UNBEATABLE | love, death & robots

Meet Miss Queenie

Chapter 1 

— Well, thanks for the invitation, but I can't attend tonight. — the indignation was clear in the facial expressions of the man on the other side of the video call that Queenie made in the car during the trip - the driver didn't seem to care about the last fifteen minutes of conversation or simply abstracted from the first "hello."

— What do you mean by that? — she started to open her slightly pink lips to address an answer based on her professional commitments that evening but was abruptly interrupted by the continuation of the curious and now intrigued friend with the possibilities that prevented her from attending — Queenie has a... date?

The suggestion came in a mocking tone as the improbability of that being true confirmed by the woman's instant reaction to roll her eyes, her head shaking in denial. Queenie was not known for her outgoing social skills, let alone for fun appointments on a friday night.

— Queenie has a job, Mitchel.

The friend sighed considering the possibility of a lecture on his disapproval of her work, but Queenie was saved by the host duties that called him with the need to end the call — This conversation is not over. — Mitch said before the connection was finalized. It was quite normal for her friends not to approve of her unconventional job. She slipped her cell phone into her coat pocket and let her gaze peer out the window at the distant landscape of familiar downtown buildings.

— Do you mean to tell me where we're going? — the driver had not said a word since she got in the car and did not seem to intend to change the introvert behavior during the trip — An address, perhaps?

The monologue followed. It seemed pointless to get new instruction other than the one previously provided by the man who contacted her, Wes - he needed her specialty with beasts, but no information was provided other than sending the car that was driving her.Queenie was aware of the underground world where the famous beast fighting took place - and it was against the existence of the practice.

She had a bizarre affinity with creatures to the point of not understanding the necessity of the bloodthirstiness of the act. Clearly not part of that world.The journey went on in perfect silence for a while longer until they reached their intended destination. They were stopped by a security team at the large gates of the dimly lit site of apparently abandoned large buildings; The driver opened the window, greeted with a flashlight pointed in his face.

— Delivery to Sonnie. — he said casually.The security guard glanced in the back seat, catching sight of the girl who bore little resemblance to any other guest there, then turned his attention to a hologram fired by a device that provided him with an extensive list of guests.

— Do you have things in the trunk? — the driver nodded — Open up. — the command tone came without objection, the clear sound of unlocking the luggage compartment reaching Queenie's ears.

— Wait- what? — her tone seemed indignant at the action of the car startling in dismay regardless of the raindrops beginning to be absorbed by her clothing. — You are not allowed to-—

Her speech was useless. The man simply continued the action of opening her belongings, noticing the complex equipment being carried.

— Is Sonnie planning a little party, Miss... — pause as he scanned the list again — ...Queenie?
— I don't know who Sonnie is. Wes called me.
— And will you welcome him with that? — he took out a kind of pistol that differed in some respects from a common weapon, but could be equally intimidating.

Queenie took a deep breath.

— It's an anesthetic pistol.
— For Wes? — he was being sarcastic, enjoying the situation as Queenie drenched herself in the rain, uncomfortable, the curls of her hair falling apart.Impatiently, she took the anesthetic gun out of the man's hand and carefully put it back in her suitcase, storing the equipment.

— Are you the beast doctor?
— No, I really intend to apply the anesthetic on Wes. — she returned the sarcasm, eventually eliciting an unpretentious laugh from the security guard.

— Let Sonnie know the delivery has arrived. — he informed activating a communication device connected to his ear.Queenie took her belongings out of the trunk, the car driving in the other direction as soon as she was finished, and the security guard escorting her to one of the gates.

— Who is Sonnie? — as she had been contacted by Wes, she not understood why they called her "Sonnie's delivery." The doors opened and the man didn't bother to answer, just pointed to the elevator on her left. — Which floor? — silence.

At least now she was for protected from the rain.

As soon as she entered, the elevator it seemed programmed to take her underground without prior command. She took the opportunity to squeeze strands of wet hair, letting excess water fall to the floor. Under the overcoat her clothes were also damp, it was a matter of time before she felt cold.The doors finally opened. On the other side a woman was waiting for her with a not very good expression; Queenie approached with a friendly smile on her lips, reaching out to greet her.

— Mmm, hello ... you must be Sonnie. — and got ignored.
— No.
— Oh.

It was clear that the woman - whom she would discover would be Ivrina - did not seem pleased with her presence and did not try to hide this condition, showing her unhappiness with the guest.

— Well, I'm Quee-—
— I know who you are. — she interrupted abruptly.
— Wes called me to-—
— I know why they called you. — a second interruption.
— Is there something you don't know?

She questioned incisively without knowing what was the protocol to please her. Quite intimidatingly, Ivrina approached much more than was necessary for an allied conversation.

— I'll tell you something I don't know. I don't know why Wes thinks you can be trusted, Queenie Gerardht.

Ivrina is a few inches taller, short white hair cut at the face line. Queenie, even with her small heels, was shorter, her hair the same length, but blond and with the difference that she had an air that seemed incompatible with the underground place.Unlike the heavy, dark clothes that looked like the dress code of this part of town, Queenie wore open shades that matched her rosy cheeks, giving an almost immaculate angelic air.

— What do you think I'll do? Kill your beast?

She used an irony that was not welcomed by Ivrina who simply walked past her purposefully bumping her shoulder aggressively at Queenie, disregarding her speech completely.

— Look, if you don't want me here I can leave, okay? — followed her down a dark corridor through which there were a series of doors, needing to speed up to accompany her - with difficulty because of her bags, the shoes slipping from her feet because were wet — Let me just make an assessment on your beast. From what Wes said, he was pretty hurt an-—

— She.
— What?
— She was pretty hurt. She.

It took a few seconds to manage the information that the bio-beast they were dealing with was female. Unusual. She ended up falling behind as she paused to process Ivrina's speech, then stepped back to follow her into the room where she had entered, being surprised by the woman who pressed her against the wall with a sharp blade on her neck, unconcerned to hurt her or not.

— If you try to harm her, I swear I'll-—
— Ivrina! — Wes's interjection drew the woman's attention so that she released Queenie immediately, as she took the opportunity to move away at a safe distance, running hands over her neck to see if was hurt or not.

— Are you crazy?!
— How can you trust this stranger, Wes?
— What can she do, Ivrina??

— Do you really think I'm going to kill your beast? You almost do that to her every night that you take her in a ring, but, yes, I came here to harm her, sure... that's rich coming from you.
— What do you mean by that?!
— Besides being a torturer, she's dumb. I'm leaving.
— Don't! Wait!

Wes tried to contain her - unsuccessfully - as she turned her back toward the exit of the room where they were.

— Let her go, Wes! She is not part of here! — Ivrina went on irreducibly, and Wes scolded her with a disapproving look.

— If you want Khanivore to fight tomorrow, we need her. — he warned Ivrina before following Queenie. — Wait!

He ran down the hallway to intercept her way, holding her by the arm.

— Let me go.
— Hang on. Please.
— She put a knife around my neck!
— Ivrina has problems with confidence, okay?
— And that's my problem why, exactly? I'm leaving. — she pulled her arm toward herself to get rid of Wes and continue to hurry.

— At least make an injury assessment. Only that. Just an assessment. I call the car to pick you up in... thirty minutes.
— Fifteen.
— Fine.

Finally she stopped. Wes took the opportunity to approach holding her bags to help her.

— I'll keep Ivrina away from you.
— In therapy, preferably. — he allowed himself a laugh.
— It was a hard night for her. The beast is... quite hurt ...
— If you stop competing you would not have this problem.
— Not an option. — Queenie smiled with the corner of her lips.
— I imagined. So... where is she? You have fourteen minutes.

To be continued...