Whiskey in the Jar 2
#9 of Music Story
This is the fifth entry of the "Music Story" project I'm doing with I.Hykok and ShortConcepts In this chapter, Arya isn't entirely sure who she is going to trust--the Uncle who has always led her toward her prosperous life, of her new love interest who has taught her to not let others direct her life.This one always had a sort of lounge feeling to me, thanks to the song that it's based on, so we decided to have it take place in a restaurant. Aside from that, we past the halfway point now, so the story has to really pick up!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdF4r-7tKvo
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Jay narrows his eyes and takes another sip of his drink as the waiter returns.
"May I suggest an appetizer?" He asks, holding his notepad and expectantly shifting his gaze from one diner to the other. Both Arya and Jay keep their eyes on each other, and she can practically see the barrier of distrust forming between her and him. Worst part is, she can't tell who built it--him or her.
"You know what?" Jay says, opening up his menu. "I think we're both ready for the main course, now that you mention it. I think I'll have..." he blinks, shaking his head, but then narrows his eyes as he tries to read. He then laughs, giggling to himself like a schoolgirl.
"Jay...? Wh-what's so funny?" Arya asks, scooting closer. "Are you alright?"
Jay leans forward, catching himself. His eyes droop down in heaviness, far beyond what a simple glass of wine should have done. That's when Arya looks to the bottle and realizes the name on it. The company that made the bottle--it's owned by her Uncle, as well!
The waiter grabs Jay by the back of the neck and hoists him up to a standing position. The poor male can hardly stand up on his own as he looks to Arya with dreamy and half-lidded eyes.
Stools slide out as two of the patrons pull out handguns and point them at the bull. "Stop right there!" One calls out.
"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," another voice says. This one comes from the bartender, who levels a shotgun at the two conspirators.
More chairs slide, only to reveal that the other patrons this evening are in cahoots with the waiter and the bartender. Arya pushes herself to a standing position and hisses. "What's going on here?"
"A little insurance for you, miss," the bull responds, stepping behind Jay now and patting him down. He stops at Jay's rear, reaches into the back of his pants, and pulls out a handgun. Tossing it to the table, he says. "Just as we thought. He was out to get you. You got sloppy."
Arya glances at the gun, and then up at Jay, but then finally goes back to the accomplices in the back. Both of them remain mum on the situation. "So, was it all a set up all along?" she asks, slithering out of the table and reaching up to place a hand upon Jay's chest, over his heart. "Did you set me up to get me caught? After you've told me to be myself? Did you do it just so you can expose me as the snake that I am? Is that it?"
Jay, loopy from whatever was put into the wine, smiles at her. It's wide, drunk, disgusting, yet it does not mask the smugness beneath.
"What did you do to him?" she whispers to the waiter.
"The doc whipped up a concoction starting with your own venom," he said. "That way, if this rat somehow finds out, he'll know you're the one who did it to him. Just for the pride of it, ya know?"
The pride or to put the blame on her, of course. It's beginning to dawn on her now the true nature of this set up, and while it is a betrayal of family, she's still somehow more sickened by the notion that Jay would have set her up in the first place. There's still no telling what his angle is, not with him totally under the sway of this poison.
She hisses and shoves her hand into Jay's breast pocket, pulling out the small item, which feels like a flash drive. While feeling it, she scoops it into her fist where no one can see. To sell the act, she widens her eyes and quickly slaps him against the face. "You jerk. As if you'd get that far with me. You were just going to whip that out and proposition such a thing? I'm a lady of class, good sir! I am not going to just give you my body when you want it!"
Jay, even in such a narcotic state, twitches his whiskers. Good, his mind is running. He got the message.
"Oh man, wait 'til the boss gets a load of this!" The bull roars with laughter, which is echoed by the other plants that fill the restaurant.
She holds back her disgust and raises herself up onto her tail, looming over the bull now, as well. "So, how are you going to dispose of these nuisances?" she asks.
"Boss has some more use for this one," he says, shaking Jay violently. He cannot control himself and flails around like a rag doll in the enforcer's grip.
Arya has to hold her tongue back just to keep from lashing out at the man now. "You're taking him to the plant, then?"
"Ha, you're right. Yep. He's going to have a fun time over there, don't you worry."
"I want to come with you," she said. "I want to watch."
"No can do, miss," the bull shakes his head. "Boss said it wasn't for your eyes to see such violence. You just keep doing what you do and leave the bloody business to us, alright?"
She takes a deep breath and twirls around to face away. "Fine, just... get out of my sight. I need to be alone!"
"Very well. You have a good evening, miss!" With that, all of the false diners returned to their meal. The guitar began playing once again, and the bull and the bartender escort their prisoners out through the back.
When they leave, Arya looks to her palm to see the small drive there in her hands. Whatever is in it, she believes it will lead her to the truth. What comes next...? That depends on what she finds on here.
She pockets it in her purse and slithers away out to the door
"Excuse me, miss," the rabbit who took Jay's coat asks. "You can still dine here, if you wish."
"No thanks," she responds curtly, passing him by. "I've lost my appetite."