Hunting White Raven (Unedited Old Draft)

Chapter 1: The Music Box

Adi glared at the uncooperative music box on her desk. Leaning back, she crossed her arms in her yellow hoodie. Seventeen years old and here she was, solving yet another mystery. This was getting tiring.

"Lex, have you found it yet?" she called to the box-strewn apartment.

"Well, maybe if someone had the decency to unpack, you'd have your screwdriver!" squeaked Lex, Adi's A.I. assistant. Huffing, Adi dragged her hands through her short brown hair. If Lex wasn't so human-like, Adi probably would have thrown her out years ago. That and she was useful when she wanted to be.

"I don't understand why this thing is so important to you anyway," said Lex, her glossy, blue cube figure hovering around stacked cardboard. Lex was about the size of Adi's head, the sensory lens taking up most of the flat surface. She held out a flat-head screwdriver with her metal prong.

Adi snatched the screwdriver and fiddled with the gears under the pink and gold music box. "Because," she muttered, "it's a clue."

Adi poked at some gears, then jammed her thumb on the button. Nothing. She tapped her blue Converse on the floor and squinted at the pink box. Wavy hair swung into her eyes and she stopped to tie it into a half-up. Adi whacked the side of the box with the butt of the screwdriver a couple times. She huffed, just about ready to throw the thing across the apartment. Maybe if she threw it with enough power, it would open by itself. She didn't want to risk denting the already crumbly walls. Her landlady hated her enough as it was.

"Assuming we find out who 'they' are, and assuming we find out where they took him, do you know how we get him back?" Lex asked. Her pronged arm reached out to tap the box's lid.

"Not at the moment." Adi turned the music box over, its mirrored lid reflecting angry blue eyes. She scooted away from Lex. Resting her chin in her hands, Adi stared at the clue, willing it with her mind to open.

"Why would they take him?" Lex flew still closer to the box, her white optic sensor blinking.

"Just stop asking questions and help me open this stu-" Adi trailed off as the music box creaked open. A screen on the underside of the lid flickered to life. Blue words scrolled up, sending a jolt up Adi's spine.

Incoming Holo from unidentified personnel. Tap screen to ACCEPT.

Adi nearly crushed the glass. Then, a disc the size of a quarter slid open where the box's ballerina should have been. A holographic face, pixilated and hidden by shadow, materialized. "Lex! Run voice identification procedure!" Adi sputtered.

"On it."

Adi pursed her lips and gripped the sides of the table as the recording played through.

"Greetings Addison Marshall. Welcome to the first task in your trial. You already know that Ransom Liams was taken into custody. Your job is to turn yourself in as... well, ransom."

The man's tone hinted at a smirk. Adi's ears popped in hatred as she ground her teeth.

"You have exactly 72 hours to surrender. Wait in the alley behind the tavern on 6th Street, bound and blindfolded, and my men will come collect you. Come unarmed. You have a vital piece of information that we need. If you surrender peacefully, we will release Ransom unharmed. If not... well, let's just say that the consequences for both of you will not be pleasant. I trust that you will listen to my direction. Do not resist. I will be waiting."

The music boxed closed, its lid displaying a timer:

71:60:59, 58, 57...

Adi screamed and jumped up, the chair screeching against the wood floor. She grabbed the nearest empty box and chucked it at the wall. "I don't know anything! Information?! What information? What do they want? Where is Ransom?" She bellowed again, kicking the thin plaster. How did everything fall apart so quickly? Who was this guy? What did he want? Adi closed her eyes, trying to silence the questions, to no avail.

"Ransom, what do I do?" Adi slumped against the peeling wallpaper and wiped hot tears from her cheeks. She glanced out the muddied window into the street below. Among a handful of shoppers on the trash-covered sidewalk, one dark figure in a black trench coat peered up at Adi. Gasping, she reeled back and yanked the curtain cord.

"What?" Lex asked, "What did you see?"

"Nothing," Adi scowled. She paced back and forth. Grabbing an extra jacket-one that wasn't as yellow- she searched the room for anything useful.

"Lex, let's pack some bags," Adi said, snatching some non-perishables from a box, "We're going to visit an old friend."