Arrek's gaze wandered across the people, amazed that he was in New York City, finally, once again. Bethany's eyes took in the sights just as thirstily. Suddenly, Arrek stopped walking and looked about. "We lost Syl again."
Bethany sighed and they both scanned the crowd. "There she is!" she pointed back along the way they'd just come. "She must be at a good part."
Sylvana stood in the middle of the crosswalk, the throngs of people walking by on either side as they dodged traffic going by before and behind the young woman intently looking at the book, turning pages quickly.
"Gaah!" Arrek ran back to his sister, and pulled her along through the crowds so they wouldn't lose the others. "Keep up, will you?"
She waved a hand and mumbled assent as she walked along. Just as they had on their way to meet Aran, Arrek and Bethany had their hands full herding Sylvana back to the Consulate.
Once back at the Mendellian Consulate, they were shown to their suite. Sylvana immediately curled up in one of the parlor's overstuffed chairs to read, while Arrek went up to get both their packs. She stayed there, occasionally shifting position as she was lost in the world the book portrayed.
Arrek tried repeatedly to get her to stop reading, even to the point of teasingly taking the book from her. That wasn't such a good idea, she was on him in a moment, to the amusement of the others, and they grappled until she retrieved the unharmed book, and returned to her overstuffed chair. "Do that again and I'll dismember you then toss your parts to the Bronx Zoo Lions," she growled.
He retreated to his room grumbling, "If you ever actually did that, I'd be in the stomach of half the carnivores on this planet."
"I heard that," she called to his retreating back before readjusting herself in the chair and quickly becoming absorbed in the book once again.
A short while later, Sylvana closed the book and let out a wounded sigh.
"Did you like the book?" Aran asked when he heard the sound, looking up from his conversation.
"It is very sad," she told him. Then she grinned, her grey-ringed eyes sparkling. "Are there others?"
Sci smiled as he turned to look at her. "There are, in fact, several others. They're a mixed bag of quality, but all are worth reading."
She strode over to them and gently handed the book back to the Major. "I'm off, see you folks later!" she said as she headed to the door.
Arrek appeared just then, "Where do you think you're going?"
"Out."
"It's a quarter past two, I'm coming as well."
"I'll be fine."
"Syl, you've never been good with cities. What if somebody-" Arrek broke off as Sylvana nonchalantly pulled out her 9mm, from seemingly nowhere, and checked the ammunition before secreting it away again. She had a license to carry concealed arms, and so thought nothing of it. "Oh, I'd forgotten about that. . . ."
Sci raised an eyebrow but said nothing, returning to catching up with his friend.
"I'll be fine. See you later!" With a grin she stepped from the parlor into the halls to leave the Mendellian Consulate, bell-like laughter floating up from her wake.
Though uncomfortable in cities, Sylvana had the uncanny ability to imitate others and in doing so had disappered among the late night crowd. She walked along Broadway gazing at the gigantic billboards of such offerings as Aida, and the ever present Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. She took in a late supper (or was it an early breakfast?) at the Planet Hollywood, then took to wandering the night streets. The lights of the city shut out the stars, and she could barely see the sky between the highrises.
She sighed, then recalled Central Park. Yes, that's just what she needed. There she would surely see the few brightest of stars, and perhaps the moon. She hailed a cab, and asked, with the local accent, to be taken to Central Park.
"You don't want to be going there, lieblich fraulein," a German greeted her from within. "Let Kurt bring you home, you don't want to be in Central Park at night."
Sylvana slipped into the front seat beside the handsome young German with light hazel eyes, nearly gold in their colour, and blue-black hair. "Please, I need to go to Central Park, just for a little while, please?" she reverted to her usual accent and gave him doe-eyes. "Please, Kurt?"
"I cannot in good mind take you there, fraulein, it is not a safe place at night."
"Please, just for a few minutes, please?" she pleaded with him.
He sighed, "You are hartnäckig, fraulein. But promise me I can take you home then?"
Sylvana let out a happy sigh and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Of course, Kurt," she shut the door and put on her seatbelt for the short ride.
He drove down into Central Park, and stopped within. Sylvana jumped out after promising to return quickly, and pulled off her shoes as she walked in the snow dusted grass.
Kurt got out of his cab and leaned against it, watching over her with an eagle's eye and chuckling at the curiosity the young woman was. Off to the side, he saw a group of questionable looking Americans eyeing her. His eyes narrowed as he saw one of them nod, and another pull out a switchblade with a lascivious grin.
This is not good, he thought to himself. Part of him wished he were a hero who could take care of them in a moment's time, but he knew reality wasn't quite the same. Still, he had to do something; he couldn't let them hurt the pretty girl. "Fraulein!" he called to her. "It is getting very cold, are you ready to go home now?"
She stopped laughing and ran back toward him. "Oh alright," she said with a grin as she appeared. "I guess it is getting late."
She pulled on her shoes then got back into the cab as he did the same. Closing the door, she leaned back with a smile.
"I can take you home, now?"
"I suppose so," Sylvana said absently, drinking in the cold moonlight.
"And where shall that be, lieblich fraulein?"
"The Mendellian Consulate, please," she looked back and smiled.
His eyes widened, "A Consulate?" he questioned, not sure he'd heard right.
She nodded, "Mendellian. Please?"
"Yes, meine Dame," he said in a subdued voice before putting the taxi into gear and bringing her to her destination.
When he pulled up to the impressive flat-roofed mansion, Sylvana dug into her bomber jacket's pocket for her wallet. "How much do I owe you?"
"Nothing, meine Dame. Pleasure serving you," he smiled.
"I can't do that, Kurt. It's not fair to you, I've kept you from making money tonight." Sylvana had glanced down to the price ticker before he'd had a chance to clear it, and pulled the requisite amount, plus ten, and pressed it into his hand. "Thank you again, Kurt," she kissed his cheek lightly once more, and soon left, disappearing up the steps into the Consulate.
"Überraschen!" he murmed to himself, shaking his head slightly and grinning from ear to ear. Slowly, he pulled away knowing this night would be one to remember for a long time.
The parlor's lights were dim, but Sci and Aran were still up talking. Sylvana waved hello. "What time is it?" she asked.
"Five A. M," responded Sci.
"Time to sleep. What about you?"
"We're not due at the U.N. until the day after..." began Aran, but Sci corrected him.
"Until tomorrow, seeing as it's after midnight."
"Well, goodnight," she said as she entered her room.
She saw that Arrek had left her pack on the chair near the door, and quickly tossed her jacket over the back of it. She quickly stripped down, then rummaged through her bag for her scrubsuit and pulled it on. She then tossed down the coverlet and climbed into the tall inviting bed before pulling it back up to enfold her.
Soon, she was lost to dreams.