Chapter 4

I am blinking rapidly, stumbling to the left.

Adrenaline pounds through my veins as sounds break through my head.

"Unreal," I breathe, as my eyes take in the dark city around me. I can feel my ticking heart speed up as I gaze at the towering buildings before me. I am standing in a long dark cloak that covers every inch of me. I glance around and notice the towering train behind me; the large steam clouds rise into the night sky like dark, malevolent spirits. The train is terrifying, very industrial and massive, and the copper metal glistens in the street lamps.

Just take a deep breath, Charlie.

You got this.

I feel like I am on a movie set, or being transported back in time. But, this is not like English history that I know or read about in school. I see large clocks on buildings and shiny metal on everything. I feel like I am downtown New York except for the fact that the atmosphere is different. I look down and see the ground is not cobblestone like I would have imagined, but a mixture of different metals. It's beautiful, reflecting surfaces off the moonlight.

"We are in St. Uspolia," Dolly says in her robotic voice beside me, almost making me jump, her mossy eyes glowing up at me.

"This is so strange," I say, seeing people in top hats and long walking canes moving around me.

"This is known as the Copper Town, the inner city; St. Uspolia is masterfully built by Louis Bagstock. Very sexy. I love a man with brains." She tilts her metal head as she studies me. "You look pale, do you want to stop and get a drink somewhere? I know a great place with some yummy liquors." She pauses, "I need to win this mission, Charlie, but you have to listen to me. You need to do things my way; I am a veteran agent."

I huff and look down at her. "Why did you lose your License then? And you're on meds?"

"I tried to set a house on fire after the ruler fancied another girl," she shrugs her shoulders. "And I also cut the girl's hair in her sleep with a sword. I was just in a dark place," she says sweetly. "I am a lot better now."

"And you are okay to work again? And I should trust you?" I say with an eye-roll, remembering her crazy pig-tails and wide stare.

She puts a copper hand on her hip. "Little Charlie, I know a lot about men. And, this Louis guy won't stand a chance against us if you do as I say. And your new big boobies!" She says and claps her hands, the small clanking sound echoing.

"Shhh!," I hiss. I curse, feeling like I should not have done that now that I am here. That was the old me wanting them, but a decent man would not care about the size of my chest. I have a feeling I will like Louis a lot, a nice change for me. "I want to be taken seriously Dolly, not just another hot body. I have been there and done that, and it never works out leadin' with sex."

She stares up at me, and I get the feeling she is annoyed.

I am kinda irritating myself as well.

"I see why Pierce paired me up with you."

"Oh, you do? Wonderful," I say and stare at a man stumbling towards the train, three sheets to the wind. I watch him get close-pinned by a thick rope, and he is down for the count. Ouch. And that's when I notice something I didn't before. I hear coughing, people clearing their throats, angry shouts to my left - the sound of a rabid dog barking mixed with horse carriages, and steam-powered cars. It's deafening, a lot of people with places to go to in a hurry.

My eyes find women in their long cloaks and extravagant hats.

Some are coughing with blemishes on their skin, deep circles marring their probably once pretty face. "My goodness." Everyone I look at is similar to the last.

"The Crystal Rot. A very addicting drug," she says, "I hear it makes you forget everything, all the pain, and worries."

"Must be good, but it can't be that good," I murmur in dismay.

"Your name is Charlie Brey, and you lived in the country with your extended family. The Knox family, who own the small winery in Sullen Valley. They hid you until now, deeming it safe. Your purse is in your luggage with plenty of cash for the Dahlia. Bentley was very wealthy. Let's go and get a taxi, it's cold out here," Dolly says and hovers in front of me. "Don't forget your luggage. We need to head to The Dahlia fast. The other players are already on their way; we are the last. I wanted the first impression, but that's not going to happen."

"Oh," I turn and see two brown suitcases on the metal ground. "Pierce even packed my suitcases?"

Dolly turns. "You are an F.G.I. agent, everything is done for you, silly."

"And you get cold?"

She huffs. "If I had tits, they would be frozen off. I am not a real robot. I am just posing as one; there is a difference."

Dolly pushes a man twice her size out of the way and hails a taxi, "Out of the way, Fat-so!"

I can see why Dolly needs to be on medication. A heavy, two-story bus pulls over on a narrow street, steam puffing up in sheets as it stops. The man spits in Dolly's direction and marches off.

"So strange," I whisper. The driver comes out and glances at me. He is older with pocks on his face, and a warn top-hat.

"Luggage, Miss?"

"Yes, thank you," I nervously say, and hand him my suitcases.

He does a double take, eyeing my face with shock then interest. I swallow and fit myself into the bus-like structure, ignoring his looks. Its smells of smoke and body odor. Dolly sits next to me on a tiny seat; luckily, we are the only ones in this contraption.

"Where to, pretty lady?" his rough voice booms as he looks back at us, sitting in the driver seat. His beady eyes are boring into us; the big dip in his mouth makes me cringe.

Dolly answers, "The Dahlia, and be quick about it, buddy!"

He frowns at Dolly. "I should have a no-Bot rule, you are better off as a piss-pot," he sneers and starts the loud engine with a series of levers. "This will cost ya'."

I give Dolly a look, "Calm down," I hiss.

Her metal head turns towards me. "I was," she says.

"Do I have contacts in?" I ask, bouncing around as the car pulls ahead.

"Yes, they are quite dark," Dolly whispers. "I am excited to meet Louis. I wonder how big his you-know-what- is." Her laughing sounds creepy in her robotic voice.

"I am sure it's fine," I fight a grin. "You need help, Dolly. A therapist."

"He is single though," her metal head looks up at me.

"I doubt it's because of anythin' sexual," I say, feeling like I am defending the man I have never met. And really, I am super nervous about meeting him. I feel like I might be socially awkward like I have no guy experience. I am reverting back to high school when I could not walk down the senior hall without blushing at the cute guys.

I glance at her.

Dolly is like that crazy, obscene aunt that has done time.

"Well, all you have to do is give him a really close hug, and you will have your answer," she elbows me with her little metal arm. "You can't tell, but I am winking at you right now."

I shake my head and smile. "I am not doing that."

"Fine," she says.

A while has passed with little talk as we feel the bumps of the ride. I wonder what the other players are doing right now, laughing at a joke Louis said? Is he already attracted to a girl? I am sure he is weirded out at how many pretty women just happened to show up at his hotel. Beautiful women. I sigh, wondering how I was going to pull this off with so much competition.

Pierce probably made them look hot.

I need to stop thinking about this. My confidence is plummeting by the second.

"How long is this ride?" I look out the window and see that we are out of the inner city and on a barren road. It's really dark outside, cloudy.

"Hmm, it's on top that that massive hill, can't you see the bright lights? The Dahlia is very big, like a grand casino." She points out the window.

"Casino?"

"Oh yea, they have entertainment there. It's almost like a brothel but for the elite. They have a massive room with a stage for entertaining, a bar and fine dining. The top of their technology is displayed there, people from all over the world go to stay. It's a big deal to be at the Dahlia. I looked up the pictures," she says, leaning into me. "It all shiny metals with massive stained-glass windows."

"So cool," I say, as I glance out the foggy window, seeing a massive structure on the distant hilltop. It almost looks ghostly with all of the steam rising from it.

"Oh son of a bitch-rottin' shit!" The driver yells, gaining our immediate attention.

I shoot a glance at Dolly as my heart speeds.

"Something wrong?" I ask, my voice wavering.

"We got company! Lay low!" He yells as he pulls the levers to slow down the rig.

"look out the window!" Dolly says.

"I look out the window and see shadows of men on horses, herding us to the side of the road. "Holy shit," I breathe. "I think we are being robbed! Stagecoach style!"

Dolly's eyes are glowing. "Keep life-lines handy. Pierce told me to make sure you didn't die," she says. "I don't want to be on probation again."

"Shit," I hiss as we come to a stop, my pulse hammering.

I can hear the horses and voices.

The driver turns to looks back at us, "Lady, do you have any money!?"

"Yes," I answer. Is this really happening? I just got here, and there is already trouble.

"You might want to get it out!"

I nod, but I sit in the seat, frozen solid from fear. I can see a figure walk up to the door and pull it open, making me gasp. He is of medium size with half his face covered with a metal gas-mask. The man looks back to the other men standing in the darkness with him.

I swallow as he heaves himself into the vehicle. He sits in front of me and lowers his gas-mask, taking a breath. His dark eyes land on me and just stares. "Name, please miss."

Shit.

I glance at Dolly then to him. "What for?"

He chuckles. "We are lookin' for someone."

Dolly nods to me.

"Charlie Brey."

He hoots in the air, making me tense from the burst of sound. "Finally, boys! We got a winner!" The man moves and leans out of the door and talks to someone then comes back in. "Let me see your face, do you have the rot? And if you do, how bad?"

My dark hood covers my face.

With shaking hands, I lower my hood, not even sure he can see me in the darkness of this small bus. I can tell he is squinting at me, leaning in close.

"I can't see shit." The man turns. "Jules! Your ass is the only one who can see in the dark; you're going to have to look her over."

Julius Bagstock.

Double damn.

He can see in the dark? Strangely creepy.

I hear Dolly murmur, "Well, shit, this is not starting out good."

I tense as a man now stands in the doorway, and my eyes widen. He is big. I can't see too much detail because he wears a black cowboyish hat with a gas-mask-dark clothing. He braces his hands on either side of the door, and I lock eyes with his very vivid blue ones. I repress a shiver, the stare is intense, like he is searing me to a crisp. They were almost glowing.

They are the same as mine but maybe a bit lighter, which are thankfully hidden by contacts.

Those eyes look at the man sitting in front of me. "Put your damn mask on. You don't know how many infected people sat in this thing." His voice is thick with an accent that I rather not think on.

I frown.

Infected people?

Perfect.

The man quickly puts back on his mask and makes a move to exit the rig. Jules moves out of the way and then stands back in the doorway. His gaze lands on me, but he does not say anything. Then he looks at Dolly, and I hear her make a noise.

"H-hey b-big boy-y," she says in a broken manner like she is wigging out, her eyes flashing.

I close my eyes in embarrassment.

I am going to kill her.

I can see his eyes narrow. In a second he reaches in and pulls Dolly from her seat and tosses her out of the door like she is trash. I can hear her robotic scream, and I grab the chair I am sitting on. My heart is pounding as I watch him look back at me.

Instant tension.

The hairs on the back of my neck are standing up, and I can feel my heart ticking faster. Jules moves and steps up into the doorway and sits in the seat across from me, taking up the whole vehicle it seems like. "Driver, leave," he says through the speaker of his gas-mask.

I look to the man who drove us here, completely forgetting he was sitting up there. The man seems scarred as he tries to unbuckle his harness around his chest, but it ended up getting caught around his neck in his erratic movements and twisting.

He makes a choking sound, and my eyes widen.

Jules slowly turns and sees the man gasping for air. I think I hear him say, fucking moron but I am not sure from all the gasping sounds. A knife shoots out into his hand from a strange contraption attached to his forearm. He leans up and cuts the man free with one swift swipe, and the driver falls out of the door in a heap.

Jules turns back to me and still says nothing, the knife sliding up into his sleeve again with a slick sound. I swallow as I try and not make a move. The only sound is of the driver gasping for air and running away, his footfalls fading away. From his pocket, he takes out two black leather gloves and puts them on.

My eyes flicker over him and I faintly note that he is a very muscled man. I think it's encoded in a female's brain to notice in mere seconds. We do not need to conduct a lengthy evaluation; it only takes one fleeting glance. His black coat is pulled tightly over his broad chest tappering to a narrow waist. His clothes look very expensive as well, so clean from just being on a horse. I shift as my eyes dart up, and I note that I see lighter hair that is tied back from under his hat. I can't say that he is handsome given the amount of his face that his covered. So I won't say.

Just an observation.

Must assess the enemy.

I watch his hand movements then look back up to his penetrating gaze, and realize he has not taken his eyes from me. He must have seen me look him over. I bite my lip, perfect Charlie. This tension is quite straining. I can feel my breathing hitch with his every movement.

"Charlie Brey, what a pleasure. All these years we thought you were dead, and yet, here you are," he finally says. "Heading to the Dahlia, are we?"

"Yes," I force myself to say.

He nods, his gaze unblinking. "So are we, how fortunate. I am just going to ask you straight up. Where were you all this time?" He sounds angry, but that could just be the mask.

Don't let this man bully you.

You are not here for him.

"I believe that is my business. I knew I might be in danger so I went into hiding," I say, hoping I am not making an enemy.

He leans forward, elbows on his knees. "You think you are safe now then?"

I can almost hear the dark smile to his voice, making me on edge. "Should I be worried?"

"That depends on you." He gets up and moves towards me, making me suck in a breath.

His knees are on the ground right in front of me, both of his large hands on either side of me. I can't breathe as I sit as still as I can. I won't allow myself to notice anything else about him. Our eyes are locked in an intense dance, a fast tango.

"Pull your hood down," he orders.

I don't move.

He reaches up with his gloved hand and yanks it off. I look away, anger seething through me. I already hate this man. I stare out the window and debate if I should knee him in his jewels. Pun intended. I look back at him, and he is so close, his crystal eyes moving over my face then lower. I can hear him breathing in his mask, his hand raising to my cloak and opening it.

I knock his hand away, but he grabs both of my wrists like I am a small child. "If you want to know if am clean, then I will just tell you that I am," I whisper, trying not to do anything stupid, like punch him.

I can see the crinkle of his eyes like he is smiling, yet again. "I know you are, I am just merely satisfying my curiosity," he says through the mask and leans in closer. "I just want to make sure you're not hiding a demon tail, from being the spawn of Bentley, or scaly skin."

I glare at him.

He still has a hold of both of my wrists as he opens my cloak with his other hand. I repress the shiver that threatens to rack my body as I see his gaze travel of the swell of my breasts. Ignore it. I grind my teeth as he continues to stare. "You like what you see?" I try and sound pissed, but it comes out slightly breathy.

I blush, angry with myself.

Jules looks back up to me, and I can hear him chuckle. "Arnt you just the rare Dove. I think the heavens might have shined down on you," he says with almost a sarcastic tone. "I don't think you want to know what I am thinking. It might offend you. Honestly, I can't stand the sight of you, and that's me being polite. But what I want to know is, where is the crystal? Don't bullshit me. I know you know something, you are his only close relative left. The crystal disappeared along with you, and I want to know why?"

I jerk my wrists out of his hand, our eyes locked. "I am not sure, but if it's been gone for so long, why not let it be?"

"You're lying, why?"

I swallow.

Great, he is one of those people who is incredibly observant.

He leans in closer. "Are you taking the stone to my brother then?" he leans back and grabs my suitcase, throwing one out the door. Jules turns and yells, "Jasper, go through the luggage; make sure the stone is not hidden!"

He looks back to me and grabs the suitcase, opening my other one.

Even I do not know what is in them.

I suck in a breath when I see the contents. My face engulfs in flames; this must be the luggage that Pierce packed the very erotic undergarments in. It's dark, but I can see the lace and skimpy corsets, stockings and garters, every man's fantasy in that box.

Maybe Pierce meant for Louis to find it, not Jules.

Worst case scenario.

He looks up at me, not being able to read what's in his gaze with so much of his face covered. But whatever it is, it's very distressing. I feel naked like he is picturing me in those. I have nothing to say as my heart pounds, the ticking hurting my chest.

"Do you have anything hidden on yourself?" he barely asks, his voice rough.

"No."

Lies.

Just inside my body.

He takes a breath. I can see the rise of his shoulders, and his long exhale through his mask. "Before we go to my brother's, I want to make sure you are not hiding anything. I have not seen Louis in years, so I do not know what he is capable of. Why are you going to the Dahlia? For him?"

"Just for fun, I want to see the city and to stay in the best place. But I have heard Louis is a gentleman and a smart man, " I say carefully, scooting back in my seat.

Jules does not say anything then moves towards me again. "We can do this two ways. You raise your skirts and show me you have nothing hidden, or I will do it."

I suck in a breath. "You are horrible."

"It's dark," he says like that is supposed to make me feel better.

"You can see in the dark," I say and glare at him.

He looks down then back up with laughing eyes. "Just a little, Dove. This search is just merely to see if I can trust you. I am not interested sexually in the offspring of a Brey. I rather cut my hand off, so lift your skirts so we can get this over with."

Pierce was right; he hates me.

I take a breath and grab my skirts, lifting them, feeling defiant. I feel a surge of adrenaline as I see my black garters fringed with red. Pierce, you dirty dog. I am not sure how much Jules can see, but if he can, it's quite scandalous.

I can't see where he is looking, his hat in the way as he gazes down at me. I squeeze my thighs together, hoping he could not see up too high. I prayed he could not hear the ticking of my heart; I feel like it might explode. Jules raises his head and stares at me. I can see the slow rise of his chest as the seconds tick by. He looks back to the suitcase with my risky undergarments then to me.

"It would seem my initial assessment of you was off. You seemed like an innocent little Dove, but I think you have a very naughty side, Ms. Brey." His voice sounds soft, but hard at the same time, like he was trying to keep himself in check. "Won't Louis be surprised, if that's what you're after. The most eligible bachelor. But I'll warn you. Louis has always preferred the innocent angels, so be careful. You might scare him with some of these." He glances back to my luggage, and I feel my face burn.

He can go to hell.

"I am a lady, in every sense," I harshly whisper. "You are the ass looking through my personal items like a pervert," I nearly yell.

A man comes up to the door. "Jules. I think your brother is coming."

Jules curses. "Fucking shit. We will be right out."

Then the man is gone.

Jules looks back to me and closes my suitcase like he doesn't want anyone to see the abomination. "Ms. Brey, don't worry. Your little naughty secret will be safe with me," he says before he leaves.

I exhale, not realizing I was holding it.

This is only day one.

Crud.