"You can't seriously tell me this costs two fricking dollars! It's just a corn dog! It doesn't even taste that great!" I bargained with the street vendor, throwing my arms up in exasperation.
"Ma'am you already ate one, so you better pay up before you cause a scene." The guy glared at me.
"Did it not occur to you that maybe you should put up that price somewhere the customers can see? Just so they aren't tricked into buying this crap, like me. Oh wait. That's another one of your marketing tactics, isn't it? That's what you do." I kicked the metal container, annoyed.
"Listen up, little princess. I work hard day and night to make these corn dogs. If you don't like it, so be it. But I swear if you don't respect my work and pay up, you'll..." He pointed his finger at me.
"Or what, huh? You'll eat me? You'll...bring out your secret weapons? Maybe your talons?" I tried provoking.
He looked stunned, or maybe confused for a second before recovering. "What do you mean, lady? Are you crazy?"
Either he was lying or I was just really off my game. I decided to leave him and waved two one dollar notes in front of his face.
He scowled. "Next time, get corn dogs from some other place. Thank you very much." He took the notes and stashed them into his tin.
I was almost going to flip him off, but decided against it in the last minute.
As I walked back to my silver car and got in, I saw a missed call notification on the screen projecting out of the steering wheel.
I sighed and clicked on it to be redirected to a video recording of Selene, the chief at the Paranormal Council, where I'm a highly secretive agent.
"As soon as you get this, I want you to find your way back to HQ. You have an important task. This is highly confidential, so...hurry," Selene's voice came out.
A small riddle appeared on the screen as soon as I was done watching the video.
Fifth of all avenues, thirty of fifty and fifty three high, where lightning strikes more than you can count.
The heck was that supposed to mean? It was times like those when I really hated Selene. Why couldn't she just straight up tell me where to go?
But all jokes apart, I did understand her need to preserve the Council's secrecy. Should our location be revealed to outer parties, our safety might be compromised. I just wished that she didn't have to twist things around so much.
The location of the Council changed every thirty six hours and if one wished to find it, they had to solve the riddle, may it be an agent or just a passer-by. Only few people like myself had the privilege to have it at the ready. Others had to reach the nearest collection point to get them. One of the first tests we had to pass in the training programme was based on our ability to use our logic, so it made sense.
I racked my brains as I tried to think of places which fit the description in the riddle.
Fifth of all avenues.
So I have to go to Manhattan. To Fifth Avenue.
Fifty and fifty three high?
Fifty and fifty three... So maybe a hundred and three high?
A hundred and three what? Feet? Metres? Pumpkins?
Lighting strikes more than you can count...
That meant wherever this place was needed to be kinda high up, right?
Oh...so that would be a hundred and three stories tall.
The Empire State Building! That was where the Council was... Why couldn't she just have said something like find the tallest building in Manhattan or something like that? Typical Selene.
-----¥-----
When I reached Manhattan after somewhat of a long drive, it was past midnight. After leaving my car at the collection point there, I walked towards the Empire State Building.
As I stood in front of the building, I felt like someone was watching me. I looked around and found nothing out of the usual. But I just couldn't shake off the feeling. I decided to ignore it and made my way towards the entrance.
"Now what?" I mumbled to myself.
The only thing I knew was that I had to find the symbol of the Paranormal Council. How would I know where it would be in that big building?
Then suddenly it clicked. The riddle said thirty of fifty and fifty three. So the thirtieth floor?
The door was locked. I rolled my eyes. What else was I expecting? It's not like the humans would just keep it open for me.
I heard voices and I just about kicked myself for thinking that there would be no security guards there at night. I ran to the side, eager to not let them see me.
On the other side of the building was a lift. Why didn't I just look for it earlier?
I got in and pressed the button for the thirtieth floor, hoping to God that there would be no guards there. My prayer was answered and there were none. At least not in front of the lift.
Now to find that symbol...
Just as I walked towards the west of the floor where there was a glass wall, I saw a security guard sleeping on a chair with his mouth open. I cursed myself. Again.
The greenery seemed like the perfect place to have the symbol hidden, but I decided to check the floor first before going out.
Even if the venue was the same, the symbol's position would change every time, hence making sure that only people who use their logic would find the council.
Just hoping that I was not loud enough to wake the security guard who was snoring away happily, I walked towards the door to the greenery.
I opened the door. Just as it was about to be open enough for me to get through, the hinge creeked and the security guard stirred in his sleep. I hoped for the worst, but I heard a "No mum, a shepherd's pie would be enough. Yeah," followed by a loud snore, making me relieved.
Stepping into the small garden on the balcony, I walked away from the door, wanting to take no chances. At first glance, I saw nothing. I looked behind the flower pots and the vertical garden stands, all to no avail. Just as I was about to give up hope, a gleam of gold amongst the long pine tree standing at the corner caught my eye.
I walked over and slightly moved the leaves and branches. Sure enough, the symbol was there. It was an infinity sign(as humans perceive it) inside a circle and it was glowing gold, indicating that the Council was there and was ready to teleport me from the human world to our world.
I took out my agent pass from my jeans, a stone with the symbol projecting out and pressed it onto the symbol on the pine tree, and kept my hand on top, letting out a huge sigh of relief. Out of the corner of my eye, I think I saw the guard stirring again, but the white blinding light had already consumed me. When I opened my eyes, I was standing in front of the Paranormal Council Headquarters, a huge white mansion with its sister mansions on either side.
"Greetings, Erika. I was starting to wonder if you had gotten my message at all." Selene's face came up on the screen at the entrance yet again startling me, like always.
"I just had trouble finding the symbol." I looked up at Selene's digital face.
"Yes. Yes. I understand. Now please do come in. We have a very important matter on our hands," she replied.
"Sure, Selene." I nodded.
The big door slid open and I stepped in. The room in front of me never failed to amaze. The entire building, in and out was all pure white. The grand staircase in front of me was made of pure marble, the chandelier on the ceiling with crystals hanging from each end was elegant and pure on it's own. When I was human, that is how I perceived heaven to be.
I climbed the stairs and made my way towards Selene's office. I opened the door to reveal her in conference with the other four elders.
Seeing them all together made my heart tighten. Something told me that whatever mission they were going to send me on wasn't kid's play.
Selene was in her usual metallic silver robe and the other Elders too were in their own.
Seeing me, Selene beamed and gestured towards the empty seat beside her. I nodded and made my way towards the seat. I sat after giving a confident look to the other Elders.
"You probably already know that you have a new assignment." Selene looked at me.
"Yes. I got that impression," I tried to answer sarcastically, but clearly none of the Elders were amused. They were just looking at me incredulously.
Selene took a deep breath and continued.
"It's the Montagues and the Capulets," Selene told me guardedly.
"Aren't they extinct yet?" I scoffed when Selene gave me another look. "Sorry, not funny. Please continue."
"Yes, the Montagues, the ancient werewolf clan and the Capulets, their rival vampire family. We have a crisis on our hands. In the past two hundred and seventy years, they have been living more or less in harmony. And by harmony, I mean they haven't killed each other. Much." Selene was unusually fidgeting in her seat and that was proof enough for me that whatever was happening was a serious matter.
Jeroboam, the oldest of the siblings spoke up next. "But the tension had been growing for the past hundred years or so and a recent event has fuelled their hatred for each other. Now, they are threatening to take each other out and rage a war. If something isn't done about this, other beings might as well join them and the world as we know it might crumble."
"And this war might involve the humans as well, might they be ready or not. That is why we want to deal with the problem at hand before the blood bath begins. I hope you understand this," Cece, the youngest sibling said in her monotone voice.
"I do. But what can I do about it? Isn't this something they should discuss among themselves?" I looked around at them.
"We waited. For two decades. But the situation just seems to worsen even more," Michael informed me.
I gasped. Two decades?
"Yes. That is why we want to send you in to try and solve the conflict. If it's any consolation, they haven't sent anyone to kill someone from the other clan in two years. So you might get enough time to work with them." Selene had an apologetic look on her face.
"Just great," I muttered, tapping my feet on the floor nervously.
"Why me, though? I've just been here for five years. Katara, Jewel and Edward are way older than me and have experience in this kinda situations. Don't you think they would be able to deal with this better?" I looked Selene right in the eye.
"Katara and Jewel are on another equally important case. And you know Edward won't be any use here. But he too is on the other case." Selene shrugged.
"What situation could possibly be more important than trying to steer away an already raging war?" I gave her an incredulous look.
"I told you about the other paranormal beings which might join them, should a war break out. It has come to our notice that some species which were thought to have gone extinct for millennia are rising. There has been several sightings reported by humans and we still have no idea why. All three of them are working on that case. It is possible that you might run into them at some point in your journey," Jeroboam said authoritatively.
Yeah, no shit...
I nodded. "So what should I do? When should I start? Where should I go?" I started to get nervous with the amount of responsibility that was laid on my shoulders all of a sudden.
Selene sighed. "You'll be going alone. All the other details will be given to you along the way."
Could this get any better?
I looked at Neytiri, the last elder, for advice. She was the only one who hadn't spoken up throughout the entire exchange.
"Oh and one more thing, know that should you get caught working for both the clans by either of them, you will be in deep trouble. And by now, you should know what will happen to you if you fail the mission, and an important one at that. All the very best to you." Neytiri smirked evilly at me. That wasn't surprising since no other elder but Selene was friendly.
I gulped and nodded at them.
I did know what would happen. There was a reason why the Council only had four secret agents at the instant rather than the thirty or more it was supposed to have. They had yet to recruit more.
Should I fail the mission, I would not live to see the very next sunrise. The Council will make sure of that.
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