The Summoner Series - Book One - DUALITY

Chapter 22: Cece - Pulling On a Thread

I was standing alone in the crowd surrounding the man I supposed was E. Wages. He was holding court well enough, and it appeared that he was telling a story about a time he went hunting. I wasn't paying much attention, since I was more focused on getting closer to Wages. I was slowly moving through the crowd, pushing past other women who were better dressed with more makeup. They were beautiful, each and every one of them. It just reminded me that no matter how much I loved this lavish lifestyle, I'm still a Stringer, playing the part of a fat cat. I couldn't stay here, and I certainly couldn't fit in if I did.

But all the while I was thinking about how I couldn't stay here, I was also thinking of what I could do once this whole Summoner debacle was through. I could go back to my favorite roof, look out to the sunset, and keep painting that beautiful skyline. Or I could travel and see the world for a change, maybe see what the world has to offer besides the skyscrapers in String City. But in order to do that, I needed to get Wages attention.

I finally got closer to the point where I could clearly hear his story. I tried to look invested, but I was still trying to hide the nervousness I felt.

He kept blabbering on and on. I was trying to think of a way to get his individual attention and away from the crowd, when I heard him say, "And that is why I, James P. Sullivan, will never, ever, go back to Siberia." James Sullivan? Who the hell was he? I realized I made an egregious error. I had to push my way out of the crowd while everyone was looking perplexed at me, wondering why I would ever want to leave the crowd captivated by James Sullivan, the man who hunted snow leopards in Siberia.

I finally made my way out of the crowd, and I looked around to see if I could find Jack. I walked over to the bar to see if I could find the well dressed kid with white hair. The bar was fairly empty, and I couldn't see Jack or anyone that resembled him. I let out a sigh of despair, and leaned up against the bar.

"What'll it be?" The bartender asked.

I was caught off guard, and I started to stammer. "Oh, I don't- I mean I don't need-"

"Two dry martinis, please. Oh, and make mine with an extra olive," someone said from my left. I looked over and saw a man with some stubble and was greatly dressed down for the gala. Not even a tuxedo, just a white button up shirt, untucked, and without a tie. "I'm assuming you like martinis, right?"

"Uh, yeah, but actually," I turned to the bartender. "Make me a double scotch on the rocks."

"Is there a specific bottle you would like, ma'am?"

"Glenn McKenna, if you have it. The older the better."

The bartender nodded and he finished the man's martini and started pouring my scotch.

"Glenn McKenna? I didn't take you for a scotch kind of person." Said the man.

"I used to be a bartender." I replied.

"Back in Uzbekistan, before you became a singer?" He asked.

Shit, I forgot about my cover. "Yes, I started singing in the same bar that I served drinks in, actually."

"Well, it must have been very fortunate that the Archduke found you in the bar."

"Yes, it was very fortunate."

There was a pause of silence. I was trying to get this guy away from me so I could look for E. Wages. "Your name is Anora, correct?"

Why is he still talking to me? "It certainly is. And yours?"

"E. Wages, but you can call me Enoch." He held out his hand, anticipating a handshake. I was taken aback, and I clearly didn't hide my shock very well. "I know, I'm not what you were expecting, was I?"

I finally got my voice back and took his hand in a firm shake. "Well, I won't lie and say I expected the owner of this whole thing to be wearing just a button up shirt and some black pants."

"Well, when you're as rich as I am, it's a dangerous game to be in the limelight. Too much risk of assassination or something to that effect."

"Oh, like the Great Gatsby."

"Yes, exactly. How did you know that?"

"I read the Great Gatsby while I was a kid."

"Huh, so did I. Small world we live in. Not many people I know read books like that anymore, let alone the Great Gatsby."

"Well, it gets kinda lonely in Uzbekistan."

"I can imagine." We talked for what seemed like hours, but only a handful of minutes passed. "Hey, I wanna show you something. Come with me." He held out his hand, waiting for me to take it so I could follow him.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I grasped his hand.

He started walking away from the bar to a single door that lead to a small, dimly lit hallway. "You should already know what it is, your archduke donated it to us."

"Oh, the idol. Of course. Lead the way." He walked down the hallway to a door with a handprint scanner on it. He placed his hand on the scanner and it lit up green, opening the door in front of us. The room inside was small, housing only the idol on a pedestal surrounded by a glass case. "It's so beautiful." I walked over closer to see it. The idol certainly looked old and decrepit. It was a small, wooden idol that was cylindrical but had the face of a person carved into it with intricate detail surrounding the bottom half.

"Yes, it is. I put it there myself. Only I have the key to get into the case." He gestured to a another handprint scanner on a smaller pedestal right next to the idol. "No one except me can get to it. But I do have a question for you, Anora." He walked closer to me and the idol. I could feel his presence behind me. "If that's your real name, anyway." I could feel the color drain from my face.

"I'm sorry, Enoch, I'm not sure what you're talking about." I turned around so I could face him "Perhaps I should go."

I tried to side step away from him. "You're not going anywhere." He took a step forward, standing nearly toe to toe with me. "I know for a fact that I didn't get that artifact from some archduke in Uzbekistan, and I don't think you've told me what his real name even is. For all I know, his real name is Arch." He lowered his tone to a whisper. "So now I'm going to ask you one time. Who the hell are you, the archduke, and the brute you walked in with?"

Dammit. Well on the bright side, at least he doesn't know about Jazzy or Nocturnus.