Unmarked

Chapter 57

"So what is all of this stuff?" Lavina asked Silas.

"Oh all this?" She paused. "Ingredients."

"For what exactly?" Lavinia stopped unpacking the boxes.

"Oh you know, to make insulin, and other vital medicine."

"Can't you just get that stuff?"
"No, not here." Silas walked to another box. "In these parts, the government is severely corrupt. Those who are wealthy live above us in the Supreme Kingdom. But for us down here, in the gutters, we are left to rot and die." She stopped and stood up, looking at Lavina. "They're still cheap, so they send their trains through our little part. It's a good way to get medicine to people who need it, who can't pay thousands for it."

"You just give it to them?"

"I only require a simple favor from my customers, nothing more. That when I come to call upon them, they come for the job."

"And that works?"

Silas laughed. "It's not like I'm sending them to die." She paused. "I know their skills and give them tasks based off of that." She smiled. "Just like now." Silas went back to the box. "Now since you helped me, I am in your debt. So in turn, I will give you the information you so desire." Silas got up and walked over to her. "First, thank you for helping me to unpack and well, stay here until Hilarian comes back."

"My pleasure." Lavina was sarcastic.

"Well, Miss. Anata is not an easy gem to track down by any means." Silas walked over to her desk and sat down, pushing a button which opened up a computer. She began to type. "Let's see," She began. "Her most recent escapade took her to France, but it looks like that was her last caper there. So in years past, she constantly went from France to Los Angeles." She clicked her mouse. "Yup, she's back in LA, that blurb of green is her coat."

"Where in LA?"

"Oh her garage, here." Silas wrote an address on a sticky note and gave it to her. "Hopefully next time we can meet under..., uh, better circumstances." Silas hit another button. "Can you bring Hilarian in here please, thank you." Seconds later two men walked in with Hiliraian in front of them. "Welcome back, Miss. Niper."

"B- back?" She laughed slightly. "Why am I in such atti- attire?"

"Oh, be calm Hiliarian, the drug is still wearing off. You're still split in your personality." Silas got up from her desk. She went to the file looking cabinet. She pushed on one of the drawers and it pushed out at her. She grabbed a syringe from it and gave it to Lavina.

"What's this?"

"Sedative. It'll keep her calm enough to be sane until, well, she's sane again."

"You expect me to use this on her?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you want to watch her all night?" She paused to look at Lavina. "Now, go on, get that one home, why don't you." Lavina turned around.

"Come on, Hilarian." Lavina grabbed her by the arm.

"Where are we going?" She put her free hand on her head.

"Home."

"Home?"

"Mhm." Lavina sighed. "Don't worry, you'll feel better soon." Lavina finally got her home and then went above to the surface. Since it was still light out, Lavina took a little walk. She looked down at the sidewalk, her hands in her pockets. She walked along, thinking only to herself. Then she looked up, to see the different places on the street. Until finally, she stopped. She walked up the small driveway and looked at the sign. She had stopped at an ice cream place, looking promptly at the menu. She ordered and then sat down at one of the tables. She slowly ate as she looked into the distance. She looked down to her dish.

"Mind if I join you?" Lavina looked up.

"No, of course not." She pulled her cup towards her. The man sat down across from her.

"You're a snowball person, hm?"

"Huh? Yeah, they have them all over where I used to live."

"Used to? Are you new to town?" He took a bite of his dish.

"Uh, yeah." Lavina looked down at what he was eating. "A twist man?"

He laughed, "Yup. Chocolate and vanilla with a cone."

"In a dish."

They laughed together. Lavina extended her hand to him.

"Lavina."

"Phoenix."

Lavina laughed. "Phoenix? Your name is Phoenix and you live in Phoenix?"

"You think that's bad, my last name is Firebird. Phoenix Firebird."

They laughed again.

"What brings you to Phoenix?"

"Aren't you full of questions for a stranger."

"Well, you did take the only open table." He smiled. Lavina smiled.

"My dad lives out here and I thought I should spend some time with him."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Have you ever been anywhere else, besides Phoenix?"

"No, I was born and raised here, by my father."

"Your father?"

"Yeah, I never knew my mother, she left before I was born."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, thank you." It was silent for a moment. "So, where are you from?"

"New York."

"Oh wow!"

"Not the city."

He laughed. "Well, it's still New York."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Do you miss it?"

"Yeah, sometimes. I mean I guess I miss my brother every now and again."

"Brother? Did you leave him behind?"

"Oh, no, he's with my mom."

"Ah, mom's in New York, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Are you ever going to go back?"

"Yeah, me and my dad talked about it, and we'll go back for my birthday."

"And see how it goes?"

"Yeah." Someone honked their horn and Phoenix turned around to see who it was. He turned back to Lavina and started to get up.

"Well, that's me, Lavina. My big brother gets impatient about these things."

"Big brother?"

"Yeah. Hey, uh, here." He took out a sheet of paper and grabbed a pen. "That's my number. I'd love to keep in touch, and talk." Lavina rubbed the back of her head and then smiled as she nodded her head at him. Lavina picked at her dessert and then finally got up and walked back to the house, coming in through the front door.

"Ah, look who's home!" Jasvinder said, coming into the foyer.

"Oh, you're here."

"You make that sound like it's a bad thing."

"Well, it's not. I'm just surprised."

Jasvinder laughed.

"Have you been here all day?"

"No, why?"

"You're in your off work clothes."

"My wha- you mean my jeans and turtleneck?"

Lavina covered her mouth as she laughed. "You're such a dad."

"Well," He chuckled. "Come on, I have the perfect thing for us to do." Jasvinder walked over to her and put his arm around her shoulders, leading her deeper into the house.