Devil's Destiny: Part 2
"Jaxx and I are on a case that's brought us here to Frisco. And I, uh,"
Sonya stopped, and closed her eyes tight. 'He ain't gonna let me live this
down, I know it.' "I need your help with something."
"You're here? In Frisco? Huh, imagine that." There was another
pause, and Sonya held her breath. 'Shit, here it comes.' "Sure. What do
you need?" Sonya sighed inwardly.
"I don't want to talk about it over the phone. Can we meet
somewhere?"
"Well, I'm near the Syracuse Bar down on 50th and Lantana."
"I'll be there in 20 minutes." Before giving him the chance to say
farewell, Sonya hung up, got her shoes on, and hurried out the door.
Pound. Pound. Bang. Pound.
"Ugh." More pounding. "Not now." The pounding continued. "All
right, all right, I'm up!" Grumbling followed the figure that climbed out
of bed and walked to the door. "Yes?"
"You moron fucking dumbass bitch toe-sucking scum!" Jaxx closed his
eyes and leaned against the wall as Sonya walked past him, swearing all the
while. 'Who says Folgers is the best way to start your day?'
"Something wrong, lieutenant?" She huffed as she sat down on the
bed.
"Yeah, this whole operation!" Jaxx shut the door and moved over to
make a cup of coffee.
"I'm listening. Oh, and did you get to talk to Johnny?" Jaxx dodged
the pillow aimed at his head. "I take that as a yes."
"He says the only way we can get close to Balford is by getting on
the set."
"Yeah?"
"So he's offering to take me in as a stunt double."
"So?"
"So?! So, he wants me to go in as some dumb blonde California girl
hoping to get a bit of fame!"
"So?" Jaxx turned to the fuming officer and choked back a laugh.
'Oo, boy, she's pissed.' "Is there anything else?"
"Jaxx, you bastard! There's no way in hell I'm acting like some
blonde teenager who's got more nail polish bottles than IQ points!" Jaxx
took a sip from his rich, black coffee and sighed with content.
"Well, surely you're not expecting me to go undercover as a blonde
model." He snickered behind his cup as Sonya sighed in exasperation and
flopped back on the bed.
"How the hell do I get myself into these situations?"
"It's part of the job." 'Part of the job, my ass,' Sonya hissed in
her mind. She closed her eyes and sighed again.
"I love my job. I really do. I really love my job." Jaxx laughed
and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"So, when do you get on the set, Miss Supermodel?" Twenty minutes
later, Jaxx finished applying the cool towel to his coffee burnt hands.
"When will I learn to keep my mouth shut?"
Sonya pulled into the twenty-foot long driveway that led up to the
luxurious white beach house. Through the tall windows, Sonya could see a
chandelier hanging over a long spiral staircase. The gardens were
decorated with sand and seashells, aside pretty sunflowers and roses.
'Interesting combination,' she thought. The roof was a pale peach, and the
windows were open, the curtains drawn, to reveal the large rooms inside.
As she reached the five-car garage, Sonya slowed down and brought her
motorcycle to a stop. She knocked down the kickstand and removed her
helmet as she walked toward the house. She pressed the doorbell and waited
patiently.
"Just a sec!" Sonya tapped her foot, and a moment later, Johnny was
in front of her. in only a towel. Sonya's eyes bulged for a second, but
she got herself under control.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" He looked relatively shocked, almost
stricken, but Sonya ignored it. She pushed her way past him and glanced
about the interior before focusing back on him.
"All right, I need to get on the set, and if being this stunt double
is the only way, then so be it. I need more information though-"
"Uh, Sonya, could we discuss this outside maybe?" Johnny cut in nervously.
"-Need you to keep an eye on Balford for me. Now I know what you're gonna
say, like you did last night-"
"Sonya."
"-But I've have my suspicions about him and whether he's your friend or
not, he still must be watched closely."
"That's all well and good but-"
"There's one more thing I want to make clear," Sonya continued, obviously
oblivious to Johnny's pleas to get a word in edge wise. "This is strictly
business, Cage, so if we end up working together on the set, make sure you
remember that. There will be no more relationships between us, is that
understood?" But Johnny was no longer looking at Sonya. Instead, he was
staring over her shoulder. "What?" Sonya turned, and her heart flopped to
her stomach.
"Who is this, honey?" Sonya stared at the 5'9 raven-haired blue-eyed
beauty dressed only in a silk bathrobe before her. Her hair was straight
and thick and fell about her shoulders in a graceful mess. She was darkly
tanned, and it looked well with her hair. Thin but strong, Sonya could
tell she worked out and from her confident posture, probably knew self-
defense, or some type of martial arts. The woman also spoke with an accent
that hinted her background to be Australian.
"Nise, uh," Johnny stuttered for a moment but in a moment seemed to get his
voice back. "Nise, this is Sonya Blade. She's an old friend of mine.
Sonya, I'd like you to meet Nise Kalon, my girlfriend." Nise stepped
forward and held out her hand.
"Soon to be fiancé, I hope." She smiled widely at Johnny, and Sonya felt a
slight tinge creeping into her cheeks as she numbly shook the other woman's
hand. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Blade. John here has spoken of you
before, about a tournament you two competed in. He's complimented your
fighting skills quite often."
"Yes, well I'm glad he can give credit where credit is due," Sonya answered
confidently.
"He said you lived over in DC, though. So what brings you here? On
vacation?"
"No, ma'am, I'm working on a case. Johnny has offered to help me out."
Nise smiled and moved to wrap her arms around her lover.
"Yes, well, John has become very compassionate for others, so it doesn't
surprise me." As she smiled at Sonya, the lieutenant could almost detect a
hint of coldness in her voice. a harsh glint in her eyes that didn't match
her smile. "But, you two are probably discussing something important, so
I'll leave you to your work. John," she turned his head toward her as she
spoke. "Denise and I are going out shopping today and I'm going to get my
hair done for that grand yacht party at Mickey's tonight. So, if you're
back late from your shoot." She trailed off and pulled him into a sweet
but hard kiss that lasted for a moment. When she pulled away, her eyes
shifted to Sonya, and the fighter clenched her fists behind her back at the
mocking glance she received. "Have a good day at work, John. Miss Blade."
She nodded and turned to quickly dart up the stairs.
Johnny watched his lady run up, and bowed his head. Sonya realized he
seemed hesitant to look at her.
"I'll leave a note with the director about you. Have him call you in
today. All you need to do is run a few obstacles and you'll be in." Sonya
noticed he was blushing.
"She's nice, Johnny. You two go well together."
"I'll see you on the set," he replied, and Sonya watched him for a moment
before he led her to the door. She walked outside and listened to the door
close behind her. There was something so final in that simple action, and
Sonya was overwhelmed with the urge to break something. Instead, she got
on her bike and took Paradise Lane next to the beach, reaching 120 MPH to
get out her anger.
Two hours later, she pulled into the hotel parking lot and went up to
her room where she took a long hot shower. When she came out her phone was
ringing.
"Hello?"
"Sonya, hey. I've been trying to reach you for the past hour."
"Oh, hi, Johnny. Yeah, I was out riding. What do you want?" Sonya
winced at her tone, and tried to soften it. 'Knock if off, bitch, you have
no reason to be so pissed. except at the way the whore flaunted over hi-'
"I talked to the director, he wants to see you." Sonya's heart froze
for a moment.
"Did you tell him my name?" she asked in a panic.
"No, I told him I had run into you at the beach, and I forgot." She
sighed. "Figured you didn't want to use your actual name, and you'd make
one up."
"Good, cause that's exactly what I'm doing. How do I meet him?"
"Get some paper and a pen, and I'll give you the address."
Hurriedly, she copied down the directions.
"Ok, great, thanks Johnny. Do me a favor, call him up and let'im
know I'm on my way over to meet him. And the name is Maeve Freso. Got
it?"
"Yeah, sure. Sonya, uh, listen. about earlier."
"Don't worry about it, Johnny. I'll talk with you later." She hung
up as he tried to get her attention. Honestly, she didn't want to talk
about earlier. It just hurt too much. She growled and hit a pillow. 'And
it's not supposed to hurt.' Over to the closet she walked and she changed
into some comfortable street clothes to meet Mr. Horner.
Sonya parked her bike and walked toward the small office building
surrounded by trailers as people involved with the set hurried about
carrying camera equipment, lights, food, makeup kits, and other things she
couldn't name. Out of one office she saw a beautiful blonde woman storm
away, her face twisted in anger and dirty words passing her mouth with
every step she took. Funny, she looked really familiar. Sonya shrugged,
approached the door marked Mr. James Horner and knocked.
"Come on in!" Sonya entered and found herself to be standing on what
looked like the only clean spot in the place. Papers were scattered all
over the floor. Coffee mugs lay strewn about the furniture. Overgrowing
plants covered the windowsills and the desk was one huge mound of blue
prints, scripts, and what appeared to be weeks old Chinese food, with a
dash of Thai and McDonalds splashed in for color. Sonya's eyebrow quirked
at the little bald man ruffling through the mess, searching for something
that must have been of great importance, judging by the concerned frown of
his chubby face.
"Uh, hello?" Sonya didn't know what to do, so just stood stupidly as
crumbled up papers, napkins, and Big Mac boxes flew past her.
"Um, I'll be with you in just a sec. I just have to find my-ah ha!
Got it!" Out from under some typed documents came a.
"A yo-yo?" Sonya was actually beginning to get worried that her IQ
points were already dropping from just standing in the same room as this
guy.
"Yeah, it brings me good luck and helps me relieve stress. So," he
turned to her with a valiant sigh and let the yoyo fall from his fingers.
Sonya groaned to herself as she watched it light up and play 'Jingle
Bells.' "What can I-" He stopped as he gasped.
"What?" Sonya turned behind her to see what he was staring at.
"Oh my, God. You're perfect!" Sonya blushed at his sudden
compliment.
"Excuse me?"
"Be in my movie." Sonya's eyes widened.
"Well, actually, that's what I came to talk with you about. I heard
you were hiring stunt doubles, and I-"
"Are you the girl Cage sent?" Sonya nodded. "Forget stunts! How
would you like to be the main star?" Sonya blinked and stood dumbly for a
minute.
"I-I'm sorry- Excuse me?" The director laughed and came over to
shake her hand.
"My lead female, Sandra Hess, she just walked out because she need
more time to be with her husband and she just can't get away from the set.
I was frantic because we need her, but you. you'll be perfect. I can have
you starting tomorrow." He turned away from her and looked rapidly about
the room for a script.
"Wait, you don't even know my name!"
"Maeve, was it? Beautiful. I'll pay you 2.7 million to work for
me." Slack jawed and bug eyed, Sonya could say nothing as a script was
thrust into her hands, and she was lead outside.
"Hey, Mark! Get Miss Maeve her a security clearance pass onto the
set. She'll be taking Hess' place in the movie!" He turned back to the
speechless lieutenant. "All right, you study some of those lines tonight,
and we'll start filming tomorrow. You said you were interested in being a
stunt double, now you are your own stunt double, ok? Great. Have a look
around the set, and I'll see you tomorrow. Then, you'll get to meet your
co-workers. Oh, thank God you're here!" Suddenly, the director turned
away and ran. no, wait, skipped back to his office like a leprechaun who
just found his pot of gold. Sonya looked at the heavy script in her hands,
and realized just how much trouble she'd gotten herself into. 'Something
tells me this is gonna be one helluva case.'
