Once the motorcycle was on the road, Harvey... starts to understand what Nyx was suggesting. As he held one handle of the motorcycle while holding the phone, Nyx has the umbrella-holding hand currently wrapped around his waist, and uses her free hand to hold the other handle. Leading to this rather... intriguing camera angle, that was in the midst of recording.
"Hey, love~? Where exactly are your eyes right now...?" Nyx passionately comments, playing the part while looking over Harvey's shoulder. Keeping her eyes on the road for the man, intending to convey a deep passion in order to invoke the pure jealousy of Sheila. "Your eyes better not leave me for a single moment, once we're off this vehicle..."
... Harvey, recording a twenty second clip before stopping. "O-Okay, that's enough- I'm going back to driving-"
"Stop, Locksmith," Nyx instructs Harvey, realizing that he has stopped recording with the phone. She points to the flower cart up ahead, drawing his attention to it. "We must stop here, for the sake of your objective."
Harvey takes a moment to pull the motorcycle up to the flower cart, and just... stares at Nyx. "S... So, what's your plan, buddy...?"
"Begin filming us again," Nyx commands, wrapping her arms around Harvey once more.
Harvey... presses the record button, and-
"Oh my gooooosh~" Nyx calls out, pointing at the flower cart. "Love, those are the prettiest flowers I've ever seen! Look at them...!"
"..." Harvey slowly turns the phone to the flower cart, showing the man selling them. The man selling the flowers just- blinking and waving as he's on camera.
"They're the most beautiful thing in the world...~ nothing, no one can compare to them!" Nyx boldly comments, before discreetly nudging Harvey with both of her legs.
Harvey is- confused, before... "Uhm... I mean- they're not the most beautiful... obviously, you are," he responds.
Nyx gives a loud gasp as she hugs Harvey tighter. "Oh my gosh oh my goshhhhh~ looooove~" she calls out, feigning embarrassment as she nuzzles lightly into Harvey's cheek...
"..." Harvey proceeds to stop recording again, and just tensely sighs. "Quade, I-"
"We have enough material," Nyx interrupts, staring at Harvey. "What was your plan to invoke this woman's jealousy?"
Harvey is just- bewildered. "I... plan? I was just- gonna s... send them to her? How else would-"
"Locksmith," Nyx interrupts once again, her eyes narrowed. "Send it to her friends, any mutual ones you possess. Aim to notify the ones closest to you, who knew of your... relationship. Add in some of your additional friends as well, to cement the rationale. It will reach this Sheila."
"Quade, Sheila's not-" Harvey speaks up again, before... sighing. "... fine. Fine. Okay. Trusting you on this, dude..."
"harvey"
"who the hell is that b----?"
"... oh my god, it worked," Harvey responds, briefly glancing at the phone after sending the videos. Somehow, the video reached Sheila rather quickly, and he just- he's astonished. There she is, texting him.. "How'd- how'd you know that would work, Quade?"
Nyx scoffs. "It is simple. Sending it to others will bring more attention to you, more attention that Sheila would not give if you sent it to her directly. Furthermore, I am fully aware of your social media, and posting it in that manner does not centralize the threat. Friendship will make it as if you deliberately have done it to celebrate a woman rather than gain useless publicity. This method crosses between both lines, provoking her 'allies' to notify her of the mysterious woman who is enamored with you. If this Sheila is as much of a witch as you have indicated, she will be enraged. And she will give the desired response you are looking for."
"You... you genius..." Harvey comments, looking at Nyx with a visibly impressed expression on his face. Ready for Quade's next wisdom... "S-So you said we have to go to 95 Clockwork Avenue?"
"Indeed," Nyx responds. "Reply to her with one single 'who', as well as a question mark. Then turn off your phone until further notice. We will fuel her ire, make her seethe with rage." Clenching her hand into a fist, now reciting a new haiku. "We will face the stream. Growing, roaring waterfall, unable to be stopped."
"... Quade, if things don't work with Sheila, please hook me up with whoever this chick is," Harvey responds, grinning widely as he types that exact message to Sheila. "I'm genuinely kinda curious 'bout what my shot with her is."
"Unfortunately, she would not be interested in romantic affairs due to... circumstance," Nyx responds, hesitating to inform the locksmith about her... deep connection with Quade. "But there will be plenty of maidens out there for you. Onward, locksmith, to Clockwork Avenue."
"Loud and clear," Harvey answers, receiving a text notification from Sheila before turning off his phone. Starting to drive again.
Meanwhile, in the taxi, Quade remains asleep. Cyan keeping watch over him, nervously just- looking around, waiting for Nyx to show up. It's- almost thirty minutes, and there's no sight of the woman... causing her to worry and panic.
If Quade began to wake up... Cyan has no idea how she would stop him. She was thinking of an idea, how to-
RING. RING. RING. RING. RING.
Cyan would squint at the actively beeping phone, blinking as someone was- now calling Quade. Quickly, she lunges out to grab the phone, answering it quickly to silence the sound before ducking in the backseat.
The cost is clear. Now it was time to address whoever this was. Holding the phone up to her ear. "... h... hello?"
"QUADE-!" a woman's voice loudly shouts, startling Cyan and causing her to fumble with the phone. Her ears ringing idly, the woman's voice managing to transcend the limitations of phones that weren't on speaker. "WHO THE HELL IS THAT B---- WITH HARVEY?!"
Cyan is visibly tense and worried as she looks to the phone. "Uhm...!!! Q-Quade's c-currently asleep, he can't answer the phone right now, so-!!"
"OH DON'T YOU PULL THAT LITTLE GIRL S--- ON ME, YOU DID NOT JUST PULL YOUR LITTLE ACT ON SHEILA," the woman's voice exclaims. "GET YOUR BUTT SOMEWHERE YOU CAN SPEAK NORMALLY, NOW, BOY. NOW!"
Cyan starts shaking. "I- I really-" Unsure how to respond, starting to sob a little as she's being aggressively yelled at.
... and a hand quickly takes the phone from her, slipping it out of her hands.
This startles Cyan as she looks up to see Quade looking back at her. Her eyes going wide as he has woken up anyway, realizing that he's been snapped out of his sleep by the very audible voice that has been screaming in the phone. "U-Uhm! Quade-!"
"... I- got this," Quade tells the little girl, smiling at Cyan as he holds a hand over the phone microphone. "Thanks for tryin' to get me some winks of sleep, Verness, but I don't want you answerin' the calls on my phone, you hear?" Before holding the phone up to his ear and sighing. "Hello? Sheila? What is it?"
"WHAT IS IT?! WHAT IS IT?! HARVEY SENT ME VIDEOS, THEN DECIDES TO COMPLETELY UP AND GHOST ME!" the woman on the phone exclaims, livid and furious beyond belief. "I KNOW IT WAS YOU, WHO THE HELL IS SHE?!"
Quade squints his eyes. "I... what? What are you-"
"I AIN'T PLAYING GAMES, MCMURPHY, THAT B---- OUT HERE TRYNA STEAL MY MAN, SITTING WHERE I SIT ON HIS BIKE?! WHERE THE HELL ARE THEY GOING, QUADE?!"
This causes Quade to glare forward at the windshield. "Sheila, I seriously don't know what you're talking about, who exactly are you talking... a... bout...?" Looking to the side to realize Nyx wasn't in the taxi. And also realizing he was missing his hat, and Harvey's toolbox was not where he left it.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Putting two and two together almost immediately. As Sheila begins snapping and incoherently shouting at Quade with the furious strength and power of a wild bear, Quade looks to Verness with narrowed eyes. "Cyan, where's Nyx?"
"U-Uhm- I, uh-" Cyan responds, shaking her head. "I... don't... know?"
"..." Quade just nods contently to Cyan. "I see. Don't worry, you're not in trouble. Do you think you need to go home? Or can you help me out a little in the front seat?"
"I- I can help out," Cyan answers, opening the back door and exiting the taxi to change seats.
Quade then redirects his attention to Sheila, speaking to the phone once more. "Sheila- Sheila, Sheila, okay, calm down a little, calm- I said calm! Okay. Now, I want you to take a guess on the reason those two are set up." Quade starts the car once again. Looking back to Cyan and mouthing to her: seatbelt on, and hold this. The girl doing so, holding the phone.
"OBVIOUSLY YOU, MCMURPHY, WHAT OTHER PERSON COULD SET THAT LOSER UP WITH A GIRL LIKE-"
"No, Sheila, I had nothing to do with this," Quade responds. "Some wisdom from a guy who's wised up to handlin' people, I reckon you're neglecting his needs and he shot his shot with a new woman! I'll go and get Harvey right now, and you can do whatever it is you want to him, but maybe he wouldn't do dumb plans like this if you showed him you care more often!"
"W-WHAT?! ARE YOU ACCUSING ME OF NOT GIVING A S--- ABOUT THIS GUY? THE GUY WHO'S CHEATING ON ME RIGHT NOW?! HUH?! HOW DARE-"
"Steve," Quade immediately speaks up. "He told me about Steve. Y'know. The one from five months ago."
Audible silence from the woman on the other end, before she immediately hangs up.
"..." Quade just sighs hard, holding a hand to his face as he shifts back into the taxi driver form. Starting to drive along, relieved.
"U-Uhm... who's Steve... and... what-?" Cyan asks.
"Tell you when you're older, Cyan," Quade responds, rolling his eyes as he pulls into traffic. "Grown up stuff."
"Oh..." Cyan responds, closing the phone. "So where are we, uhm, going...?"
"That's a good question..." Quade now had to figure out where Harvey was going... no, where Nyx was taking him. They were on a bike, going somewhere. It's likely Nyx was using him to go somewhere, but where...?
... his eyes glancing at the notepad as he thinks. Dahlia... 95 Clockwork Avenue...
Harvey and Nyx arrive at the destination in question, shortly after Quade finishes that call. 95 Clockwork Avenue: a fancy restaurant, five stars. Gourmet cuisine served in a classy restaurant for the finest of clientele...
Nyx glares at this building with unease. Growling faintly as she was trying to imagine this... lover... of Quade's. Putting her hat on and just taking a calm breath... she needed to be ready, she needed to focus, she needed-
"Ohhhhh my god!" Harvey exclaims as he checks his phone, he's just in absolute disbelief. Fifteen missed texts from Sheila, as well as 10 missed calls in the short time he's been driving! Harvey just looks to Quade with a wide smile. "Sheila's going nuts, Quade!" Harvey exclaims, staring at the phone with absolute wonder. "Maaaaaan- we gotta keep going with this! You good with it and all? Or should we stop, before this girl you're disguised as is-"
Nyx immediately shakes her head, scoffing. "Locksmith. Do you take this girl for a coward?" A proud, hearty laugh as she crosses her arms. "Challenged, with no fear. She will fulfill her duty. Such is natural!"
Harvey is genuinely considering meeting this real woman, at this point, staring at Nyx with awe as they enter. "Wild, man! ... but- wait, so, what's- the plan? Are we getting a table, ordering food? This place is, uhm... I can't really afford it, so-"
"Well... we don't need to enter," Nyx responds. "It's too flashy to record ourselves enjoying a romantic meal together. We can simply film ourselves on the outside, and pretend that you have a reservation for us."
"Really?" Harvey asks. "How does... how does that work?"
"Well, we will frame it as you telling me to close my eyes in front of here. We will walk up to the restaurant, and you will frame it as a surprise," Nyx responds. "Something you couldn't have told me prior, and- we'll... get a little creative, to provide reason as to why you are not filming us in a restaurant. Compliment me and treat me as if I'm better than this Sheila, behaving like you're deliberately trying to one up this Sheila now."
"Okay- okay, so- alright. I'm ready," Harvey says, adjusting his phone. "Tell me when you are."
Nyx holds both of her hands over her face, and nods. "Begin."
Harvey presses the record button, backing up slowly with a pretend smile on his face. "Alright- and... you can open your eyes now!"
Nyx lowers her hands, looks up at the restaurant again, and begins her act. "Whaaaat?!" Nyx gasps in absolute shock. "Ohhhh my gooosh- love, you didn't- you-" Turning to Harvey and wrapping her arms around him. "H-How long have you been planning this?!"
"..." Harvey smiles, and starts going along with it. The way Quade shifts between their personas- was this something the girl did? Or was it Quade putting his own spin to it? Well, no time to ask questions, time to play his part as well. "Well- I've- been saving it for... someone like you, y'know? You're the kindest, sweetest, and-"
Nyx lets out a tender 'awwww' as she pulls Harvey close, staring deeply into his eyes. Giving him a very- passionate stare, selling the ruse. An intimate couple of inches apart, locking her eyes with Harvey to... "authenticate" this deceitful act.
Harvey just... freezes in place, staring back into the red eyes. Growing increasingly nervous. Quade's commitment to this is scaring him, maybe even- exciting him a little. B-But it's just a character, it's pretend, it's completely- completely pretend, Harvey. calm down- calmdownnnnn...
"Well...~" A hand slowly raised up to Harvey's cheek, Nyx smirking. "You've gotten enough of my reaction...~? C'mon, turn it off, let's make the afternoon something to remember, love...~" Nyx tells the man on recording, smirking at the camera. "Whoever this is doesn't need to see... our personal affairs? I want it to just be completely... me... and... you..."
Harvey- nods, and stops recording. Shaking in his feet, completely overwhelmed by this entire moment. It's Quade, it's Quade, it's Quade, it's Quade, don't think about it, don't- it's not- he's not- oh, but what if he's... aaaaugh...
"U... u... uhm- I... I think I- uh- that's- enough for... S... Sheila..." he stutters, gulping. "T... Thanks... Quade..."
"Wonderful. Send it to her posthaste," Nyx responds, walking to the door and putting the cap on. "I now have to meet with someone here. Do wish me luck, Locksmith, for this is a very crucial meeting."
"G... got it, got it..." Harvey responds, taking several deep breaths and calming down. Mentally recovering after... that. "So... w-what's next? Wait to see what Sheila d-does?"
"Well, depends. There is a possibility that this Sheila will come here, her burning jealousy a wildfire in the woods," Nyx responds, rubbing her chin lightly. "... I suggest waiting outside, if possible. Sheila comes, and you tell her that this was a ruse, completely make believe. It will relieve her to know you want more attention from her, and she will be putty in your arms, Locksmith."
"S... Sounds good," Harvey comments, blindly trusting "Quade" on this, not aware of the fate that will befall him once Sheila gets her hands on him.
Nyx then enters the restaurant, leaving Harvey behind to examine the interior.
"Ah. Good afternoon," the man at the front podium speaks. A finely dressed man in a suit, the maître d'. "Master of the House", as it is called, a maître d' is an esteemed waiter that manages reservations, seats guests, and so on. The man looking at the hat for a brief moment, squinting his eyes. "... do you- have a reservation here?"
Nyx nods contently. "The reservation is in the name of a Dahlia. She should be... expecting a Quade McMurphy."
"... but of course. She has yet to arrive, but her reservation includes instructions..." Looking up and down Nyx. "... miss. Please, right this way."
Nyx bows lightly and begins following the maître d' to the table, closing the umbrella once she was away enough from the doors. Contently walking as formal as she could, passing by several esteemed patrons. A vast sea of regality, an assortment of fancy attire, belonging to people she has no knowledge of. Yet, the air around them holds... weight to it, each of them holding themselves to high esteem, high reputation.
And whoever this Dahlia is, she must be one of them.
Nyx is seated at a table for two, her seat adjacent to a divider that separates the outer seats from the inner seats. She knows her manners, but... this was on an entirely different level. Her eyes gazing down at the assortment of utensils and the plate before her, reaching for the napkin and feeling it.
The maître d' smirks for a moment, then leans in and whispers. "Pulling out this woman for your chat, Mr. McMurphy?" Looking up to the hat, now that they were in a more private area.
Nyx- looks to the maitre d' and nods. The maître d' is also one of Quade's contacts. "... indeed. I believe it... best... to face her in this form."
"If you insist. Someone will be out with you shortly, for your order. Miss Rosefield has insisted in her instructions that anything you order will be on her. She expects a ten minute conversation at the very minimum once she arrives."
"Very well," Nyx responds. Hands on her lap, sitting straight, ready to wait for this woman.
The maître d' continues. "Now, if you require any... assistance, I have informed staff to keep watch for your... signal. Someone will approach the table and ask if you need anything. Tell them that you need the scallops, and you will be out of here."
Nyx... nods, unable to ask for what the signal is. However, she knows it must be something that is "undetectable", so it must be covert in some way. "Understood. Merci beaucoup, monsieur."
"... je vous en prie, madamoiselle," the man responds, smirking a little before returning to the front of the restaurant.
Left alone to her wares, as the waiter approaches to get her order. Nyx was passively in thought about how this conversation will unfold. The approach she must take, everything she must know about this Dahlia.
Formal. A lover. Someone who Quade has a negative opinion of. There are many ways to go about this. Befriending her. Make a mutual relationship. Tell her off. Give her a reason never to speak to Quade again. These ten minutes were decisive and essential... and Nyx needed to prepare for everything.
"Quade," a female voice speaks.
Nyx looks to the woman, taking a calm breath. "Ah, yes. Hello, Dahli-"
Face to face with the "woman" in question... Quade, dressed entirely in a waiter's uniform, his hair significantly longer than usual. A woman's haircut, yet his face and body remain the same. His eyes glaring down at Nyx, demanding explanation.
"... a," Nyx continues, staring back at Quade. Having not... prepared for this.
"We need to talk. Now."