The Enigma

[Aria]

It was still early, Aria had been hunting to no affect. After seeing Connor the other night everything else paled in comparison. So she sat in the paper laden office running through the files on various gods that were on the Atharim radar. She was trying to catch glimpses of those she met and of those who might be helpful. Anything to do to keep her mind from her own guilt and from the hunger that never seemed to go away.

A blip on the computer caught Aria's attention. A new godling hitting the radar it seemed. Aria opened up the police report that sat in the box. Aria's heart started to race. What the hell was Dane doing in custody?

Now a dilemma hit her, she could delete the record, but if someone else had seen it what then? But if she deleted it then it could be traced back to her. But if she left it he'd be hunted. She supposed the only thing she could do was add her name to be the one hunting him, or watching him, as it was only speculation at this time. It seemed the best of the alternatives, so she claimed the so called mission to follow up. She had Ascendancy, but that was not a walk in the park. It was difficult enough as it was just getting near enough to him.

It was a problem for another day. She had no really reason, but Aria left headquarters and went to the precinct Dane was being held at. She really didn't have any reason to see him. But she was sure she could talk her way into it. It was a test of her abilities after all.

Aria stupidly brought her weapons with her, the moment she stepped into the building she knew it had been a mistake. While permitted and all it was still a pain to deal with. But with a smile and a gentle touch it went over fairly easy.

At the desk, "Is it possible to seen Dane Gregory?"
Aria touched the woman behind the desk softly on the hand. The woman smiled at Aria and nodded and went back to talk with someone else.

When the woman came back she nodded. "He's in with our Doctor, I sent someone to ask if you could speak to him." She smiled at Aria, it was endearing, Aria tried to make small talk while she waited. She wasn't sure exactly what she was going to say to Dane, or why she felt the need to come. The whole idea of distance from what they'd done, what she'd done, this wasn't exactly playing to that right now. How long had it been? Aria nearly forgotten the days she'd wrapped herself up in work and hunting. Aria was suddenly nervous to see him again...

[Dane Gregory]

Dane sighed, bored. From the emptiness of his mire, he reached for his powers. Alas, a stabbing pain blinded him, and he winced for no apparent reason.

The doctor was bothering him with more questions she already knew the answer to. If he couldn't toy with his powers, he might as well toy with her emotions.

"I'm hurt, Doctor Pirozzi."
The wince from before played well to the falsified admission. "Every man values intimacy and friendship. What else is more important than to love and be loved in return? Are you trying to calculate whether or not it is possible to hurt my feelings? I assure you I am flesh and blood, sensitive as any other man.
He blinked, seemingly sad that he had to explain such to a psychiatrist.

He was going to wax further on the importance of kind and loving relationships when there was a knock on the door. A man of wilted face and scrubby voice announced a visitor, and Dane blinked quite curious as to who it was.

He smiled when Dr. Pirozzi left. He'd driven her away to cower in her frustrations. Manipulation had never been so easy, before.

Hands cuffed and legs crossed, far more gentlemanly than the generic jail-attire should have allowed, Dane waited anxiously to see who had come for a visit.

[Aria]

An officer came to the front desk. "The Doctor says it's alright, but you can't go in with those." He indicated her weapons. Aria laughed, like she'd try that. It's not like they'd help matters anyway. Dane was far more powerful than they knew, or probably even suspected. The report had been speculation. Some unforeseen force pushing another officer. And half the office was a buzz from the incident. Or that could be from her arrival. A girl with a sword seemed to cause mass speculation. It was something she was used to but it was far from fun listening to all the excited emotions or the fear that she'd be like her 'friend'. Aria laughed on the inside, if they only knew.

Aria removed her trench coat, the gun holster and sword belt too and wrapped them up in it and placed them on the desk. Aria touched the woman's hand again and smiled softly at her "I'll be back for them when I'm done. Watch them for me."
The woman nearly swooned and Aria couldn't help the predatory smile that crossed her face.

The officer who was going to take her back swung an arm in the direction she was to go "Follow me, Ms. Piccolo. Mr. Gregory is this way."

Aria disliked being in the building. Too much could go wrong. Why had she even come here? Really she could have waited till he got out. If he got out. Aria's curiosity started to override her own doubts. Why was he here? She prayed not for anything they had done together.

A woman stood outside the door that the officer indicated Dane was being held. Aria tried to read her but couldn't. But it wasn't lack of emotion, it was that she couldn't get through. Aria didn't like her. She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes.

The woman put her hand in front of the door. "Can I ask who you are to Mr. Gregory?"


Aria laughed, "Really?


She didn't move. "I can not let you in.


Fury rose in Aria's heart. Seriously get out of my way. The look she gave this woman was not friendly. But the officer spoke for her. "This is Aria Piccolo, a friend of Mr. Gregory's"

Aria glared at him but the woman dropped her arm and let her pass. She spoke as Aria walked by her. "I could have just asked him who you were."


Aria turned to her with a short laugh, "You clearly don't know Dane very well."
The obvious answer was the only answer.

Aria didn't like the way Dane felt in her mind. The fog covered his usual clear and calm emotions. She cocked her head to one side trying to figure it out. He was sitting like he owned the place and Aria smiled. But it quickly fled. Aria reached to touch his check with her fingers. She closed her eyes but she still couldn't make the fog go away, even though she'd sent him her own feelings, everything was just a fog. "What did they do to you?

[Dane Gregory]

The door opened and through it strolled Aria's diminuitive frame. She was stripped of her coat and absurd weapons. A brief glance might have suggested she was a normal human being, but Dane knew better.

He cocked his head to one side, but otherwise did not smile or welcome her. He remained quiet and impassive. She was less beautiful than he remembered. Then again, she wasn't stabbing a naked woman to death and bathing in the blood afterward. Red was a becoming color against those jade-green orbs.

She stroked his cheek and his lids slid low, lulled into the drape of a heavy fog. He was suddenly worn and weak, like his muscles might melt from the bone. When he opened his eyes she was still standing there, studying him.

"I don't know. That bitch doctor gave me some sort of sedative, and I am trapped."
His gaze fell low, away from Aria's eyes. "Why are you here?"
He asked, neither excited nor upset, but he was curious.

[Aria]

Aria sat down across from him. She really had no idea why she was here. Aria shrugged. "Honestly I have no idea. Your name popped up on the list of people we watch. I didn't want anyone else to come down here I guess."
It was a true enough answer. "I don't like your so-called doctor. I couldn't read her."

---

Dane watched her sit. "I don't like her either,"
he replied and swung his gaze back up to meet hers. They shared a silent thought. One that Aria might guess what they could do about it.

---

Aria smiled. His emotions betrayed his thoughts. There was no guilt or regret that plagued her when she was with Dane. It felt normal, her own thoughts, but she knew that it wasn't so. Aria wondered what the dear doctor had done to him. Sedation was hardly a means to be angry about, but then again she wasn't Dane. He was all very much a mystery in almost everything to Aria. But he had other worries than the police. The Atharim had him flagged now. "You know there are worse people than these who know about you now."

---

His reply snapped. "What can I do about it?"
He fixed her a threatening look. "I am here for no fault of my own, kept on a technicality. Trapped. What would you have me do?"

---

Aria expected the power to fly, but the sedative must have been used to keep it at bay. Someone here in this office knew about the power of the gods. Aria pulled away from him, she wasn't afraid, but she knew she should have been. Aria wondered how close the power sat in his mind. How much time? She wasn't sure she wanted to be around when it wore off. She licked her lips. Her fear idling on the side, she should be afraid. "Noting you can do about it now. But it's not why you are here I'm concerned about Dane. They know what you can do. Someone here does. And now you will be hunted. I'm not sure if I can keep others from you. There are far too many godlings in this god forsaken city."

---

His expression fell flat. Expectant. "Then get me out of here."

---

Aria laughed. "And how would you like me to do that!"
Kill her way out with her bare hands? Seduce them? What the hell did he think she did?

---

He tossed his hands, forgotten that they were cuffed together. He glanced at them irritated. "Then why are you here..?"
...you useless bitch.

---

Aria stood up and sighed. She didn't like the after emotions. She didn't know why she should even try, but something made her do it. Something , like she wanted to make him happy. "I can't read you dear doctor, but I'll try. It's not likely to work with her standing outside the door blocking everything I try to read about her."


Aria opened the door, rather knocked and it opened. The office who had lead her in peered inside. "All done?" Aria smiled sweetly up at him. "I think it's time for Dane to leave too."
She made him feel like it was a good idea. Like it was his own emotions. It's not like she could plant the thoughts in his head. She regreted doing it the moment she did, but he smiled down at her. "I think you are right. The paperwork is already filled out on my desk. We were just waiting for the Doc here to finish up."

Aria looked to the doctor and smiled with glee, she touched the man again and looked back to him. "I think she's done now."


"Fine."
Aria watched as she stalked away.

The officer walked into the room. "Come Mr. Gregory, you are free to go. But I wouldn't leave the city if I were you."

---

Aria was gone but a moment before an officer came to fetch him. The man was entirely different of demeanor than when he'd led Dane in here. The news that he was free to go came as a shock. And Dane blinked to make sure he'd heard correctly. He held up his hands and rubbed his wrists when the cuffs were taken off. First thing he did was pinch the bridge of his nose. The headache was worsening rather than fading. His own clothing was soon returned as were his personal belongings. He did notice the hair was no longer in his pocket. And at the entrance to the station, he blinked at the sunlight. His counsel should have arranged for a car to pick him up, but he was seeking whether Aria had stayed around.

---

Aria was walked back to her own things and she was putting them back on when Dane came back out. She wasn't sure if she wanted to deal with his mood. But she stayed anyway, just as she had tried before to get him out. By the luck of the heavens he was getting set free anyway. She he came closer, "You don't look good. You want me to help?"
It was concern she felt, but she wasn't exactly sure why.

---

Dane wrapped his scarf around his neck and adjusted the way his hat sat on his head. "No."
he looked down at her. Anger sliced at his heart, one wielded by Aria. To say he didn't look good? "You try spending a night in jail and see how you look,"
he replied flatly as a car pulled up. He recognized the family's lawyer in the back seat. His powers remained elusive and he pinched his forehead again when he tried, and failed, to strangle them into his grip. "I want a shower, clean clothes, and a hot meal."
He opened the back door of the car and turned to look back at her. "You can come if you want."
The front seat was empty. But he didn't wait to see what she decided.

---

She could walk away now. But that made her ache. She wanted for some unknown reason to make him happy, make him feel something other than whatever it was he felt. Aria opened the car door and sat down. She sighed. "That was not how I meant it Dane. You look pained.
She turnd around from the front see to look at him. This was not going to go well, but she felt the utmost need to follow through.

---

Dane exchanged glances with the lawyer seated beside him until the Jaguar dinged when Aria opened the front door. They were driving away from the god-forsaken station within moments. Dane wanted to return to his hotel. "Aria, this is.."
he glanced at the man, having already forgotten his name. The lawyer answered for him and he reached up to shake hands.

---

"A pleasure I'm sure. But I'd rather not touch you. He's moody,"
, she gestured to Dane, "and I don't think you'd like to know what he's feeling."
Aria knew that would get questions, she didn't really care. She turned around and watched the road. She had no idea where she was going but right now it didn't really matter, as long as she kept her bearings.

[Alex]

He was infuriating. Alex could feel the pain and wondered if it was genuine, none of his other feelings except about his current sex life had been real. He was playing a game. And Alex didn't liked being toyed with. She was getting no where and the reprieve of dealing with Mr Gregory was welcomed. Despite the annoyance it caused her.

Curiosity emanated from her patient and she was also curious who would come visit a man like this in a place that surely not many would know he was here. His lawyer had just left, not enough time to spread the word.

Alex couldn't resist sizing up the girl who came through. She was probably only a few years younger, but she carried herself like a wolf. Someone used to fighting and getting her way. As she walked past Alex felt the familiar presence of someone pushing against her shield. That was a shock, another Sentient in the city. But a glance at her tattoo and Alex was more intrigued by Mr. Gregory's friend that before. She'd seen one like it before, exactly like it! What was he doing dealing with Atharim.

She had to know who she was. The woman refused to answer. But her colleague answered for her. She was grateful to have a name. She could do her own research too. She filed away Aria's name for further reference.

The whole mystery deepened and Alex tried hard to pay attention through the walls. But her own thoughts kept interfering. She'd have to call her father. He would need to know. The woman was a potential problem.

Despite what she felt from Dane, this one was far more manipulative that even her father. She pushed everyone it seemed to get in here, she could feel the lingering touches throughout those the woman had encounter. She was very dangerous. Aria even manipulated her so-called friend. The words through the wall were hard, but they shared far more in emotions that Alex cared for.

When she came back out, Alex felt Aria manipulate the guard, sadly the paper work had already been drawn up. She left with out much thought to the matter. She couldn't have manipulated the man to keep him even if she had wanted to. It was far easier just to let him go. He'd be back, she could feel it. She knew he'd screw up and he'd be back. She'd be able to talk to him again. Alex wondered if his friend would be with him, in an adjoining cell. Those two were trouble.

[Dane Gregory]

Continued in Mexico