The Seven

Chapter 7

Larkin and Osiris stood in the basement of the inconspicuous building, the beat thumping through the floor beneath them. Violet and chartreuse lights flashed above them, illuminating the underground club for split seconds before darkening and exploding again with blades of light flashing in different colors. The hues splashed over their faces, creating shadows Larkin had never seen on Osiris' face. As his eyes shut she noticed how his angular jawline contrasted against his smooth skin, and as she studied him, he smirked at her, his eyes fluttering open.

"Close your eyes, Lark. Just dance." Larkin did as she was told, her face flushing. She prayed that no one could see her blush through the array of colors wildly shining on her skin.

Her breath began to quicken as the throngs of people crowded around her seemed to disappear, leaving her and Osiris in their own bubble. Despite the pounding bass assaulting her ears, and the flashing neon lights she could still see through her thin eyelids, Larkin felt serene. Her heartbeat fell into sync with the music, her breathing slowing down. It was like every worry she had, worries about losing her job, about not being able to provide for her family, melted off of her skin. She was free.

Osiris' hand slipped over hers, pulling her closer to him as the music went on.  Seconds passed, turning into minutes, time escaping the pair as they danced, connected. As one.

Larkin suddenly felt Osiris drop his hands from her waist. Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the light of the door opening. She watched in a daze as Osiris was pulled out of the room by another man, one Larkin had seen behind the tents at the market that morning. The bass continued, blood rushing to Larkin's head as the sounds flooded her ears, seeming louder with every second.

"O?" She called out. She could barely hear her own voice over the pounding beat assaulting her ears. She called out for him again, with no response.

After a split second of standing there, motionless, she followed Osiris' trail out the door and towards a back room of the building, watching the heavy door shut to a room. She pressed her ear against the crack of the frame, attempting to hear what was going on. The doors were locked.

•  •  •

"What the hell do you mean, they got Cyrus?" 

Larkin heard Osiris' familiar voice drop in anger.

"After today's bust, the guards went on a full search. You had already left, but Cyrus was still there getting the stuff together. They found all the evidence they needed. He's on his way to central right now for his trial.

"We both know he won't come back." spoke the unfamiliar voice.

Larkin could hear Osiris pacing around the room, imagining him placing his hand on his forehead in frustration as she had seen him do so many times. She heard a fist slam onto a desk, making her jump.

"How much stuff did they find on him?" Osiris said.

"Enough."

"How much?" Osiris was yelling now.

"Thirty new issues. Jax had already taken the checks, though." the unfamiliar voice admitted.

Osiris huffed in anger. "I don't care about the checks. Get this place cleared, now. I want everybody out. We need to get everything we have on lockdown until we figure out what to do. Who knows if they found anything else. We might need a new building." Osiris slammed his fist down again. "Dammit. How the he//..."

Osiris shoved open the doors, startling Larkin. He grabbed her by the arm, pulling her through a hall and back out the door that they had come into the building with and releasing her back into the dark alley.