Road to Hell

Bryden hadn't had a note passed to her since she was in seventh grade, and that note had simply been from a friend asking for yesterday's notes. This note however was different, it was from Carinne and provided a location and only stated she needed help. Bryden reassured herself, reminding herself that Carinne was not a threat and if she was one then she was one she would handle. Her jaw clenched as she walked down the warm streets of New York City, dipping and ducking, turning into empty alcoves until she found the rundown coffee shop.

She did feel eyes on her though, not on her way there, but as soon as she arrived she could feel them. Being watched felt like being a wet swatch under the microscope, someone was watching from some place close and all too far away as well. It wouldn't do well to look around, they could just be a stalker, or worse, a sniper. The bell above the door chimed as she stepped inside, the bell alerted the barista at the door who flashed a smile and waved her over. He was a well tattooed man with a handlebar mustache like every other douchebag in the United States of America.

"She's in the back." He said and nodded his head to the dimly lit corner near the back of the cafe.

"Coffee and Ginseng tea, I'll pay extra if you bring it back."

"Cash is still King." The Barista said and Bryden headed back walking slowly towards the booth. She calmed herself, this wasn't a trap which is what she kept telling herself. If Carinne was meeting her under such secretive means, it could mean anything.

"Hey." Carinne said, no longer bubbly energy and smiles. She drained the rest of her tea and sat it down on the table with shaky hands.

"So, what do you need me to do?"

"What makes you think I want anything?"

"If that's the case then I can go back to the dorms and sleep." Bryden said, "But I don't feel like this was a friendly chat or time for girl talk, it's my job to know what people want, so what is it that you want?"

"What exactly is your job?" Carinne said.

"Sometimes I'm a student, and other times.... I'm what I need to be for others."

"That's very vague, but I'm used to that, Devin is the same way." Carinne said and nibbled on her bottom lip and looked towards the Barista walking towards them. They remained silent until he placed down the tea and Bryden pulled down a wad of hundred dollar bills and handed him two before shoving the wad back in his pocket.

"There's more where that comes from, let me know who comes through that door asking about us." Bryden said and the Barista nodded his head. Carinne looked up at her with a bitter smile.

"I see your game, you use money to make problems go away." Carinne said, "Just like Devin."

"You didn't come here to compare me to your brother, I hope." Bryden said, "And money is no problem for me, and I don't charge money, if that's the issue."

"A part of it." Carinne admitted and raised the warm cup of tea to her lips. "What will you charge me?"

"A favor."

"That's it?" Carinne asked, some of her worry faded from her voice and eyes.

"A favor is a steep price to pay."

"Not compared to what the issue is."

"Enlighten me then." Bryden said, "Who is it?"

"My friend, Iosenika, she's a model like me and she's missing." Carinne said and her hands began to shake again, Bryden could see that she was struggling to hold it together.

"And is she a Senator's daughter?" Bryden asked, Carinne nodded her head and turned her head when the tears began to fall. Bryden handed her a napkin and she dabbed her eyes. "How long has she been missing?"

"About two days."

"Know where she was last?"

"Her apartment, at least that's what she told me."

"Any drug problems, outstanding debts, gambling, what's her vice?" Bryden asked.

"Coke, but all the models do it."

"She have a dealer nearby?"

"His name is Randall, they're technically dating. I hope he doesn't have anything to do with this." She said and her hands stopped shaking and balled into fists.

"Anyone she could trust in the city? Parents,perhaps?"

"No, we're a lot alike. Our parents try to use us for who we are, the connections we have. We wanted to make it on our own." Carinne said and then more tears came. "She does have an agent."

"Name?"

"Mary Ellen Swan."

"Been to see her?" Bryden asked.

"No, I'm too afraid. I haven't been here, I even came to this out of the way place because I can feel someone following me too. What if Yo is..." Carinne's voice trailed off and more tears came, Bryden knew the feeling all too well. What if they were dead, somewhere face down in a ditch, in a ravine, cut up into tiny pieces and scattered about the nation. There were so many options, so many ways to die these days, and it was so easy to lose your loved ones and Bryden could see just how dear Iosenika was to Carinne. 

"I'm going to find out what happened, have a key to her place?" Bryden asked. Carinne scribbled down an address and slid the key off the keyring and handed it to her. "One more thing."

"Yeah?"

"How long have you and Iosenika been intimate?" Bryden asked.

"What makes you think Iosenika and I did anything?"

"The fact you can't look me in the face is just a clue, you talk about this Randall guy like a jealous girlfriend, and you speak as if you guys are building a life together, like you love her more than a friend." Bryden said and Carinne looked up slowly, "So how long have you been seeing each other?"

"It started our freshmen year in High School."

"Anyone else know?" Bryden asked.

"No." She said and shook her head.

"Good."

"You have a problem with me being..a...bisexual?" Carinne asked.

"No, I'd hate for a search to turn into black mail, and your father wouldn't react kindly to someone blackmailing his daughter."

"My Dad's an asshole." Carinne admitted and blew her nose in the napkin a final time before shoving it in her pocket. "But you're right, he'd only see it as me messing up everything he worked so hard for."

"Don't worry about it, I'll handle it."

"And I'll owe you one." Carinne said and smirked.

"I'll hold you to that, are you safe to get home or would you like me to walk you back?"

"I'll be fine." Carinne said, "What about you?"

"I'll be fine, I've made it this long." Bryden said and stood up and stretched. Carinne stared at her for a long time before finishing her tea and starting to speak.

"My brother is interested in you."

"I know."

"I mean, who you really are, whatever that means."

"I know." Bryden said, there was no need to provide anymore information.If he dug deep enough he'd find what he was looking for and who she was looking for, and the last thing she needed was to be stuffed in Devin Micholo's pocket and his father's pocket by proxy. She'd rather be indebted to Ashanti Morozov, head of the Russian mob, himself.

"I... Before I left I got rid of it."

"Thank you." Bryden said.

"You're not going to hurt him, are you?"

"Devin?"

"Yeah."

"No, I have no plans on hurting him, why? Should I?"

"No... He can be an asshole but deep down he does the right thing." Carinne said, "But then again I'm just his little sister, I have too much faith in him sometimes. What about you? Don't you have a sister?"

"Yeah, a twin." Bryden admitted.

"So you understand? You grow up with them, you only see the good in them or the good things they do and it's hard to take the blinders off."

"I could see how someone could think that." Bryden said half answering her question, there was no doubt in her mind about Kayden and just how good or bad her sister was. They were equal on the scales of life and justice and she had no room to judge or blame her for anything. "I'll see you soon."