"We're here"
"Oh! We are?" Ben exclaimed. Looking up. His gaze met the view of a tall, dark-skinned, muscular man with admirable facial features. He had on a grey tank top and a pair of loose fitting black jean shorts which were a bit worn in. His hair and beard, well kept and neatly shaved.
"To what do I owe this pleasure boss?" asked Reggie leaning on the building's wall with his hands crossed. "It's been a while." He added.
"l've been busy." Ares replied, slipping both hands into his pocket.
"Who's Mr. Beanie" gesturing at Ben
"Mr. Beanie?" Ben asked as he raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"An old friend, he's been here a couple of days"
The man unfolds his arms and steps forward "I'm Reginald but everyone calls me Reggie" stretching his arm towards Ben.
"I'm Ben" He replied, shaking Reggie's hand.
"So boss, what brings you here?"
"We are here about a girl"
"A girl?"
"A girl." Ares replied, pulling a picture of Jane from his pocket.
Ben furrows his eyebrows in confusion and looks towards Ares "How the hell does he have that, did he go through my stuff?" He wonders.
"Have you seen her?" Ares asks the man in front of him.
"hmm..." Reggie ponders, looking at the picture and rubbing his chin. He then passes it to the men beside him but all nod in disapproval.
"No boss, I don't think we have" retrieving the picture and handing it back to Ares. "I haven't been out much recently so I wouldn't know, plus the neighbourhood is really air-tight. The McLewis have been on our necks for months now. We are aware of anyone or anything that goes on here."
Ares gave a quiet nod, taking the picture from him. His eyes skimmed over it briefly before shifting toward Ben.
But just as Ben opened his mouth to speak, his attention drifted.
A little girl stood a few steps away.
She was small, probably not older than five with a worn doll hanging loosely from her hand. She hadn't been there long.
Ares' gaze sharpened.
"...Where did she come from?" he wondered.
Ben on the other hand was already crouched in front of her, relaxed, too relaxed.
"Hello, Little one"
"Oh, meet Poppy, she's with …."
Ben's attention turned to Reggie explaining and in that exact moment, the girl moved.
Her grip tightened around the doll's head, and she swung it like a weapon straight toward Ben.
The moment appeared almost comedic but Ares was having none of it.
Narrowing his eyes the ground just beneath Ben rose as a shadow peeled itself from the earth like liquid night, surging upward in a sharp, curved arc. It formed a dark, dense barrier that swallowed the light around it.
The doll struck it.
A dull, heavy impact echoed as the force rebounded, sending the girl stumbling back a step. The shadow rippled but held firm, like a living shield.
For a split second, everything stilled.
The girl blinked up at it, wide-eyed, her expression looking curious and innocent.
Ben froze.
Then exhaled.
He glanced at the doll, then back at the girl and immediately raised a hand.
"Ares… stand down."
A pause
Ares, realizing that it was no threat, sighed as the shadow sank into the ground, dissolving into nothing.
Seeing everyone staring at him wide eyed, he cleared his throat loudly.
Reggie coming back to his senses berated Poppy.
"Oi! Poppy I warned you before, no attacking of guests, these are Uncle Reggie's friends!" he yelled giving Ben and Ares an apologetic look
"Sorry about that… she's with me"
The little girl shyly held on to her doll feeling regret for her actions.
Taking advantage of the situation Ben got up and whispered to Ares quietly with a slight frown.
"Hey chill!! that's just a kid trying to mess around y'know"
Ares shrugged helplessly.
Ben returning his smile once more bent down once again and beckoned on the girl as she slowly walked towards him curling up the edges of her short pink dress in embarrassment.
She had beautiful blond hair which was held up by a red string in pigtails. Her face was covered in light patches of dust probably from playing in the sand. In her hand was the doll, with which she clenched onto.
"I'm sorry Uncle Reg" she apologized looking up at Reggie.
"I'm sorry uncle Reggie's friends"
Ben smiles at her "it's really cool of you to protect your uncle, that makes you really brave"
Poppy smiles back at Ben.
"Can I see?" she asked, looking up at Ares and pointing to the picture in his pocket.
Ares, who's a bit alarmed by her request looks over to Ben who immediately shrugs his shoulders indecisively.
Ares eventually hands it to her.
She takes it and looks at it briefly as if trying to confirm something.
"Are you looking for her?" asked the little girl.
Ben and Ares immediately nod their heads in sync.
"Yes, we are."
She looks up at Ben "you guys don't seem bad, sorry for attacking you earlier I thought you were the bad guys"
Ben chuckles lightly "That's okay" he replied as he adjusted his beanie and patted little Poppy on her head.
"We promise we aren't bad guys, we are the opposite matter of fact" Ares nods in concurrence.
"I really like your beanie," she said, looking at Ben.
Ben's face immediately lights up by her remark
Poppy looks up at them and begins "A few days ago, I was playing close to the tall building with a lot of lights…
"Kevan's hotel?" Ben interrupts.
She nods and continues.
"While I was playing there, some scary men in black hoodies standing in front of the building came to take me away, then she came and told them to back off that she was with me. She took me and bought me snacks and this cute dollie" waving the doll in her hand
"Then she asked if she could walk me home, but I told her where I stay is really close and then I left".
"And you haven't seen her since then?" asked Ben.
"No," she replied, shaking her head.
"Is she in trouble?" the girl asks in concern.
"No she isn't, someone close to her just really wants to see her, okay?"
Ben replied warmly.
"Okay" the girl replied, making her way towards Reggie.
"I thought I told you not to play in the sand, especially not close to that hotel," said Reggie, lifting the girl and sitting her down on his left arm.
"I'm sorry uncle Reggie, I won't go there again".
"That's what you always say"
"Well then, I guess that'll be all?" Reggie asked.
"Yeah man, Thanks!" Ares replied, giving Reggie a firm handshake Ben also waves with a smile as they both turn to leave.
It was a 5 minute walk from the dark alley to the main road. One turn to the right and they were back into the lights.
"Reggie seems like a nice guy," said Ben, walking with both hands in his pocket.
"Yeah, he is. There are a lot of orphans and struggling kids in that neighbourhood, Reggie takes care of them"...
"That's really nice of him"
"yeah... he's a good guy"
"_"
"_"
"You know what, Ares" Ben says, stepping forward to face Ares "I feel like we should go get some drinks.
Does the hotel have a bar?"