The Immortals

Chapter Two

Beatrix Sinclair

Club Vertex during the day looked pretty much like my grandmother's apartment— bright, saturated, and old lady-ish. The booths had seats of this hideous shade of red that was remarkably similar to my grandmother's couches. Across the booths was the dance floor that reminded me of her carpet-less mahogany floor, where she'd often sit by the window and read a book (and I bet she danced there sometimes too, but she would never admit it). The only things that were missing from my grandmother's apartment were the disco lights and the bar. I had tried to convince her to get them installed in her appartment, but she wouldn't listen. 

Sunlight filled into the room, making it  a white blur. The place smelled of roses and detergent, like it had just been cleaned, instead of booze or sweat or a million perfume brands. There was nobody in sight, which was disappointing. I'd already called up Pete, the owner of the nightclub, and I thought he'd be there. I was expecting a grand welcome or something. 

"I've really started to think this is an ambush." Jason said. "I can imagine Bea's assassins spring out of their hideouts and open fire at us any minute."

"It's not an ambush." I rolled my eyes. "And as much as I'd love to, sadly I do not operate an underworld gang."

"Why exactly are we here, by the way?" El said, her arms crossed, a deep frown tattooed on her forehead. That was her signature pose. If she ever started modeling, her career would be restricted to being the poster girl for constipation meds, despite being gorgeous enough for Vogue. 

"I wanted you guys to meet somebody." I said. 

"There's nobody here, Beatrix."

"Not actually." A voice came from the bar, which was dark as it was edged away from the sunlight. I couldn't believe how I could have missed to pay attention to it. 

The bar lights came on to reveal a red-haired dude in a plaid shirt. 

"Pete!" I beamed, I crossed the room and took a seat at the bar.

"Beatrix Sinclair, what a pleasant surprise!" He exclaimed.

"I told you I was coming."

"Okay," he said, arranging the glasses on the counter. "What a pleasant non-surprise!"

"Care to tell us who's this?" El said, as she and Jason took the bar stools beside me, quite reluctantly.

"This's Pete." I said. "Pete, these are my kidnappers."

"Your brother and your best friend, you mean?"

"Yeah." I said picking up a glass. "Same thing." 

"Aaannnddd how do you know each other?" Jason said.

"Oh, Beatrix has been of great help." he said. "She's a savior, for one. Once, we had this fundraiser that was almost doomed—"

"Wait." El said. "Did you just call her a savior?"

"Of course." Pete chuckled. "Anyway, care for a drink? It's on me."

"We'll pass." Jason said. "I gotta drive. Besides, we're under-age. Bea, can you finish your business here—"

"Pour me something." El shot a look at Jason. 

"El?" Jason said, confused. My poor brother. El got frustrated with things pretty often. She wasn't very patient. Well, neither was I, but in my fit of impatience,  I lashed out on things, rather than on people.

"Don't drink if you don't want to. But don't answer for me." She said sharply. "A martini, Pete."

Pete glanced from Jason's speechless face, to El's pissed-off look. "Sure! A martini on the way!" he beamed. Then he plucked out the glass of bourbon or something from my hands which I had already poured for myself. "Hey!" 

"Just soda for you, dear." He smiled, that devil. "The last time I let you drink you gulped down the whole bar."

"So you do know a real thing or two about Beatrix." El said. 

He made a glass of martini for El and served me just plain soda. He offered some lemonade for Jason, who mumbled a no. But he poured him some anyway.

"You're mad with me for calling you the Evil Queen?" Jason muttered as El went for another glass of martini. 

"So you do admit that you meant it for me." 

"Damn, Isabella!" Jason said. "That's why you're acting like this? Seriously?"

Pete watched them as he prepared another martini. "They're dating, huh?"

I nodded.

"Take my word when I say this is the most common scene that ever happens here."

I restrained a laugh. I was still sulking because of the soda. As I glanced at the lovebirds still busy yelling at each other, my real intention behind my visit resurfaced. "Where's it?" 

Pete raised a brow. "I thought you'll never ask." 

He leaned in and whispered, "They know about it?" He indicated Jason and El.

"Nope."

He picked something from under the counter, and placed it next to my glass. The card. The platinum card.

I slipped it in my pocket, satisfied. All this happened in a fraction of seconds, and El and Jason didn't suspect a thing. Now that I got what I wanted, I had a sudden desire to leave. It was very tempting to use the card. But I was waiting for the surprise.

That's when Jason started to get up. "I'll wait in the car." 

My eyes widened in alarm. If Jason left now, things could go very, very wrong. "Jason wait—"

"Call me when you're done with your freaking sulking sipping freaking martinis." He rambled scurrying away, his arms far apart, swinging by his sides. He did that every time he was pissed off. Then he'd often end up running into pillars, people, blinded by his emotions, like he did just now; he ran straight into the guy who just popped up at the entrance. 

"Whoa, man." Jason muttered. "Watch where you're going."

Then he saw his face. After what felt like a million light years, Jason finally seemed to have recognized him. "You!" he yelped and tackled the guy with a hug.

Yep, the surprise I had been waiting for.