Not a Genie in a Bottle

[alynwa.livejournal.com]

April could feel herself regaining consciousness.  She could tell she was lying on her back on plush carpeting and the scent of incense drifted past her nose.  She didn’t hear anything and decided to take a chance and open her eyes.

She wasn’t certain what she was looking at, at first, but as her vision adjusted to the soft lighting she realized she was lying underneath a cupola that seemed to stretch up at least six stories.  It was covered garishly with large gold leaf decorations that looked like Christmas tree ornaments.
 
She sat up and put her hand to her head to stop it spinning.  When it did, she stood.
 
“It’s about time you woke up,” a voice said behind her back.

She whirled around to see a blonde sitting on a red and gold gaudy couch with her feet tucked demurely underneath her.  “Who are you?” she demanded.  “Why did you bring me here?  And, where is here, anyway?”

“I am called Princess Scherazade.  And this,” she waved her hand expansively, “is my home.  And you, my dear, are my guest.”

“Is that so,” April replied.  “I have to apologize for being a poor guest; I didn’t bring a gift.”

“No need to apologize, April.  I can call you April?  Good.  You can make it up to me by telling me where that young man you run around with, Mark I believe his name is…Yes, Mark.   Tell me where Mark is supposed to meet you.”

April didn’t show it, but inwardly, she breathed a sigh of relief knowing her partner had not been captured or harmed.  He had the blueprints for the THRUSH compound that was being built on Plum Island off the eastern end of Long Island.  I’m still wearing my shoes, so he’ll use my homing device to find me; I just have to stall. She didn’t answer right away, but took a moment to check out her surroundings.

“Your home kind of reminds me of that TV show, ‘I Dream of Jeannie.’  This looks like the inside of her bottle.”

The woman smiled proudly.  “That’s exactly the look I’m going for!  Thank you for noticing!  The colors, the ceiling, the rugs; I want people to think of that show!”

“The exterior of the house must be equally breathtaking,” April said.  She was a good judge of people and felt that if she could keep this woman focused on her house, she might be able to figure a way out of her predicament.  “Can it be seen from the street?”

“Oh no, I have a very large piece of property.”  Wagging her finger at April, she said, “Don’t think I forgot I asked you a question.”

“Not at all.  The last thing I recall was being on my way to meet Mark on Long Island.  It seems to me that I’m no longer on Long Island, so you can forget intercepting my partner.  Our rendezvous time must have been hours ago.  This house must be someplace exotic.”

Scherazade smiled broadly, “Oh, you think so?  You would think so, but we are still on the Island, April.  We’re in Quogue.”

“Quogue?  Princess Scheherazade of Quogue?  THRUSH is getting crazier and crazier!  Just then, she thought she heard the sounds of gunfire and fighting coming from outside.

Her captor looked toward the door and said, “What in the world?” just as the door was kicked in by Mark Slate and several Section IIIs who quickly secured the Princess with rope and led her away to join her defeated security force.

“Cor blimey, Luv!” Mark marveled as he holstered his weapon and went to his partner’s side.  “’Ow could you stand being in here? This place is what I’d imagine a bad acid trip to look like!”

“You’ll have to ask Napoleon about that, Darling.*  How long was I missing?”

“Four hours.  When you didn’t meet me as planned, I activated your device and raced to HQ to hand the blueprints to the Old Man and get a Strike Team together.  I drove to Manhattan, but we came back in a chopper.  Are you ready to go, or do you want to look around for some decorating tips?”

April slapped his arm playfully.  “Not on your life!  Let’s get out of here.”

*ref. my Picfic story, “Tune In, Turn On”   
       

Comments

[alynwa.livejournal.com]

Wow! I kinda hit it on the head!