A/n-I'm finally back, after a long, hectic year of AP US History. I finally got around to writing another NT story, and once again it's "bad stuff happens to Riley". But hey, what else is new? This is set a couple of months after the first movie, and will most likely be made obsolete with the second one, which is why I wanted to post it before the movie came out. I will try my hardest not to abandon the story, but I've been a flaky writer of late (writer's block, job hunting, lack of plot ideas, etc.) and I'll try to finish it within a reasonable amount of time!
Disclaimer-I don't own anything NT affiliated. I do own an almost grotesque amount of OCs, though. I like inventing them, damnit, and they keep invading my writing! And if anyone remembers Brynn from the first time I tried to make up my own NT story, she's back! W00t!
Acknowledgements-my beta, Rhiannon Aurorafai. She cut a lot of pointless filler! Everyone give her a cookie! Any remaining mistakes are mine and mine only!
Riley Poole sleepily stumbled down the hallway of his apartment complex, intent on making it to his mailbox before he fell back asleep. He hated getting up early in the morning to get the mail, but both the mailman and the paper boy delivered freakishly early, in Riley's opinion, and he had to beat his neighbors to the mailbox lest his paper be stolen again.
Upon seeing the front stoop of the building, Riley cursed under his breath. Once again, his newspaper had mysteriously vanished. He mentally swore revenge on the mysterious paper thief, once he uncovered their true identity. Fumbling for his mailbox key, he finally opened the box and pulled out the thick stack of junk mail and bills. Riley rarely got any letters; he preferred correspondence via email.
"Mornin', Riley. Has the dastardly newspaper thief struck again?" a blonde woman, perhaps in her early thirties, stepped out the door. She was dressed in track sweats and a sports bra, and her blonde hair was pulled out of her face and into a high ponytail. She grinned knowingly, shifting the water bottle tucked under her arm so she could access her purse and retrieve her mail.
"Hey, Natalie. Do you see my newspaper anywhere? I think it's obvious that the paper thief has continued his, or her, newspaper-jacking spree! I keep getting up early to try and catch him, and I always miss him!" Riley folded his arms. Natalie and Derek Love occupied the apartment down the hall from Riley, with a pair of energetic four-year-old twins named Jacqui and Neil. Riley often babysat for the Loves when Natalie and Derek were working.
Rolling her eyes, Natalie stated, "Firstly, I hardly think ten o'clock is early. And I hope your crime-solving techniques are up to par. I think this is going to be the case of your lifetime. Good luck, Riley!" she waved and headed for her car. Riley opened his mouth to retort, but decided against it. Sometimes it was easier to let Natalie have the last word.
Riley made it back to his apartment and spread his mail on the small kitchen table. Despite being very rich from the money he collected from the discovery of the Templar treasure, Riley's apartment remained very sparsely decorated. Most of the money was tucked away safely in his bank, except, of course, for the money he'd spent on his beloved car. And his beloved computer. And his beloved entertainment system.
Pouring a bowl of Frosted Cheerios and settling at the kitchen table, Riley began sorting through the mail. Most of it was junk mail, which went into one pile. A small second pile formed for bills; those he'd deal with later. He rarely had any letters, but today was different. A stark white envelope stared up at Riley from the shrinking disorganized mail pile. He picked it up and investigated it. There was no return address, and the mailing address was handwritten. Shrugging, he put the letter aside from the rest of the mail, and finished off the last of the cereal. As he rose to rinse out the bowl and recycle the offending junk mail, the doorbell rang.
Muttering angrily to himself about intruders onto his breakfast, he opened the door and demanded, "What?"
The short brunette on his doorstep laughed, "Riley Poole, I'm ashamed, answering the door like that. Surely you meant to ask 'What the hell do you want?' or some other equally colorful phrase!" Riley stared in shock, before letting loose a small chuckle.
"Brynn Gallagher! Where on Earth did you fall from? Last I heard, you were still in Ireland watching your grandparent's farm!" Riley stood aside to let the young woman in.
"Yeah, well,. I come home and you'd vanished from the face of the Earth. Quit your job, left Washington, blah blah blah. Then I'm watching TV, and there you are with the blonde woman and that other guy, and they're talking about how the three of you found this ancient treasure buried under Philadelphia, of all places! What the hell has been going on?" Brynn lounged on the couch. "Nice entertainment system, by the way. Love the surround sound."
"Thanks. Yeah, well, I was picked up by 'the other guy' because of my excellence with computers and my shameless begging. And voila, here I am with a some nice electronics and an awesomely beautiful car!" Riley shrugged. "Good things do happen to good people." Brynn snorted.
"Have you totaled it yet? Because, if I remember correctly, that's what you did to my beloved little Volvo. You still haven't bought me a new car!" she jokingly accused.
"So it's my fault that I stopped at a red light and was rear-ended by some guy going fifty? Thanks, Brynn. Means a lot," Brynn rolled her eyes.
"You got a concussion. My car was a wreck! Anyway, it's nice to reminisce about old times, but I've been in town a while and hurt that you haven't looked me up. Surely you didn't forget about me?" Brynn asked, pseudo-hurt shining in her blue eyes.
"How could I forget the English major whose sole delight was tormenting her roommates?" Riley asked. Brynn and Riley had managed to move out of the dorms in their last two years of college, and, along with a couple of their friends, had managed to scrape together enough money to afford housing. Unfortunately, several of the roommates were self-proclaimed "prank masters", and full-scale wars would frequently break out and cause everyone to fear walking into a room, cooking, eating, or doing laundry.
"You can't argue that it wasn't always a riot at our place," Brynn shrugged. "And you guys participated, and retaliated, for the most part. Vicky was vicious…which was why we called her 'Vicious Vicky', if I remember. So, Riley, what're you doing today? I thought maybe we could do lunch and catch up a bit. I have some roommates who would love to meet the crazy disappearing fool that I've been talking about since I saw you on TV that one time."
"I'm supposed to meet friends of mine for lunch at 11:30, sorry," Riley smiled apologetically.
"11:30? Are you aware of the fact that it's, like 11:00 right now?" Brynn asked, frowning.
"Are you kidding me?" Riley demanded, looking at his clock. Damn, she was right. Riley leapt up and raced to his room, changing quickly into the first outfit he could find.
"Don't forget to brush your teeth!" Brynn called from the living room.
"Shut up, Brynn!" Riley shouted, heading to the bathroom. He emerged not too long after, hair brushed, shaved, teeth cleaned, contacts in.
"You clean up nice," Brynn smirked. "I guess you'll be showing me out then?"
"I'd ask you to come with me, but in all honesty I don't think my friends could really…" Riley shrugged. Brynn laughed, not at all offended.
"Handle me, right. Remember our old Gen. Ed. science professor? He didn't understand how so much epinephrine, seratonin, and plain old energy could be crammed in my 'tiny, 5'2'' 135-lb. frame'," Brynn blinked. "How the hell he knew my weight still eludes me. Freakin' stalker."
"Yeah, yeah, scary science teachers. I really oughtta be out of here, right now. And don't even think about making off with any of my CDs, DVDs, computer games, et cetera!" Riley grabbed his jacket from the back of the couch, fished in the pocket for the keys, and headed for the door. Brynn rolled her eyes and followed him.
"Hey, are you doing anything tonight though? My roommates and I are going to see the new Pirates movie, and we have an extra ticket. Both my roommates have boyfriends they're inviting, and since Rowan was stupid, she ordered a ticket for me to bring my 'significant other' too. Seeing as I don't have one, we're left with an extra ticket. Fancy coming along?" Brynn asked, eyeballing Riley's DVD collection. He steered her towards the door.
"Sure, why not?" Riley shrugged.
"Good. I'll pick you up at six. Be sure to be dressed pirate-y, or else we'll shun you. I mean it, too," Brynn gave Riley a meaningful look.
"Alright, alright. Six o'clock. Dressed, uh, 'pirate-y'. I got it. Let's go, Brynn!" Riley implored. Brynn smiled and headed out the door. Riley turned and locked it behind him.
The white envelope was left on the table, forgotten for the moment. It wouldn't be long before Riley wished he'd opened it instead of abandoning it on the kitchen table.
Yeah, it's short. The second chapter's short, too. Eventually the action will pick up and maybe the chapters'll be long. Be nice with reviews!