Chapter 9 - A New Suspect

I hurried to my destination. There were more guards than usual, but that made no difference to me. I slipped past them unnoticed, same as the shadows of any alley cat. I ran through the building. There was no need to avoid security cameras, as the power was out. Soon, I came to the room where they kept the computers. I needed to get more information on the head. I easily hacked through the pass-codes and downloaded the file I wanted onto a hard-drive. I spun around in the chair and came face to face with a man with curly blonde hair and a boyish face. He had a knowing smile on. “Going somewhere?”

~*~AK~*~

“Don't make any sudden movements. Just keep tinkering like normal. I'm a friend. There's somebody trailing you. I think he wants to kill you. How good of a shot are you?” a gruff voice said.

“I can shoot accurately within 20 feet,” Blake replied.

“Not good enough. I'll take him out for you, with your permission.”

“Who are you?”

“Alameda Bryce's cowboy friend.”

“Ah. I thought your voice sounded familiar. Alright, I'll trust you if you're Alameda's friend. Go for it.”

He felt a slight breeze as the gruff man spun around and shots rang out through the air. Blake too, turned and pulled out his gun. There he saw a little man wearing robes and carrying a staff, deflecting the bullets shot at him with his magic. As the cowboy repeatedly shot out at him, the man stopped them, and when all of Blake's and his companion's bullets were used, the spell-caster took his chance. He shot an electric bolt at him, which both the cowboy and Blake dodged. But apparently, there was a lot more than one bolt thrown and Blake saw too late that one was coming right at him. Just before it got close, the cowboy leaped in front of him. The man fell to the ground with a great big thud, and Blake quickly turned him over to see if he was alright. He didn't get a chance to make sure, however, because the spell-caster was still at work. Just as he was collecting to send another round of bolts, two figures approached, both wearing robes. One of them was calling out a name, though he couldn't tell what. His ears were still ringing and his eyes were still blinded from the bolt. Once the two figures reached them, he recognized one as Alameda. She was the one yelling out “Rex” over and over and knelt down by the cowboy. He remembered her telling him that this man had been the one to raise her. The other figure was the spell-caster that his group had been chasing this whole time. She ran in front of the three of them and blocked off the other spell-caster's attacks. Alameda clutched at the cowboy's leather jacket. “Rex? Rex, answer me!” She put her head to the cowboy's chest and checked for a pulse. Then the girl's golden eyes filled with tears which made them shine all the more before she shut them tight and buried her face in the man's chest. “Rex,” she whispered.

“Hey, you!” The girl in front of him who was struggling to hold off the constant attacks from the laughing maniac called out to him. “Take Ally and the cowboy and hurry up and get out of here, I can't hold him off forever, you know!”

Blake nodded and pulled Alameda away and slung the man over his shoulder. With the giant man weighing heavy on one side and Alameda leaning on his other side, Blake found it difficult to walk, but he managed to get away and out of sight, the spell-caster girl shielding them the entire time.

They went to Blake's apartment which was closest. He lay the man on the couch and seated Alameda in the armchair, then he approached the spell-caster and grabbed her arm. She raised her eyebrows at him. “Are you planning on bringing me in? Now? Just after I saved your skin?”

Blake paused a moment. “No. I don't plan on turning you in. I... just want to have a few questions answered, if you don't mind.”

“I'll answer what I can.”

“Why are you the only one who's resisted getting caught, other than Ally Kat? Why do all the others act like they're trying to get caught?”

“You really don't know anything about your own organization, do you? Wake up, will you! You don't even know who the head of the organization is. How do you know that what they're doing is actually right?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Look. All I can tell you is that you were attacked by someone who works in the upper branch of your organization.”

“He's a double agent?”

“No, he's not.”

“Then-”

“What was your other question?”

Blake paused. He knew he wouldn't be able to get her to say anything else on the matter, but what she was saying made no sense. “Ally. You called her Ally. Why?”

The girl laughed. “Her name is Alameda, isn't it? Naturally, her nickname would be Ally.” There was a moment of silence before she asked, “Is that all?”

Blake let her go and she turned. “Wait.” The girl stopped at the door and turned to look at him. “I wont come after you anymore, as long as you don't interfere with the organization again.” The girl made no response, but just walked out of the door without another word.

Once she left, Blake turned his attention to Alameda. “Alameda... Ally... Kat.” Blake looked down at Alameda and he found her surprisingly calm. “Blake. I know you're confused right now, so don't worry about it. I called an ambulance. They should come and take the body away soon.”

“Alameda... aren't I supposed to be the one comforting you?”

Alameda just looked at him. No emotion showed on her face. “Blake, I'm not the kind to cry over someone who is past saving. I'm grateful for his life. But everyone must go at some point in time. I am a little tired though. Mind if I stay here for the night?” Blake wasn't sure how to respond, but he nodded his head.

The ambulance came and left. They had learned to ask no questions in a town full of criminals, so they didn't bother them. Blake set some blankets and things on the couch for himself so Alameda could sleep in the bed, though she tried to insist on sleeping on the couch herself. It was almost morning already. He had left his office at midnight and got to the apartment around 1:30 am. They finally went to bed around 2:30 in the morning. Blake still needed to get up early for work the next day, so he gave Alameda a key to his apartment and told her that she could sleep in as long as she wanted as long as she locked up when she left.

Blake slept fitfully on the couch. He didn't realize just how unsettling it would be to have a woman sleeping in his apartment, even if they were in separate rooms. Blake tossed and turned, but no matter what, he couldn't get himself comfortable. Finally, he got up and went into the kitchen to make himself some hot chocolate. As he boiled the water, he heard a thud come from the bedroom, and a moan. With his line of work, he learned to be cautious, so he pulled out a revolver from under the desk and treaded lightly until he was outside the bedroom door. The moaning continued. Slowly, he opened the door and looked in. But there had been no need for his caution. What he found was Alameda tossing and turning and moaning. He approached the bed and looked down at her.

“Murderer,” she said in her nightmarish sleep. “I... will never join you. I will never join you! I'll get you. Katrina. I'll get you. I'll get you!” With these last words, she bolted upright, shaking with fear. Or was it anger?

“Alameda?”

“Blake. I'm sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No, I was already awake.”

“Did... I say anything while I was asleep?”

“You said you were going to get some person named Katrina.”

“I see. Well, just forget the name, will you? Pretend I never said it.” She lay back down, her back turned to Blake.

Blake thought back. “Alameda... Ally... Kat.”

“I mean, she's always saying she'll go to something and then never shows up and she's always going on long trips to places.”

“Why, didn't you know I used to be a professional thief?”

“Are you sure you want to date a girl who can't show her true self to you?”

“Ally Kat. That's your new objective. Find her, bring her to us. Everything you need to know is in that folder.”

“Lets just say I took a small chance and it failed, that's all.”

“It's like her normal self is actually her disguise and I have no idea what she's really like. I mean, I feel like I'm trying to catch a shadow.”

“I was shocked just by the fact that she knows where I live and that she sent me a letter.”

“I don't know, maybe somebody killed her parents and now she's trying to get back at them by torturing all the criminals to see if they know anything....”

“How could I be born without parents? Of course I had a family at one time.”

“Hey, ain't that a picture of when she was a youngen? I do say that must be her brother sittin' next to 'er. I heard he was murdered, that boy. No one knows who done it, though. 'Cept that little girl. But she don't tell no one. Instead she's just bidin' her time. No doubt they'll come for her too one day.”

“There's only one thing I want in this whole world, and that's to get my full memories back. And when I do, I'm going to tear the head of that organization limb from limb....”

“Lose track of time?”

“You're late.”

“Alameda, I'd like to ask something if you don't mind.”

“I can't tell you who Katrina is.”

“No, it's not about that, it's.... Alameda, are you... Ally Kat?”

Alameda grew stiff. Then she began laughing. Then she laughed a little more. She continued laughing for a while so that Blake was afraid she had gone utterly mad. Finally, she calmed down and turned to face Blake, a mischievous glimmer in her eye. “Blake... what if I were to tell you that I had an evil twin sister?”

Blake glowered at her. “I'd say you were joking.”

“Then, your question must also be a joke. The moment that I become Ally Kat will be the moment I have an evil twin sister. Goodnight.” She turned over once more.

“Goodnight.” Blake returned to his couch. He didn't sleep at all that night. When morning came, he got dressed, ate breakfast and went on his way to work.