Scales

Chapter 4: Despair

Lifting the brown package under her arm, Syrenthia turned and waved to her roommate. Catalin was in the kitchen finishing her breakfast of toast and grapefruit. She didn't have to leave for several hours, so she was casually dressed in a black tank-top, denim shorts, and flats.

"See you later, Cat!"

"Bye! I'll be home late because we're filming the night scene after rehearsal, so don't wait up for me," Catalin called back with her mouth full of food. "Have fun at the gallery."

Opening the door, Syrenthia jumped back, startled. Eamon was standing right outside with his fist held up ready to knock.

"Eamon, hello!" Syrenthia greeted him. "You surprised me. I didn't expect to see you today."

"Yes, I came by for your new pages in the book, and that's all," Eamon responded coldly.

"Oh, I thought we were going to look over those on Friday at dinner."

"I changed my mind." Eamon's face remained hardened. "I don't want to go to dinner."

"Um okay, uh, I haven't gathered together all my papers yet," Syrenthia stammered.

"Syrenthia has to go deliver her painting to the gallery." Catalin stepped forward out of the kitchen. "She can't be late for her first meeting there. Why don't I go get you the pages? That way she won't be late, and you guys can meet up later to discuss them."

"I suppose that will do," Eamon said begrudgingly.

"Great, feel free to take a seat in the living room while I get them."

As Eamon crossed over to the couch, Catalin looked at Syrenthia and raised her eyebrows. The two had been friends for so long that they didn't even have to speak to communicate their thoughts. Syrenthia shrugged her shoulders slightly and walked back to the front door.

"I'll see you later, Cat."

Catalin waved and turned to Eamon who was still sitting stiffly on the couch. He returned her gaze with icy green eyes.

"Well, I'll go get those pages for you, so you can be on your way."

Eamon cocked his head and continued staring at Catalin until she left the room. Shuddering slightly, Catalin crossed through the back hall into Syrenthia's bedroom and walked over to the printer on the desk. She knew her friend trusted her writing agent and had known him for several years, but something about Eamon didn't seem right. Catalin picked up the pages and placed them in a dark blue folder and hurried back to the living room. She wanted to get this creepy guy out of their apartment as soon as possible.

"Okay, I have the new pages. Sorry it took me so long. I was putting them in a folder to make things easier for..."

Catalin's voice trailed off as she entered the living room. Another man was standing next to Eamon. He was tall and well-built with piercing green eyes wearing a postal uniform. The two men stared at Catalin with unblinking gazes.

"Um, who's this?"

"My friend," Eamon replied, his face expressionless.

"Okay." Slowly, Catalin placed the folder on a side table next to the couch and backed up into the kitchen. "Well, there's the pages. See you around."

"Actually, there's one more thing we need," the other man spoke up, his voice low and rough.

"What's that?" Catalin asked apprehensively.

The two men walked past the folder and drew nearer. Reaching behind her, Catalin wrapped her fingers around the handle of a kitchen knife.

"You."

Eamon pulled out a roll of silver duct tape while the other man approached Catalin. Quickly, the small girl whipped the knife out in front of her and kicked forward at the man. He dodged nimbly, but Catalin followed up with an elbow strike to his head. As he collapsed on the floor, she whirled around to face Eamon. Suddenly, a misty spray blinded Catalin. A grey haze formed over her eyes, and she could feel the knife being wrenched from her hand. Hitting out blindly, Catalin tried to defend herself, but she was swiftly overwhelmed. Her wrists and ankles were bound together with several layers of duct tape. She lay on the ground trying to regain her breath.

"You need to correct its vision. If you leave the sight deprivation on too long, it can permanently damage them, and Vortex wants perfect specimens."

Catalin recognized the other man's gravelly voice. A few moments later, a bony hand seized her shoulder and forced her to sit up. The same spray misted across her eyes again, and the grey cloudiness cleared away. Catalin blinked several times while her vision returned to normal. Eamon's hand was in front of her face, and the mist was coming from the center of his palm.

"Who are you?" Catalin gasped.

Eamon pulled his hand away, and the other man approached. Ignoring Catalin, they began pulling the large Persian rug from the living room into the kitchen.

"If you don't leave now, I'm going to scream, and my neighbors will call the police," Catalin threatened.

"Your neighbors won't hear you. All of them have left for work already. The nearest person is five stories down," Eamon answered indifferently.

Leaning back against the wall, Catalin tried not to panic. She had no idea how they knew her neighbors' schedules. They must have been stalking her.

"Look, if you want money, I can get that for you," Catalin offered although she doubted the two were after money.

"No more talking," Eamon ordered.

Pulling off a strip of duct tape, he placed it across Catalin's mouth and then picked her up. He dropped her on the side of the carpet and looked at his partner.

"You take my form while I take this one back. Follow me soon."

Eamon shook his body. He and the other man began contorting. Suddenly, Eamon transformed into a short, compact man in a khaki uniform while the other man switched into Eamon. Catalin struggled against the duct tape holding her hands behind her back, but it was too strong. She had to find a way to warn Syrenthia. These kidnappers weren't normal people. While the two men continued talking, Catalin looked around desperately. An idea came to her suddenly, and Catalin acted instinctively. The khaki-clothed man had moved into one of the bedrooms, and the new Eamon was opening the front door. Slipping off one of her shoes, Catalin kicked it under one of the dining room chairs.

"All right, I'm heading out. I'll tell Vortex that you'll be along shortly."

The man in khaki knelt down next to Catalin and began rolling the small girl into the carpet. When he was finished, he flung her over his shoulder and walked out of the apartment. Catalin felt despair sink deeper into her stomach with every jolting step that carried her farther away.