Sweet Felony

The Other Side

Aru looked around, frantic. All she remembered was Aiden saying "I've got her" and then... darkness.

She tried lifting her arms up, only to be met with the grating texture of rope. Same went for her legs. She didn't know where in Atlanta she was, or how long she'd been there. What she did know, however, was that she being held hostage. She'd probably be marched through the streets like she was some war criminal being sentenced to her doom.

Aru couldn't see anything. Maybe that was due to a blindfold, maybe it was just the lighting. She waited, hoping for a sound, a noise, another human being. But nothing. Looked like the Ghatakas hadn't noticed her... departure yet. Standard Ghataka protocol indicated that the gang would wait 72 hours after someone's disappearance before sending out a search party. If Aru's assumptions were correct, it hadn't even been 4 hours yet.

She tried moving her head, to get a better grip on her surroundings. To be fair, it was completely dark in the room, so she couldn't really see much.

"Hello darkness, my old friend," Aru quipped aloud, pretty much to no one.

Or so she thought. The lights flickered on, and Aru wished she could cover her eyes, but alas, her hands were tied behind her back. The bright lights left her vision spotty.

"I've come to talk to you again," said another voice in the room, continuing the song. Aru craned her head to see who it was.

Aiden.

He was here, in all his green-hoodie glory. He looked, at first glance, a lot better. His hoodie had probably been washed, and he looked like he had gotten a meal that wasn't just stale bread. But on a second look, you could still see the rope burns from being tied to chair for two days on his wrist. You could also still see that bruise Aru gave him from knocking him out.

To be fair, Aru thought, he nearly broke my nose.

Aiden fixed Aru with a steely glare. He pulled up a chair, and sat, arms crossed.

"So," Aiden said, leaning back in his chair, "what's it like to get a taste of your own medicine?"

Aru resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She risked a glance at the door, making sure that none of Aiden's teammates were there.

Aiden followed the path of her vision. "No one's there,  Wolf. I'm the only one here."

Aru gulped. How was this going to go, especially after Aru had just threatened Aiden's mother?

Aru glanced back at Aiden. "So, what do you want?"

Aiden looked... bored. "Information."

Aru snorted. "What else is new?"

Aiden exhaled sharply. "How'd you know my mother's name?"

Aru flinched. Painful memories were associated with Malini Acharya's music. "I'd rather not get into that right now."

Aiden nodded sagely. He picked something up, off of the floor. A scimitar.

"Will this change your mind?" Aiden said, twirling his blade.

Aru glared at him. "No."

Aiden sighed. "I guess it's plan B then."

He produced a piece of paper from his pocket. No, not a paper. A photo. It was old, rumpled, and in monochrome, but still a photo.

"You want to see it?" Aiden said from his chair.

Aru shrugged, which was awkward, because her arms were tied around a chair. "Why not?"