Fantasy A Little Night Music by TMaskedWriter

[Ramesh_Rocky]

"I'm SO glad you already understand that! Saves me some time. Before, I thought you were going to turn out to be some evil version of me," Helen said, then thought for a puff. "Well, MORE evil, let's say. Now, I think you're the evil version of someone else I know. But please, go on."

"Would that be Troilus Equals?" The voice paused to let that sink in, then continued before she could respond. "Don't you wish real life had dramatic chords? That dun-dun- DAAAH! Just once? Now, that was an unexpected bonus: Finding out who comes running to Helen Parker's side in her darkest hour. You can skip the 'If you harm one hair' speech, I got your message in Ireland. The two of them are safe from me. That said, one of the other things whispered of her, is that Contessa Helena de San Finzione always cheats. So, I'll play nice, until you force me to do otherwise."

Helen's cigarette had gone out. She lit another to stall a second or two, to take control of herself. To come up with a response other than screaming into the phone just how very fucking dead the man on the other end was. He'd said Troy's name and "the two of them." Did he not know Susan too? How do you know Troy and Julie Equals and not know Susan Bailey? He spoke while she was thinking.

"Have I finally 'rattled' you, Helen Parker?"

"No," Helena replied calmly. "I was just waiting to see if that was the 'Big Threat' that this call was about, or if there's another one coming?"

"No. I'm thinking 'That one was pretty good. Don't ruin it by trying to top it.' Keep the phone, Miss Parker. I'm certain we'll talk again before it's time to meet. I'd hoped this would be the night we first did, though. You should check your email. They've just told us where to go if you want Springheel. See you there, Miss Parker. Ta-Ta."

Helena closed the phone. She set the burner on the nightstand and picked up her own phone. She took the rest of her cigarette out onto the balcony with her as she opened her email.

There was another email from another disposable email provider. Normally, they wouldn't have gotten past her spam filter, however, the title contained a word that any emails about should be forwarded to her. It was a question. "Springheel: Interested?" The message was blank.

She replied with a "Yes," and sent it back. Helena checked the clock: 12:08. She'd hoped Yorkshire's backup plan hadn't been to keep her on the phone for an hour so she wouldn't be able to reply in time. It would have been petty and pointless, since she had other ways to get the information if needed. She'd been considering that yes, he just MIGHT have been thinking it, and gave a little laugh when the reply came. It was entitled "Springheel: Where."

Helena opened the message. She read the single word on the screen and began to laugh. The cigarette dropped out of her mouth and rolled off the balcony as she kept laughing. Her phone dropped out of her hand as she dropped to her knees, starting to hold her side and legitimately worrying about popping a stitch as the phone landed on the balcony face up, it's screen glowing upward, toward the night sky and warm breezes of San Finzione, displaying that single word.

"Seattle"

THE END

BUT...

CONTESSA HELENA DE SAN FINZIONE

WILL RETURN

IN...

SO NIGHT FOLLOWS DAY