The Girl Called Red

Chapter 17.

Heavy music was blaring throughout the room, drowning out all external sound. I kept pace with the fast, heavy beat as sweat leaked from my pores.

Breathing evenly, the weight of gravity pulled on me every time I pulled up the top half of my body. Warm metal dug in behind my knees as I lowered my upper body, fighting gravity's attempt to make me fall. My arms and stomach were itchy as sweat slid down them, especially when it collected in scar tissue or stretch marks, but I didn't stop.

To another, it might appear as if my tattoos were melting off.

There was a pounding on my door before it opened.

"Are you a bat now, Red?" James' chest expanded as he tried to talk over my music.

A snort ripped its way out the back of my nose.

"I'll add that to the list."

"You keep a list about me, James?" I asked as he strode over and turned off my music.

Bracing my hands against the warm, wet metal, I slowly lowered myself enjoying the pain in my stomach as I did so.

Once my feet were dangling just above the floor, I swung them like a child once, twice, then I released.

Blood flowing back down my body down to my feet... As well as the sweat.

I shook my arms and body like a wet dog, sticky sweat flying.

"In here I do." He tapped his temple as he watched me. He seemed to have a little sweat on himself as well. "I went for a jog to check out the perimeter... I have to say, beanies and sunglasses are not comfy to sweat in."

He scratched the top of his head as his brows furrowed and the side of his mouth jutted out, forming an amusing pouting face.

"Is that all that you came in here to tell me?" His ridiculous face turned serious then.

"I ran into a girl. About sixteen or seventeen. There was an older woman with her and a little girl..."

I froze momentarily.

"What happened? How far away were you from here then?"

He held his hand out towards me, a crumpled piece of art paper in his hand.

I took it reluctantly, my mind already working through escape plans.

Until I opened it.

It was a children's drawing. All scribbled. I knew that style of drawing well.

"The little girl seemed to know that I knew you. I'm assuming she's a psychic of some sort."

FOR AUNTIE RED

LOVE LOUISE!!!

A small smile erupted into my face as I looked at the bright, colourful, and horribly drawn picture of Louise, Georgia and myself.

She even included a little scribble for the dagger on my arm.

"The other young girl handed me a burner and told me Jacques will be calling an hour from now."

My smile disappeared and a frown replaced it at that information.

"He must believe our usual method might give me away if he resorted to risking them."

Especially considering Georgia and I agreed that it would put Louise in danger if anyone found out she was able to track my power and find me.

And others...

James and I both washed up and waited by the disposable phone until it rang.

I snatched it up quickly and brought it to my ear.

"What is it?"

"They found me Red. I barely got out in time."

"Are you sure that this line is encrypted?"

"My best one yet. But listen, I had help."

My body turned away from James at this and I wrapped my free arm around myself.

"An old woman and her lackeys helped me get out. They even gave me enough warning so I could drill my hard drives... They blew up my home."

"I am sorry Jacques."

"Ah mon belle, I'll be fine. It's not the first time people have come after me. You need to hear what this woman told me before she let me go."

"She let you go?"

"Do not fret darling, I made sure to tell her I was heading somewhere I was not and that I was not being followed."

Surely he was spooked. He sounded like it.

Stay calm, young one.

"She said she met you at that ball. She says she's interested in helping you out and making you an ally."

My mind flashed back as I remembered the only elderly woman that I had spoken to.

   ["Oh, I just love these balls, don't you?"] 

So. She is a player in this game.

"She warned me that they had gotten our last interaction and that the rendezvous I had discovered was a trap set up by the Americans and a Russian seductress you knew."

"You figured out where they are taking the boy?"

"Oui mon amour, but it's a trap!"

"It is always a trap Jacques."

"They have a small party as the trap and an army waiting that will come up from the South."

Interesting.

"When and where, Jacques?"

James stepped up behind me, his hand resting lightly my shoulder.

"Tonight."