Syndicate Origins: Persona [NaNoWriMo2014, 2015]

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

"Yin."

"Ann."

The two women gazed into each other's eyes as they handled their hot coffee. They knew not the words that would be the right ones to say to one another so they sat in their chairs, taking a brief notice of the chatter surrounding them. This was the end of the road, was it not? They both wondered. Though they had grown close, they had lives to live and their own agendas to cross off their lists. They needed to get this over with.

"Will I ever see you again?" Ann asked, her voice never betraying the sadness that twisted her stomach into knots.

Yin rolled her shoulders. "I don't know, Ann. I still have something I need to find. I didn't mean to stay here this long."

Ann knew that, but she still harbored a flickering candle of hope that Yin would stay a bit longer. This woman was her friend, her only friend. While Ann had a daughter and a husband at home, sometimes she needed a fellow, adult female to chat with and spend time with. Sometimes, she wanted to be Ann the woman, not Ann the wife or Ann the mom. Sometimes, she wanted a break from her life. Was that wrong?

"But I'm glad that I did," Yin said, quirking a smile. "Now I have a friend."

Ann reflected Yin's smile. "I'm glad too."

They took another break in their goodbyes. They couldn't help it. This was the part that no one liked to experience in their lives. This was the part where the tears starting rolling and hugs were exchanged. If they didn't get to that part, they wouldn't have to say goodbye. They could stay in this moment until they were good and ready to leave. 

But it was not to be.

"Ann, promise me that you won't pursue it."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ann stated, pretending that she wasn't aware of the direction that Yin was taking their talk.

"You know. Promise me. Promise me that you won't go looking for answers."

"I can't promise you that, Yin."

Ann's face looked as if she were in pain. She couldn't do what Yin had asked of her. She couldn't. She had to know the truth about it, about everything. For all she knew, she could be saving the lives of so many people. Ann had to know whether or not if she needed to put all her energy into stopping it. She had to know what Ground Zero was all about.

Yin shook her head, forcing herself to talk in her indoor voice. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into. It's dangerous for you and your family. Just stay out of it. Please."

"I can't do that. I have to know the truth, Yin. I have to know if what I fear to be true is a reality. It's too close to home."

It was true; Ann couldn't do stay out it, couldn't walk away from something that she didn't understand. The need was there in her veins, in her mind, demanding that she try her best to figure out what was going on and stop it. If not for her sake of mind, then for the daughter waiting for her that would someday be affected by these actions. 

"Ann, please," Yin pleaded with her dear friend.

Ann gently shook her head. "You can't change my mind."

Yin stared at her for the longest time, debating whether or not she would be able to move this seemingly unmovable woman. Though she opened her mouth, she only sighed a sigh worthy of a defeated opponent.

". . . I hope you find the truth. It will not be easy. None of it will be easy."

Ann sipped her coffee. "I will, Yin, I will."

"So you say . . ."