The Dark Side of Chocolate

This was not the time for these thoughts.

She wasn't going to let some random thug just take her life away from her. She could handle anything. She had visual and audio proof.

Shoot, maybe she should go looking for him.

Expose him on video!

Harrison's seizing body popped in her mind.

Or she could just do what she was supposed to.

They arrived finally at Chingu. It wasn't fancy, had no neon lights, or even a large sign, but it was packed. She knew from the hum that sounded outside.

"Good luck," Amber said.

"Thanks. All clear?" she whispered, checking her mike.

"Copy. Proceed," she heard Daniel reply.

Amber gave her a thumbs up, and she exited the car. She watched as the red lights pulled away, and with a fake smile, entered the building.

Like she predicted, there were several women together, crowded around the bar.

It was nine thirty, still early by social standards. The place décor was Zen bamboo restaurant meets sports bar. It was actually pretty cool in hindsight.

A decent song played, and didn't blast through the bar. The clientele was diverse. So far she had heard about three non-English conversations. Casually, she went to the bar and found a perch. She positioned herself next to a group of giggling girls who were barely legal for entry, let alone drinks.

"Come on Grandad," a pretty blue eyed girl whined. She was wearing a tube, the top having been swallowed up by her massive breasts.

"We won't tell anyone."

"I'm sorry ladies, I don't know what you're talking about," he said sighing.

He was an older gentleman with a buzzed salt and pepper haircut, and a curious mustache. Based on the way he carried himself, he had to be the manager.

Taking out a book, Audrey leaned her back against the bar and held it above her face.

"Oh of course you do," another interjected. "We read all about it. We won't tell a soul, honest."

"Ladies please," he said in a voice that clearly held amusement. "I would never do such an awful thing."

"What's awful about it?" a girl purred.

He paused for a second, obviously distracted before firmly saying, "I treat all my patrons equally."

"Tell us...one thing on the menu," the blue eyed one whispered, accentuating her voice with seduction.

Audrey turned slightly to see what he would do. Not many men could resist a smooth talking set of breasts. She watched as he picked up the regular menu and pointed on it.

"Appetizers."

Audrey nearly died. Brilliant, just brilliant.

The girls looked scandalized as they stepped back in fury.

The blue eyed leader crossed her arms. "Whatever old man. This place is a joke."

"Heh, your face is a joke."

They turned to look at Audrey who was reclined reading her book.

"Excuse me? What did you say?"

Audrey looked up from her book with a smile.

"That," she replied. "That made up face. What grade are you in 11th? Did anyone card you?"

She smirked as she saw panic on painted girl's face.

"Can somebody card this piece of jailbait?" she yelled over the bar.

A muscular humorless looking bartender turned to look at them with a grim face. The girls started pushing for the exit.

"How rude!"

"Yeah, let's go girls."

"We don't need this!"

Audrey heard laughter behind her and turned to see the man grinning with mirth.

"Those kids. Growing up faster than they should."

"Didn't stop you from looking at her," she said sarcastically.

The man looked at her, and laughed.

"Well I suppose you're old enough to look at. How can I help you?"

She smiled. "Can I get the menu?"

"No! That's a bad approach!" she heard yelled in her ear.

She hid the wince as the man's grin dropped.

"I'm telling you girls that there's no secret menu!"

"There's a secret menu?" she asked widening her eyes.

The man paused then sheepishly looked at her.

"Oh, sorry. I thought you were talking about the secret menu."

"Oh? So there is a secret menu."

"What? No!"

"Nice!" Daniel commented.

She was this close to going to the bathroom to tell him that the mike would now be used only for "one-way" communication.

Coming from her.

"Well, can I get the "non-secret" menu please?"

"Sure, sure." She looked through it, actually prepared to eat.

A headline under appetizers said gogi gui.

"What does gogi gui mean?" she asked curiously.

The old man came back over to her and looked at where she was pointing.

"It's Korean barbeque, and these meats are your options."

"Oh, sweet. May I have beef?"

"Marinated or not marinated?"

"Ugh, marinated. I'm not a pack animal."

He laughed and gave her a nod. When he walked off, Daniel tried to offer her suggestions.

"Why don't you try flirting with him? Make him feel comfortable with you. Start with something causal. An ice-breaking joke—"

Gosh would he just shut up?

A moment later a glass was slid by her nose. Looking up she saw he had given her a short glass of water.

"Here," he said with a grin. "Something to keep you till your food gets here."

"Oh, thanks," she said smiling.

He nodded. "Normally a kid like you would complain about it not being booze. What's a good girl like you doing at my place eh?"

So he was the owner. Her colleagues rejoiced having acquired the target.

She shrugged, closing her book. "Honestly sir? I was with some friends and I got ditched. I remembered hearing about Chingu's in the news or something so I decided here might be a nice place to ward off the depression."

He nodded looking at her sympathetically.

"Sounds like you need a drink. I don't give out

free drinks but I'll give you one, half price. Name your poison."

"It's okay, I'm on a tight budget," she replied fixing her glasses.

"Suit yourself," he said shrugging. Then he disappeared for a while.

She tried to relax, anticipating on trying that Korean barbeque.

On a happier note, he wasn't here. She had scanned every corner and saw no darkness. This place was lit up and cozy, it wasn't his scene.

Or maybe she was a fool. Was this her way of acting out? Had she created danger out of some strange lovesickness? Had she subconsciously hoped he would stalk her, find her desirable, in

such a sick way?

If so then she needed to call that therapist.

She took a sip of her water and frowned before putting it back down.

It was tap, cheap friendly bastard. After a while later the owner came back, but she noticed his demeanor had changed. He seemed solemn for some reason. He turned his back to her, fixing the liquors.

"Can you level with me sir?" she said as he worked in silence. "You're telling the truth aren't you?"

She saw him flinch, a telltale sign of hitting something close to the heart.

"Truth about what?"

"The menu."

"Of course I am," he said shaking up a mixer bottle. "Didn't you hear me?"

"You couldn't pay for this type of publicity," she chuckled.

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her. To her surprise he gave her a sad smile.

"You are a very smart girl, and a beautiful woman."

"Um...thanks," she replied, feeling suddenly uneasy. "Are you hitting on me old man?"

"Did you know that this whole secret menu thing has completely changed my business?" he continued. "Originally it was this idea that someone came up with and I just denied it. But by denying it, it grew. I didn't know how, but all I had to do was tell the truth, and the rumor grew."

"So there was never a secret menu," she said, slightly disappointed. "It was all a publicity hoax?"

"It worked out that way."

She honestly felt like the old man was cutting corners on the details, but it was embarrassingly apparent that the menu was false. She could hear groans in her head set as her colleagues groaned.

"Well that's a bust," Daniel said unhappily.

"But at least we have the footage. You can disengage your audio feed now. The visual will go on its own. Let's call it quits everyone."

Wait, don't I get a say?

"Oh and do you need a ride Audrey?"

She was about to nod, when she heard a flurry of noise. Then Daniel came back on the mike.

"Um...sorry Audrey. I don't mean to be untruthful, but we can't offer you a ride back sorry."

"But you bastards promised!" she shouted, startling the people around her.

"We promise to reimburse your cab fare! See you on Monday."

With that she heard a static click and knew the techs had abandoned her.

Those stupid deserters, as soon as they heard there was no gold at the end of the rainbow, they booked. So, now she was a stranded unicorn?

Eh, unicorns had to eat too.

"Well that's just fine with me, sir. As long as I can get that gigi meat or whatever."

The man turned back to her and set a short glass with two ice cubes in front of her.

"Oh sir, I really don't need to be bribed with a free drink. I won't tell..."

Her sentence broke when he poured amber fluid into her glass.

"Here, on the house."

She froze, her body filling with tension and fear.

Don't panic, don't panic.

"Who's it from?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level.

"It's on the..."

"You just said you don't give out free drinks. Are you a liar? Or has this confession given you a sudden change of heart?"

He looked into her eyes again, and she saw he was not sad. His eyes were filled with guilt. This man was guilty, but of what?

"Maam, I swear..."

"Who is it from?" she asked again, raising her voice.

"Just take it."

"No!"

"Then you are already..."

The man stepped back and looked at her like she was a ghost. She felt herself break under it.

This wasn't happening. It just wasn't. Pulling out her phone, she screamed when he grabbed it from her and smashed it on the ground.

"You're with him aren't you?"

"You're a reporter!"

The whole bar turned to see what was going on as she watched, stunned by the turn of events.

"I'm tired of you girls coming up to me and asking me questions! Get out! Get out now!"

Her eyes grew wide in panic. Amber had to drive her here because it wasn't heavily populated. The subway was three blocks away.

"Don't do this," she begged recoiling as he shouted.

"I want her out! OUT!"

Audrey ran to a table with a couple desperately.

"I need to borrow your phone! Please!"

The big bartender from earlier came from behind the bar and literally picked her up out of her seat to carry her out the bar.

"Help! Call the police!" she screamed. "I haven't done anything wrong!"

None of the patrons moved.

"At least let me make a phone call! I need to call a cab! Please!"

"I want you out!" the owner screamed one last time. Then he ran away into the backroom.

"Don't do this!" she cried as he deposited her outside.

"PLEASE!"

The bouncer locked the door behind him, and pulled down the door's curtain so the patrons couldn't see her.

Audrey stood in the light by the bar door. There were shadows everywhere, the lights of passing cars off to better parties flickering in the distance. She couldn't stay rooted in this spot forever. She could feel him; hear his heart beat, matching the one in her chest. The thrill of it made his heart race, the feral pleasure of live prey.

She felt eyes on her to her left. Looking over, she saw complete shadow, but she knew he was there.

You can't run away forever.

Tightening her fists, she eased from the door and with a gasp, ran.

Well, try me.

-----------------------------------------------

"I've got one," Chun Hei said. "You can see her, but she doesn't really fit your description. In fact she's very..."

He held up a finger to his mouth and studied the camera.

This woman was different. She didn't hesitate. She had gone straight for the bar. The woman wore glasses, which was different, but not completely out of the realm of possibility.

She had bright, borderline silly red hair, and he raised an eyebrow when she pulled out a book and began reading. It wasn't exactly taking notes, but it wasn't taking shots on a Friday night

either.

The woman hadn't come to unwind though. Based on her body language she was well rested. She had to be one of the girls. There were about 6 left, a few had come back trying different methods.

"What did she say?"

"About what?" Chun Hei asked.

"The menu? Didn't even know about it."

He paused before giving Chun Hei a sharp look.

"How could a well read woman not know about a topic that's been circulating in the

news?"

"Well...she said she might have heard about it, but I doubt..."

"And if she heard about it, how pray tell, would she remember the place, and forget the reason it was in the news?"

Chun Hei went silent.

He went back to the screen, studying what he could see through the crappy surveillance camera.

"Did she order anything?"

"Yes. Gogi gui. Beef to be exact."

"To drink?"

"I gave her water, offered her a half price on liquor, but she said she's on a tight budget."

He looked back at the camera and to that black purse that lay slightly beside her. There was just something about her that made him feel she was the one. All he needed to do was look into her eyes, but that ridiculous hair was blocking the way. It was clearly a wig now that he studied it. All of his senses pointed to her, but...he wanted to make sure.

"Give her my usual. For free. If she acts peculiar, drive her outside."

The man looked at him with shocked eyes. "You don't mean that...she's the...she's a woman!"

"Chun Hei. Now."

The old man stayed rooted. He turned to him and glared.

"Now is not the time to grow a backbone. Trust me. I like you Chun Hei. Don't make me kill you."

Chun Hei swallowed hard. He was many things, but his self-preservation would always be the thing he treasured most. Chun Hei was clearly upset when he walked out. He hoped she would be able to sense the change. Ruth was observant. It would be further evidence.

He watched the exchange on the camera tensely. It was her, he could feel it.

Then he saw it, the doe like freezing. She was frozen stiff, even as she ran for help, cried out, was forced out. Her head turned.

Wide, soul searching terrified brown eyes.

He stood up.

Chun Hei appeared a minute later with her purse.

He didn't speak, heading out the back entrance. He found her pressed again the door, swinging her head side to side in the darkness. She was on a stage, the sole source of light shone above her, and she stared out at her one-person audience, a perfect figure of tragedy.

She called to him. There was something that drew him to her, even if he was the darkness sent to smother her light.

Then, she turned and looked straight at him. Her muscles tensed. She took a small step forward.

Going to run? She darted off, faster than he expected. He smirked.

Fine, I'll chase you Audrey Rose. I'll chase you to the ends of the earth.

----------------------------------------------

Her heels clicked obnoxiously as they scrapped against the pavement. Audrey was in a full out sprint as she screamed "Help! Help!" at the top of her lungs.

It was then realized that most of the area was closed down buildings.

The bastard had planned this alright. So she changed her strategy.

"Taxi! Taxi!"

Audrey kept running. She had no idea where she was going. She might have been here once before in the day.

At night it looked like one of thousands of New York streets. She didn't look back, didn't need to. He was right on her tail. She could hear the soft impacts he made on the ground.

Audrey huffed, pure adrenaline rushing through her veins as she fought the panic welling inside her. She was almost near a neon building when she was grabbed from behind and pulled into a dark alley way. He flipped her back to the cold dirty stone and before she could let out a scream she felt something cold and metallic on her lips.

She had never touched a gun, but she had seen enough movies to know she was at the end of one.

He said nothing as she caught her breath, winded when he stood perfectly calm. She slowly put her hands behind her back and stood there shaking.

Then she heard the click of the safety being pulled back.

"Wait!" she shouted.

Her voice resounded in the alleyway and she quieted for fear of upsetting him.

"Don't kill me...Tom."

It wasn't exactly her best "let me go speech," but it caught his attention. A car drove by and for a moment she saw his face in the passing light. She was right, it was him.

He didn't speak, but he suddenly put his hand on her head. She flinched when he gripped underneath her wig and peeled it away. He dropped it on the floor beside them and reached into his pocket. Tom flicked a lighter.

She watched as he threw it on the wig. The hair caught fire quickly and for a moment they could see each other.

He was the same, his dark eyes, his ruffled hair, his black suit. It was like he had jumped out from her memory, nothing about him had changed. Well, except the black leather gloves.

Maybe she could turn the visual fee back on. Take one picture.

She went to "fix" her glasses when he snatched them off her face and threw them on the ground.

She jumped when he stepped on them.

"Who are you?" she asked, maybe her audio was still on. She doubted it, but she had to try something. She turned slightly closer to it and louder said, "Why are we in...."

He put a hand beside her head and leaned over her. A shiver ran down her spine when he whispered in her ear.

"Speak into that mike and you will die."

She felt absolute terror when a voice spoke on the other line. They hadn't all left. Someone was still there.

"Hey Audrey! What's going on? Everyone's packed up and gone. Is everything okay?"

It was Amber. She looked at the man fearfully as he waited.

"Audrey?"

"Answer her," he reassured her.

She shakily brought a hand up to the mike and put it by her mouth.

"...no problem. Sorry, I was talking to myself

about something on the television."

"You're already home?"

Shit. No!

"...ugh."

He leaned in closer.

"Yeah, I got a ride."

"Okay...hold on a sec."

She waited in the awful silence that came until her teammate came back on.

"Sorry, that was Marco. He said he called you, but you didn't answer."

"Tell him my phone got smashed at the bar. I'll need to get a new one."

"Wow, that's some crap luck."

"Yeah, I have shitty luck."

He nudged her.

"Okay bye."

"Tell Marco I love him too okay?"

"What? Why..."

Tom snatched the mike from her ear and added it to the burning hair. Acrid smoke began billowing out as technology and rubber melted down with synthetic hair gunk.

"Do you have a home phone?"

She looked down and away from him. She thought about saying yes, letting him know people would call and notice she was gone.

"I will know if you are lying, Miss Rose."

Her eyes shot up in shock. He produced her ID.

"Audrey Rose, age 24, 5'6, lives at 7th West Lawn 60th street."

How had he...? Her purse! She checked the side of her and realized it had been forgotten at the bar.

"You were unusually hard to find Miss Rose."

"It took you two weeks."

"It normally takes me two days."

She closed her mouth and shifted uncomfortably. He watched her squirm, seeming to press herself against the wall like it could save her from him.

"Well you know my name "Tom," how about I get yours."

She could feel him frown as he lowered his gun. He kept it out though. She could feel the chill of it through her shirt.

"What do you want with me?" she breathed.

"What do you know?"