The Magician

Chapter 6

In the blink of an eye, Jennifer was handcuffed and two police officers were leading her to a police car.

- What did I do???

- Anything you say could be used against you so I suggest you remain silent, ma'am.

The officers sat Jennifer in the car, closed the door and walked away. There were so many questions spinning around in Jennifer's brain. What was happening? Why was she being arrested? Is this a mistake? Why were the police not taking her anywhere? Were they still looking for someone?

Then, after a second, her heart dropped as she realized.

"They're looking for Alejandro!"

She looked out the window to see if he was around. He wasn't. Jennifer felt betrayed. On one hand, she was happy that Alejandro was safe. But then after all it was him who got her into this whole situation. If she hadn't met him, she'd be home at the moment, sleeping peacefully.

And her mum! What was she going to think? Her dog and daughter ran away the same night, and her daughter was being arrested. How is she going to take it all in? Although her brother would be pretty chill about it.

She thought about the news headlines that could be coming out tomorrow.

'Twenty-two year old girl arrested in her pajamas in the middle of the night while wandering around the streets.'

Her thoughts broke up as the door opened and Alejandro sat in, handcuffed.

- Um... hi...

It was an awkward moment.

- They got you too???

- It's part of my plan!

- What plan?

- To get you out!

"Yeah sure." Jennifer rolled her eyes and stared out the window. The car started moving.

- Look, I can fix it! I promise!

"And how are you going to do that?" Jennifer suddenly turned around and looked Alejandro right in the eye. They were whispering at this point.

- Ophelia just trust me!

She rolled her eyes again and looked out the window. Suddenly it was like a bolt of lightning hit her.

"Oh no Penny is still out there!" She exclaimed loudly as she remembered, pressing the palm of her hands to the cold glass of the window. Her eyes were moving quickly, trying to find her beloved poodle through the rain. This time, Alejandro was the one to roll his eyes.

"Need a tissue?" he asked after a few seconds of silence. "No" Jennifer turned her head to give him a side eye, but had to do a double take at the magician. He was holding a tissue box, his hands free.

"...How did you get out of your handcuffs??" Jennifer whispered in the loudest voice she dared.

"I told you Ophelia!" Alejandro whispered back.

- Don't call me Ophelia!

- But you look like an Ophelia.

- I don't ca...

The car suddenly stopped with a loud noise and they were both yanked forward. If they didn't have seatbelts on, they probably would have ended up somewhere in the front seat. Alejandro's hand instinctively went in front of Jennifer to protect her.

- You good, Ophelia?

"DON'T CALL ME OPHELIA!!!" she shouted in her loudest voice. "What is going on???"

"Here, let me help you." Alejandro took a safety pin from his red tuxedo and unlocked Jennifer's handcuffs.

The two police officers who were at the front seat (one of them was the driver) went out to investigate.

- What's going on?

Outside, the rain had stopped and now an orange-yellowish haze was surrounding them; so thick that one could barely see anything through it. It reminded Jennifer of the spices in the Asian Bazaar (which visited London every year).

The police officers could be heard from outside.

- Where did all this come from?

- Wh... hey!

Shouting, grunting, punching, and some other noises which spoke of a casual fist fight were heard from outside and there was the voice of a woman.

- Take that you loser!

Alejandro's expression changed. From curious to pissed.

"Oh for god's sake..." he mumbled grumpily.

The door of the driver's seat opened and someone sat in. Jennifer reckoned it was a woman.

- Hang on tight, we'll be speeding up!

Yep. It was definitely a woman.

The car started moving at a high speed with a sudden jerk. Jennifer had to hold on to the grab handle for dear life.

"You didn't have to come, you know" Alejandro mumbled in a grumpy voice. He seemed unbothered by the speed. "I could handle it myself."

The woman sighed.

"Oh brother."