"RED ALERT! RED ALERT! INTRUDER DETECTED ON FLOOR NINETEEN! LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES INITIATED!"
The hidden speakers throughout LifeForm Corp. repeated the message over and over again. The mechanical voice managed to be louder than the blood that pulsated in my ears.
I ran through the maze of metal corridors. The case strapped to my back flew from side to side. With security on the way and the entire facility sealing all doors, I needed to find an alternate route. The only relief I felt was brought on by the cool metal of the beretta in my hand.
GODDAMMIT! That poor bastard just had to be so fucking cautious about my identity!
"You're late." He growled. "Can you confirm your courier I.D. number?" He whined.
He was practically begging for a bullet to the forehead. But it was only until he wanted to call down to reception for verification that I granted his wish. I popped the second one in the back, but not before he pressed the button that meant trouble for all those like me. I had to get out now, and fast!
Think. I was going through the east side of the building, which stood next to the Andin River. If I could get to a window that overlooked the water, I'd be all ace's.
I was heading in the right direction, but knew thing's had the potential to get worse. Maybe the window to my freedom would be bulletproof. Or even better, I'll end up trapped like a rat. Security on all sides, with twenty assault rifles pointing at my face. All the more reason to floor it.
Just as my feet began to race faster than my thoughts, I could hear a dozen footsteps join me from behind.
"This is Alpha! We have visual on target in corridor three!" A husky voice shouted.
I didn't dare look behind. Instead, I produced a black pen from my pocket. Almost at the corridors end that veered a sharp right, I clicked the top of the pen and dropped it behind me.
As I rounded the corner, a shot was fired. Pa-too! The bullet whizzed past my head, missing home by mere inches, and ricocheted off the wall. Too close for comfort.
Once I saw the window at the end of the hall that was now twenty feet away, my pen did its magic. BOOM! A brilliant light flashed from behind, bathing the metal walls in Heaven white. Within a few seconds, it dissipated. I heard the frustrated howls of the temporarily blinded as I neared my escape. Mentally congratulating myself for bringing a 'Doozy Pen'.
I aimed the pistol at the window and fired. One. two. Three shots, and the window shattered into a thousand jagged pieces.
I leaped out mid-sprint, then began to spread my arms. Executing a decent swan dive, my feverish skin met the cool water's surface and broke through. I allowed myself to sink and decided to swim underwater for as long as possible. All of my fear's and worries were washed away by the good Lord's purest element.
When I opened the door to the hotel room, Derek fled from the window and rushed towards me. Worry dominated his masculine features.
"My God, Blaine! What the hell happened to you? Are you hurt?"
He looked at my wet clothes and grasped my damp shoulder.
"Yeah," I started. "Guy just got a little nosey. The rest was downhill..." I didn't want to go into detail, taking the case off of my back and rested it on the floor. He never changed his concerned expression.
Derek was my supervisor and he hired me himself. He was twenty-four with olive skin and an athletic build. I was nineteen with a pale complexion and still very much had a boy body. Our contrast on the outside, though, meant nothing when it came to the inside. We both wanted the same things. To protect innocent lives and take down those that threatened them. We both just wanted to find balance, love, as well as our own place in the world.
I walked over to the only bed in the room, placed the beretta on the nightstand and stripped. I started with my dark brown wig, letting it fall to the ground and revealing my dirty-blonde skater cut. Then I took out my matching contacts out and gave my grey iris' a chance to breathe. I removed the retainer that gave the impression that my teeth were spaced apart, and placed it back in its case.
Derek walked over and helped me remove my very wet shirt that was stuck pretty good. He threw it on the floor and looked at me.
"I, uh, got pretty nervous when you didn't check-in." He said in a hushed tone.
I always felt that 'soul mate' energy between us, but no one ever made the first move. He cared for me. No words had to be said, I could tell from his pained expression as he thought the worst.
"Phone's aren't as reliable after they've been submerged in the Andin." I said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood.
He offered a slight smile, and threw me by surprise with a hug. His heat sank into my shaking body, and I wrapped my arms around him so he was locked in place.
"I shouldn't have sent you there. If something had happened to you..." Derek's voice cracked and couldn't continue.
I pulled my head back and looked up at him. Just in time to see a tear forming in one beautiful blue eye.
"I know," I breathed, wiping away the tear that escaped to his cheek. "I'm not exactly sure what I'd do without you, either. But i'm here, and I got what we needed."
We gazed in silence for a bit. Not knowing if we should be doing this. Our relationship didn't call for romance, it was solely platonic. All I knew was that I was safe, in his arms, and tonight I was alone with the only person that made me feel that way.
