Chapter Two

 The rest of the evening, and most of the night, was spent researching Sibyl Dawn- a name her sister had taken upon to distance herself from her conservative family.

Several times during the evening, Adira had picked up her phone, scrolled through her contacts and hovered a thumb over ‘Home’. At two am, when she had repeated the action, she finally sat back on her swivel chair and put her phone face down. It was late. Her parents didn’t need to freak out.

Growing up, her mother had often told her that when phones rang after midnight, it was for bad news.

Adira stared at her laptop screen. She had been so engrossed in her research, that she hadn’t switched on the room lights of her little apartment, nor eaten dinner, which was a cup of noodles and a cheese sandwich with lettuce.

She still remembered the day when she had woken up ten years ago, to find the single bed next to her empty. She had thought nothing of it; her sister was probably in the bathroom or had gone for an early morning walk. Ten minutes later, when her mother had come in to her room to scold her for still sleeping, she had let out a scream when she saw a letter on the empty bed.

That was the day, she had lost her sister. Their parents were furious and father had announced that he was disowning Sibyl. She had brought shame to the family and no one was allowed to ever mention her name.

Any letter that Sibyl had written months later, had been torn without reading and dumped into the trash.

Adira had felt abandoned that her elder sister wasn’t there to protect her from her father’s wrath, her mother’s outdated views on how girls should behave in society and eventually, she had been let down the most when she was being looked upon suspiciously because Sibyl had made mistakes.

No longer was she given the freedom to go out or pursue her studies far from home. Two years after school, she wasn’t allowed to attend college, because their town didn’t have one and her parents refused to let her out of their sight. She was too follow their rules- the ones Sibyl had inexorably broken.

Her education was done, she had studied as much as she should. Her marriage was to be arranged. She could work if her partner desired so. Adira had felt her heart break and thoughts of running away like her sister, were clouding her mind.

Then the most magnificent thing had happened. The man who had come to see her- seven years elder to her- had demanded she receive a college education. He would marry her, but her high school education wasn’t enough.

Adira was elated. She was being allowed to go to college! The only condition was that she would have to pursue a business degree and live in an apartment and not the dorms.

Adira didn’t want a business degree, but she compromised. If it was granting her a little freedom, she didn’t care what she had to study. Living apart from her college mates meant she had to be apart from her friends, but in retrospect, that came as a blessing after Neil had turned everyone against her. Even her best friends.

Adira stared at the small pic of her sister she had found online. It turned out ‘The Lion’s Den’ wasn’t a print newspaper but an online one. Her sister had apparently gone undercover to write exposé on companies conducting illegal activities, be it money laundering, animal testing or tax frauds.

Sibyl promised her readers the truth. She had performed sting operation, several of them, and was now posting them online, claiming that she didn’t care if her enemies saw her face now. The criminals were exposed and she no longer feared them.

Adira rubbed her forehead.

No doubt someone hadn’t taken her pompous and boastful bio too well. She had needlessly provoked someone and now she had disappeared.

She had no idea what to think about her sister anymore. Her sister had changed a lot about her experience. Her hair was no longer dark brown, but almost reddish-orange and she had a fringe. Her eyes were blue, meaning she was wearing contacts. Her face was angelic despite the heavy make up she wore.

Adira enlarged her sister’s photo. She looked so much like her, despite the changes. Her nose was straight and her chin sharp. She ran a hand through her own long straight hair.

She missed her sister, but she was still angry as well. Sibyl was supposed to be there for her. On her first day to college, she had been nervous and she was supposed to be calmed down by her elder sister. When she had met Neil, the handsomest guy in college and the sharpest dresser, Sibyl should have warned her that Neil may be a philanderer. He was obsessed with dressing well and he was always surrounded by girls whom he was always flirting with.

She had stupidly thought he was friendly. When he had asked her out, she had been living in her delusions created by the fairytales that were her only companion in her lonely childhood. Neil was supposed to her prince- the guy who in spite of being around beautiful girls, had given his heart to her- a plain looking girl. Neil was to be her true love.

 

He was supposed to protect her, make sure she never cried and would always support her. When he had taken her out to a classy restaurant and the waiter had made the mistake of complimenting her, Neil had created a ruckus, almost punching the waiter and had to be held back by the security.

 

Adira had found that aggressive behavior, charming, because he had been jealous and wanted her all to himself. It was when she had been discussing a project with her classmate, that Neil had repeated his behavior and punched the guy who had dared touch her hand while taking the textbook from her.

She had told him to back off and she didn’t want to be with someone who was that violent. For some inane reason, she had thought Neil would be willing to change and apologize to her. Instead, the very next day, Neil had spread rumors about her being a slut who slept with everyone and had even gone through an abortion.

But that wasn’t the worst of it. He had gone up to her best friends- Shelly and Tina- and shown them pictures of her flirting with their boyfriends. Photoshopped pictures, of course. Neil had actually gone to that extent to retaliate for being dumped by her.

Adira slammed the lid of her laptop. It was Neil’s fault that he thought she was a timid little girl who would back into a corner to weep. No, he had no idea who he was dealing with.

And as for Sibyl, her sister would have to answer each and every question. The first one being- how could she abandon her sister?

 

*****

The next morning began with Adira staring at her sister’s picture as she drank her green tea and chewed on a buttered toast. She had showered, dressed herself in a warm light blue sweater, light grey ripped jeans and pale white sneakers.

She had still been too mad at her sister, but then she had to remind herself that her sister was missing, probably kidnapped by the enemies she had made in pursuit of seeking truth.

“That idiot!” she put down her toast and slammed her mug on the table. Rubbing her forehead, she gritted her teeth while still looking at her sister’s smiling face.

Then she got up, put her laptop on sleep mode and put it into her bag. She had class after which the detective was going to come meet her. Then there was Neil to deal with.

Locking her apartment, she took the stairs instead of the elevator, contemplating informing her parents about Sibyl’s disappearance.

 

She had opened the door to walk into the cold grey morning, when she remembered her father’s acerbic words: “She’s dead to us. We never had another daughter. If she doesn’t have any regard for her family’s reputation, then we don’t want anything to do with her. Live or die, I no longer care what happens to her.”

He was angry at that time, we all were. Surely, he didn’t mean what he said. Sibyl was his daughter. He needs to know…

She lived three blocks from her college, and while she walked, protecting herself from the freezing winds, she decided that her parents had to be told.

Reaching the college gates, she removed her cellphone from her back pocket and started dialing, then abruptly cut the call.

Apart from the angry tirade, her parents had vehemently warned her that she had to stay away from her sister, no matter how many letters she wrote or how many calls she made.

If her parents found out she had even this much information about Sibyl, they might call her back and forbid her from going out. What would he life become like then?

No, she had to figure out what happened to Sibyl without letting her parents find out. She would decide what to do when she found Sibyl.

She has to be alive. She has to make up for all the stupid things she did.

Adira almost skidded to a halt at the gates. Something felt weird, as if something was crawling up her back. Turning, she saw several cars parked outside, presumably belonging to the students and teachers. However, there was one car parked under a tree, across the road, near a cafe that only opened early in the evening.

It was a luxury silver sedan with tinted windows. There was a man leaning against the hood, dressed in a royal blue suit and wearing sunglasses. It must be her imagination, she thought willfully, but it seemed like he was staring right at her.

He’s wearing aviators, of course you can’t tell for sure he’s looking at you or just staring at the clouds. Rain is going to ruin that suit he has on and that expensive looking shoes.

Adira turned away and headed to the doors. It was all in her head, she kept telling herself.

I’m being paranoid because I just learned Sibyl is missing and she may be kidnapped by the hundreds of people she pissed off by exposing their secrets.

A rough hand grabbed her and she almost screamed. In the second she took to turn around to see who had her in their grip, she had already imagined Sibyl’s enemies deciding they needed to hurt her whole family and had come for her now.

“Ignoring me, are you?” Neil growled.

Adira couldn’t understand how she had ever found him handsome. The angry scowl on his face and the flared nostrils, made him look like a beast.

Adira looked down at the hand holding her elbow and pushed him away. “What?”

“I have been calling you. Didn’t you hear?” His eyes ad darkened and he looked like he wanted to hit something...or her.

“No.” She rubbed her elbow, hating the way she felt so afraid all of a sudden.

“Do not pretend with me!” He shouted and pointed a finger at her face. “It’s unfortunate that we have to work on a project together but that doesn’t mean you can treat me how you want.”

“You’re blowing this out of proportion,” she told him calmly. “I didn’t hear you.”

Neil grabbed her elbow again and shook her. “Don’t play games with me! I don’t want you screwing things up for me. I wanted to discuss the project with you.”

Adira let out a startled cry and struggled, but his grip was strong. “Let go of me!”

Neil responded with shaking her harder. “We are working on the project right now. I’m not going to get a failing grade because you’re a bitch.”

“I have class, let go of me!” Adira started to panic. She knew Neil was jealous, but she hadn’t seen this unstable, aggressive side of him.

“I have no interest in touching you,” Neil brought her closer. “You will do exactly as I say. I’m free right now. We have to decide on our topic.”

“Stop it!” Adira almost screamed.

A hand came between them, circling around Neil’s wrist. “Let her go,” the voice was tough.

Adira felt her heart jump when she saw it was the man who had been standing across the street.

Neil glowered. “You let go of me right now or I’ll punch your face in!”

The man removed his hand, paused for only a second, before swinging his fist right at Neil’s face.

Adira watched, horrified, as Neil stumbled backwards, clutching his bleeding mouth. The man stepped forward, fists ready in case Neil wanted to retaliate.

“Bitch!” Neil screamed. “Is he one of your lovers?”

Adira wanted to hit him as well, but she was too terrified at the moment. How could she not have knows that Neil could be that dangerous. Her elbow still hurt and her skin burned.

The man straightened his tie and walked over to Neil in a brisk pace. Grabbing him by the collar, he made Neil stand straight. “You’ll leave her alone right now.”

Something to do with his gruff voice made Neil’s eyes widen. As soon as he was let go, Neil walked away, but not before mumbling a few profanities.

When the man turned to her, Adira instinctively took a step back. He looked too intimidating, too robotic.

“Adira Ravenson?” He asked.

She nodded, even more alarmed that this stranger knew her name.

He removed a black wallet from his pocket. “I’m Detective Ramon. We spoke on the phone?”

Adira felt a chill run up her spine. “Y-yes.”

“We need to talk about your sister.” He pushed up his sunglasses up his nose while putting away his badge. “There has been a development in the case.”