Love Is Only an Illusion

It had been a few weeks since Sutton and Danny had talked Tressler into becoming the team’s benefactor. Tressler and Jasmine wanted to meet with them to discuss what would be happening in the upcoming months. Nothing too fancy, as Jasmine put it, so they were welcome to wear normal clothing. Luckily, Sutton and Danny had everything under control in regards to the plan they were given. All the others had to do was sit there and only speak when spoken to.

“Explain to me again why I am wearing this?” Sutton asked Henley as she applied her mascara.

Henley huffed as she ran the dark red lipstick across her lips. “In case one of the boys screws up. Tressler just needs to look at us and he’ll remember why he hired us in the first place,” she winked. She turned to Sutton and applied her lipstick.

“But I don’t like it,” Sutton whined through half-opened lips, tugging the black bralet down. She hoped it would sprout by the time they arrived at Tressler Insurance to cover her belly button. “It’s so inappropriate.”

Henley gave a chuckle as she told Sutton to pop her lips. “I know someone who will like it, though.” She smoothed her hair down the front of her black jacket and red bralet.

“W-Who?” Sutton stuttered, pulling her olive green jacket closer to her neck.

“Jack,” Henley sang as if she knew a secret.

Sutton laughed. “Jack and I are just friends, Hen. Honestly, he is like a brother to me.”

Henley frowned in disappointment. “Then, who do you like? I mean, you smile more now and have a sparkle in your eye.”

“It’s not the effects of anyone, Hen, sorry,” Sutton said, patting her on the back. “I’m just happy to have such good friends in my life. For the longest time, it has been you and I. Now, we have these three guys who are actually pretty awesome.”

Henley raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Even Danny?”

Sutton froze for a second, but then scoffed. “Don’t push it.” The cousins laughed, traveling into the living room arm in arm.

“Can you girls get any hotter?” Merritt exclaimed, applauding their beauty. The girls blushed.

“Geez, Henley, you must be a miracle worker,” Jack joked as he poked Sutton’s stomach. She giggled as she swat his hands away.

Danny sat very still on the couch, swallowing hard as he looked Sutton over. Her pale skin was even whiter next to the black material clinging tightly to her skin, making her look almost porcelain. He swallowed again as she smiled at him. He returned it slightly and said, “Let’s go. We should be there at least 15 minutes early.”

~~

The group arrived at Tressler Insurance in the outskirts of New York City, the tall building looking even taller as it sat atop a grassy hill. A floral labyrinth covered the bottom of the hill on both sides of the long paved trail leading up to the building.

“It’s beautiful,” Sutton whispered to the window.

“It is,” Jack replied as he wiggled in his seat once more. He received a yell from Henley, who was then yelled at by Merritt.

“Just pull up in front of those doors,” Danny told the taxi driver. Sutton cursed him silently for taking the passenger seat.

As soon as the car stopped, Sutton and Merritt flung open the backseat doors, praising, “Oh, sweet land!” Danny scowled at them as if to say, “Be professional.”

“This way, please,” a man dressed in a suit gestured toward the large pale green doors of the white building.

The group followed as instructed, Sutton and Danny leading the way. They wanted to put up a good front for Tressler, as they were the only ones he and Jasmine knew. The man came to a halt in front of a pair of large green doors. The men outside the doors opened them wide, revealing Tressler at his desk, and Jasmine on a lounge chair, looking as beautiful as ever.

“The magicians you requested, sir,” the man announced, leaving the group to stare in awe around the room.

Danny cleared his throat to get Sutton’s attention. “Hello, Mr. Tressler, Jasmine,” Sutton announced, hugging each as Danny had instructed her the night before. “I’m so glad to finally see you again.” She returned to her place beside Danny. “Danny and I are excited for you to see all of our talents,” she gestured toward the team. Danny gave her a nod, as if to approve of her performance.

“It is a pleasure to see you both,” Tressler stated, shaking Danny’s hand. “And who may you all be?”

“Merritt McKinney,” Merritt responded, tipping his fedora as he shook Tressler’s hand.

“Jack Wilder,” Jack spoke, also shaking the cold hand of Tressler.

“Henley Reeves,” Henley smiled as Tressler kissed her hand, just as he had kissed Sutton’s.

“Sutton’s relation, I presume?”

“Yes, sir, first cousins” Henley smiled again as she accepted a hug from the older gentleman.

“So, what is it you call yourselves?” Tressler asked as he returned to the front of his desk, leaning back on it. He gestured for the team to take a seat on the furniture by Jasmine.

The team looked at one another as they sat. “Um, well, we don’t exactly have a name yet,” Jack explained as Sutton took a seat between him and Danny

“You don’t have a name?” Jasmine piped up. “Well, that is the first thing a group should decide on!”

Sutton’s eyes trailed over the coffee table between her and Jasmine. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow stared back at her, the Headless Horseman riding along the cover. Jasmine’s eyes must have seen it as well.

“Horsemen,” she smiled, making her way to Tressler’s side.

The team looked at one another. “It has a nice ring to it,” Merritt shrugged.

“I love it,” Arthur stated, wrapping an arm around Jasmine as he planted a kiss to her lips. Sutton watched as Jack hid his gagging.

“So, Horsemen,” Tressler called, “show me your talents.”