied wondering where this conversation was heading.

"Smart answer, I would have hung up on you if you chose the latter."

"Perhaps, I should have chosen differently."

The man on the other line tittered. Little did he know, I was serious. He was testing my patience.

"Well, since you don't believe in ghosts I have some splendid news for you."

"I'm too tired and hot to muster the strength to solve one of your riddles now, Louis, so please give me my orders so we can be done with this."

He took no time and answered bluntly, "Your old project has been reinstated, congratulations."

"Old project," I whispered dropping the cigarette out of the window mistakenly. It fell down to the concrete sidewalk like a shooting star, its lit tip grew bright with the sudden rush of air. "Alanis," I whispered feeling out-of-body as I said her name. She was still alive...

"Where did she end up?" I asked stunned.

"The illustrious Kingdom of Berthold," he proclaimed quite sarcastically.

"Are you sure it's her?"

"You sound surprised. I thought you would be happy to find out she was still in the world of the living."

"Of course I sound surprised. I thought she died that night in Larska River. She fell into the water and never resurfaced."

"Heh," his short laugh mocked my statement. "It's most definitely her; it has been confirmed by several of our own."

"So what do you want me to do, it's out of my hands now... I'm no longer in Larska-" I whispered. "and in case you've forgotten, I've got pressing shit I have to deal with here." My eyes landed on the bed.

"More pressing than direct orders from Central Command?"

"From Central." I questioned.

"Isn't that what I just said?"

"Did they lay out some sort of plan for me?"

"What?"

"Plan - I can't just waltz right into Kingdom territory without breaking treaty."

"They said you were clever enough to figure that out on your own. Besides when she sees your bright face again I'm sure she'll come running - That is unless, there's something more you've been hiding about that night."

I didn't bite at the bait he dangled. "What do they need with her anyway?"

"The members of the Inner Committee stressed the importance of her retrieval. The results of the tests you ran on her came back with interesting results. And interestingly enough the locals say she's been blessed by one of their Gods. She wields all three elements. And she has befriended the castle. It is imperative that she is returned, we have to get her back. The committee thinks she'll be able to provide them with valuable information on Berthold. As you know, palace chatter has been quiet ever since that last fuck up gave himself away... what a waste." He sighed.