17 City of Ravens 3 (1/2)
When I entered the café, it was full of customers, the smell of coffee in the air that could make anyone thirsty for a cup, and the pleasant atmosphere made the place a perfect dating spot. And most of the customers looked like couples.
I found an empty table somewhere in the back, I searched for Emily behind the counter and in between the customers but there was no sign of her.
”You are the son of Professor Blake, right?” From behind me, the angelic voice sounded out. I turned my head and too see the person I was looking for.
”Yes! I'm Dominique. And you were Emily?”
”That's right. How is your head? Professor Blake gave me a big scare that time.”
”My head? Ah! Its ok, I was preparing for it the moment I entered the building. She always reacts like this when my father does something, and that privilege extends to me as well.”
”That's rough. Either way, what can I get you?”
”I will take a latte. And… I actually wanted to talk to you as well. If that's ok.”
”Talk? Sure, if you can wait, I have a break in twenty minutes.”
”Perfect! I'll wait.”
I sipped on my coffee while I waited for Emily. I noticed that the staff was giving me a weird look like I was a hurt puppy. There was also one guy that walked by and said 'good luck'. It was bizarre. The coffee slowly got colder, and Emily came with her lunch.
”I heard that you are studying ancient languages?”
”Yes, well done. You did your research properly, but you should've thought of something better to start with.”
”Huh?”
”No 'Huh'. If you want to ask me out, you should try a little bit harder.”
”Wait, I didn't come here to ask you out, I wanted to ask for a favor. But if you want to go for a date… I'm up for it.”
”…”
It seems like I wasn't the first one to ask Emily to talk like this. But they had other motives in mind.
”If you don't mind I wanted you to take a look at this.” I took out a piece of paper with the symbols from my arm. ”I found them in some ruins and wanted to know what they mean, I remembered my mother say that you are good with stuff like this and came here to find you.”
”I… I'm really sorry about that, I thought that… It doesn't matter, let me take a look.”
After passing a piece of paper, I looked around. The staff was looking at me with their mouths agape. Now I knew why they looked at me the way they did, but no smart person would ask someone out just like that. You first get close before striking.
Emily kept looking at the symbols as she ate. ”So, how is it?” I asked after ten minutes of waiting.
”I never saw anything like this.” She said. ”it bears a resemblance to ancient Akkadian, but what it means I don't have any idea.”
”But can you translate it?”
”I can. If you give me enough time, I will scan it and put it through analyzing software. But it may only help a little bit.”
”Can you finish it in a month?”
”Probably. It would also help if I could see the place where you found it.”
”That won't be possible.”
”Ok. Can you at least tell me its surroundings, what it was on?”
”No.”
”You sure are not making it easy for me. Is there anything that you can tell me?”
”No…”
”Sure. Give me your phone number, and I will let you know if I find anything. And if there is anything else let me know. You also owe me one, remember that.”