The Memory Thief | ONC2020 [AMBASSADOR PICK]

Chapter 5

Liliya sighed, watching the red wine in her glass swirl around. She debated getting up to turn up the heating; her kitchen felt so cold nowadays. As if there was a chill in the air.

She looked up when footsteps echoed from behind her. Kit smacked her lips, a fresh glass of wine in one hand and a new, full bottle in the other. "We really need to do this more often," she said. "There's nothing better than getting drunk with your best friend after a long, chaotic day."

"What happened?" Liliya wasn't used to hearing her friend talk about her job like that. Usually Kit would simply let it go by the time she got home.

"I was wrong about the Memory Thief case. Another victim was found today. The father of some rich, influential guy."

"Oh no! Is he alright?"

Kit shook her head solemnly. "The poor old bastard could do nothing but babble to himself, he made no sense whatsoever. We took him to the hospital, but I don't think there's a whole lot they can do for him either."

"I can't believe someone would do that to another person."

"Well, we better believe it... I just wish I knew more. The investigative team took over and they won't tell us anything. As if we're the enemy here."

Kit took a rather large sip of her wine and Liliya followed the example.

"Sorry, Lil," said Kit, watching her friend over the edge of her glass. "I know you have worse problems than that. Have you decided what you're going to do yet?"

Unable to look her in the eye, Liliya stared at the swirling wine once more. "I talked to Jack Conti yesterday. Pretty much kicked me out of his shop."

Kit scoffed. "He's such a rude old twat! I never liked him."

A smile tugged at the corners of Liliya's lips. Kit's outrage didn't help her much, but it sure made her feel better. It was nice to have someone who always had her back.

"I spent today looking for a new supplier."

"Good for you!"

"But," Liliya continued pointedly, "as it turns out, Jack wasn't wrong. Those potions have suddenly become the rarest item in the world."

Kit hesitated. "It's just as bad outside the city then? What about the other side of the planet?"

Liliya shook her head. "It's only a small planet. Tezyllian law goes on all of Tezyl, and everyone obeys it. At least while the police is checking so rigorously."

"Damn the police," said Kit, chugging down the rest of her glass. Liliya giggled at the irony of her statement. "What about other planets? Minides, Ugantu, Hiria... They're all close enough for you to reach with your portals, aren't they?"

"None of them grows the Ginkgo tree. Believe me, I checked; it was another dead end."

Kit groaned compassionately. "Now what?"

"I don't know," said Liliya, shrugging helplessly. "I don't know what to do. All my clients are gone. I'm not helping people and I'm not getting paid. My mum..." She rubbed her face with her hands, exhaustion taking over. "Well, you've seen my mum just now. It's not good, Kit. It's very, very bad. And if I can't pay the medical bills... You don't happen to know of another way to get that herb, do you?"

"I'm afraid not," said Kit. "It seems there currently isn't a legal way of obtaining them."

"Well, how about illegally?"

Kit's eyes shot up, her brows raising. "Don't even go there, Lil. What you did the other week was bad enough. I can't protect you if they catch you."

"I know, I know."

Liliya grabbed the bottle and poured them both another glass. When she set the bottle back down, Kit placed a hand over hers. "I'm here for you. Don't forget that. I'm happy to pay for your mum's hospital bills – and your rent for that matter! – for as long as you need it. I've got plenty saved up to support you both for a while."

Heat crept up Liliya's neck at her best friend's words. Hearing those words meant everything to her. No matter how hard things got, she always had Kit to fall back on. That knowledge took a heavy burden off her shoulders. But taking such amounts of money from someone? She wasn't sure she could do that. It didn't matter that Kit was het best friend; she couldn't be so reliant on other people. She had to make sure she could stand on her own two feet.

She opened her mouth to tell Kit she couldn't accept the offer, when a loud, shrill noise rang through the air.

Kit groaned loudly. "That's my phone. Hold that thought."

With a "What's up?" Kit picked up her phone and made her way to the foyer, leaving Liliya in a ringing silence.

How low have I sunk, if Kit's offering to pay all my bills? Liliya couldn't help but think. With a frustrated sigh, she grabbed at her glass, only to knock it over in the process. It fell over with a clink, blood-red wine instantly spreading out across the table.

"Shit!" She jumped up, but by the time she had gotten a rag from the kitchen counter and got back to the table, it had spread everywhere. She leaped forward to catch a falling drop before it could hit the floor and proceeded to clean the table.

By the time Kit came back from the hall, a huge dark stain covered the once white dinner table. "What have you been doing in here?" Kit laughed.

"May have spilled some wine," Liliya grumbled. "I'll have to get a tablecloth, this looks awful."

"I'll help you pick one out this weekend," said Kit. "Listen, I gotta go. It's work."

"Everything alright?"

"I'm not entirely sure. They wouldn't tell me everything over the phone. I have to go in."

"But you've been drinking..."

Kit shrugged, already pulling her coat over her shoulders. "I told 'em that. Apparently it's only a meeting. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Sure. Good luck at work."

"Thanks. And hey, be careful, alright? That Memory thief is starting to worry me."

Liliya waved her off, as Kit hurried out the door. "I'll be fine!"