Adella Salazar and the Temple of Futa

[ Heads up! You can read this one on its own, no problem, but it's a sequel to a branch of FSC where Adella went to prison, befriended Chloe Frazier from Uncharted, broke out, went off to do Indiana Jones/Uncharted adventures, and ran into Lara Croft and Citra from Far Cry 3! Normal VFU things! Anyway, there's a slightly improved, collected PDF of that adventure called Adella Salazar - Raiders of the Lost Futa conveniently located on das Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/CCLViking) if you are so inclined. If you are not so inclined, that's OK! This story will run when a current daily is on pause for the democratic process, and it will follow Blended 2 as the daily futa story! Enjoy! ]

It’s not Adella’s first trip to London, but her memories are mostly of hotels, clubs, and football. Now, she and Chloe ride in a real London taxi, and these are not the streets where the clubs and fancy bars are. Nothing is familiar.

It’s late, and streetlights shine in deep puddles. The moon is hidden, but distant lights sweep around from helicopters over the Thames. Chloe’s talked about her worries for the state of this country, but it all looks normal enough to Adella. After everything that’s happened, it’s impossible not to feel a little homesick.

But Adella has always been adventurous, and now that she’s tasted Chloe’s brand of mischief, football and hooking up with models can’t compare to real danger and magical idols.

She’s still nervous as they emerge from the cab and enter the University College of London grounds. Even at this late hour, a few people still walk along the paths under the trees between the buildings, where new structures are mingled with historic ones.

The library is old and covered in vines. Chloe looks around warily, then steps off the path. Adella hurries along behind her, slipping through the shadows to get around to the back. There, Chloe dons her mask and checks the chamber of her pistol.

“Will you need that?” Adella asks, taking her mask and gloves out of her pocket.

“Not likely. There’s not even a security guard, but you never know.” Chloe is an expert at this sort of thing; she’s broken into loads of places. It only takes one of them to get what they need, and Adella is good at football, not burglary.

“Why am I here?” she asks.

“You’re the lookout.”

Adella isn’t happy about it, but she keeps watch as Chloe picks the lock. The lights are on in the corridors, but not in the library rooms. Chloe moves swiftly, bypassing the big rooms full of books and descends to the basement, where she turns on her flashlight. One after another, she checks the nameplates over the doors.

“You’re sure this guy will know something?” Adella asks; it’s a little eerie how their footsteps echo down here.

“If anyone does, it’ll be him.”

“But his office is in a basement?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Chloe stops in front of a door and readies her lockpicks. “He was part of an expedition that went not five kilometers from where we found that statue. If there are others, he’s either got them, or he knows who does. He’s an expert.”

“Wouldn’t it be better just to talk to him?”

“It’s not a good idea for me to show my face in London. In daylight,” Chloe says mysteriously.

Right. She’s probably wanted for lots of crimes; she didn’t end up in prison because she’s such a rule follower.

“Got it.” Chloe leads Adella into a cramped office full of books. There’s a cardboard box of old hard drives; Chloe cringes at the sight of it and goes to the bookshelves instead. The metal desk is old-fashioned, and the room smells like stale tea leaves.

Adella wrinkles her nose and tries not to sneeze. The spiderwebs in the corners look like something from a movie. “Who is this guy?”

“Professor of paleontology,” Chloe replies as she uses her light to examine the books. “Used to be on loads of expeditions and such. He’s traveled as much as I have. In the old days, one didn’t just hop a flight. Big expeditions, loads of experts. Fitzroy here was always in the middle of it. He’ll know something. Ghastly gossip, he is.”

“Would he just tell us?”

“Not for free. Sleeping with attractive young assistants is what he’s best known for.”

“Sounds like you know him well,” Adella says neutrally.

“It’s a last resort, yeah? And I dunno what he’d think of me having a knob these days. I was also nineteen last time I saw him, and time hasn’t been kind to either of us. Best to steal it.”

“Steal what?”

“His journals.”

“Someone’s coming.”

“What? Shyte.” Chloe turns on the lights and hurriedly takes off her mask, gesturing for Adella to do the same. Heels click in the hallway. They can’t run without being seen.

A little blonde in thick glasses steps into view. She has serious curves squeezed into her plaid skirt and white blouse. She looks apprehensive.

“Hello,” she says slowly, looking them up and down. She sounds American.

“Right. Is the Professor about?” Chloe replies, perfectly casual. Adella’s heart races, but she tries to look cool.

That surprises the girl. “Professor Fitzroy? He’s dead.” Her gaze becomes suspicious.

Chloe is startled too. “Oh.”

“You hadn’t heard?”

“I’ve been abroad. I was his TA. Ages ago.”

The blonde looks her up and down guardedly.

“What’s your name, luv?” Chloe asks.

“Colby,” the girl replies. There’s hesitance; she doesn’t seem to be the confident type.

“I suppose you aren’t too broken up about him passing on, then? Cutie like you.”

The girl blushes. “You aren’t going to ask what happened?”

“Don’t care,” Chloe says with a shrug. “See, I won’t miss him, either. Pity, though. I had some questions for him.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. Buy you a drink?”

The girl blinks. “What?”

“A drink. You know. Reminisce a bit about the old git. Reckon you’ve a tale or two to tell.”

The girl’s guardedness is obvious. “Nothing too pleasant. Or unpleasant.”

“How about it? I’m Chloe. This is Adella.” Chloe puts her arm around Adella’s waist. “She’s a Barcelona footballer.”

Colby’s been doing a good job not staring at Adella. “And what do you do?”

Chloe grins. “Working on my thesis. Archaeology.”