Rue: Web of Deceit - Part 8

Life, Relationship change

Called by their new friend Doug to help him in his moment of need, Rue quickly finds themselves having to think on their feet as a Detective from the BCPD comes by to ask some questions.

By the time Rue arrives at the Six-Nines, the town had begun its morning metamorphosis. The drunks and vagrants still sleeping on the streets had started to stir, the early-bird old folks had begun their day and the morning workers had begun shambling zombie-like towards their places of employment. It was like the wriggling larva that was Bathala City's recreation district was slowly emerging from its cocoon, ready for, no doubt, more bad choices.   Rue and Doug spotted one another almost immediately and the latter waved them over, a large smile plastered over his rugged features, "Ah. Rue, thank God you're here. Can you watch the door for a minute? I'm dying for the bathroom."   Rue frowns at the bouncer bemused, “Did you call me over so you could have a bathroom break?” They tease, crossing their arms. “Go on then.”   A long pause permeates the air before Doug says, "Maybe." He nods gratefully as he begins to dash upstairs, "Gun's in the top drawer if there's trouble!"   And just like that, Rue is left alone outside a burlesque club. They take a seat in Doug's little reading nook, peering over at the nearby table and seeing a copy of 1984 and a rapidly-cooling coffee that seemed to be keeping Doug company.   Rue eyes the coffee cup, wondering how many of these Doug would go through in a day. Hesitantly, they pick up the book and flick through the pages, curious if they might get another one of those strange flashbacks, if they can call it that. They keep their senses sharp as they turn the book over and read the synopsis, their leg bouncing with nervous energy.   They're almost disappointed as they realise that it too is just a book. They take a few seconds just in case, almost meditating on it, but no, nothing comes and before long their concentration is broken by a man walking up to them and starting up a conversation.   "Hello, Miss," he says, reaching into his suit jacket and pulling out a police badge, "Detective Alec Upton: BCPD. Mind if I ask you a few questions?"   Rue glances up at the detective in front of them, the hairs on the back of their neck standing upright as a strange sense of familiarity puts them on high alert. They place the book to the side, cautious to be speaking to law enforcement directly in front of The Six-Nines.   ''How can I help, sir?'' They ask innocently, having carefully inspected the proffered badge. They give the man a quick once over, trying to establish where this sense of familiarity is coming from.   Alec chuckles lightly as he places his badge back in his pocket, "Relax, Miss. I'm not here on a bust or anything," he smiles, and Rue can see the kindness in his eyes, "I'm with missing persons. We're looking back over a few cold cases, and one of our leads goes back to this place. What can you tell me about it?"   Rue's eyebrows raise in surprise. ''A cold case, you say?'' They start, their expression shifting into a thoughtful frown. ''How long ago are we talking about?'' As they speak, that same nagging feeling keeps tugging at the back of their mind, reminding them to be cautious around the detective.   "Oh, the better part of ten years now," he says, shrugging as he pulls out his phone and shows them a picture of two girls, "Don't recognise our blonde friend there, do you?" Rue takes a cursory look, not expecting to recognise anyone from when she was only a small child, but when they do, their stomach drops. The girl looks familiar, but the other one, with her arms around her. Rue remembers her; Carrie. The two were best friends throughout school. She'd always been there to help whenever they needed it and was a great ear to talk to when things weren't going so well at home. She was the first person they'd told when they realised that they could move objects with their mind.   Rue suddenly felt quite ill.   They visibly pale at the sight of the girls, their head swimming as images of Carrie race through their mind. Rue feels an overwhelming longing to see her again, to steal her father's car keys and go on joy rides together, the windows down and music blasting at full volume.   They remember the mischievous glint in Carrie's eyes when they revealed their powers to her, the relief they had felt when Carrie appeared entirely unafraid of the obvious mutation. ''You can become a superhero!'' Carrie had squealed excitedly, then proceeded to design outfits of figure-hugging spandex in alarmingly bright colours and coming up with hero names.   Suddenly aware of someone far away calling ''Miss?'', Rue urges themself out of the fog of their brain, their hands trembling and head pounding. They lock eyes with Detective Upton.   ''Sorry, it's just...'' They utter, swallowing past the lump in their throat. ''It's just that she looks like she was about my age in that photo,'' Rue lies quickly, running a hand through their hair. ''It's a bit spooky.''   "Wow. Thought I'd lost you there for a second," he says, a little concerned, "I know it's all a little upsetting, but anything you can tell me would be helpful. Do you recognise her?"   Rue shakes their head. ''Sorry, if it's from ten years ago that's a little before my time.'' They feel equally afraid of and intrigued by the photo, worried that looking at it will drag them back into this bizarre trance, whilst desperate to know more. ''Mind if I take that photo?'' They find themself asking. ''I could ask some of the older employees when they come in later if they remember anything.''   "Sure, I can send you a copy if you'd like," he says, "But that's fine. What can you tell me about this place?" He continues, motioning to the club.   ''Err..'' Rue looks back at the entrance to The Six-Nines, shrugging vaguely. ''It's a burlesque club?''   They don't particularly want to break down the activities that go on inside, nor the details of the owner, and so they turn back to Detective Upton innocently. ''I'm kind of new here, I'm not sure how much help I can be.''   "Oh, a recent hire?" He says, pulling out a notebook and pencil, "Are you one of the... entertainers?"   Rue glares at Alec incredulously.   “No, I doubt I’d do well on a stage.” They answer dryly, considering how to phrase their employment otherwise. “I just help out with some of the club’s errands… You know, make sure we have enough stock for our guests.”   "Oh. My mistake, sorry," he says, slightly embarrassed as he quickly moves on, "Well, I'm sure you've gotten a good grasp of who's who around here. What's the boss like?"   ''Oh you know what it's like,'' Rue waves a hand dismissively. ''I don't see him much, he's far too busy to waste time on bottom-tier employees like me.''   "Oh I'm sure he is," he says, theatrically placing his pencil in the loops of his notebook, "But between you and me, I bet you hear all the employee gossip, right? What's the word among the staff?"   Rue silently wonders if they'll ever be able to get rid of this detective. ''Well, like I said, I'm still new.'' They smile apologetically. ''All I know is that he pays well.''   "Hmm," he mutters, shrugging in faux dejection, "Fair enough. Guess I'll just go have a look around the club then. Mind showing me around?"   ''I'm sorry,'' They reply, cursing the man's assertiveness. ''I can't leave my post, I'm standing in for the bouncer whilst he's in the bathroom.'' Rue eyes Detective Upton warily. ''Plus, I'm not comfortable showing someone around without a supervisor's permission, BCPD or not.''   "Ah, that's fine then. I'll just see myself around. You enjoy your coffee," he says, smiling.   Rue steps in front of the door, placing their hands on their hips as they stare at Upton in disbelief. “Forgive me, I must not have made myself clear,” They begin, their tone becoming sickly sweet which somehow more closely resembles venom. “What I meant is that you cannot go snooping around without a supervisor present. Of course you’d be welcome to explore our main areas as a paying customer, but you don’t seem like the type to frequent burlesque clubs to me.” There is a defiant twinkle in Rue’s eyes as they stand up tall, despite being a little shorter than the detective.   "Suddenly you do look like a bouncer," he says, shrugging as he stepped back, "Well, I guess I should come back later. When does the boss man usually show up then?"   “Depends on the day, really.” Rue answers vaguely, a small smirk tugging at the corners of their lips. “Possibly at night time, though he might be busy.”   "Oh I think he'll make time for me. Spider's a smart man," he says as he turns away and places his hands in his pockets, "Well, thanks for your time, Miss... Oh, I never got your name. Care to share?"   Rue almost visibly winces as Alec mentions the Spider, feeling a little foolish in their hope that the detective wouldn’t know who runs the Six-Nines. If everyone in the Rail Yard knows of Creel’s identity, it would’ve been easy enough for him to find that out.   “It’s Rue,” They answer truthfully. “Also, not a ‘miss’.”   "Rue. Nice to meet you," he says, pausing for a moment as he pulls out a fairly nondescript blue business card, "In case you think of anything."   Rue hesitantly takes the card, that same familiarity nagging them as they flick the card over in their hand, “Thanks, I guess..”   As the detective disappears around a corner, Rue is left pondering the card and the girls in the picture. Just who were those girls and how did Rue know about them? They shove the card in their pocket just in time for Doug to return from the bathroom, "Thanks, Kid, you're a lifesaver," he says, before becoming concerned, "You okay? Look like you've just seen a ghost..."   The second that Doug walks out, Rue crouches down, putting their head between their legs and letting out a shaky breath. After a moment, they turn to look at the bouncer, pushing themself back up again and pointing an accusatory finger at his chest, “Did you fall down the toilet? How long does a bathroom break take?!” They pull out the business card that detective Upton left them, holding it up between their index and middle finger. “BCPD came by, wanted to know about the club and some missing girl.”   Doug takes a step back in surprise and raises his hands defensively, "Woah, woah, woah, kid. Slow down," he says, trying to diffuse the situation, "Who was it? And what's this about a girl?"   “Detective Alec Upton,” Rue begins to explain, pinching the bridge of their nose as they feel a headache coming on. “He’s working on a cold case, something about a girl who went missing about 10 years ago? He wanted to follow up on a lead that brought him to the club.”   "Well, they've had a lot of wayward girls make their way through these doors," Doug says, rubbing his chin as he thinks back, "Even so, they don't tend to go missing. Spider tends to see them as an... investment." He noticeably cringes at the thought.   “Well he might have a chance to explain that to the detective, he seemed keen to have a word with him later tonight.” Rue sighs, suddenly feeling exhausted. They sit back down in the little nook, rubbing their eyes as their head properly begins to throb.   "He's coming back?" Doug asks, seemingly struck suddenly with a very similar headache, "Oh boy, the Boss isn't gonna like that," he looks down and notices Rue's less-than-stellar appearance, "You okay, Kid? Maybe you need to take the rest of the day off?"   “It’s just a headache…” They mumble unconvincingly, wincing as the sunlight hits their eyes. “I should be fine tonight. Did you need anything else now?”   "Here. Come inside, I'll make you a drink," he says, ushering them back into the club's small kitchen area and turning on the kettle, practically placing Rue in one of the nearby chairs, "There ya go. Now, what's your drink of choice, Kid?"   For once, Rue is grateful for the shady atmosphere of the club, sitting down where Doug guides them. ''I doubt you'll have hot chocolate,'' They say softly, pulling their hood up to black out the small overhead lights. ''Tea would be fine...''   "Do you have any idea how many of these girls go by 'Candy'?" He says, chuckling as he pulls out a canister of premium hot chocolate powder, "We cater to all sorts of sweet tooths around here." He prepares the drink and pours it into a generic white mug, adding a squirt of whipped cream before placing it down before them. He takes a seat opposite Rue and looks them square in the face, one brow crooked, "You okay, Kid?" He asks, "I know we've only known each other a few days, but you're acting even more anxious than usual."   Rue wraps their hands around the hot mug, the sweet smell oddly comforting. ''I'm not sure...'' They admit with a frown, searching for the words to explain what's been happening - without actually telling him what's been happening. ''I've been having some pretty strange dreams, and I feel even worse after waking up.''   "Hmm..." he mutters, thinking for a moment, "Could it be stress? I don't know your history, but all this," he gestures around them, "This line of work we're in isn't for everyone, and you seem like a good kid."   Rue gives a short, mirthless laugh. ''I'd be lying if I said this was a walk in the park,'' They start, watching as the whipped cream starts to melt into the drink. ''But being homeless and starving for days on end wasn't exactly stress-free either...'' They take a sip of the hot chocolate, licking their lips after. ''Not that I've fully resolved the whole 'homelessness' thing yet, but I'm working on it.''   "Wait a sec," he says, sitting more upright in his chair, "I knew you looked a little rough, but you're actually homeless? I'd assumed you were just one of the normal railcar residents. Where do you sleep?"   ''As of late, a hostel near the Railyard.'' Rue states matter-of-factly. ''I used to stay in the railcars before the raid.''   "Well shit, Kid, that's... Jeez," he places his hands behind his head, weaving the fingers together as he slowly sighs, "Listen... I've got a spare room in my apartment. It's not huge and I think currently full of stuff, but you're welcome to stay there for a while... I wouldn't feel right knowing you've not got even a small space you can call your own."   Their mouth slightly agape, Rue stares at Doug in awe. ''Wait, really?'' They ask, a small frown on their face. ''I don't want to be a bother, I'd pay you rent, of course, but are you sure?''   As they're rambling on, they ponder the pros and cons of living in close quarters with the man. First and foremost, there was the risk of Doug finding out more than they want him to, but on the other hand, it would certainly be convenient to not have to hide their employment or worry about drawing anyone else into the Spider's web.   "Eh, why not," he says, grinning as he lets his arms fall to the sides and into the pockets of his leather jacket, "It'll be nice to have a little more youthful energy in the place. You got much to pick up from the hostel?"   ''If you're sure...'' Rue smiles gratefully, taking another sip of the hot chocolate. ''Not much, a change of clothes, some toiletries, some small bits.''   They're reminded of Rani, her excitement when they suggested baking pancakes together. They feel a little sad at the prospect of leaving the hostel, but Nadia's comment about stealing made them wonder how much longer they'd be welcome to stay. Perhaps if they left now, they were saving themself from the hurt later.   "Well, why don't you give me a call when you've got everything you need and I'll come by and pick you up." He says, smiling as he makes his way to the exit, "Once Maggie shows up, I'll head home and do some rearranging."   ''Yeah, alright,'' Rue nods, slightly regretting the movement as their head throbs in response. They finish their drink, placing the empty mug back on the table before getting up. ''I'll call you later, then.''   After they convince Doug that, yes, they will be fine walking to the hostel, they head back towards the Railyard. They get back to find Rani still at school, with Nadia greeting her warmly. Deciding to bite the bullet, Rue explains that a colleague has offered them a room the moment they mentioned their flat hunt, and that they'd be able to move in immediately.   Nadia seems almost disappointed, much to Rue's surprise, but she also congratulates Rue on their new place to live. Slightly embarrassed, she asks Rue if they would stay in touch with Rani, as her daughter really seems to have taken a liking to them.   ''She wanted me to invite you for dinner.'' Nadia admits with a smile. Rue feels a lump in their throat at the notion, feeling undeserving of the girl's affection. Rue offers to come by when they can to hang out, and they're surprised by themself to find the promise genuine.   Their (minimal) items packed in a tote bag, Rue pays the last of their bills to Nadia, sending a quick text to Doug to say that they're ready whenever.   To be continued...