Following A Lead

It had been three days since the unpleasant run-in with Francesca Corlone at Boomslang. Diana had wondered what the young woman's problem was, but of greater interest to her was the black-haired young woman who claimed that her brother was killed by the Corlone. She hinted at knowing that her brother's death was not an alcohol-induced accident, but could not say any more in public. The young woman then said that if Diana wanted to learn more, she should find the raven in Capital Crocus.

Fortunately the raven made it easy. As Diana discovered the morning after the album debut party, she had slipped a card with personal information into Diana's pocket when she kissed the latter on the mouth and fondled the blonde's backside. That was a clever way to pass information without arousing suspicion, but it brought up another question. What was it with people and touching her backside?

Diana let the matter drop and followed the information given on the card. It was an address in an upscale part of Capital Crocus, which was saying something considering that the city was Fiore's capitol. Everything in Capital Crocus was upscale, even the clubs. Wearing a white button-up long-sleeved shirt, navy blue knee-length skirt, and navy blue shoes, Diana looked like she belonged in the neighborhood, so no one batted an eye as she walked to the address.

421 Croesus Street. Diana had found it. She was facing a solid wood door with golden numerals hanging to the right of the door and a stone stairway leading up to the door. Diana carefully walked up the steps and rang the doorbell once.

Diana waited patiently for someone to answer. A minute later the door opened and the black-haired young woman from three days ago answered the door. She seemed delighted to see Diana.

"Oh hey there! I was wondering when you'd show up! Come on in!" The young woman enthusiastically greeted Diana. She was wearing a black tube top and short black skirt and was barefoot. She ushered Diana in and shut the door behind them.

-Inside the house-

"I'm glad you made it. I was beginning to think that Francesca had knocked you off too. Francesca gets angry very easily, and when she gets angry, people get hurt." The young woman explained. Diana looked at the house and found that it was full of high-end furniture and electronic devices and that there was not a speck of dust anywhere in sight. There were also a few fashion magazines on the glass coffee table.

"Who is this Francesca Corlone?" Diana asked.

"She's a mob princess. Her father runs a crime ring out of Rose Garden. He's been buying legitimate businesses like banks and restaurants to hide the fact he's a mobster." The young woman replied. She did not seem happy at all. Her voice took on a dark tone.

"My father refused to be bought out or intimidated into giving up his share in a bank in Rose Garden to Mr. Corlone's goons. So Mr. Corlone had my parents killed in a car accident, but it was no accident. One of his goons deliberately rammed my parents' car. It was a hit." She said. Diana listened patiently and without comment. The young woman then took a deep breath.

"I'm scared that my older sister Kathleen's next. She's taken over the family business and is trying to hold the family together. Or what's left of it. As I told you in Boomslang, Francesca had my brother killed when he refused to date her. Now it's just me and her." The young woman admitted to Diana. She then shook her head and pulled off her hair. Diana watched as the raven turned into a brunette.

"I'm Jasmine. Jasmine DuClare." The raven-turned-brunette introduced herself.

Jasmine DuClare:

[Word Count: 632]
[Total Word Count: 632/1,500]

"I use this wig in order to fool Francesca. She's been to my house before when she was chasing my brother, so she knows my real hair color. Thankfully she's too dumb to see through the wig... for now." Jasmine explained why she was using a wig. Diana thought that was a simple and cost-effective disguise, but the brunette would need something for the long term because even someone as dim as Francesca would eventually catch on.

"So you have reason to suspect that your older sister is in danger?" Diana asked Jasmine.

"Yeah. She's been resisting the Corlones to sell her share in the bank and I'm afraid that they'll try and finish what they started in wiping out the DuClares." Jasmine confided in Diana. Diana knew all about family extermination. The same thing happened to the Winchesters over four years ago... in one night all but one of the thirteen Winchesters died from drinking poisoned wine. The blonde was the sole survivor only because she was away on an "assignment." Diana herself did not take it personally because by that point the family had succumbed to avarice and was too far gone to save.

Money was their sole driving passion in life. Make money, save money, marry into money, make more money. They were bankers and lenders who lived for the thrill of profits and little else. Diana was only their weapon and their enforcer. Once her ability to kill with a touch was discovered, she was forced onto that career path and taught nothing else.

Diana came back to the present and faced Jasmine. Jasmine's blue eyes looked into the blonde's green eyes. Diana felt something strange, something she had not felt in awhile.

Why did Diana feel... sympathy? The blonde tried not to get attached to people because she was a businesswoman who was all about the contract. She provided a service that was sometimes of questionable legality and she expected payment for it. That was all there was to it. There was no friendship, no long-term connection, just fulfilling the contract and moving on to the next contract.

"I don't know what to do. I'm tired of having to hide. I'm tired of having to worry about Kathleen. She's the only family I have left." Jasmine lamented. Diana listened quietly. She did not make judgments either way... she was only a service provider.

"Hey, I know this is sudden, but would you... mind spending the night with me?" Jasmine asked with more than a little embarrassment.

"My sister's out of town and I'm a bit worried that Francesca might send someone to knock me off. If you don't mind, I'd like to have someone to hang around with for a day." Jasmine added to her request. Diana listened patiently. There might be money in this.

"All right. What do you need me to do?" Diana asked. Jasmine clasped her hands together and smiled.

"First, I need to go buy food for us. If you'd follow me to the grocer's, that'd be a good start." Jasmine said before sliding the black wig back on, making sure her real hair was carefully and completely concealed. Diana wordlessly waited for her hostess to put some shoes on. Diana did not exactly know what she had agreed too, but it seemed to be above board and offered a chance at easy money.

[Word Count: 563]
[Total Word Count: 1,195/1,500]

-Jasmine's home, two hours later-

Jasmine and Diana returned from the shopping trip with arms full of paper bags. They had completed grocery shopping for both DuClares and Diana had learned that Crocus had upscale grocery stores stocked with almost anything imaginable. In addition to produce native to Fiore, the stores also offered imported produce from other countries, including a dizzying number of regional specialties like Minstrel wine and Iceberg lettuce. They had bought enough to last the family for three weeks, which was long-term planning put into action.

"Thanks for the help. Um, what's your name?" Jasmine asked.

"Diana." Diana replied, omitting her last name. She probably should not have given her name because their partnership was going to end when the contract did, but some people already knew her name, so there was no point in hiding it. A first-name basis was all the blonde needed for most people anyway.

"Thanks for the help, Diana." Jasmine said while brushing off the bottom of her shoes on a mat and taking off her shoes. Diana followed suit because she was now an official guest of the Duclare family. After the groceries were put away, Jasmine spoke to her again.

"It's been awhile since we've had any guests. After my parents and brother died, we really didn't invite anyone over. My sister's at work most of the time, which leaves me pretty much alone." Jasmine informed Diana. The blonde thought that the brunette gave out too much information, but the other girl just seemed lonely, not threatening. Part of Diana knew how not really having anyone to interact with felt. Well, she had interacted with plenty of people, but most of the interactions involved violence. Her world was strictly business... she provided a service, she got paid, and both parties went their separate ways.

"I appreciate your hospitality." Diana offered words of appreciation to Jasmine. The blonde was wearing a well-made mask of manners and politeness. She was also born into a high-class family and moved in a society where manners were everything; that was one of the few things Diana willingly carried over from her family. There was another reason the blonde tolerated so many insults and indignities without complaint; professionals tended to find it easier to get and retain employment if they behaved with civility rather than boorishness.

"It's no problem. I like the company." Jasmine replied as she grabbed the television remote and flipped to an idol show called Earthland's Got Vocals. It was a new singing show that had recently attained popularity because of a string of talented competitors that reached across class and social lines because they came from all classes and social strata. While the typical "pretty boy/pretty girl" contestants were the favorites of the hip teen crowd, there were a few middle-aged contestants from unlikely places like Desierto, Iceberg, and even Clover Town that won fans in their age bracket.

"Do you watch television much?" Jasmine asked.

"Not really." Diana answered truthfully. She stayed on the move a lot and stayed busy, so television was a low priority for her.

"You might like this show. There are some pretty hot guys... and some hot girls too." Jasmine said with a bit of a blush at the last part. Diana dis not pass judgment on what gender her hostess liked. It was clear from the way Jasmine "interacted" with her in Boomslang that she had more than a little interest in girls. It did not matter. A contract was a contract.

The pair watched television for the rest of the evening and ate popcorn. They stayed up until past midnight as Diana got a crash course in pop culture from the brunette. Jasmine really liked a female singer named Madame LaLa, who wore outlandish and brightly colored costumes but had some rather good music. The evening passed uneventfully, which was exactly the way Diana liked it.

[Word Count: 652]
[Total Word Count: 1,847/1,500]