The water cooker clicked, and the light turned off. Elijah poured hot water over the instant coffee powder and stirred it while taking a drag of his cigarette. The smoke detector had been taken down long ago, and the battery stood beside it on the desk. He sat down on his bed and sipped his coffee in the darkness of his apartment. He disliked instant coffee and didn't particularly like smoking ether, but it was better than withdrawals, so he wasn't about to stop. He took another deep drag of the cigarette, looked at the glowing orange tip and white-gray ash forming on the end, then tapped it on a white mug on his desk. He didn't like getting ash on his clothes or bed. He heard footsteps outside in the hallway that stopped by his door. Whoever was outside stood there for a moment before knocking. He checked his clock, 2:32 AM. Probably the new partner, he guessed. He called out,
"Yupp!"
After a beat, the door opened, and the blond girl he had seen in the interrogation room stepped in. She had dressed in the same black suitpants and white shirt everyone wore. She probably got throw-up on her sweatpants; he had had his clothes ruined during his first test too. Once the door closed, the room returned to near pitch black, lit only by the cigarette in his hand and the bit of light entering through the letter slot.
"Hey, you're my partner, right? I'm Whinney."
"Yup, I'm Elijah. What do you want?"
First night, probably scared and confused. She's what? 20? 22? Was he scared at first? He guessed so.
"You gotta help me get outa here, man. You're in the same situation I am, Aeshma told me so. You were kidnapped too. We can get out together."
"nnnnnno, sorry, can't help ya."
He noticed that Whinney was looking at him and making a face, tho he had a hard time reading her expression; the darkness wasn't helping. Her eyes darted from his face to his coffee cup to his cigarette. He put his coffee cup down between his legs, turned his bedside lamp on, then pulled his pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered it to Whinney. She grabbed one, then gave it back.
"No, thank you. Why? Don't you wanna leave this place?"
"Irrknow. Doesn't really matter what I want."
He said, cigarette wagging in the corner of his mouth. He took a drag and then tapped it on the cup again before blowing the smoke in Whinney's direction.
"Look, Whinney, I've been here a while; it could be worse. Trying to run won't work out."
"Have you tried?"
"Uhm, no, but about two years ago someone who worked here ran away, and I'm pretty sure she's..."
Elijah dragged his thumb across his throat,
"yaknow."
"What? Like an actual employee?"
"Ayupp, and things got real messy."
"Why?"
"Above my pay grade, but I get the idea this organisation is a lifetime commitment, even if you're not a freelancer."
"That's what we are?"
"Yup, misleading term, but that's right."
"Do all freelancers have the... fluency? whatever it was called."
"Influence, think so. In some way at least."
"Aeshma said something about the hand god."
"The Hand is one of seven gods, tho I'm no expert. The hand has to do with blood and sex, I think.", Whinney grimaced, "My thing has to do with death, the Woods."
"Oh... really? Aeshma said something about nine gods."
Elijah was quiet for a moment, unsure if she was expecting a response.
"Anyway, can't leave. If you wanna try, I won't stop you."
Whinney looked at him, scrunching her eyebrows.
"So these people, they're legit?"
"The S.O.F.? Yup. Only legit supernatural security company I know of."
He dropped the butt of the cigarette in the mug of coffee by accident. He had put the coffee beside the cigarette mug on the table. Sigh. He lit another cigarette, and this time, Whinney reached out her hand asking for one. He gave it to her and lit them both.
"Ok, say I stay. My parents are going to be worried."
"Nope, HR takes care of that. They'll fabricate something for you. If you're lucky, you might even be able to see them once in a while. I got the 'second time's the charm car crash death' story. Very believable."
"Second time?"
"Yup..."
Was she expecting more elaboration? She looked like she was.
"I crashed a car once before."
She probably already got that.
"Ok, rough... so what are we expected to do here?"
"Most days I sleep, smoke, drink coffee, watch TV. Every once in a while, my boss tells me to do something, but that's like once a month at most."
"How many people work here?"
"No clue, there are five of us freelancers, six now that you are here."
"Ok, so are the freelancers tight? Like friends?"
"Not exactly. Some are, but the turnover rate is pretty high."
"That sounds ominous."
"Yeah, but if you're lucky, you'll make it as long as I have. I'm not dead."
"Wait, you're serious? People Die?"
"Yeah. Wasn't that obvious based on the whole... Well... all of this?"
"No!"
"Well, I heard you're pretty tough, so... yeah..."
"How long have you been here?"
"Three years. You don't have to worry for a while anyway. They don't trust you just yet. You failed the psych eval after all. We won't be sent out for a while."
"Nuhu, I didn't."
"Yes, you did, but Ashema likes you, so she made my boss make me tell their boss that I could help you."
"What? Why?"
"You're an obvious security risk; you can't control yourself at all. We were already paired up before you came here because they knew that, but something from the test was apparently a problem. I had to promise I'd help you for as long as you need it."
"You have that kind of influence here?"
"No, we freelancers are like dirt underneath the real agent's shoes, but they convinced the bosses that they had nothing to lose by giving you a shot."
"What's so special about you then?"
"I've made it this long for a reason, I can handle your 'outbursts'."
"Right... you a skilled fighter?"
"Oh, no, not really."
Never won an honest fight in his life actually.
"Then what? You're not useless, obviously, if I'm that dangerous."
"I'm kinda expendable. You'll see sooner or later."
"What? That can't be right. They know I'm dangerous, I'd kill you!"
She raised he voice while speaking. Elijah wondered if he had said something to upset her.
"No risk."
"What do you mean, 'no risk'? They told me that I've seriously hurt people."
"Don't worry. I'll be fine."
"But..."
"Look, you will understand, Ashema told me not to tell you, don't know why, but I guess she has some reason. Go to bed, I'm tired, and I'm sure we'll have a long day tomorrow."
Whinney made another face. Elijah couldn't tell if she was... what? insulted?
"Ok, Elijah? Right?", he nodded once, "Ok, guess I'll see ya tomorrow then."
She dropped her cigarette butt in the coffee on the table, then left. Elijah lit another cigarette and sat for a while thinking. He didn't see himself getting along with this girl. He didn't really feel close to Dolion either, but they had been partners for a while and had a kind of understanding. Whinney was hard for him to understand. He understood Mot; they were the same. No matter. He could do nothing to change his situation, so what was the point of dwelling on it? He lay down on the bed over the covers and took another drag. Who cares?