“Let the flavor explode across your tongue,” he said and Leita did just that. “The exquisite aftertaste that lingers at the back of the palate is our own special additive,” he continued. “A secret ingredient known only to those who work here at Xander’s Gourmet Chocolates.”
Leita swallowed and licked her lips. “It does taste…kind of strange,” she admitted. “Sort of makes my tongue numb. Is that normal?”
“Perfectly,” the clerk assured her. “It’s that secret ingredient I told you about. Try another one.”
“Oh, I couldn’t possibly. They’re so rich, I—mmph,” she ended because the clerk had popped another dark brown sphere between her open lips while she was talking. Leita found this chocolate much less appealing—its center was a heavy, thick syrup that tasted almost medicinal, not light and airy like the champagne truffle. Still, she could hardly spit it out. She had to chew and swallow it and by the time she was finished, her tongue was so numb it felt like deadweight in her mouth.
“Good?” The clerk’s smile was definitely unpleasant now.
“Ver’ good.” She was surprised to hear herself slurring the words and suddenly her eyelids felt so heavy she could barely keep them open. What was wrong with her? “I mean, it’s ver…ver…very good,” she finally managed to get out. “But now I mus’ go.” Through the wide front window she could see glimpses of people passing by on the null-grav walkway but she realized none of them could see in. The battalion of gold and silver chocolate boxes stacked in a towering display effectively blocked the view.
“Oh, my dear.” The clerk took her by the arm and pulled her toward the back of the chocolate shop, which was much dimmer than the well-lit, attractive front. “You’re not going anywhere. Except to the nice back room of my shop.”
“No!” She made a sudden effort to break away from him but the clerk only laughed and tightened his grip. His black eyes and yellow smile looked decidedly feral now. Leita felt like she was caught in a childhood nightmare and couldn’t wake up. All her limbs felt heavy and useless and her eyelids kept wanting to close even though she knew she had to stay awake at all costs.
“Did you like the chocolate?” the clerk sneered. “I told you it would change your life, didn’t I?”
“Let…lemme go.” Leita sagged in his hands so that the man lost his grip on her momentarily. She wanted to keep on sinking until she could rest her tired head on the spotless floor but she knew lying down would be suicide.
With a wild effort, she staggered drunkenly toward the door, her elbow striking the silver tray of truffles and knocking them to the ground with a musical clatter. Chocolates flew everywhere and she trampled some under her feet, releasing a strong medicinal smell as the sticky drugged syrup leaked out of them and stained the white tiles dark red and brown.
“Stupid bitch!” The clerk’s oily voice was a snarl now. “Look what you did! That was my entire supply.” He grabbed her roughly by the elbow and started dragging her to the dimly lit back of the store by sheer force.
Leita didn’t have the strength to resist him—she felt as if her entire body had been dipped in lead. But she touched the watch-me bracelet to calm herself. Schneider was watching her. He could send help right to her location with the built-in directory chip she was wearing.
“And while we’re at it,” the clerk said, clearly catching her gesture from the corner of his eye, “let’s just take care of this—shall we?” He snatched the watch-me bracelet from her wrist, breaking the thin gold chain with a decisive snap. Throwing the bracelet to the floor, he ground the delicate mechanism beneath his heel. “Too bad, princess,” he said, smiling nastily at the horrified Leita. “I guess there’s no help on the way after all, is there?”
As he dragged her deeper into the shadows, even her horror faded and everything went black.
“Well, well. If it isn’t Schneider. Didn’t expect to ever hear from you again, my friend.” Pierce gave the furry face in his monitor his most sarcastic grin, wondering what had possessed Leita’s best friend/pet to contact him. The wide golden eyes narrowed and Schneider laid his pointed ears flat back against his little round head in what Pierce assumed was an expression of annoyance.
“I never expected to be calling you either, Pierce,” he said, his high voice slightly tinny coming through the Jaunter’s sound system.
Pierce raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “What? You call me by my name instead of Captain Dildo? To what do I owe this honor, fur ball?”
Schneider bristled, his tan fur becoming visibly puffier. “I supposed I deserved that,” he said stiffly. “But I didn’t call to trade insults with you, Pierce.”