Erin hesitated before pressing the button. “A favor?”
Janette smiled. It was a bit nervous. Erin was more than a bit nervous. “I promise to explain at lunch. It's not a big favor. I just wanted to ask away from the office.”
Erin felt her spine tingle alien electric as the Plot reminded her of its presence. Startled, Erin realized she still needed to press the button. Erin obliged, as she croaked out, “What kind of favor?”
“No big deal, Erin. I promise. But let’s get food first. Okay?”
The rest of the trip was of little note, as Janette led them through the streets of downtown. Janette wouldn’t explain what favor she had nor where they were eating, even as Erin probed her for more information.
To Erin’s surprise, Janette led the way to a very upscale Chinese restaurant, tucked into a neat side alley. After seeing it was on Long Avenue, she recognized which restaurant this was well before the name came into view.
The Viridian Dragon. It was a reservation only sort of place. Erin wasn’t really dressed for fine dining, but she was more worried about the other clientele than her own appearance. She knew the place because of her online hobbies.
Erin tried one last ditch effort to get out of eating here. “Um, Janette, isn’t this place reservation only? I hear they are usually booked for days in advance.” The entrance was marked by an artful paifang, a Chinese archway that might have been pulled directly from the Song dynasty itself, except for the green paint.
Janette gave her a sly smile. “Yeah, but I have a friend in the kitchen, so to speak. He set us up with a table. I wanted to take you out somewhere nice, for helping Tyson out.”
Erin considered protesting further, but they stepped past the sharp dressed valet, into the restaurant.
Erin checked out the restaurant, attempting to be subtle as she absorbed the decor she could see. The interior was done in a dark mahogany, with columns and trellis all done in a Chinese style, while still managing to not seeming hokey or tacky. The tables were all octagons of different sizes. The theme of octagons permeated the entire restaurant.Almost out of place in the understated décor was a long motif on one wall of a golden-green Chinese dragon raising the shores of a river to flood a village of terrified people.
The place was fairly busy, but the atmosphere didn’t feel packed. Erin wondered if that was something to do with some sort of magic or simply good interior design. It was a valid question, as The Viridian Dragon was owned and operated by Nathan Jing, also known as Alleyshadow, a known close friend and fellow to Silverknight in the Cavalry.
The maître de asked if they had a reservation, and Janette said, “It should be under Grayford.”
The stately woman checked her books for the name. Erin thought the Asian woman stood particularly stiffly as she saw Janette and Erin enter. As she scanned the book, Erin saw her face glaze over, stiffness gone and placid nothing replacing it, and she announced, “Ah, right over here, Ms. Grayford. You always have a table here.”
Erin did her best not to scowl at feeling partially responsible for another person getting Puppeted.
The two women took a seat and Janette smiled brightly at Erin, who forced a wan smile in return.
The restaurant appeared to be filled with the sort of high powered business folk that one would expect at lunchtime in the middle of the financial district of a major metropolitan area. Erin was definitely underdressed, but she wasn’t the worst dressed person here, and most of the people seemed to be backdrop, like Erin herself.
Erin noted that a menu had been pointedly not left at their table. Janette noticed her confusion and grinned. “They only bring a menu if you ask. Don’t worry, I will order for you. I know what you like. Also, this is on me, since I am the one asking you for a favor.”
Erin glanced at her doppel-friend, trying to hide her dubiousness. “Sure, thanks. I appreciate it.”
Janette’s eyes twinkled, reminding Erin of her old friend. “Don’t thank me until I’ve told you what the favor is.” Erin didn’t smile back, getting more nervous about the favor every moment.
“What exactly did you want-”
“May I take your drink order, ladies?”
Erin startled and turned to their waiter, a young Asian man, who seemed to appear from nowhere. He appeared contrite and instantly apologized, “I am sorry, ma’am. I did not mean to surprise you.” He sounded sincere, but something about his voice and eyes told another story. He tried to keep his eyes on Erin, but they’d slide to Janette for a moment, as if looking for validation that he did the right thing.
Erin knew the feeling, and tried to assuage his doubts as soon as she could. “No, I am fine, don’t worry. Just an iced tea.”
The server nodded. “Alright… and you ma’am?” He seemed almost hesitant to ask what Janette wanted.
“Same for me. I also have our order ready. I will have whatever the special is and Erin will have the ban mian.” Janette reached out and put her hand on Erin’s wrist. Erin struggled not to recoil again. Maybe she wasn’t keeping together as well as she hoped.“You will like it, I promise. It’s simple, but it blew me away the first time here.”
The waiter nodded. “Will that be all I can get you for now?”
Janette nodded, and Erin agreed. She also pulled her hand from beneath Janette’s to grab the water left at the table by the waiter. She’d normally have ordered a hot tea at a place of this authenticity, but not with Janette and not when faced with some unknown favor.
“So what is the fa-”
Janette interrupted. “Erin, have I mentioned how much I love that top of yours? Where did you get it again?”
Erin took a deep breath as she glanced to remember what she’d put on that morning. The button-up blouse was simple, a dark forest green, nice enough, but not fancy enough to need anything but a wrinkle release. “I bought it online, during one of those department store end of season events. Janette, I-”
“Erin, you know you can call me Janey.” She smiled winningly at Erin, as if this were the umpteenth time Erin had been told this.
She tried to withhold viciousness but it was hard when gritting her teeth. “Janey. What favor did you want to ask? I get the feeling you are trying to hide something serious.”
Janette seemed a little squirmy in Erin’s gaze. “Ah, well… Are you busy Friday night?”
Erin decided to try the tea delivered by the waiter, finding it to be a pleasant, iced green tea, before swallowing visibly. “Um.” She had a sinking feeling and was trying to keep from coughing on the tea and answer.
Janette didn’t let her answer, as if worried about Erin’s response. “Well, I’m asking because Tyson has a friend moving into town this week, and, well, he doesn’t know many people. He- We’d like for him to feel welcomed. Tyson likes you, and I definitely want to spend more time with you. It seemed like a good opportunity. You see, his friend, Rex, he just got out of a relationship, and well- I’ve seen his picture, and he is seriously attractive. He owns a gym, a chain of them, and it definitely shows.”
Erin’s heart plummeted down into her gut, suddenly feeling like her death was being offered on a platter.
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