𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄 || j. daniel atlas

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍

The card sat on her bedside table, untouched for three days.

Alena had found it in her jacket pocket when she had returned from Daniel's apartment. But it wasn't the sort of card that the Horsemen would use. It was large, ornately painted with a picture of a man in long robes, holding a double-ended candle high up in one hand, and pointing downwards with the other. At the bottom was written the words, 'The Magician.'

On the back of the card, there was a date, time, and address. Alena had put it into Google Maps and found that it was a warehouse in an industrial estate at the edge of the city. The date was today. The time was in less than two hours. And Alena still hadn't decided whether or not she should go.

Raquelle had thought that it sounded exciting when Alena told her, that she should definitely check it out, but to fill her bag with as many pepper sprays and tasers as she could carry. Alena didn't think she would ever get used to being the more sensible roommate.

So Alena sat on the edge of her bed, fully dressed, boots on, bag on her shoulder, watching the minutes tick by on her clock. Soon, she wouldn't have enough time to get there.

"I'm turning on that GPS tracking app thingy," Alena said, striding across the living room, tarot card in hand.

"So you decided to go then?" Raquelle smirked, though didn't look away from the film she was watching.

"Shut up." Alena paused by the door. "I'll text you when I get there. If you don't hear from me an hour after that-"

"Track you down and kick some ass!" Raquelle looked up and grinned at Alena.

"Yeah, but if you don't fancy that, just call the police."

"You got it!"

♤ ♡ ♧ ♢

Alena had the taxi drop her off at the edge of the industrial estate, then walked the rest of the way. The warehouse, indicated by a large number on the side, wasn't too far from the edge of the estate, much to Alena's relief.

The large door was without a padlock and opened easily when Alena curled her fingers around it. But before she opened it too far, she armed herself with pepper spray in one hand and a taser in the other. Kicking open the door so that as much of the remaining sunlight spilled into the empty space as possible, Alena took a few tentative steps into the space.

It was completely empty. Nothing but a thick layer of dust lay on the floor, disturbed only by Alena's footprints. There was no one inside the doors and she didn't dare venture to the other end of the warehouse to investigate the shadowed corners.

Then, just as she was turning to leave, a faint crackling noise came from somewhere above, followed by a voice.

"You won't be needed those, Miss Warbeck."

Alena furrowed her eyebrows deeply, confused enough to lower her weapons. "Thaddeus Bradley?" Alena asked in disbelief. "Aren't you in prison?"

"You have a good ear, Miss Warbeck," the disembodied voice continued. "And it takes more than a few walls to keep me at bay."

Alena took another tentative step inside the warehouse.

"Don't worry. There is no one here to hurt you."

"Why did you invite me here? Is this about the Horseman? Because if it is, don't waste your time. I don't know anything."