Silvery Touch

12. It's A Deal

Chapter Twelve ~ It’s A Deal

“Where are you taking me?” Darren croaked in pain as Pandora shoved him out of the office.

“Just shut up and keep walking.” Pandora dug her nails into his back as she felt his pace slow down. There was silence as they hurried down two flights of stairs and followed the same route to AO7 that Eva had taken the day that Darren had returned.

They came across a few other staff along the way but Pandora stared them straight in the eye and forced them to ignore the two. The two guards who were previously assigned to guard the door to AO7 the day Darren returned were again at the door. Without a word, the two parted and allowed Darren and Pandora through. Pandora shut the door behind them.

“Take a seat,” Pandora ordered. Darren flipped round and frowned at her, shocked by the gentleness of her voice but she avoided his gaze. 

“What?”

“Do as I say!” This time she did look into eyes and without another word, he clambered into the closest chair.

“What are we doing ––” Before he could finish his sentence, Pandora let out a long screech. The screech caused the light hanging from the ceiling to crack and Darren found himself shielding himself from the shattered glass as it showered on him. Then, he relaxed in the chair, refusing to make his fear apparent.

Pandora approached Darren from behind and bent down so her lips were close to his ears. The hair at the back of his head stood up as he felt her warm breath against his skin.

“Whatever you do, do not look into their eyes,” she whispered, her hisses long and distinct.

“What?” Confusion was evident in his expression.

“I’ll help you, if you help me.”

“Who says I will help you?” He spat in disgust as if the thought itself was diseased. “In case you haven’t noticed, I am not very fond of you.”

“There’s no time to explain. Just say you know nothing to their questions and if they ask why, just say the both of us are bound by a promise. If my kind is to follow a rule religiously, that is keeping promises. And let me rephrase; you will help me and in return I will give you what you want. Anyways, here they come.” Pandora stood up and backed away.

“They?” He questioned just as Fox and Linnet appeared in the room, along with another man Pandora recognised as Tobias. He was present at her trial seven years ago, however he was only there for a few minutes.

Darren shut his eyes, unable to take the shiny glare of Fox’s silver hair. As Fox took a step forward so did Linnet, very close behind him. Tobias remained in his spot. Glasses hid the colour of his eyes and his straight face hid his thoughts.

“Why did you call me?” Fox asked Pandora, ignoring Darren completely as if there was no one there.

“Who’s the guy?” Pandora used her chin to point towards Tobias. “Tobias, right? If I remember correctly.”

She stared at Tibias, yet he remained quiet. His arms were crossed over his shoulders and his build, well, let’s say there was a lot of muscle. So much, in fact, that it appeared his black blazer would not be able to handle it much longer and tear. The white shirt, black tie and suit should have given away what he was.

“My security guard. How is that of any relevance?”

Pandora smirked. She approached Tobias and circled him, taking a 360 until coming face-to-face again.

“Ahh, plain green eyes and white pupils. Born with the strength. Very common, yet rare in the area that I grew up in.” It was as if she was going through a fact file. “Interesting.”

“Are you testing my patience?” Fox raised his voice. “Is this a waste of my time? I was in the middle of something really important.”

“Yes,” She giggled in response. Darren had an eyebrow raised and a slight smirk to his face. It was all entertainment to him and helped him to relax.

“Pandora!” Her name echoed through the room.

Darren’s eyes grew wider; one second Pandora was in front of TObias and the next she was stood beside him, her hand on his shoulder.

“Well, Darren over here knows the whereabouts of Jett. Ask him whatever you like, he agreed to repeat anything he has told me. We find Jett and we’ll be able to retrieve the Crest.” She answered Fox and then turned to Darren, “Remember what I told you.” To the others, the latter meant he’d tell them everything, to Darren, it reminded him to avoid eye contact and tell them nothing.

“Well?” Fox prompted Darren. Darren automatically bore his gaze into the table with Pandora’s words fresh on his mind.

This was responded with a shrug.

“What did you tell Pandora? We’re more likely to get the job done. Do you want your planet out of danger, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Then why don’t you tell us what you know?”

Darren gulped and took a quick glance at Pandora who still seemed to be interested in the security man but noticed there was concentration on her face. “You ask too many questions,” he commented.

“And you don’t answer many.” Fox took a deep breath. He will not allow himself to lose his patience on an innocent human being. “Why won’t you tell me anything?”

“Pandora a-and I are b-bound by a promise,” he stuttered as if attempting to recall her words as he went along.

“He did say he only trusts me,” Pandora confirmed.

“Well then, you have two days to find Jett. Time is ticking; we need the Crest back before any more damage is made. Got it?”

“I’m getting somewhere, aren’t I? I’ll get you the Crest before my time is up. I’m on your side, I want it off her hands too. I’ve been working on it,” She replied.

“Well done.” And with that Fox, Linnet and Tobias left.

Pandora finally took a seat opposite Darren.

“You don’t really think I’m going to do that, do you?” Darren began after watching Pandora smile to herself for a while. He was able to take in her features. Everything about her was pure beauty.

“You want the Crest, right?”

“Right.”

“Well, I can give you that.”

“What? How?”

“I’m the keeper of the Crest, if anyone can get it, it will be me.” She failed to mention that she was no longer the keeper of the Crest.

“And why would you help me?” He squinted at her, quite wary of her offer.

“You just helped me.”

“How exactly did I do that?”

“You heard him. He complimented me so he’s warming up to me. That’s the first compliment I received from him in years. Not before long, he’ll trust me again,” she explained.

“Okay, so what now?”

“You’re going to tell me where you took Jett because I know it was you and I’ll help you get the Crest. Deal?” She stretched out her right hand to the centre of the table.

He was hesitant at first but then extended his own hand and shook hers. “Deal.”