rr (ON HOLD)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Hiya bubblegum girl, did anyone ever tell you you've got a face to kill for?" Lorelei almost screamed in Ruby's face.
"No, but did anyone ever tell you it's not good to obsess over killing someone?" she replied groggily. Ruby'd just woken up and felt drugged.
"But it's so much fun," Lorelei von Leyden pulled a sad face. "Oh well. And by the way, I did the job properly this time, took your nice little fly barrate and that watch of yours."
Ruby tried not to panic.
Last time (it was a long story), she'd been lucky and Lorelei had forgotten to search for any 'life-saving gadgets', which had allowed her to escape. Ruby didn't see herself getting out of this one.
"Did you know your little friend Kaina ran last night?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Yes, I know, quite surprising, isn't it? But enough about that! What about you, bubblegum girl?" Lorelei said the last two words very carefully, as if she were trying to put them in some invisible title sequence. "Here I am talking about things you don't care about, and I've forgotten to ask you, how are you doing! My bad." Lorelei was laughing quite hysterically now, crouched on the floor.
Ruby struggled in her ropes.
"So, how're you gonna kill me this time, von Leyden? One of your wacky ways you drew in that little diary of yours? I wouldn't have thought someone like you kept a diary, but I guess we're all let-downs at one point."
Lorelei's face contorted into an ugly snarl.
"You little brat. Believe me, I can't wait to get my hands on you, bubblegum girl-,"
"But until then," interrupted a quiet, yet scarily authoritive voice, "Ms von Leyden will have to wait, unfortunately. Hello, Ms Redfort, I hope the journey wasn't too long."
"Considering I was knocked out for the whole time, I didn't really mind, thank you," replied Ruby, like butter wouldn't melt, though inside she was terrified. The Count stood in front of her, looking as if he was genuinely pleased to see her. Lorelei had disappeared.
Ruby looked again at the man in front of her, this time more carefully, and noticed how he looked slightly, only slightly, weary.
And furious.
Really furious.
But, like, a furiousness which you'd only notice if you knew what to look for.
"So, what's the plan this time?" Ruby asked casually.
"Oh, you know, knowledge is power, Ms Redfort," the Count said, his soft voice echoing through the room. "But you're going to lead me to the Mars Mushrooms."
"And how are you gonna do that when you're not a highly talented code breaker?"
The Count put an elegant finger to his lips.
"That's for me to know, and for you to find out." The Count turned to go. Wanting to distract him longer, Ruby racked her brains for something.
"So," she said quickly, "heard from my old pal Lorelei that your kid's gone on the run? What did you do this time?"
It worked. The Count swiftly turned around.
"How like LB you sound," he said, eyes narrowed. "In matter of fact, Kaina ran. How disappointing," he pulled a sad face and sighed.
"I didn't think of her as a coward."
"Why'd she be a coward unless you threatened her, or did something real bad," Ruby muttered. She needed a reaction. She needed to find something out.
The Count peered at her, an amused expression on his face.
"Why, Ms Redfort, I do believe you're trying to irriate me. Why is that, I wonder? Did LB tell you to do that?"
Ruby paled. How did he know?
"Maybe. You think you're gonna find her? I hear she's a real good hider."
"Oh, dear Ms Redfort, I already know where she went."
"And how's that?"
He held up a tracking monitor.
"I really do enjoy our conversations, but I must go, I'm afraid. I have a child to catch."
The Count swiftly left the room and it shut with a bang. Ruby heard the key lock.
She gave a sigh.
She was trapped. And no one knew where she was. She had a madman and a crazy lady keeping her prisoner, and no one could rescue her.
No one.

On the roof of a high apartment building...

... the girl shivered. She wondered how long it'd take for him to find her. Not long, she expected. She then wondered what'd happen after that. She didn't like to think that far ahead; the future scared her.

The expensive, determined clacking of Italian-soled leather shoes could be heard going up the stairs.
A doorman was blocking the door leading to the roof.
"S'cuse me, sir, you can't be here. I'm going to have to call the police," he said.
There was the sound of a gun shot, and the man who the shoes belonged to carried on his way to the roof.
He easily picked the lock and opened the door.

The girl was expecting him. She'd heard the gunshot. She turned around and looked at him.
"You gonna shoot me dead," she said. It wasn't a question. Just a statement.
The Count frowned.
"Why, no, of course not, Kaina, that would be quite foolish of me. Instead, I'm going to," the Count brought out another gun and shot something at the girl, "drug you. Much easier and much more efficient, I have to say."
He carefully walked over to where the girl stood, somewhat warily now.
"You cheat," Kaina muttered, before passing out in his arms.

Ruby felt nauseous. She'd been locked up in that room, bound to the floor by some irritatingly strong ropes, for a few hours now. But she seemed to wake from her dream-like state when she heard screaming from somewhere else in wherever they were.
"What the hell is your problem, you shit!" she heard a girl scream. "Oh, you're crazy for sure, but you're so controlling it's fucking unnatural!"
"Do you ever wonder why you're here?" whoever the girl was screaming at was creepily calm - Ruby realized with a shudder that it was obviously the Count.
"I don't know. So you could make my life a misery?" the girl shouted sarcastically.
"I thought not. No matter, soon it'll all become so clear. You know, Kaina, this could be a lot easier for both you and I if you were a little more co-operative. I don't mean to be rude, dear girl, but you're actually getting quite irritating now. Maybe it's time you start co-operating?"
The girl's screaming suddenly stopped. She fell silent. Whatever the Count had done, it'd worked, Ruby realized uneasily. She was glad she didn't have to see.
And then the door unlocked, and the Count came in, looking his usual self if not from the extremely annoyed and disgusted expression on his face.
"I heard a whole lotta screaming," Ruby commented.
"It's nice to know you have good hearing, Ms Redfort," replied the Count.
"Yeah but I'm real curious to why there was screaming. You know me and my nosy nature. Just gotta know everything."
"Oh yes, I hope it didn't frighten you, Ms Redfort - the screaming, I mean. It seems Kaina really has some strong vocal chords. She's very set on her opinion, you see, and well - I happen to disagree with her opinion."
Ruby nodded wisely.
"Ah, gotcha, family stuff. Must be annoying for you," she fixed the Count with a stare - or rather, she liked to think that. It was him with his cold, black eyes that were constantly watching her. "So, what was the disagreement of opinions about?"
The Count stared back at her, eyes unblinking.
"You really do seem interested in mine and my child's relationship, Ms Redfort, how very caring of you. I must ask, though I am flattered, who is this for?" his voice turned into a hiss. "Myself, Kaina, or LB?"
"You know how kind I am," Ruby said, trying to keep the tremble and fear out of her voice. "It's for Kaina, obviously. Such a sweet girl, you know. And, uh, why'd LB be involved? I don't think she even properly knows who Kaina is."
The Count tutted.
"Such a liar, Ms Redfort. You know why LB is involved; because she's Kaina's mother," he said this with a flourish, as if it was nothing. A very different reaction, Ruby noticed, from when LB mentioned who Kaina's father was. Odd. "You must tell me, though, how is dear LB? I hope she is well - I'm sure the death of the late great Bradley Baker all over again must have been very upsetting for her."
"Nice to know you care."
"When don't I," replied the man. "Oh dear, look at the time. We really have been rambling on."
As he turned to go, he said,
"The disagreement, by the way, was about whether one should be a fly or a spider."
Ruby went paler than she already was.
"What do you think, Ms Redfort? I'm sure I'd appreciate your advice."
"I think all the flies should work together to destroy the spiders. And flies for the win. Spiders are gross."
The Count gave a smile.
"I'm sure they are. Now, if you ever grow up and become a real agent, how would you kill the biggest spider?"
Ruby didn't like that delicately said 'if'. It put a whole different turn on things, and Ruby had to face the dawning realization that someone might not be able to rescue her from the Count's clutches this time.
The Count was tapping his foot lightly, waiting for the reply.
"I'd kill it the way you're supposed to kill it - by stepping on the spider. And then, I'd give that little spider-not-entirely-sure-if-it's-a-spider a choice; spider or fly, and I'm pretty sure I know what it'd choose."
"And you assume this big spider is me?"
Ruby froze.
"Have you not ever considered that perhaps there is a very little spider who will grow into the biggest spider, and that I am only a mere above-the-average spider?"
"B-but that doesn't make s-sense," stammered Ruby, but it was too late. The Count had already left the room.