Sophie’s Quest – Episode 9

 

Episode 9

 

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By Tess

 

 

 

…… SOPHIE ……

 

 

 

“Really,mom?!” I gaped, looking from the figure of my dad…Well…ex-dad… Whatever, standing at the door to mom standing beside me

 

 

 

“Sophie,He only wants to spend some time with Julianna. He’s been begging for so long and I’m tired of it” Mom said quietly, moving her hair behind her ear

 

 

 

“What?!..No one is seeing anybody!. You’re not welcome here, Mister!. I can’t believe you let him come,mom!” I yelled, clenching ny fist. Maybe she just loved him too much but how could she forget that he took that love for granted and left her for another woman?!.

 

 

 

Hurt flashed through his eyes and he stepped back a bit. Dad was still as I remember…Tall,dark brown eyes. Austin had inherited those. Dad’s suit looked expensive and his cologne filled the space. As I stared back daggers at him,all I could see though,was a monster

 

 

 

“Sophie…” He tried to speak

 

 

 

“You’re not seeing Julie!. And since mom is too kind to say it, you’re not welcome here!.I’m not gonna let Julie meet the man who’d abandoned her…and all of us!. Go back to your wife!”

 

 

 

“We were never married, Julie. I didn’t get married to her. I know I got into a relationship with her but we’re done. I’ve realized my mistakes, Sophie and I’m terribly sorry” His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he looked over at mom “Please,Grace”

 

 

 

Mom sniffed back tears and swiped her palm across her face before looking back at him “Leave” She said,then turned and went up the stairs

 

 

 

Dad turned back to me,then closed his eyes as he ran his hands up his face before he opened his eyes again “Can I at least see Austin?. I’m sure he’ll fight me but….”

 

 

 

“Leave!” I yelled, grabbing the small pillow on the armchair beside me and throwing it at him. I turned and ran back up the stairs,wiping my tears with the back of my palm. I’m not letting him serve as a mood-spoiler. Certainly not today. I opened the door to my room where Zoe and Paul were waiting. I closed the door and leaned against it

 

 

 

“I could hear your voice from up here” Zoe said, moving to sit on my bed

 

 

 

“That’s good to know”

 

I moved to my wardrobe, searching for a suitable outfit

 

 

 

“Sophie,I still think you should go with one or two cops. Officer Thomas will get a few cops to go with you if you ask. That guy is not someone to mess around with” Paul said, putting his elbow on my study desk

 

 

 

I turned “So I’m messing around with him now?”

 

“Whoa. Chill!.. I didn’t mean it that way!” He raised his two hands in surrender

 

 

 

“She’s not in a good mood,Paul. Watch it” Zoe said from the bed.

 

 

 

I sighed and turned back to my wardrobe, then finally picked out jeans and a sweatshirt

 

“I need to do this on my own,guys. Emily said he’ll be meeting with Jace this evening. I got a camera from the mall and I’m gonna do a little bit of a spy work. Nothing thrills me than spy jobs. I know what I’m doing. I’ll get evidence for the police”

 

 

 

“Can I at least go with you?” Zoe asked, putting her palm on her chin

 

 

 

“Negative”

 

 

 

I moved to my closet and came out seconds later, dressed in the clothes. I fetched my black sneakers and put it on,then tied up the lace. Paul threw my small blue backpack containing the camera to me and I caught it

 

“Remember,guys. No cops. Got it?”

 

 

 

They spent few seconds before replying “Got it”

 

 

 

I smiled and raised my window up. There’s a ladder against my window that leads down. I put it there.

 

 

 

“Be careful,Soph”

 

 

 

“I will”

 

 

 

I climbed out and went down the ladder slowly with my small backpack strapped to my back. Once down, I moved down the street and unfolded the paper in my hands “12 Roseville Street” I muttered,then stuffed the paper into my jeans pocket

 

 

 

 

***

 

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The house was a bungalow. A lengthy one. The street was quiet and there was no one outside the bungalow. I took in a deep breath before I bent and started to move slowly towards the house. The banging of music began to get clearer as I neared the house. Is there a party going on?. The door was wide open and I peeped in. As expected, the room was filled with several partying ladies and guys. What’s with me and parties during spy jobs?…Gosh. It was just like a normal crazy party scenario—

 

Music,dancing and drinking. I breathed out and closed my eyes, leaning my back against the wall. I’d promised myself never to be in an environment like this ever again after what had happened to me in that frat party

 

 

 

“Ok, I won’t drink. No crazy Truth or Dare…No liquor” I muttered,then opened my eyes and entered.

 

 

 

The music filled my ears and the disco lights flashed all around. I slowly weaved through the various dancing bodies, feeling more relaxed about this whole spy thing

 

 

 

“Water,please” I slid up the bar stool at the counter and the guy who served as the barman smiled at me. I can see everyone in the room from here. I just have to look around for Jace

 

 

 

“Here,Miss”

 

 

 

I smiled at him and collected the glass of water, then dropped it close to me on the counter without drinking it

 

 

 

“Who comes to a party like this with jeans and a sweatshirt?” Mr barman said, leaning against the counter

 

 

 

I smiled “Me, obviously”

 

 

 

He watched me for a while as I kept looking around the room carefully “Looking for someone?”

 

 

 

“Not really”

 

 

He chuckled and walked out of the counter to sit on a bar stool before me. He was a grown man; fat with a bearded face

 

“You on a spy job?”

 

 

 

“Huh? No” I laughed

 

 

 

He laughed too and stretched out his hand “You can trust me,kid. I’m Robert, 36”

 

 

 

I looked down at his outstretched hand for a while before taking it

 

 

 

“You’re not supposed to just take my hand” He laughed, smacking my head lightly “I told you my name..so you get to tell me yours and take my hand at the same time. What’s your name?”

 

 

 

I rubbed my head in feigned pain, laughing too “Sophie. My name is Sophie”

 

 

 

“Nice name you got there. So who’re you searching for?. I literally know everyone in this place”

 

 

 

I looked around the place again before returning my gaze back to him. I think I can trust this one. I adjusted on my stool and looked around one more time

 

 

 

“You know any Jace around here?”

 

 

 

“The Mark-Bedders dude?”

 

 

 

I grinned “Exactly. Him and a certain Tony. Gathered Tony owns this house”

 

 

 

“Oh,right. Piece of cake. C’mon. I’ll show you” He slid down the barstool and I slid down mine, readjusting my backpack as we made our way out of the room. This is turning out much easier than I thought.

 

***

 

“Tony. He’s a bad dude” Robert began speaking as he unlatched a wooden door “He got my little daughter killed years back”

 

 

 

“He did?. Why are you here then? In his house?” I asked as I went through the open doorway after him. We came out to a narrow,dark corridor and Robert switched on his torchlight

 

 

 

“I don’t work for him. I get hired at times to serve as a barman in various parties. I just happened to get hired to this one and so,here I am. The pay is good. I have people at home to feed,yunno”

 

 

 

I nodded slowly and placed my hands on the straps of my backpack, looking at the walls of the corridor as we went. We were soon out of the corridor and came out to a field with low grasses. I waited as Robert switched off his torchlight and latched the door at this end. I could see another house few metres ahead

 

 

 

“That’s where he is with Jace at the moment” Robert spoke,following my gaze “He comes here often– Jace”

 

 

 

“What do they talk about?”

 

 

 

Robert shrugged “I don’t know. Maybe business or stuff. I don’t care” He turned to me as we walked towards the house “What you here for?”

 

 

 

“Personal stuff”

 

 

 

He chuckled lightly just as we got to the house “Just in case you wanna kill Tony, they’re at the back of this house,but you should get in this way. It’ll lead you straight to the back. I loathe Tony. You should get me his head after you’re done killing him,yunno” He chuckled slightly before he spoke again “For escape,simply follow that way back and come out here. Whatever you wanna do,be careful” As he spoke,he opened the front door slowly and carefully. The room inside was dark. I looked back at Robert

 

 

 

“No,Thanks. I’ll just go through the back” I made to walk to the side of the house when I felt Robert large hands grab me and pin me against the wall. Talk about allies. I’d expected this shit. I slipped mom’s small

 

 

container of pepper spray out of my pocket and filled his eyes with it,covering his mouth immediately ’cause I knew he was going to scream.

 

 

 

“Bitch!” He yelled,slapping my hand away and making me stumble forward. I turned and just as I pushed him to the floor, someone else held my hands from behind and I grunted, trying to fight whoever it was off. He didn’t budge and instead,threw me over his overly broad shoulders that felt like they were made of stone.

 

 

 

“Put me down!” I yelled,still kicking and hitting him severally as he moved into the house. Gosh!. I’m doomed.

 

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TBC

 

SOPHIE’S QUEST