Fulcrum

Chapter one

A man wearing a gray business suit walked through the halls of his art museum, and gently touched a nearby painting with a smile on his face. He was walking through a new exhibit that explained the life of an artist, who was rumored to have been hanged. Sometimes guests asked him how he ended up with all the paintings if the artist had died not even thirty years ago.

But he always gave them the same answer, "they were a gift from him, and we shouldn't take gifts for granted," As he continued to touch the painting one of his workers came running to him. The man was holding a clipboard full of names and other information. "What is it Miles?" He asked.
"I'm sorry to bother you Mr. Avis but she's here again." Miles explained. Arthur Avis sighed heavily and said he would take care of it. Miles warned him that she would keep coming but Arthur told him to stop talking unless he wanted to lose his job. Miles hid his fear and walked away clutching his clipboard close.

Arthur rolled his eyes as he walked to the front of the museum where a woman with brown hair wearing a black dress stood waiting impatiently. "Felicia to what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked.
"I've told you not to call me that, only one person can call me that." She reminded him.
"Fine Fulcrum what can I do for you?" He asked rolling his eyes. Arthur still didn't understand why the twenty year old acted that way towards her name. The only answer she gave was that her friend was the only one allowed to use it. Nobody had any clue who that was since Felicia lived a secluded life. Nobody knew anything about her except her age, her lack of family, and what she looked like.

"Save it you know why I'm here," she responded crossing her arms. "Gave me what I came for and we won't have to keep doing this." Every day for the past two years, Felicia had shown up here questioning him like there was no tomorrow. Arthur was still annoyed that a girl who was barely out of her teen years, had a right to come here questioning him.

"I'm going to tell you the same thing I've been telling you since you were eighteen," Arthur answered. "I'm just a business man and I don't know what you want from me," he continued. "You just can't seem to get that through your head." Felicia scoffed and said that he wasn't fooling her with his lies. She had become an expert in reading people over the years, so she knew that he was lying. This man was hiding something big, she just needed him to give her something so she could prove it.
"I see that your ego is still intacted," she responded. "Fine have it your way, but I'm on to you."
"Why I've got nothing to hide." Arthur responded.

"Bullshit," She answered flipping her hair in his face and walking away like she did everyday when he gave her nothing. Arthur mocked her by telling her to have a safe trip home and she gave him a burning look. "That quick tongue of yours is going to be the death of you one day Avis." She left the museum unsatisfied and listened to the conversations of people around her. Everyone was talking about the big news that Stan had been killed after it had been revealed that he was involved in multiple illegal activities, including the murder of Emily Walker about a year ago. Felicia remembered when she heard the news that Walked had apparently lost his mind, and taken Stan hostage.

Some people thought that the news about Stan was wrong and that Walker was just crazy. Others thought that maybe Emily and Stan might have been seeing each other in secret, but when Emily planned on ending it Stan and his 'friends' killed her. Felicia hadn't seen the man in years, she had made sure to stay off the grind ever since she ran away from her last foster family. But she didn't think that the ranger was crazy, the man in her memories was too caring to be that way. She believed that Stan had really killed Emily and Walker was trying to find out why. If only he hadn't been shot dead before that could have been proved.

While she was lost in her thoughts, someone bumped into her and scolded her for being careless.
"Hey I'm walking here!" He said
"Sorry sir didn't see you," she responded. While the man was talking she pick pocketed him and stole money from his wallet along with a few other things. "I'll be more careful next time."
"I should hope so, girls like you usually end up in bad places," The man responded. Felicia gave him a fake smile and walked away. "By the way what do they call you?" He asked.
"Fulcrum," she answered with a smile. "Have a good day."

The man walked away thinking that the girl was going through some weird phase. However when he looked through his wallet he noticed that all his money was gone, along with his watch and some of his cards.
"Hey!" He called out looking for the girl but she had vanished. "Someone call the police she just stole from me!" Everyone looked at him and said that they hadn't seen anyone with him. The man ran around like a chicken with his head cut off until he managed to head in the direction of the station. Nearby Felicia was watching everything from a hidden alley, she took off her brown wig revealing dyed white hair and ditched her dress for a casual black outfit.

"Honestly sometimes they make it too easy," she said to herself, to blend in she pulled out some headphones and a smart phone. She scrolled through her playlist until she stumbled across the soundtrack from Annie. "I think I'm gonna like it here." She said as she stepped out of the alley and looked like a typical girl her age. No one asked her questions since now she didn't stand out, and looked like she was just trying to get home. She got into a blue car and drove off while the world was oblivious to her actions.

Meanwhile Walker was having a few drinks with his friend Geri. While he technically owned the bar now, after what happened recently he needed someone else to give him drinks. Stan wasn't just someone he trusted, he had been a friend and the person who made him a ranger. He still couldn't believe that Stan had been the one that killed the love of his life. It was hard enough to be in house with Emily not being there.
"Don't drink too much Walker or you'll end passing out." Geri said to him.
"I guess that's better than being drunk," he responded. Things were still a little awkward between them, because of the kiss but they both mutually agreed not to talk about it. "I just needed some time to process everything."

"How are the kids doing?" Geri asked. Walker didn't answer but made a face showing his response. "How are you doing?"
"Things could be better I'm not going to lie," he answered. "I just wish there was one way I could prove to everyone else that I'm not the bad guy here."
"Haven't you done that enough?" Geri asked.
"I thought so but after what happened, I looked like some ranger who went psycho," Walker answered. Just then his phone rang and he apologized to Geri before answering it. "Hey James what's up?"
"Its Captain and I've got something I think you should see," James answered on the other end. "I've been getting reports of robberies all around the town, but the girl always seems to vanish."