{Taking Best Guesses} Ryan Ross Sequel [ ] 09

Adi didn't want to leave the next day. She did in fact as it turns out wanted to leave the day after. So that day was spent getting ready.

Unfortunately for Ryan, that meant shopping.

"I think this would look nice," she stated holding up a polka-dotted shirt.

"I'm not wearing that!" Ryan exclaimed as Adi put the ridiculous shirt on top of the growing pile of clothes, food, et cetra.

"But it will look fantastic with your green contacts!" She declared.

"Not even if you paid me," he took the shirt and put it back on the rack.

Adi mumbled something along the lines of "I bet Harry Potter would wear it," but Ryan wasn't sure.

The pink-haired girl thought it would be a good idea to stock up on fresh clothes and supplies and Ryan couldn't disagree with her in fear of becoming neutered by a certain peculiar girl.

Ryan didn't hear the ring, but there was a cell phone on the stripe-haired girl's shoulder as she scanned the rack.

"The swan sleeps at dawn." She said in a low voice. Ryan did a double take. What did she just say? Was it some sort of code? Who was she talking to?

"What the hell?" Ryan mumbled. Adi glanced up from under her glasses. She held out a flight jacket. Ryan read the label: The Swan Sleeps at Dawn.

"How far north are you?" This time, Ryan assumed Adi was talking to whoever was on the phone. "That's pretty close by-"

"What about this?" He held up a pink and white pin-stripe button down shirt. "Will this match my eyes?" He fluttered his eyes for effect. He was in a strangely good mood after rejecting one of Adi's ideas. Okay, so it wasn't a big deal, after all it was just a shirt, however it did give him the sense he was in control again even though he really wasn't.

"Sure, if you want to dress like a clown." She said, still on the phone.

"Then it will match you perfectly!" Ryan snickered, which was uncharacteristic of him. Seriously, what has gotten into him?

"Shut up, you'll eat those words." Ryan wasn't sure if that last statement was directed at him or the other end of the phone. Nevertheless, Adi snatched the shirt from Ryan and tossed it to the top of the pile.

"We'll be in touch; you'll see in no time at all." Adi ended her conversation on the phone. There was an edge to her voice when she emphasized the 'see'.

"We'll need this." She tossed a few black ties into the cart. "And this." She then tossed in a box of sport tampons.

Just ignore it, Ryan had to tell himself.

The pink-haired girl took a few steps from the cart and did a once over. "I suppose that's it. Let's go pay." With that, she took the handle of the cart and pushed into the most vacant lane and paid.

After everything was paid for, Adi directed Ryan to drive into the very back part of the Wal-mart parking lot. He parked and she dumped all of the plastic bags into the trunk of the car. She then pulled out both Ryan's and Adi's suitcase and began to pack the new stuff neatly. Ryan honestly didn't peg her as the tidy type.

"So we aren't going straight there," Adi started folding a few shirts she had bought with his money. "I have to make a few stops and pick up a few things."

Ryan's mysterious mood was still spilling over so he made the mistake of asking, "What kind of things?"

Adi didn't miss a beat packing. Actually, she didn't acknowledge his question. Instead, she pulled out her cell phone and balanced it on her shoulder.

Ryan leaned against the car, trying to seem nonchalant but in actuality, he was trying to figure out what Adi was trying to accomplish. What things did she have to pick up?

Adi was talking on the phone again, but Ryan couldn't figure out who it was. He tried to decipher the conversation.

"Will you be there?" Adi was gathering all the empty plastic bags now. "Of course."

Adi flipped her phone closed and put it away as she neatly put everything back in the car.

"That was a short conversation." Ryan noted. Adi seemed like he was just now noticing Ryan's existence there. She shrugged.

"We have to go pick something up; I'm driving." Adi said and before Ryan could object she was already heading for the driver side.

"Too bad I have the keys." He shouted over the roof, feeling smug.

"Look again" Came the reply as Ryan heard the pink-haired girl start the engine. Ryan frowned but checked all his pockets.

"Damn." He cursed himself as he sat in the passenger seat.

"Where are we going?" Ryan couldn't help but asking.

"You'll see."

That something that Adi had to pick up turned out to be a someone.

"Absolutely not" he protested as soon as Adi parked the car in a parking lot that Ryan didn't recognize. Adi then decided to drop the news of the additional passenger.

Adi was calm, expecting this reaction from Ryan. She stared patiently at him from under her glasses.

"Ryan," she used that tone she only used when she was trying to knock sense into him. "We have, she has the skills we need for one of our tasks, and besides, she needs a ride to your hometown, anyways. She lives there."

"No." He said firmly. "How do we know we can trust her?"

"We don't have to tell her who you are, obviously." She said it as if Ryan was missing the bigger picture. "And she is extremely trustworthy, especially after the task we are going to ask her to do."

"Adi," Ryan started. "You keep leaving me in the dark about what we are going to do."

"With good reason," Adi countered. "Look, after a few months of hiding, I'm pretty sure you're socially retarded. Actually, I'm positive. Just be nice. You need to learn to trust people again. Not everyone is out to turn you in or quick to judge. Hell, not a lot of people probably know what you are accused of doing."

Ryan remained stubbornly silent. Adi smirked in victory.

"Now, what's your name?" Adi asked.

"I don't know." He muttered rebelously. Adi chuckled.

"Be that way, I'll choose. Hmm, how about Harry Potter?" Adi looked at Ryan hopeful. He glared at her. "Okay, okay. No Harry Potter, how about Alan?"

"Whatever." He mumbled. Adi smirked. She unlocked the doors and motioned for Ryan to follow her. "Come on, Alan, we should go meet her."

Ryan reluctantly followed the pink-haired girl. She pranced slightly in front of Ryan. After a few moments, Adi stopped in a spot less populated. Ryan stopped as well. Ryan looked around and couldn't find anyone that Adi would possibly collaborate with.

Adi frowned at him. She didn't like that he always wore his hood and sunglasses. She told him that he was being too silly. Ryan still needed them however, it was his security blanket.

"Linley!" Adi suddenly shouted and turned to where Adi was. She was shaking hands with someone that he had not seen before.

She looked too mature to be called a girl but it didn't suit her to be called a woman. She seemed Ryan's age, give a year or two. She had long, dark brown, silky hair that was tinted black pulled back in a long ponytail that seemed to end at her hips. Her bangs were cut jagged and swept neatly to the left.

Ryan also noticed that she loomed over Adi, much like Ryan did as she bent down to shake Adi's hand. Her skin was a smooth olive tan color and her featured indicated she was of the Asian persuasion. He ignored the pang in the chest as he remembered she was also partly of the Asian persuasion.

She smiled at Adi, professionally and warmly. "Adi, my dear, you haven't changed a bit."

Ryan was shocked to find her English so perfect, better than his maybe. Her voice had a hint of playfulness in them.

Obviously, she knew Adi personally.

"And you're a hard ass. Obviously things haven't changed for you, as well."

Linley nodded as she chuckled lightly. "Touché."

Adi beamed but then seemed to remember Ryan. She grabbed one of Linley's arm and moved her so that she was now facing Ryan. Ryan noticed her eyes were an amazing hazel that he could have sworn he had seen somewhere…

"Lee, this is Alan, you know, the one I was telling you about." Adi introduced Ryan.

Linley apparently measured Ryan up, looking over him once.

"So you're the one I'm supposed to risk my life to help." Ryan was about to say something but Linley struck her hand out. "Don't worry about. I'm Linley but please call me Lee."

Ryan shook her hand and was surprised that her hand had a slight roughness to them. She was no stranger to hard manual labor. "I'm Alan."

"I know." Lee exchanged a look with Adi that gave Ryan the feeling he was being kept in the dark about something, a secret that they were hiding from him.

"Well, let's get going. I have more stops to make." Adi declared and started to walk towards the car.

Lee hesitated a moment, staring at Ryan for a moment longer. Then she switched the briefcase to her other hand Ryan just noticed she holding and followed Adi to the car.

Ryan couldn't place it, but Lee gave him a sense of déjà vu.

There was something familiar about her.