The Guardians of the Relic

Ethan slowly opened his eyes. His vision blurred. All he could see when he lifted his head was a figure moving. Everything in the room was spinning and there was a constant ringing in his ears. He tried to move his hands but they felt like they were glued to his waist. Ethan shut his eyes instantly when he felt the surge of pain through his head. When he opened them again, his vision cleared a little. In front of him stood a woman. He couldn’t tell if she was real or not. Perhaps this was a dream. He found it hard to string any line of thought together.

“You’re finally awake,” said the woman. She was dressed in a zipped up black and white jacket with black leather pants.

She was definitely real. He looked down and saw the rope around his hands and chest. That’s when he realized he was tied up. “Who are you? What do you want?” he asked.

She leaned in close to his face. If she wasn’t holding him captive, he would have thought she was very attractive. She had high cheekbones and emerald green eyes which were now studying him carefully. He never let himself get caught up with beautiful women, but he found himself momentarily distracted by her painted red lips that matched the color of her long hair.

“I will ask the questions,” she said.

“Ok, please just save us both the time. Just tell me what’s the amount?” said Ethan.

She looked at him puzzled. “Amount?” She grabbed a sharp long blade lying on the table. He hadn’t noticed it before she picked it up.

“Wait, hold on there, Red. Just tell me how much money you want.” Ethan said it against his better judgement. She really didn’t look like a thief to him.

She rolled her eyes at him. “I have no interest in your money, Ethan.”

“So you know my name. Maybe an ex-girlfriend then?” he asked. When she just stared at him blankly he explained, “I have the tendency to forget the girls that I date. Although I think I would have definitely remembered you.”

“You are one strange guy.” She held the blade in her hand.

“Well I have been called worse,” he said. He really needed to think of way to escape, but his head was still throbbing. The woman hit hard.

“Enough of your babbling. Where is the medallion pendant?” She put the blade to his throat this time. He swallowed hard.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” His eyes shifted to the paper cutter on his desk. He could use it to cut the rope, but it was a bit too far and not at the right angle. It was going to be a long night, he thought.

How did he always land himself in these situations? Things seemed to have gotten worse after he met Alastair. She obviously knew him, because they were all after the same thing.

The apartment was quite dark. He tried to make small movements to loosen the rope around him. He noticed she didn’t tie a cloth around his mouth, so she probably knew no one would hear him if he tried to scream. That meant she had been watching him for some time. She pulled a chair from the kitchen table and sat down facing him.

“Stop lying to me.”

Ethan weighed his options. “Why don’t you cut me loose and I will tell you what I know.”

She just shook her head. “I don’t have time for this and I don’t trust you,” she said.

“You don’t trust me? Lady, if you haven’t noticed, I am the one tied to a chair with what feels like a possible concussion here. How do you expect me to trust you?”

She suddenly threw the blade on the floor and covered her face with both her hands. When she looked up at him again, she seemed distraught. “I am sorry about your head, I didn’t mean to hit you so hard, but I had to make sure you were knocked out.”

Ethan was surprised at her apology. Some women were really confusing. This is why he avoided spending too much time with any of them. “Apology accepted. Are you gonna cut me loose now?”

She didn’t say anything for a minute. “I will, but only after you tell me what you know.”

Ethan shut his eyes, trying to shake off the spinning in his head. When he opened them, she was waiting patiently for his answer. “I don’t know where it is exactly. But I have a theory. It’s not guaranteed though. Look, I’m just an ordinary guy. I am not like...you.”

She stood. He panicked because he thought she was going to grab the blade again, but she just folded her arms and stood in front of him. “I’m not like your friends. My name is Athena Morelli.”

“Well I would say nice to meet you Athena, but given the circumstances…” He paused when he thought of something. “But if you’re not like them, then why are you after the pendant?”

“Do you not know of the power it possesses?” she asked.

There was definitely more to this than she was letting on. He knew it. “I do. But what use could you have with it?” asked Ethan. The way he said ‘you’ obviously made her angry because she narrowed her eyes at him.

“You ask too many questions. Now tell me your theory?”

They both looked at the clock when it chimed. It was already morning. He had been out for hours, and she wasn’t going to budge unless he told her something.

“Michael Carson. I think he has it hidden in the gallery somewhere.”

She rubbed her eyes. Obviously he wasn’t the only one suffering from lack of sleep due to this damn pendant, he thought.

“This is useless information to me. I have searched that place. There is nothing but artwork there,” she said. He said nothing. “Is that all you know?” He noticed the desperation as it crept into her eyes. She pushed her fingers through her hair. She looked like she was about to cry.

“I’m sorry, but I as I told you, I’m not certain where it is exactly. Unfortunately, that is all I know,” he said. It was a lie, of course, but he could not afford to tell her anything else. He watched her face carefully, hoping she would believe him.

“Then you are of no use to me.” Before he could comprehend what was happening, she balled up her fist and swung at him. There was a flash of blinding pain, and then darkness. Moments later, the curtains behind him fluttered in the breeze.

* *

Emily shivered and rubbed her hands together as she waited in line for coffee at the Lava Java. The shop was unusually busy for so early in the morning, but she guessed it was due to the cold weather. She needed her morning dose of caffeine, and apparently so did everyone else. It was really early, even for her, but she hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep the night before. She had tossed and turned and kept getting up every fifteen minutes to make sure that the doors were locked properly and to look out her window for that white car. It was driving her crazy.

Emily checked her wristwatch when she got her coffee. It was only seven. She still had time before work, so she got an extra cup for Ethan. She was heading over to his computer shop, and figured the coffee would work as a good bribe for his help. She tried calling him, but his phone just rang. Jessica had given her his address. She thought of using her car, but the shop wasn’t very far from the library. The walk would clear her head.

She approached the building. Jess told her his shop was right next to his apartment. Apparently she had gone there to see him when she needed an apartment, but unfortunately he said he was not renting it out at the moment.

Emily wondered why as she walked up the tiled stairs. The walls were rough like ancient carved stone. It added a classic feel to the place. She slowed her pace a little because the click of her heels echoed loudly all the way up, announcing her arrival. The smell of the coffee in the tray she held was tempting. When she got to the top of the stairs she spotted it instantly. On the glass doors in bold black writing read “EC Tech.” The lady behind the desk smiled when she entered.

“Hello, how can I help you?” she asked in a polite voice. She wore glasses and her blonde hair was bunched up in a messy bun on the top of her head.

“Hi, is Ethan available?” asked Emily. She remembered not to use Mr. Cunningham as it clearly annoyed him.

“He hasn’t come in yet, but I will be happy to assist you,” she said and pushed her glasses in place with her index finger.

“Ok. What time does he usually get in?” She was willing to wait. She shifted the strap of her laptop bag hanging on her shoulder.

“Well, he’s usually here before me every day. I’m not sure what’s keeping him.” Her eyes shifted to the bag on Emily’s shoulder. “Do you need your laptop fixed?”

“Yes I do, but I was hoping to speak to him as well. Actually it’s important that I speak to him,” she said.

“I see. What is your name?” asked the lady. With a pen in one hand she searched for a book on her table.

“Emily Carson.”

The lady quickly jotted it down. She picked up the receiver and dialed, keeping her eyes firmly on Emily. She waited a while and then shook her head. Finally after a minute she put the receiver down. “I am sorry, Miss Carson, but he is not answering his phone.”

“Thank you. Please give him a message that I wish to see him. He knows where I work.”

The receptionist nodded. Before she opened the door, Emily turned back. “Do you like coffee?” The lady only smiled. Emily left one cup on her desk and left.

When she exited the building, she sipped her coffee and stared at the apartments next door. Emily knew Ethan lived on the third floor. She noticed two windows wide open. He’s obviously home, she thought, no one would leave their windows wide open and go out. So why wasn’t he answering his phone? There was only one way for her to find out. She gulped down the rest of the coffee and threw the cup in a nearby trashcan.

Emily entered the foyer and saw the security guard sleeping with his legs on the table and a hat covering half his face. She got his attention and told him she was visiting. He lazily waved his hand for her to carry on and went back to sleep. She took the elevator to the third floor. She heard the sound of a bell and the doors opened. She was not expecting what she saw next.

The hallway floor was covered in velvet red carpets. The walls, on either side, were covered in rich grey wallpaper. She tried to recognize the scent in the air. It was cherry. She heard music playing softly, but was not quite sure where it was coming from.

She walked to the end of the hall. It seemed that there was only one apartment on that floor. She knocked on the door. No response. Again she knocked, this time a little harder, and waited. Still no response. She peered through the little peephole on the door. It was all blurry, but she could see a shadow of someone sitting. This is useless, she thought. Maybe he didn’t want to be disturbed. She turned to leave.

“Hello? Is someone out there?”

Emily stopped when she heard his voice. “Hi Ethan, it’s Emily Carson. Sorry for the intrusion, but I really need to speak with you, and you weren’t answering your phone.” There was silence for a minute, and she wasn’t sure if she really heard his voice or had imagined it.

“I would love to but I am a little tied at the moment.” His voice sounded strained.

“Oh. I’ll only be a few minutes, I swear. I still have to go to work, anyway.” She wondered why his voice sounded slurred.

“No, Emily, I mean I am literally tied to a chair. Can you please go get Betsy the cleaning lady? She’s on the second floor and has a key.”

“I will be right back,” said Emily and ran.

A few minutes later she waited anxiously beside Betsy as she opened the door. When they walked in, she gasped in shock at the sight of him. Ethan sat tied to a chair with ropes. He was still dressed in his suit, but the jacket was crumbled on the floor. There was blood on his face.

“Oh my God, Ethan. What the hell happened to you?”