Aida
A female dreamy voice croons singing of dreams lost and found, I could hear the longing in the singer's voice courtesy of the speaker, luring everyone to the one place she'll be singing.
"Beautiful voice isn't it?"
"Its ethereal."
" I'm glad you think so." Madam Krea smiles , pleased with my reply.
A guard opens a door for us, revealing a lift, we got it and he hit the button, the lift whoosh up carrying us to wherever that dreamy voice sings. I stared at the quickly fading surroundings, and wonder if Jinx is alright, I know how mulish she could be, hopefully she hasn't pushed Madam Krea into a spot , and she has to retort to unsavoury tactics.
The lift comes to a stop and we stride out from it. Madam Krea leads me into a box , I stared at the band play, then at the fragile ribbons of lace hanging from the ceiling, a small woman with golden hair croons into the mike, her voice so beautiful , tears almost come to my eyes. She wears a small, fragile dress that shimmers golden under the spotlight.
"I know I found you. Why did I have to lose you now,
I hear from the grapevine that you've grown into what you're scared of.
But baby, you know we belong to the dreamy dark of the lost and found.
Even though you belong to the dark,
And I belong to the lost,
Our love will still shine through ,
Through the darkness of lost and found."
She swings from one fragile ribbon of lace to another making her way towards a guy in expensive bottom-dark clothes, he leans in , and she touches his cheek, and grabs hold of her small hands in his, and bestows a kiss on the back of it. He slides a pouchful of credit coins in her hand, she blows him a kiss and swings on another robes. My eyes widen on her small form, as she sings her heartbreaking song.
"Jinx." I turn to Madam Krea, with wide eyes.
"Like I said, thank you bringing back the one person I have been searching for, she's the treasure, with her I was so rich, people queue for days to come watch her sing and perform. She pulled off a disappearing act, and run off , away from my influences, who'll have thought she'll come back here."
"But this is a mistake, she is from the upper-dark,"
"Is she? Look at her, do you think she looks like one of those rich poncers." Madam Krea smiles, and spits, her features splitting into a frown. "She's back now, no one will take her back. People will create their own illusion to escape their past, she's sold to me when she was nothing but a babe in swaddling, I took care of her, I give her the voice to be who she is now, she'll have a bright future because of me, one day she might even find herself entertaining elites, but for now she's mine." Madam Krea holds up a fist, above her head.
Jinx jumps from one ribbon to the next and heads for us, until she hovers before us, she puts a shaking hand in Madam Krea's bony ones, her sad eyes meeting mine, she offered me a wobbly smile, and then she moves to the next box. I gnash my teeth, Guilt steals into me, I ball my hands into fist, my nails digging into my palms. If not for me, she wouldn't be here, I lead her here, I have to get her out, even if it means I have to make a sacrifice. The idea of leaving Yu is wounding.
"How much?"
"How much what?" Madam Krea turns to me in puzzlement.
"How much for buying her back ?"
"You can't afford her beautiful pet."
" Just tell me how much."
"Do you want to help work off her indenture?"
"No, I…"
"Do you have a treasure of equal value? She's worth at least a hundred million elite credits. Not dark-bottom credit."
"Yes, I will buy her back for three hundred million elite credits."
"Where did you get that much money beautiful pet? Stole it off an elite?"
"No, it was given."
"Who?" she asks eyes wary.
"Min Tiangchi."
Madam Krea shudders at that name, she cast a look behind her. "Quick follow me." she drags me out of there with surprising strength. Away from the music and crowd, we got in a room, through several other room, until we stop at one. It looks like her inner private chambers.
"What have you gotten yourself into beautiful pet?" Madam Krea, frames my face with her hands. Her finger were cool against my skin.
"I didn't do anything. She threatens to kill me if I don't leave, that Yu is hers, she paid me to walk away."
"And are you going to do that? Walk away?"
"I'll have when I buy Jinx."
"This isn't a bad life for her Aida, you don't know Jinax like I do, she's better off here than up there."
"No, I want her." I wave a hand and a hologram credit of three hundred million hovers in the air in front of Madam Krea nose. A bait I hope she takes it.
She eyes the numbers and lick her lips, and nods. "She's yours, I hope you know what you've just done beautiful pet, but each to their own path, take the rest of the money and run, as fast as those legs can take you. The Tiangchi are not to be trusted, all snakes the lot of them." Madam Krea says, her voice breaking up, her shoulders slumped , she slowly makes her way into her walking chair and sits down. Her head hanging low. "Now go, get her out of here, go back to your beautiful life, I hope she's worth all the credits you pay for her." She pulls out a ray of light, and a piece of paper-hologram levitates in the air and sinks into my wrist.
I bow to her and walk out of there.