Chapter one: That's the Last Time I Drink…
A/N: I in no way shape or form own Death Note and if I did it probably wouldn't be half as good as it is. I do however own my unnamed character…
NOTE: This chapter has been rewritten! Finally! I mean… it only took me three months… Hopefully with my work load becoming easier I'll have more time to rewrite the other chapters and then continue with the story. For those curious this update was made 10/30/11
I held my drink in my hands looking down at it. I lightly used the motions of my hand to stir my beverage; I watched the clear liquid swirl around the side of my glass. Of course I wasn't technically drinking it legally, but what were they going to do? Take it away from me? Maybe.
I set my glass down and found myself wondering what I was still doing here. My friends had left hours ago due to the cost of the drinks here. The upside to this magnificent place is that they don't usually don't card their customers. The downside, as with most high-end hotel bars… their drinks cost a shit load of money- not that that was a problem for me, but my friends on the other hand…
I slid off the bar stool deciding it was time for me to head home. I'd noticed my judgment was impaired when I decided to stay here and drink, well more like stare at my drink, while my friends went home safely in a cab. I stood still for a few moments trying to get a good feel for my balance; I wouldn't want to be greeting the floor with my face anytime soon.
I felt quite a bit of confidence in myself as I traveled out of the bar and to the main lobby. Sadly not even half way into the lobby I found myself being challenged by the unusual crowd of people in the lobby. It seemed every step I took only brought me into the path of another person. It seemed I currently lacked to coordination to easily weave through the thick crowd of people at the moment.
I soon realized I was no longer even remotely going toward my desired direction, but closer to the elevators on the other side. My guess was that most of these people were trying to get to their rooms. Luckily I found an open space in the center of the lobby. I found a lone chair and took the opportunity to sit in it while I waited the crowd out. Next to me was a quaint table housing a fairly nice lamp and a hotel phone.
I sunk into the chair and stared at the crowd lazily, just waiting for something to happen. The only remotely interesting thing I noticed was a man who wore a beige trench coat rather than the suit that most of the men here were wearing. The man had caught my interest enough for me turn my head and follow him with my eyes. Unlike most the people in this room he stopped. He did not wait for an elevator and head up to his room. He stopped. There he stood a hundred or so feet away from me… He eventually lost my interest so I once again began gazing at the crowd lazily.
Another man caught my attention… strange. Not strange because he was a man or that he caught my attention. Strange that I hadn't noticed him earlier even with his odd choice of… well everything. The first thing I noticed was the mask covering his face. Everything else came through further observation. Though he seemed perfectly relaxed and comfortable his posture did not portray what I would find comfortable. The last thing I noticed was his intense stare… no he wasn't staring at me, but the man I had been previously staring at.
Something inside me told me to get out of this place. I tried to ignore my uneasiness, but it unrelentingly nagged at me. So I once again tried to fight my way against the crowd because I felt like something wasn't right. I found myself just barely able to move toward the doors that would lead me outside.
There was a loud shout. Wait… what did he say? Half the room stilled and quieted down, the shout came again, "I've got a bomb!" There was no doubt that everyone heard this time. The whole lobby became dead silent, not a peep. The crowd thought as one and in sync everyone backed as far away from the man bomber man as possible.
Of course now the crowd moves in the direction I've been trying to go. And of course I would be the only one thinking independently and not with the crowd, leaving me alone outside the 'safety' of the crowd. I was prepared to slowly creep my way back into the mass of people, but I saw the woman that the man now held hostage. Though aren't all of us one of his hostages?
All alone inside the circle I searched for reassuring eyes, but no eyes would meet mine. My eyes connected with the women's panicked brown ones. Her eyes pleaded with me in desperation. I couldn't step back into the crowd like a coward. If I stepped back in to the crowd and that woman was hurt I would never be able to forgive myself. I stepped forward.
I stepped toward the man to test reactions. The woman's sobs lessened and the man griped her tighter. She's his security. I could hear the low murmur of the crowd questioning me. "He doesn't have a bomb," I tried relatively hard to keep my voice from wavering and while I'm sure it still did there wasn't anything I could do but to stay calm.
"I DO!" Once again he tightened his grip on the lady, taking a half step back. He's scared, doesn't want to die maybe? Does that mean he does have a bomb? What's his angle?
"If you have a bomb, then why do you need a hostage?" I spoke my thoughts allowed.
The bomber man pushed the lady away from him causing her to hit the floor at the crowd's feet; luckily the crowd helped her up and pulled her to the back. I wish someone would pick me up and pull me to the back of the crowd…
The man turned his full attention to me, "I'll show you," he grabbed the buttons on his coat and started to undo them, proving my theory on brawns and brains… like liquor, they just don't mix.
'Idiot' I thought. While he was looking down I grabbed the lamp that sat on the table to my left. I took two quick steps towards him before I slammed the lamp down harshly upon his head. His hands shot up instinctively to protect his already damaged head. I started to worry when the lamp didn't seem to have done enough damage to knock him out, but when he took a few stumbling steps into a table, crashing to the floor and slamming his head on the hard marble, my worries ceased for the time being.
I could feel my heart beating over time in my chest. I did it? Wait what was is that I did? Was I even trying to knock him out? I knocked him out? I… wait what? I felt like I could collapse on one of the couches and pass out right then and there.
I took a deep breath and looked up at the crowd. Whispers spread throughout the lobby and the room seemed to relax just the slightest. I became exceedingly self-conscious when I saw that each individual had their eyes trained on me waiting for me to make a move.
I walked a few feet toward the unconscious man wondering why no one had called to police to do this job. I kneeled down and undid his coat. And sure enough there was a bomb, blinking lights with red and green wire, "Well look at that…," I looked up at the crowd, "he has a bomb," (A/N: I don't completely own that scene seeing as the concept was originally used in Boston Legal which is a wonderful show) I felt my vision blur and my world started to tilt. I thought I was going to pass out. I rested my head on my knee for a minute waiting for the sensation to pass.
When it did, I got up, "Well I guess I'll be going now, someone might want to call the cops…and a bomb squad," I said gesturing to the unconscious man, "Good day and toot-a-loo and what not," I said to the crowd before reentering it and losing any eyes that were previously watching me.
I finally made it to the exit, this time without running into any bombers. I walked through the automatic sliding glass doors and into the cool night. As soon as I stepped outside I felt the wonderful cool breeze on my heated skin. That is the last time I drink… ever.
My eyes have been glued to my shoes for the past half hour as I made my way to my apartment which wasn't very far from the hotel… via car. By foot and at this slow pace it would be at least another fifteen minutes.
Lucky me, when I finally brought my gaze straight ahead of me I found myself temporarily blinded as a car passed by with his headlights needlessly so bright. I heard the engine turn off at the end of the street. If I hadn't been such a paranoid person at the moment, I wouldn't have looked back to see a heavy set man getting out of his car.
If I had had a hood I would have placed it on my head. I let my pace quicken in hopes of getting home faster. I really wish I had the sense to leave with my friends… or to at least have called a cab.
Four blocks later I found myself looking over my shoulder. I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw the heavy set man was following me. Oh god… what did I do to deserve this? I kept walking my head straight forward, what am I supposed to do now…?
I was getting the feeling that this man was going to wait till I went down a dark alley or got home, and I most certainly didn't want to lead this creep back to my apartment. Two blocks down I found a nice dark alley that opened up to a street just two blocks away from a nice park.
Turning down the alley seemed like a good idea. Waiting for the guy following me also seemed like a good idea. As you can see most of my 'good' ideas aren't very good ideas.
As the seconds ticked by I could feel my heart beat picking up its pace. My mind and body was preparing for fight or flight. I could tell that they'd agreed on fighting because my fear was muted and my blood was pumping.
The second the man turned around the corner he pulled out a gun. Well there goes any chance of me fighting my way out of this one, I'm screwed up the ass.
He raised his gun and said, "You hit my friend, now you're going to pa-" he continued to talk, but I tuned him out, I had to think of some way to get out of this.
Fear's muted voice was now loud and clear shouting to me that I couldn't fight a gun. Reason shot back saying I couldn't out run a bullet. I spoke without thinking, hoping whatever shit spewed from my mouth wouldn't get me killed.
"What are you going to do, shoot me?" I asked walking over to him poking the gun, "Shoot me then…" God… what am I saying? I'm trying to keep myself from being shot! Not antagonize him.
I smiled slightly and shook my head; this guy isn't going to shoot me, I thought to myself thankful. I felt two light taps on my shoulder and turned around to see what it was. I found myself on the receiving end of a punch; the blow landed on my jaw. The hit took me off guard and I fell on my ass on the ground. I looked down at my hands and saw that they were noticeably scratched up even though there was an odd lack of glass in this alley.
"Okay, I guess I kind of deserved that, being that I hit you first, but come on! Double teaming me? That's like cheating or something, aren't there any rules about stuff like this?" I said like a babbling brook all while getting back to my feet.
The new comer, the one I knocked out earlier threw another punch my way. I tried to grab it like I'd seen in movies, but I totally failed. My arm gave out and went sideways and the force of the impact caused my head to hit the wall behind me. I grasped my head in both hands letting a low hiss escape as I slid down the wall. "Well that hurt," I said not really caring if they hear me at this point.
There was a ringing in my ears and a hard throb in the back of my head, but I ignored the pain and forced myself to stand. The gun man had walked to the entrance of the alley to keep watch. I thought about trying to punch the guy in the Adam's apple, that's what they said in all of the self defense classes, and then kneeing them in the balls. I decided to go with Plan A and forget about making a Plan B.
I threw my best punch, but he seemed to be expecting it, he successfully grabbed my fist and twisted my arm painfully.
Well shit… I guess I could always go straight to kneeing him in the crotch…
I brought my knee up, but lost my balance forcing myself to bring it down; luckily the man didn't realize giving me another chance. Bringing my knee up again I hit him as hard as I could where the sun wouldn't shine for quite a while.
The man yelped and let go of my arm giving me an opportunity to quickly search the ground for a weapon, hopefully a sharp weapon like a broken bottle or something. And of course with my luck I had a clean Alley. I looked up to see the gunman had already ditched his post and was heading towards me.
I saw two fist sized rocks sitting oh-so-very-conveniently on the ground in front of me. I grabbed both of them and got up as quickly as possible. The gunman was getting too close for comfort. Without thinking I launched my first rock and missed completely. The man laughed as he continued to advance towards me. Now only a couple yards away I threw the rock and hopelessly hoped for impact.
That's when I heard a sound, I don't know exactly how to describe it, but I loved that sound. Half of the sound was the rock colliding with his face and the other half was the crunch of his nose. Instantly the gun man fell to the ground.
I forgot the sweaty bomber man and went straight for the gunman. His face was bleeding and scratched up and of course his nose was broken. Thinking about the impact, I flinched, "Rock to the face… that actually makes me feel bad," I said feeling squeamish, "Well, almost."
I turned around only to find myself face-to-chest with the sweaty one. I looked up seeing his angered expression. His eyes were narrowed and his brows furrowed, his jaw clenched and his face reddened from anger. I tried to back up, but his meaty hand found its way around my neck.
"Bitch, you're going to pay for that." His big, sweaty hand squishing my small neck. I coughed and clawed at his hand, desperately trying to make him let go.
When he finally did let go I thought the abuse was done, but I was wrong. I sucked in as much air as I could, but almost immediately after his hand left my throat it returned with gusto as it slammed into my abdominal. I doubled over with the punch, all the air forced out of my lungs, I was left gasping for as much breath as possible, "That's going to hurt in the morning," I groaned, noticing the faint coppery taste of blood in my mouth.
I saw the man preparing to swing again; I immediately looked down because I didn't want to see the blow coming. After a few moments I still hadn't felt the impact. I looked up to see…
A/N: So how do you guys like it? Good? Bad? Please comment truthfully, but try not to be mean. I have feelings to!