Both cars had left the airport at the same time, with the one Pharynx drove in front. Once away from said airport and on the freeway, they had separated, with their car heading for downtown and the city museum.
"So, what's your story?" Yearling asked.
Aria turned to the adventurer and watched as the hat came off, one hand reaching up to run through the hair. It was all gray, a variety of it running from just short of white to nearly black, and each in its own sort of section from the others. She looked at the siren turned woman turned agent curiously,
"Not one I want to share," Aria declared.
Yearling's smile grew as she leaned in. One elbow went out, nudging Aria in the side.
"Come on. It sounds like it could be an interesting one. At least tell me where you came from."
A groan escaped Aria as she rolled her eyes, looking away.
"Fine," she said. "When a mommy and daddy love each other very much..." She then left it at that, hoping that the human would take the hint.
"Not that," Yearling said with a chuckle. It suddenly stopped as her brow furrowed. "Although, if you actually were willing, I wouldn't mind. Assuming it's different from human reproduction." The furrow vanished as she returned her full attention to Aria. "I mean, where do you come from? You said that The Roman Empire was gone when you arrived. Arrived. Not born." A finger came up to point. "Which means that you came from somewhere else."
Crap! Aria thought to herself as she turned to look out the window. She had said that. Had not even been thinking about it much. It was just a sort of flippant remark, albeit one she had never had the opportunity to make before since they had kept their actual status something of a secret. In a strange way, it was the type of remark she wished she could have made more often. To not have to keep a certain part of them -- of herself -- secret from everyone else.
Not enough to share her actual past with a total stranger, though.
"Speculate all you want," she declared. "I'm not telling you anything."
"Okay," Yearling said. She started speculating. Out loud. With most of it seeming to be random and unrelated ramblings. One moment, she would talk about the possibility of life on other planets. The next, she would be talking about a major historic event. Then a comment about mythology. Alternate dimensions. Specific historic figures. Folk lore and fairy tales.
To most it would almost seem random. But Aria knew better. It was a trick she had seen before. Even been a part of it, although it was more a Sonata and Adagio thing. When those two did it, it was as a team. First, Adagio would pick out a person and watch them for a while, trying to figure out as much as she could. Details of their clothes, minor motions, anything that could give a clue about what they were like. She would then share some of the information with Sonata and the two would move closer, Adagio so she could listen easily, and Sonata up to talk to the person. More often than not, Sonata would be seen as cute, and come off as innocent or naive, and the target would talk back. Like Yearling was doing now, the conversation would jump around and seem random, but it all tied to what Adagio had noticed: ideas that may one way or another tie to the target. Although, sometimes Sonata would throw in something of her own, just to keep from it getting too noticeable (also encourage said target to drink a little more, lowering the inhibitions and loosening the tongue). While the conversation was going on, Adagio would listen, and watch, not just to get the verbal answers that the target was giving, but catching anything she could in their body language, actions, and movements. An honest answer here, a hesitation in motion there. It all added up to creating more information on the person that she could use.
Yearling was doing the same thing. Talking about various topics, but all that relate to what she knew of Aria, although with two differences. One was that there was no real pretense. No need to act like she was doing otherwise. The other was that she was not getting any verbal answers, but that was not the major point.
Aria could feel those eyes on her, making the back of her neck itch.
Still, she would do everything she could not to acknowledge it, or hint it bothered her in the slightest. So she stared out the window, watching the city, and tried to tune out as much of the overly curious adventurer as she could.
"Blaze!" Pharynx called out. "Get ready!"
That snapped Aria out of her near stupor. She looked forward, straightening up.
"What's going on?"
"Sudden detour," he answered. "Could be a trap."
Aria had never seen anyone actually use a detour as a trap in real life before. It was something she had only seen in movies and on television. Especially in those cartoons that Sonata liked. Still, Pharynx was the more experienced agent, so it would be best to trust his judgement.
Reaching up, she undid her tie, letting it fall against her chest, then unbuttoned the first three buttons of her dress shirt, pulling it open to expose her cleavage.
Pharynx's head jerked to look at her from the rear view mirror.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting ready," Aria snapped.
"To fight," Pharynx stated. "Not to perform a strip-tease."
Aria rolled her eyes and let out a snort.
"Please. If you're hoping for a free show, then you are dealing with the wrong siren."
There was one last glare through the rear view before Pharynx returned his full attention to driving. A few minutes later, the car jerked as they came to a sudden stop, and Aria could see why.
Their detour path had led them into an alley, wider then one car, but not enough for two. An SUV was pulled across the opening in front of them, blocking their exit. Another pulled across behind them, blocking the way they had come in and keeping them from backing out. Doors from the vehicles opened, people stepping out. Five in total, two in front, and three in back, with one on each side holding a shotgun or rifle: Aria could not tell the difference from a distance.
When the one behind them was aimed, and a red dot appeared on her shirt, Aria concluded that it must have been a rifle.
"Is this thing bullet proof?"
"More than," Pharynx answered. "Could even ram them and keep driving if we need to."
"So why don't we?" Aria glanced, noticing the three without guns walking toward the car.
"It would still damage the car, and take weeks to repair," Pharynx replied.
"Plus we should find out more about them," Yearling added, putting her hat back on. One finger ran along the front rim. "Find out what we can. Like who they could be working for."
A tapping came from the driver's and two back door windows. Aria hit the button, the darkened glass lowering to reveal the man standing on the other side. One snow white hand gripped the sill as he leaned in. His icy blue eyes locked onto Aria, and a predatory smile spread across his lips.
She could not help but return it with one of her own, and there was a moment of satisfaction as his faltered, eyes flicking away.
"Ladies," a voice from Yearling's side purred out. "And how nice to see such lovely ones at that."
Aria turned enough to look at the other man, while keeping the one on her side in view. His skin was a rusty red-brown in color, with a long, narrow face. He had thick black hair, and a matching goatee on his chin. A small scar cut across his left brow and down below that same eye.
"Not exactly under the best of circumstances, though," Yearling retorted. "I mean, you do have us boxed in."
"Had to make sure you couldn't get away," the scarred man replied. "At least not until after you heard what we had to say."
"We know what you're going to say," Aria snapped. Her gaze flicked to the driver's window where a purple-skinned woman stood, then back to her own and the thug that stood there. One hand slid up, grabbing at the lowest edge of her undone neck tie.
"Do you now?" asked Scar.
"Not the exact wording," answered Yearling, "but the broad concept. Give you what you want 'or else.'" Her head shifted back and forth. "And I'm guessing the 'or else' has to do with the guns pointed at us."
"Yes," Scar confirmed. "In this case, we want the crown, or they will open fire."
Yearling leaned closer to him, one hand reaching up to rest on top of his arm, while the other reached down into her bag.
"I don't suppose we could talk you into letting us go?"
"Not an option," Scar replied.
His other hand then pulled up, holding up a pistol and pointing it at Yearling. On Aria's side, the white skinned man did the same. Up front, the purple-skinned woman pulled out a knife, bringing the blade up against Pharynx's throat.
"And trying to do anything heroic would be rather foolish," the thug continued. He motioned with the pistol. "Now, why don't you slowly pull your hand out of that bag and raise so we can all see it."
A second passed as Yearling and Scar stared at each other, unmoving. Two. Three. Yearling slowly straightened up, pulling her hand from her bag. She continued to raise both hands as she sat back, showing nothing in them.
"Good," Scar said.
He turned toward Aria.
"Now, you. If you would be so kind, hand the crown over to my associate."
Aria glared at the scarred criminal, letting out a low growl of annoyance. Slowly, she bent down, reaching out for the briefcase. She took a hold of the handle, and lifted it up from the floor. Swinging it up hard, Aria slammed the edge of the case into the guy's wrist, knocking the arm and gun upwards.
The gun went off.
In the movies and shows that Aria had seen, the hero was able to have a gun go off right next to them, and have no problem whatsoever.
As it turned out, those movies and shows were shit. The sound of the gunshot had left her ears ringing, unable to hear anything else. The muzzle flash had been nowhere near as bright, but was still enough to leave Aria seeing spots. The gunpowder left a burning sensation behind, making her eyes water, nostrils burn, and fighting the need to cough. It all left Aria disoriented, trying to regain her senses.
She managed to do so enough to see a handle coming toward her. Instincts and lifetimes of experience kicked in. Aria's free hand shot out, snagging the wrist. She squeezed tight and twisted until she felt something break. A high-pitched shriek managed to cut through the ringing.
Giving the arm a hard yank, Aria swung with the briefcase. The broad side slammed into the face of the white-skinned thug, knocking him back.
Up front, the purple-skinned woman was nowhere to be seen. Pharynx was holding the knife in one hand and the shock gun in the other.
That only left the scar-faced guy.
Who had an arm around Archaic Yearling's neck, with his gun pointed against her temple.
"Very impressive," he said, "but ultimately pointless. Now, toss the briefcase out through the window. And don't try anything." He tapped the barrel against Yearling's head. "I doubt you can do anything to me before I shoot."
Aria glared at him, considering. She could try lunging, but that would give enough notice to have him pull the trigger. She still had the shock gun, but even if she could pull it out without his noticing (which was doubtful) and shock him, the muscle spasms might cause him to pull the trigger anyways.
Maybe Pharynx could do something?
A glance to the front got him to give a shake of his head.
With a huff, Aria took the briefcase and tossed it out the window. There was a meaty thump, and small grunt of pain.
"Good girl," Scar said, giving a smile.
"If I ever catch you again..." Aria growled, leaving the threat hanging in the air.
He smiled.
"Well, let's hope we don't," the man said. He moved further away from the car, keeping Yearling between him and Aria for as long as possible before moving out of the window's way. He stepped around behind the car, making his way to the other side. Reaching the briefcase, he reached down and picked it up. Once the scarred man had it, he made his way toward the back of the alley.
Ahead, the people blocking the alley stepped aside. The SUV blocking the exit started up, pulling out of the way.
They were free to go.
"Ma'am?" Pharynx asked, turning to look at Yearling.
After chewing her lip for a minute, Yearling let out a sigh and shook her head.
"Let's get out of here," she declared. "They have us outnumbered and outgunned. At best, we would succeed, but they would realize something was weird about the whole thing."
Pharynx gave a nod, and started forward. The windows were rolled up as the car pulled out of the alleyway and back onto the road.
"Besides," Yearling added with a smirk, "I'm betting that whoever they're working for isn't going to be happy when the crown doesn't work."