Longer chapters won't be happening for a while. Once I get the basic plot and all the subplots down, I'll start on detailing the events of the plots. They'll eventually come together, but not soon, so don't hold your breath.

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Chapter 3
A Day in the Life: Deidre

Tomorrow was the big day. The day that she’d been dreading, and the day that she’d been awaiting for so long. The day that she would finally be free of this vicious cycle. Finally. Finally.

You see, our Deidre has a secret. One well kept, and well hidden. One that threatened to kill her. Because it’s not every day that a young girl tries to play both sides.

To truly understand our Deidre’s situation, one must understand the balance of power that lies in the criminal organizations of the city of New London and how the New Scotland Yard has changed that balance over the years.

It began with the destruction of London, thirty years before the turn of the century. For ten years, the ruined city was a haven for criminals. Organized crime was inevitable. Eventually, the many gangs that formed fought for control of the city. Meanwhile, a new police force was being set up, its purpose being to take back the city from the gangs and make it safe for reconstruction. For seven years, between 2080 and 2087, the gangs and the police warred over the territories. During that time, a young girl was taken from the US after her parents were killed and brought to London. But that is another story. Then from the ether two young geniuses arose and led their groups to triumph over all the other powers. For a time, the two were at odds, for neither seemed to be able to outsmart the other. However, they came to a mutual consensus, and made a deal with the New Scotland Yard police force. They would let the city be rebuilt, but in return, they would be allowed preside over a section of the city. There was much debate over how much they should be allowed to control, but the New Scotland Yard police had concocted a plan. They would give them a large portion of the city, then would attack as the groups were settling in. The plan went successfully, but the groups clung to half the land they’d been given, and couldn’t be moved.

Deidre’s role came into play when she was forced, at the age of nine, to pick sides. Thinking herself clever, she chose both, and managed to evade notice for several years. When she met Mr. Sherlock Holmes, she was trying to escape the role of errand girl her life seemed to have turned into. As she gained faith in Mr. Holmes, she became sloppy about her secrets and her duplicity was discovered. Perhaps, had she not been in close connection with Mr. Sherlock Holmes, she would’ve died. But instead, the two groups made her a deal. They both saw something they could gain. In return for information on Holmes, they would spare her life. Deidre could not refuse.

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It was the night before the delivery. Once, twice, three times Deidre had checked the information she had copied off Mr. Holmes’ computer. And it had been so easy! Now all she had to do was deliver the two identical disks to the heavies that were to be waiting at the drop off point. All she’d have to do was follow the directions on the sheet, hand the disks to the heavies, and leave, and she’d be free. Free from the gang life.

Deidre took several deep, calming breaths and settled onto the floor, cross-legged. Taking up the sheet of directions, she began to memorize, committing the image of each short phrase to memory. ‘Start at Folsom’, ‘Straight, two blocks’, ‘Left, one block’, ‘Right, three blocks’, and so on until the last phrase, ‘Open 45 min.’ The hours passed as Deidre carefully went over the list time and time again, making sure to commit each direction to memory. This path was the only path in the N.L. slums that was neutral at the moment. As long as she stayed on that path, she was safe from all harm. And should she stray….

Deidre slept very little that night. She awoke early and attempted her morning meditation, only to fail miserably. She left the house early and checked her watch, mapping out a schedule in her mind. If she kept a steady pace, then she would arrive at the drop off point by 11 AM. She hailed a taxi to where Folsom opened on York and started in.

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Deidre paused and looked about warily, trying to find something, anything, in the musty gloom. The grimy windows above her let in half-hearted beams of sunlight, lighting the room just enough so that one could find a way around the boxes and crates. Deidre began to wander around dusty piles of half-toppled boxes and molding crates, weaving her way to the center of the warehouse. She paused as she entered the cleared away space in the center of the warehouse. Two men were leaned against opposite crates, watching each other. Deidre stepped forward between the two and held out a disk towards each of them. Then, as if it had been coordinated, they moved towards her and took the disks from her hands. Then they glanced at her, nodded, and left their separate ways, through side doors.

As they disappeared into the shadowy maze of containers, Deidre slumped and gusted out a sigh of relief. She looked around once more, then left, a skip in her step and a soft song on her lips and tongue.

Had she looked closer, she would’ve seen two unconscious bodies, one dressed down in black finery, the other dressed in garish colors.