The Auction Deal

Nearby to the Auction House, in an expensive hotel suite, Red, Jack, and Emma are getting dressed up and ready for the raid.

"Red, are you sure this is the right way to go about this?" (Jack)

She sat across from him. Her beautiful blue dress shining with every movement she made, her black hair flowing down her back. Her blue eyes. She smiled back at him.

"Forget about the mission for now. Jack, I have a favor to ask of you, actually it's a request... I want you to leave the Special Magic Squad." (Red)

"Huh? Why?" (Jack)

Jack leaned forward in his stunning black suit, with his plain black tie presented outward by his soft white undershirt. He was looking dapper, manly, and confused by Red's proposition.

"I want you to leave because Colt doesn't deserve your magic. He doesn't understand your promise and experience in killing monsters. But I do. I understand you Jack. I want you to join my squad." (Red)

Jack thought about it for a couple of seconds, but all that was going through his mind were the small instances where he spent time with Colt. All he could think about was that time three days back when he trained with him. All that he could think about was his understanding of him. How they were the same, with the same type of magic. How he understood him more than anyone else he knew. With just one meeting, one fight, one talk, Jack seemed to understand Colt instantly. But he also understood that something was off, something was hidden behind a wall of pain, that Colt was hiding something in his memories.

Just like himself.

"Why don't you like Colt, Red?" (Jack)

"What?" (Red)

"I understand the criticisms. He's annoying, he's loud and obnoxious, always showing off, always saying weird things. But he's also incredibly strong, stronger than anyone else I've met." (Jack)

Red looked down at her shining blue dress. She remembered a distant memory. Of her hometown. The destruction.

"You don't know the real Colt." (Red)

"The real Colt?" (Jack)

Slam!

The bathroom door exploded open as Emma slowly stumbled out from its hidden depths. She quickly leaned over on a wall with her legs shaking and tripping over eachother.

"Red... I don't understand? How do you wear these heels?" (Emma)

She fell onto the wall, her heels folding in and out, the tips pushing against eachother. All she could do was hold herself up with her arms.

Red quickly jumped over the couch, grabbing Emma by her arms and pulling her over to a chair in the corner.

"Emma have you ever worn heels before?" (Red)

"Um... No..." (Emma)

"Oh jeez. Fine we'll have to make do with these..." (Red)

She sat Emma down on the chair. Her grey dress long and flowing, her cute face and pink hair staring off into the distance, at Jack. She stared straight at him, he stared right back, their eyes meeting.

One. Two. Three. Four.

They both turned away in unison. Their embarrassment taking charge.

Emma's Head: How long was I staring at him?! And was he actually looking at me?!

Jack's Head: Oh my god! Could she tell I was looking at her?! But... But she was looking at me too?

---

Ten minutes later and they were on their way to the Auction House.

Red wore her tall blue heels, Jack wore a pair of tight leather shoes, Emma stood off to the side in old black sneakers.

They eventually reached the long crowded street leading into the gigantic theater that stood out in the harsh night lights. With the soft rainy skies flowing from cloud to cloud. And the perpetual stars that shined brighter than the eye. All that was visible was the theater's lights, with its harsh windows hiding the interior.

"Isn't this event supposed to be illegal? Why are there so many people here? And why is it so open?" (Jack)

Red stepped up to the theater's entrance, one foot on the first step, the other still on the brick sidewalk. She looked up at the monolithic callosum-like-building.

"This place is sort of illegal. The Magic Force has it as being illegal, but it's run by all sorts of big dogs in the government and a lot of rich people from huge companies go to these things, so in the end, we can't really do anything about it." (Red)

"We can't? Like nothing?" (Jack)

They all started walking up the steps to the entrance.

"jack, think of it as like being a wildlife market in China. Everyone knows that they sell illegal endangered animals, but nobody does anything about it because it makes a lot of money and the people who buy and sell are the ones in charge." (Emma)

"So we really can't do anything about it?" (Jack)

"Yup, nothing. All we can do is watch and gather intel, but if something goes wrong, then that means we can intervene, but only a little bit." (Red)

They entered the building.

"It's how the world works. Some of these big guys give big donations to the Magic Force so we are again pinned in a corner. Plus most of these families are Sorcerer Families that have ties to us. it's reality, we can't do anything about it. They pay our paychecks and we let them do their illegal things." (Red)

They entered the rows of red seats leading down to the gigantic stage. The lines and lines of old people in tuxes, suits, and dresses. They walked down to three open seats near the middle of the event. They sat down.

Red on the left, Emma on the right, and Jack in the middle.

"But if you think about it. What can we do. We aren't the police. We only kill monsters, deal with Sorcerers, and control uncontrolled unstable magics." (Red)

"Yeah, I get it. I know what I signed up for. I won't get ahead of myself on this mission." (Jack)

Red smiled.

"That's a good and bad way to think. But at least it'll get you through the day." (Red)

Emma leaned over in her seat. She looked at the soft-lit stage and crowds of people. She then turned to Red.

"Hey Red, can you come with me for a sec, I need to talk with you?" (Emma)

"Oh... Yeah..." (Red)

They both stood up in their seats.

"Jack stay here and don't cause any trouble." (Red)

"Got it." (Jack)

They walked off. Two minutes passed. The crowds got larger and larger. And soon the sets were staged, and the people were seated. The lights dimmed and-

Tap.

Tap.

"Huh?" (Jack)

He turned around to someone tapping on his shoulder.

"Hey can you cut that-" (Jack)

Suddenly that person grabbed his head. He held it tight like his hand was a weapon like at any moment he could end his life.

"Jack, it's good to see you again. You remember my voice?" (Frankenstein)

"You...!" (Jack)

He leaned in closer whispering.

"Shusshhh... We don't want to make a fuss." (Frankenstein)

"You... I remember your name. How could I forget it. Your Frankenstein." (Jack)

"Good... Good... I was so worried I messed up your head, but you seem to be normal." (Frankenstein)

Jack slowly tried to inch his head around. But Frankenstein gripped harder on his skull.

"Do you know what math is?" (Frankenstein)

"Wha...? Um, yes..." (Jack)

"Then do you know how many innocent people are in this building?" (Frankenstein)

"No..." (Jack)

Jack inched his head just a little bit more. He started to make out the corner of Frankenstein's face. The small stubble of a beard, the ripples of ripped skin pulling across his face, his purple eyes.

"Then you should guess. Guess how many you think will die before you catch me?" (Frankenstein)

"What? Catch you? Die? I'm not... We should talk-" (Jack)

Frankenstein struck out his left hand. He readied himself to snap, to release his magic.

"One move and I release my monsters on every living person here..." (Frankenstein)

Jack stayed silent.

"Good. Just sit quietly, and don't say a single word. Not one word-" (Frankenstein)

Two girls walked up on the scene. They waved their hands across the rows of seats, slowly inching closer, their stunning dresses and beautiful makeup standing out in the crowds.

Jack started sweating profusely.

"Don't tell them one word. This is between you and me. Ok Jack. Just you and me..." (Frankenstein)

He released his two hands. He leaned inc loser, whispering in his ear.

"What is one plus one." (Frankenstein)

The fear, the feeling of failure. That one wrong move could kill everyone.

"Two..." (Jack)

Frankenstein leaned in close. He whispered even harder, sharper.

"Good, old friend..." (Frankenstein)

Jack turned around quickly. Red and Emma sat back down in their seats. He was looking right at Frankenstein, his full face, his full appearance, they were staring right at eachother.

"Jack what are you doing?" (Emma)

They kept staring at eachother.

"Um... Nothing..." (Jack)

Purple eyes, purple eyes. For some reason, for some unknown reason, all he could see were the purple eyes. Everything else, his features, his face, his beard, it was all hidden, hidden in a blurred memory, a shadow.

Frankenstein smiled.

Jack turned back around, his face drenched in sweat.

Red looked at Frankensteins smiling face.

"Umm... Are you ok sir?" (Red)

He just laughed it off.

"Oh... Are you this man's friends? He's so funny, isn't he. Talking about Sorcerers and masked people." (Frankenstein)

The whole group just sat down silently. They stayed looking forward. Silent.

Red silently kicked Jack across the leg. She whispered.

"Jack, don't talk to strangers about that stuff." (Red)

He leaned forward. His body aching in anxiety. He started to curl up, his hands over his head.

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again." (Jack)

"Jack? Are you ok-" (Emma)

"Achoo!" (Frankenstein)

Frankenstein sneezed at the top of his lungs. Everyone in the theater turned to look at him.

"Sorry! My fault. Let me go get a... Tissue." (Frankenstein)

He got up and walked out of the seating area.

---

Two minutes passed. Everyone in the theater was now seated and the auction was just beginning.

Jack turned to Emma.

"Hey, Emma..." (Jack)

"Yes..." (Emma)

She looked at his face. His face.

He didn't say a single word.

It was only in his stare. His look. His expression.

Emma put two in two together. She turned around and noticed that the mysterious stranger was missing, that he never came back to his seat.

"Jack..." (Emma)

"He got me." (Jack)

---

At the same time.

In the men's bathroom. All the stalls were taken up.

"So this was your plan?" (Turquoise Mask)

"Yes. It all came true, didn't it? Every single prediction. And now it is time for you to uphold your end of the deal. You kill those Magic Force Sorcerers and I get Jack all to myself." (Frankenstein)

The Red Masked Woman and a Black Masked Man walked out of the occupied bathroom stalls. They stopped in front of a man with a Green Mask.

"Yo sad boy, you should get going, we need this whole building cleared out before we take on the big boys." (Red Mask)

The Green Masked Man sighed.

"It is my mission. Of course, I am going, but are the others ready yet?" (Green Mask)

They turned around to the stalls.

"You ready with your masks boys? It's go time!" (Red Mask)

Frankenstein slipped on his purple mask. The Turquoise Masked Man exited his stall. He turned back around. He looked at the four Rogue Sorcerers before him. Purple, Red, Black, Green.

He smiled.

"A deal is a deal." (Turquoise Mask)