Castle Paradox

[satyrisci]

Across the small wooden table sat the gentleman who had caused me such distress these past few days; the man to whom I owed my present dismal circumstances. A thin and hastily rolled cigarette is raised to his tight lipped mouth and lit, precipitating an expulsion of hazy smoke about the immediate area. This serves to break my silence and quicken my temper: I deem this act as a careless dismissal of the seriousness of the situation.

"How long do you plan to keep me under scrutiny?" I rasp, my voice cracking from the long minutes of disuse, and partially my dry throat. He takes another thoughtful drag from his cigarette, his eyes closed in passive defiance of my question. I bang my fist on the table, drawing furtive glances from the few people left in the cafe. "How long!?" I repeat, my voice erupting over the quiet din of steaming coffee and clinking cutlery.

The store attendant casts a weary, yet cautious, glare over to where we sit. The man opposite me speaks, his voice enigmatic, irritating after the long silence. "I suggest we take this somewhere... quieter," he mutters. I stand slowly and push my chair back, which creates an excruciating scraping noise, further adding to the tense atmosphere. Slowly he also arises and we quickly step out of the dimly lit cafe into the twilight of the street.

We pass swiftly through the dwindling crowd still littering the pavement and into a dreary alleyway betwixt two derelict apartment buildings, ever mindful of each other and the risk of a sudden attack. He pauses beneath a fire exit and regards me with squinted eyes, his cigarette now burning down and flicked to the side, sending embers tumbling into the thick darkness. He reaches into his jacket sending my pulse rate up and my nerves on alert. I place my hand on my gun holster but with an offhand dismissal he slowly retrieves his other hand from inside his jacket to reveal a box of cigarettes. He opens the packet and offers me one, which I take, glad to have something for my nervous hands to do. After lighting up he again speaks.

"You've stumbled onto something meant for certain eyes only. In threatening you ..."

"Threatening? You call defaming my professional life a threat?"

"Discrediting your work was our original intention, but a change of perspective in light of your recent actions has prompted us to consider another course, one that you shall perhaps find more favourable."

"I don't really have a choice in the matter, you know that," I interject. "After having my investigative license revoked and my files confiscated I don't have much left to lose."

"You always have more to lose," the man threateningly assures me. I inhale a lungful of sweet carcinogen and ponder my next words carefully. "Very well, I will hear your offer."

[Blacklight_Studios]

Oooooooooooooooooo..... Suspenseful! Are you using this in a game of yours?
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Current project progress:

Lost in the Dark(Primary Project): 1%

Kingdom Hearts Collaborative Project: 0.05%
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[Pumpkinbot]

DUN DUN.

I had to. This looks really like a good idea. Like the story and the guys' attitudes.