Page 34 of Snow Blind

Helen looked down at the travel attire she wore for the four-hour drive and shrugged. Coffee in hand, she went to the bedroom and quickly changed and returned wearing a soft cream-colored dress. She'd put her hair up, accenting twirling soft tendrils around her face and added a bit of lip gloss and mascara. She gave him a smile as she twirled on the floor.

The ride to the courthouse went without a hitch, and they obtained the license and found a judge to perform the ceremony. It would have been fine with one exception to the morning ritual. Mustang had other plans.

They stopped for breakfast as a celebratory meal to share their first dining out experience as man and wife. At home, Helen's intentions were to change clothing to hit the road, but again, her husband had other plans. Mustang carried his new bride across the threshold and continued on to the bedroom. He began to undress himself after he set her on the edge of the bed to watch him disrobe.

She was perplexed at his timing; although any sexy time with her man was welcome, she was going to be late getting back. "Now, Jay? You want to do this now?"

"I am yours," he said softly. "I have documentation here that says I belong to you. On this bed, I want to consummate our union before you leave me again for three weeks. I need you to tide me over. I need to make love to my wife."

Helen couldn't argue with his logic, and an hour and a half later, she was ready to hit the road. Her back ached and her thighs burned with the buildup of lactic acid, reminding her she was no spring chicken and hour-long love-making sessions were for twenty-year-olds. She had to stop twice on the four-hour drive to pee, which also added to her travel time in the truck that she was unaccustomed to driving.

Just inside of the city limits, her technician phone rang, and Helen growled. She connected the line to her ear buds, taking the call.

"Go for Cranberry," she spoke in the earpiece.

The voice on the other end replied, "Interesting morning. Anything you want to tell me?"

"Naw, not really. I fell and hurt my hand. I needed some insurance. He made sure I will have some on his plan," Helen said honestly.

"Is that how you're going to tell your boss you got married?"

"Seriously, Boss Lady. My man isn't a working Technician, so it doesn't matter," Helen said. "Is this a concern or an issue with my training?"

"Only if you're planning to start a family and a year of training will be wasted on a breeder," Azreal told her.

"No worries on that front. I don't have the plumbing to create a life, and unless he plans to buy us some kids, then we won't have any," Helen said. "The reason for your call, Boss? I know it wasn't to talk about my morning."

The line was quiet. Azreal needed to cover a few points with Helen to ensure she had a good understanding of the what and where of the potentialities of life as a Technician. Not everyone was happy with the services they performed, especially if shutting down businesses killed the bad guy’s revenue. However, there was information that Cranberry needed to be made aware of and fast. Azreal didn't like doing it over the phone, but there was little choice. Information was a commodity, and the one who had the most was the power player in the game. Helen needed the information Azreal had, but first, clarification was required.

"The stalker you dropped in the alley, Lawrence Canton," Azrael said. "He's up and disappeared. He packed up his shit and is gone. We followed the money trail on who hired him, but the disappearance is strange. You know anything about it?"

Helen slowed for a traffic light. People milled about on the street, doing early afternoon shopping, going about their lives. In some ways, she envied the simplicity of it all, almost wanting to go back to her boring everyday life and making yummy meals for her man, but she was needed in the world to level the playing fields. She was honest with her boss, never one to lie willingly.

"I returned his ID and credit cards," Helen said.

Azreal’s voice wasn’t calm when she responded, "You did what?"

"Yeah, I broke into his house while he was asleep, tickled his foot to make him wake up, and when he went to the kitchen for water, he found the ID and cards on the counter," Helen said. "While he was in the kitchen, I left one of the books he saw me buy at the bookstore on his pillow. Scared the shit out of him because he knew I was more than likely still in his house."

"That was an unnecessary risk," Azreal cautioned, "and what if he'd caught you or hurt you?"

"I had a needle full of Taipan venom as a backup," Helen said.

"You are fucking scary," Azreal said, "but clever. Listen up, Clever. I have information you need to know, and this is important."

Helen pulled over to an empty parking spot. She placed the vehicle in Park and gave her boss her undivided attention for information which would be critical for what came next. Silence filled the cabin as she listened to Azreal give her just enough information to draw her own conclusions.

"The order to find you came from the Chrysalis," Azrael said. "I'm sure it's no surprise to you, but they know nothing about you, which works in our favor. However, one of the most prolific crime bosses in the greater Chicago area is Michael Kurtzwilde. He's a pimp, a dealer, a trafficker, a nightclub owner which doubles as a brothel, and an all about sleazebag. Everyone who is anyone is his on his payroll, so he's made himself the gold standard of douchebags."

"Okay," Helen said.

"He's also Passion Fruit's father," Azreal said. "She's not his only kid. He has others. Each one is trained to serve him in some way or another. Passion Fruit, Kurtzwilde sent to medical school so he'd have his very own doctor to take care of his...flock."

Helen was surprised at the information, speaking her private thoughts out loud, "What in the entire fuck?"

"Passion Fruit had a recent assignment she didn't complete; or at least, there is no proof of completion," Azreal said. "The work orders received, we don't question when they come through, so I have no idea who placed the work assignment for her."

"Do you think it was that Kurtzwilde dude?"

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