Author Games: The Absent Empress

Quarterfinals: Glacier

"I don't like this," Clint whispered as the pushed aside the door or the small shop and were bathed in a purple neon light of the sign.

"You don't have to like it," Irene threw back over her shoulder and brushed past the curtain as soon as a greeting was yelled to them from the other room. It was muffled, but Dante could tell it was a girl. That was all he knew to be honest. He hadn't focused on the few details they'd been given. Not that there were many. She seemed reclusive and none of them had ever spoken to her, not even the Girl, until the curtain was lifted and cast aside to reveal the dark room.

To be honest, she wasn't who Dante had expected. Considering they had gone all the way to Japan he had expected someone that was more... well there was no exact way to explain it. Her posture was a stoop, hunched over with her feet perched on the edge of the chair and toes curled around the lip, wiggling every so often. Her teeth shone out as they were smashed together in an awkward grin that seemed to be a poor attempt at inviting. Long, black hair had been braided and swung down past her hip but the ends were clearly frayed and poorly dyed considering the lingering puke green that touched several of the strands.

Irene had no problem with her composure. "Are you Ms. Stephens?" she asked, polite smile offer and hand extended. Dante would've expected a bow or something of the like but then again, she didn't seem Japanese.

"You answer first. Why did you come here?" She made no intention to take Irene's hand, instead puckering her lips and squinting at the woman. Even in the dim light her eyes were piercing. They were a pale blue, almost white with how her irises blended.

"We were hoping to find information on-"

"On the case you're working!" She was quick to interrupt, bouncing in her chair. "Right, right. A whole task force. Or, I suppose it's not much of one now, but it was, wasn't it? Such a shame. Well kind of a shame. It was bound to happen. Bound to happen. Unless they'd broken in on a Tuesday, then no one would have grabbed that little girl's book and she would've have gotten herself into such a horrid little mess." The woman broke out into giggles. "All for a stupid little book." Shaking her head to herself, she cleared her throat and dropped her smile. "What do you think it'll be if you find here, Irene, dear? Success or failure? All riding on your shoulders now don't you think?" She shook her head again, but it was more vicious as if she was trying to rid a tick from burrowing into her scalp.

Dante furrowed his brow, instantly on alert and more than prepared to throw his arm in front on Irene and keep her a good distance from the woman. "How'd you know her name?"

"Oh. Oh no. Don't do that. Don't ask that question. You've got to be careful with your questions here," she scolded and wagged her finger. "Answer mine first before you ask a new one. Keep to the rules, please." The words repeated like she was speaking to a group of kindergarteners who weren't coloring inside the lines and her eyes tended to roam wherever they pleased.

"I don't know," Irene answered honestly. She tugged at her beanie and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm hoping for the best, though." Her voice got stronger on the second line.

The stranger's face softened. "Of course you are. Not like Berlin, hm?" She jumped up with a sudden urgency, teetering on the rickety chair below her and yanked on a cord above. Light flooded her stage. Dante was forced to shield his eyes as he adjusted to the small concrete place. It was far from clean with rags draped up everywhere to block out the clear window that was supposed to look in on the room. All that was left for lighting was the little bulb above them but it gave off more than expected.

"It's Suzie." She smiled at them again, eyes lighting up as she glaced at Clint and Dante who stood to the right. "Oh, twins! I love twins! Can I keep one?" she asked, head tilted and eyes wide.

Clint squinted. "Excuse me?" He hated being called related to Dante as much as he enjoyed the crappy shack they were standing in. Not to say Dante enjoyed the assumption either but he was smart enough to ignore it. Only one chair sat across from the little girl's chair and he nudged Irene to take it as the woman focused her eyes on Clint.

"Y'know, I get one! Then we don't have to play the little game. You already used one question, after all."

"What game?" Irene asked as she folded the scarf she had brought neatly in her lap.

"Questions and answers." She saw their confusion and sighed. "We go back and forth as long as you want to be truthful. Like... like this!" Her grin grew and she leaned forward some, hands tucked under her. "Clint, dear, what's your favorite color?"

"I'm not playing this." Irene shot him a glare. "I- purple, happy?"

She nodded. "So happy! And that was an easy one, see? Now you ask."

Dante glanced at Irene and gave her a nod to go ahead. He sank his hands into his pocket and relaxed against the wall behind them.

"We know you have information on Ms. Sato's whereabouts. If you could give us even the direction. Do you have a country? An address of some sort?"

The stranger thought about this for a moment and nodded. "Oh, yes! I know that. She's in some very hot water now, y'know? What a nasty person to be doing that." She slipped a little pen from her pocket and scribbled something on a spare rag before sliding it across the table. When Irene reached for it, Clint snatched it from her instead.

Choosing to ignore this while massaging her temple, Irene chose to focus on their source of information. "A nasty person." Her lips shifted. "So you know what? Do you know who is involved with her to cause this to happen?"

"Of course, silly! But first I get my question, remember?" Her eyes flickered to Clitn again. "Are you a hero, do you think?"

Clint smiled. He never had to think. "Of course I am."

Her teeth sucked back. She shook her head fercily. "Not you, the other one. Well all get a turn he." She leaned forward in her chair eagerly. "So, do you?"

Unease crept up Dante's spine. He didn't like the way her eyes focused on him for the first time. It was like she was trying to stare straight through him. But the answer was simple, wasn't it? He was still on the task force. He had saved some people and protected others. He wasn't amazing at it, but he was going to stay until the job was done. That had to count for something.

"Yes."

Her smile fell. Her tongue swiped over her lips. "I don't like liars. What a shame. I thought I would've liked you." She gave a wave of her hand and plopped into her seat. "You all can go."

"Hold on," Irene began to reason, "you can't say that isn't the truth. At least give us another question."

"Oh, I'm sorry! You don't get to play the game anymore," Suzie spoke with a sudden lash of her tongue and a clench of her teeth. "Or did I not make the rules clear? Only three questions, only three answers."

"You never specified that," Clint muttered under his breath.

"Didn't have to. I don't play with liars." She made a second chewing motion and made it clear there was no choice but to leave.