Natalie

The Assignment

Chapter 3: The Assignment

The minute I'm out of Chess's range I call her brother, "August? What do you want from me?"

"Why do you always assume- ? Actually yes, I need you for something, can I buy you lunch so we can talk?" August asks on the other line.

"Um, sure. Where at?"

"Beefy Burger! Where else?" He says as though it is our main get-together spot, which it isn't.

"Alright, I'll be there in five minutes."

"I'm already here." he says, then hangs up.

I walk in to Beefy Burger 12 minutes later, I order a classic Beefy Burger and then scour the room for August's ginger hair that matched Chess's and his worthy-of-envy chiseled face.

August waved at me from the far corner booth. I sigh, he always has acted as though we were friends, although I've known him for 6 years, are relationship was purely business related.

I slide into the seat opposite to him, "I ask again, what do you need?"

He looks tired, his green eyes were tinged with red and he kept running his hand down his face, but, weirdly enough, he is grinning ear to ear at me.

"I'll get to that in a second, First off, I have news that you really wouldn't believe me if I just told you, Jaz, so I brought this." He pushes a vanilla colored folder towards me.

"This isn't one of your creepy ways to get me to look at porn right?" I eye him suspiciously.

"Just open it!" He says excitedly.

I quickly open it up and read through all the papers.

I glance up at him, "You aren't joking about this right?"

"Jaz, I may joke a lot, but would I joke about something like this?"

I whisper so low it comes out like a hiss, "you managed to catch a Watchman?"

"Well, a Watch-woman. Watch-lady? Watch-girl? We'll figure it out later." He literally waves it off with a swipe of his hand. "We call her Prisoner 164. We managed to restrain her when we led siege to a watchman ship in the Kluin Galaxy."

"Well I'm really glad you told me," I say politely, "but, what has this got to do with me me?" I ask, dreading the answer.

"My superior requests that-"

"You have a superior?" I interrupt sarcastically, because August acts like he's everyone's boss.

He narrows his eyes at me, but continues, "He personally requested you to be her interrogator."

I let a small snarl escape my throat, "Doesn't your 'boss' know that I no longer do that type of work? I'm perfectly happy on Earth. I've been here for 3 years! I've settled in and managed not to kill anyone."

August nods , "I know it sounds like a bad idea, But we need your...talent. This girl may have been captured and forced into a prison cell by our guys, but, since we don't have any control over her mouth she refuses to say anything that could help us." August throws his hands in the air, "Jaz, we don't even know her name!"

"Obviously you're just not trying hard enough." I joke.

"You really don't have to worry about anything. We're going to bring in Edgar as well."

"Why do you need Edgar?" I ask defensively.

August's head tilts like a dog, "Isn't he your friend?"

"I don't have friends."

"Well then...Edgar has always seemed to be able to keep you under control, Jaz. Edgar is a shrink, and your massively talented in torture, we're trying to balance our see-saw for you, Jaz, because you can-"

"Go blind with wild insanity? End up going on a killing spree? Start to enjoy it to much?" I insert different options, a tad bit maliciously.

August shrugs, "I was gonna say something like 'revengy', but yeah. Your gonna be there to talk to her, Edgar's gonna be there to talk to you."

I point at the folder, "Can I take this? I'll get on a space ship destined for The Eagle tomorrow."

"Tomorrow morning," He corrects, and slides the folder toward me, "I'll arrange the entire thing."

"Tomorrow morning," I repeat grudgingly, while picking the folder up.

"With Edgar."

A waitress arrives with my meal. I nod a thanks and once she disappears I push it towards August.

"My treat." I say, then I get up, "I'll see you on The Eagle."