The Typical Insanity

I T'S N O T L I K E I C A N H E L P IT

You know those moments where one moment you're running and the next, everything around you looks like a Van Gogh painting and you can feel someone else take over you? Me neither. But that seemed to be exactly what just happened.

When I blinked again, there was no sunset, just dark night and streetlights. This street in particular was odd, not because of the lack of tourists and tourist attractions but the lack of people in general. It was completely deserted which begged the question, what was I doing here?

"I suppose this is as good as any time to explain things out, right Moe?"

"It's a perfectly fantastic time, Rien."

"Okay so, I'll keep it vague and simple. There is something really really wrong with the biggest company in the world."

"Uh huh, and I take it that you're referring to where I work."

"Where you USED to work but yeah, Corporate Silver, the company with branches in like, everything."

"Uh huh. And, what exactly is wrong with it?"

"Lots! I mean, I'm sure there are lots but the only things I'm sure of are Ponzi schemes, shady deals with New York's own mafia rings and to top it all off human trafficking! Are you getting all this in your little head?"

"No, I'm not. You've completely lost me, Rien."

"Ugh, you'll understand later, if you ever understand at all. Now, back to the point of all this, the day before all this," he gestures to the empty street behind us. "Happened, the day before Mr. Bigshot Founder came by for a visit, there was this one file that somehow managed to slip out in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of preparation. I can't even explain it but in short, there were lists of names, numbers and prices. There were names of people had price tags right next to their names! And that, that stupid cock of a Founder! Remember when you had to show him that part of the building they were renovating? No? Well, we, I mean, you asked him about the file, you had it in your hand! And do you remember what he did? He laughed and admitted to it!"

There was no doubt that I had at least eighty nine different reasons not to believe him, but there was that one itch at the back of my mind that keeps telling me that he's right. So I keep quiet and let him speak.

"And then there was that open window. That damn wide open window, you have no idea what he could've done if I hadn't come out! He was punching the living daylights out of you and it only made sense to grab the nearest thing possible so I grabbed this hammer that was lying on the floor," No, no, I didn't murder him. "And just kept swinging until he stopped moving." It could've been in self-defense, right? Judges still believe that, don't they? "I didn't know what to do about the body so I just dumped it and tried to wipe our prints off anything we might have touched. I just didn't know what to do."

"So you thought that making me forget was the best option, out of all the possible circumstances, possibilities, outcomes?"

"At the time, yeah. I was afraid you'd get all panicky and run off to the cops."

I wanted to ask him what changed his mind but there are other things that seem to be of more importance.

"Okay, okay, fine. But what are we doing here, in Los Angeles I mean."

"Well, at first we needed to lay low for some time after that stunt you pulled with Stan."

"A stunt you orchestrated, lest we forget."

"Doesn't matter, but aside from that, there was a date, this one date and address at the top of the file, in black and white."

"Let me make a random, wild guess here. Was it this exact place right here at this exact day?"

"There's no need to be snappy, I'm saving lives here."

"But there's no credibility Rien! You have no proof that this is not all just a coincidence! I killed a man four days ago and I still have no idea what for!"

Nemo... Oh God no, there's another voice in my head. Just perfect, just what I needed. What you need is a conscience, Nemo.. Think of me, bring me out... Why on Earth would I do that? One bumbling paranoiac is enough, thank you very much, I do not need another Rien walking and talking to me everywhere I go. That is precisely why you need me, I am not Rien... Quite the opposite in fact. Why do you sound English? Am I making you sound like that or are you, never mind. I don't mean to see her, I didn't want to see her but there she was, as bright as you can get under a flickering streetlamp.

"You've got to be kidding me, are you seriously bringing her out? Unbelievable."

"Hey, it's not like I can help it!"

She was wearing a sheath of black lace that covered the upper half of her face that somehow folded into dog ears at the top, or cat ears, I can't really tell. You'd think that I could describe her face through the sheer lace but I can't, like the idea of her face is simply not there.

"Now who are you supposed to be?"

"It is not of any importance at this very moment but you may call me Nadia, Nemo." Why is it that my delusions don't find names important whatsoever?

"You don't have to be so formal with him Ms. Neurotic, call him Moe."

"Why don't you tell him about the eavesdropping, Rien, I'm sure the lorry will be driving by anytime now."

The confusion is starting to hurt my head.

"Oh yeah! I do have credibility, Moe! Remember when we were with Stan, in the afternoon? Well, after you sucker punched the guy, I took a little trip to the head office with some coffee, everyone automatically assumed I was an intern."

"And you did this, why? And how did you not get caught?"

Nadia spoke for him this time. "It's terribly easy for any fool to sweet talk a female security guard, mess around with surveillance and wear a disguise at the same time. Too easy, if you ask me."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyways, I did it because there was an impromptu visit from the vice president of Corporate Silver who wanted to speak with some guys. I eavesdropped a bit, served coffee a bit and maybe stole a briefcase or two."

My head's making me want to put it under a bulldozer.

"There is so much wrong with that but just tell me, in brief, what you gathered from that 'little trip'."

"Okay, three things. First, there's a shipment at 11:00 in Venice, which is where we are which is kind of stupid because we're at Venice Beach, Los Angeles even though there's an actual Venice already-"

"Rien." Nadia's sharp voice echoes, momentarily silencing Rien. I like her.

"Geez, Ms. Neurotic, fine. The second thing is that there will be minimum personnel to draw away attention and lastly, they've got tranquilizers for the girls."

Despite all the nonsense Rien spews at every opportunity, that last bit of news hit me in the gut. If this was actually happening, if all this wasn't the offspring of paranoia, that means there were actual innocent people involved in this.

"We'll wait here for any signs of the lorry but if nothing happens, I'll turn myself in, you got that?"

Both nod curtly.