I haven't posted anything on this site in forever and for that I'm sorry. Years have been ticking by and I fell in love with writing stories on youtube and then creating them on WattPad, and this is where it all started. I was 17 when I joined and this is ten years later. I wanted to be done with fanficition in order to dedicate time to my own stories. I'm a procrastinator what can I say. I love the feedback that you guys have always given me, and I thank each and every one of you for helping me to develop my writing. I'm transferring this story over from my WattPad.
So for my first disclaimer ever: Any and all likeness of characters, names and locations are strictly coincidental. Enjoy.
I awoke in a room of darkness. I wasn't asleep, I was awake, at least that much I was sure of. I shook from the small gust of wind creeping into the room. Wherever I was, I wasn't safe. My heart drummed so loudly that my ears began to scream. The panic rose in me as every second past.
"She's awake!" A voice shakes the room as I try to adjust to the darkness. My head begins to pound as I lower myself to the ground, my fingers trailing the floor. I have to find a wall, or at least the source of that air.
"Who are you and what do you want?" My voice shakes. It was rare that it ever did that.
"We just need a little information about your origination. You give us what we want, we give you your freedom." A short laugh escapes whoever just spoke before he speaks up once more. "We know that you don't work alone. What's your mission?"
"What mission?" I ask, my fingers finally connecting with a cold wall. It felt as if it was made of brick, the air streaming from somewhere on my right.
"Your mission, what is it?"
"I don't know. I can't remember anything right now." I lied. My mission was to take down the Onyx cooperation. The group attacked dozens in New York and kidnapped children, holding them for ransom until our government paid them some ridiculous amount of money. I set a bug within their main computer frame, possibly hours ago and somehow ended up here.
"Miss Lovato, tonight will not end up well for you if you lie." A bright light flashed behind me causing me to jump. My eyes adjusted just for a second before I was tossed back into pitch black. "Your origination wanted you to plant a bug into our system. You've achieved, I'll give you that much. But what did they expect to get from such an act?"
"I…," I rubbed my head as if to display my confusion just before my hand covered a cold area on the wall. I chipped at the space just as my fingers slid within whatever the substance was.
"Miss Lovato!" The voice shook as my arm now slid through the substance. I shoved my way through as my name silenced behind me. I could hear pounding and footsteps near wherever I was. Just as I pushed a bit more, my face slid into the substance as I shoved myself out on the other side. The bright light blinded me as I quickly brushed myself off, finding a space to duck behind. The substance was wet cement, still slightly wet and not done drying. These fucking idiots were going to seal me in a block of cement. I studied the empty warehouse, although it held wooden crates there wasn't much else.
"Shoot to kill!" A voice echoed as the footsteps stopped. I pressed my back against one of the crates before taking a deep breath. I was getting out of here. I had to. I crawled over to another area before peering through the slits. Whoever these people were, they were toting guns, and loads of them. "You have no where to hide!" The same man from earlier cackled as I clawed at the wooden crate. My fingers began to bleed as the splinters pressed into my skin and the wood rubbed away at my flesh. But just before I gave up, a nail popped out of one end. I quickly shoved my hand into the crate, slowly plucking a gun out as best as I could. My arm and hands were now throbbing as I checked for ammo. It was empty, but it had to do.
"If you kill me," I began, "you'll never get any information." I was playing from a bad angle, but I had to find a way out. Just as the footsteps began to circle me, I stood, holding the small pistol between my fingers.
"Demi," the man in the distance slowly pushed past the other guys standing before me. "Look at yourself. You're covered in cement, your hands are bleeding. You have no where else to go."
"You're wrong," I shook as I held the small empty pistol against my skill. "I could always put myself out of my own misery," I scoffed as the man smiled.
"You could."
"Or," I shrugged, "I could always tell you that those two guys are from my cooperation. Its three against seven, but hey," I shrugged, "what have we got to loose.
"This," the big man aimed his gun at the men before him, and just as the others watched him, I bolted. It wasn't smart to run straight for the first few steps but once I was behind a few stacked towers, I felt safer. The men began shooting, possibly killing those who I already signaled out before they came after me. It was as if I was in a dream because I ran and ran and ran but the crates wouldn't end. The building went on and on and I was losing hope on ever finding a way out.
"There she is!" One woman called out. I had never known this origination to ever hire anyone who wasn't big and full of muscles. The woman rose her gun right at my head from just a few feet away. I slowly rose my hands just before a popping sound echoed. I thought I was shot. I thought I was gone and that was it. Everything went black for a moment or two, but once I reopened my eyes, dark smoke filled the place. I could hear more and more people run into the building. My lungs filled with dust as I coughed, trying to find my way through the smoke just before I felt a hand land against my shoulder.
I swung my balled up fist as hard and as fast as I could before I hit something hard. My hand landed against someone's abdomen.
"Damn it Lovato," that voice, "you always gave killer punches." The man coughed out as I clutched to him. It was Joe, an old friend who I was too excited to see. "Lets get out of here before you die of smoke inhalation."
That was two weeks ago. Two weeks ago when I was taken, shot at and basically on the verge of dying. My shoulder still felt like hell but I was alive. Thankfully. But that's when I quit. Not because I was shot. Not because I was gasping for air in some small cement block. I quit because I no longer wanted to put myself in danger. I didn't know how I was captured and I didn't want it to happen again.
"Hey there you," my best friend slinked into my bedroom as I faced her. "You look like death," she bounced onto my bed, crouching before me as I rolled my eyes.
"That's because I almost died."
"But I'm glad you didn't."
"Yeah, me too." I ran my fingers against my shoulder just as she slid in front of me. Her fingers falling over mine.
"Does it still hurt?"
"I guess not." I shrugged as she slowly plucked my fingers away. There was always something behind me loving her. She was kind, gentle and everything I've ever wanted. But my life was always too dangerous for her. Unpredictable. She faced me, her fingers still against my bandaged shoulder.
"I'll treat you to dinner tonight. We both need to get out of the house, you more so then me."
"No one asked you to lock yourself up with me." I complained just as she shifted, her head falling into my lap as she stretched out across the bed.
"Yeah, I know. But what kind of friend would I be if I left you here to suffer alone?"
"This is why I love you," I sigh, using my good hand to slither my fingers into the brunette's hair. She closed her eyes, a smile playing across her face.
"So, tonight at six, be ready." She whispered as I gave a nod I was sure she couldn't see. She seemed so peaceful and relaxed. Happy even. It was rare to see such a thing from her after her break up with that douche Justin, but I could always make her smile.
"What should I wear?"
"Clothes I hope." Selena shifted, sitting up right as my hand fell back into the bed sheets.
"I know clothes you idiot. What type? Casual, dressy?"
"Dress up."
"Like a sexy kind of dressing up or…?"
"Whatever that means to you." She winked, sliding from the bed and back onto the floor. There was nothing like our friendship. We understood one another. I watched as she made her way to the door. "Six o'clock," she reminded me.
"Six o'clock." I nodded in return. As she slid her way back into the hall I took a deep refreshing breath. My stitches would be coming out in a few days and I had already received the go ahead to resume normal activities. My body was prepared to take on the world, me, not so much. My phone began to vibrate at my bedside before I gripped it, lifting it up to my ear.
"Speak to me," I groggily answered.
"Agent 727, we need you." I held the phone up to my ear for a few seconds.
"Joshua, I told you I was out."
"But your last case was never closed. We never stopped Onyx."
"And I should care why? I quit. I'm out."
"You must care about your fellow man. We have to end their operation. Your doctor gave you a clean bill of health, correct?"
"Nope," I lied. "I'm still laying in my bed at the moment. Enjoying my freedom."
"You can only leave a mission in one of two ways."
"Yeah, in a body bag or when it's completed." I stated the facts before the man on the other end agreed.
"So you understand your situation."
"I'm not in any shape to take on anyone, let alone make my own dinner. Look Joshua, we've known each other for years, can't I get a break. Don't you guys have other agents to send on this type of mission?"
"To tell you the truth, you're one of the only good ones left."
"Correction, I was."
"Joe needs a partner."
"Joe has a partner," I mindlessly answered just as Selena made her way back into my bedroom. Her face had worry written over it. I pushed myself up into a complete sitting position, ignoring the man on the phone. "What's wrong?"
"I think you have company." Her stance was that of a deer caught in some headlights.
"Joshua," I spoke clearly into the receiver. "Tell me that you don't have agents outside of my house."
"Like I said. We need you."
"And what happens if I refuse?" I ask, my voice growing silent as I listened for any signs of entry downstairs. Selena peered back into the hall, watching the front door as I pry myself from my warm bed. My shoulder stings a bit before I suck down a painful gulp. Fucking shoulder.
"If you refuse, which I hope you do not. We can make so many things in your life disappear. We got you to where you are. One last mission, that's all we ask." Joshua awaited my answer.
"What's going on?" Selena gripped the door's frame before I made my way into the hall. I could walk perfectly fine, and although the pinching in my shoulder ceased, I knew I'd feel it later. I opened the front door, with the phone in one hand as I gripped the knob with the other. Four black trucks sat lined up in a row as people sat in the drivers seats watching the house. Their eyes found mine as I glared at each of them one by one.
"I set the virus in the Onyx computer system, what more could you possibly want me to do?" I breathed into the receiver as Joshua blew into the piece on his end.
"The virus was planted, but you never powered up the hack. Do that for us and we'll let you be. In and out, its as simple as that."
"Yeah right. Nothing is as simple as that with you people."
"What choice do you have Lovato? You've got until four to give us your answer. Tick tock Agent 727, Tick tock." As the phone went silent I slammed the front door as a confused Selena stepped out of my room.
"I thought you were done with agent life."
"Yeah, I did too." I rolled my eyes, watching as concern flooded her. The look in her eyes pained me, as I pressed my back against the living room door. "I can't say no. They could take my entire life away from me."
"What if you get hurt again? Do they not care about that?" Selena angrily crossed her arms just as I agreed.
"I'll do my best not to catch a bullet with my shoulder." I laughed at myself but she only glared. "I have no choice."
"They can take this house. You don't need it. They can take your car, your money, who cares."
I rose my bad arm into the air, "I care. I'd be homeless."
"You got me." She smiled, "you'll always have me."
"Well, there's that." I found myself studying the woman before me. She had been with me through thick and thin, her life became my life. Her pain, my pain. "I guess I'll have to post pone our little dinner date."
"I don't think so. If you accept that job, you should at least be able to have dinner with me tonight. Deal?"
"Yeah."
I accepted the case obviously. But that night Selena and I met at a local restaurant near my home. She had dressed herself in an all black dress with straps that crossed over at the neck. I on the other hand wore a blazer with dress pants. I wasn't ready to expose my battle wound to the world. As we sat and joked at the table I began to feel a bit uneasy. Selena rolled her eyes at a previous joke I told and that's when I noticed something. There was a man sitting to the left of us, listening to our entire conversation. The man was pretending to eat, his foot tapping against the floor every so often. It came in threes. His eyes shifting, his foot tapping, his chin scratching. I searched the room with my eyes for anyone receiving his messages before a woman gave a slight nod. She rose her hand, her mouth moving as if she was ordering something or asking for something.
"Selena, we should get out of here." My instincts told me to jet out of there as fast as I could.
"We didn't even get to have dessert yet. And FYI, the check isn't paid for either."
"We can get something on the way home and I'll just leave the money on the table." I was feeling a bit antsy, as the woman stood, walking over to the door where a man in a large trechcoat stood.
"No other place has this type of cheesecake, besides, I brought you here to relax." As Selena rose her hand to flag down a waiter, the man next to us reached under the table. I quickly stood, grabbing Selena's arm, lifting her from her seat. "What's wrong?"
I didn't like to startle her, mainly because she hated my line of duty and thought I would bring it home. She was my best friend who cared a little more about my well being than I ever had. I tugged on her to follow me as the man stood, a pistol gripped between his fingers. His aim was precise, but I was quick as a shot went past my ear. The heat of the bullet warming my skin as a loud ringing noise went off.
"GET HER!" Voices cracked through the air as screams arose throughout the building. People ducked and dodged left and right as I pulled for Selena to follow me. I hadn't noticed how shaken she was until we ran out into the alleyway from the back door. I had found myself in another situation without a gun, without protection, and without the agency behind me. Selena had goose bumps trailing her arm as we ran to the end of the alley where a few cars were parked. We left our purses, her car keys and my sanity back at the restaurant.
"What's going on?" She panicked, as I released her to tug on a few car doors. In the short distance, I heard footsteps and more screaming people.
"Forgive me for doing this," I warned her, before using my good arm to slam my elbow into the window of a nearby car. It hurt like hell to crack the glass after two attempts, but I screamed for Selena to climb in.
"What's happening?" She panicked as I ran over to tug her into the car. I had nothing to slit wires, but by some miraculous power, the keys sat in the visor of the car. So much for ruining my elbow. A few scared restaurant patrons ran by as I started the car and speed down the road. Selena began to take a few deep breath, her hands gripping the dashboard.
"Calm down," I told her.
"Sure, someone was shooting at us, but lets just calm down."
"I can't focus while you're freaking out." That was a lie. I could focus if she was screaming in my ear and swatting at my head, but I didn't want her to get to that point.
"Is it the agency?" She asked just as I dodged an old woman and man in a old ford pickup.
"It can't be. It has to be…" I caught myself, "the less you know the better."
"The less I know," she scoffed, "someone shot at us!"
"I know," I reminded her. "I'll just get you home and figure all of this out."
"Oh sure," she sat back, her fingers still shaking as she pulled her seatbelt across her lap. No one was following us, the roads were dead from there on out as I pulled onto Selena's street. I shut the car off, staring into her dimly lit face.
"I'm sorry for that back there."
"How can you live like this?" She asked me, her hands clutching the strap across her lap.
"I can't. I gave it up two weeks ago, remember."
"Well obviously it followed you home."
"Obviously," I sighed. "But I'm sorry I put you in danger."
"I.." I watched as she climbed from the car, her feet carrying her to the front door.
"You what?"
"Nothing," she shook her head. Just as she stepped up to the door she faced me. "No keys."
"Oh, right." I shut off the borrowed vehicle and made my way to her side. I could finally feel my elbow and shoulder throbbing, burning even. "Is it okay if I jimmy the lock?"
"You're going to break into my house?"
"Well, you're already here." I signaled as she rolled her eyes. I dug into my hair for a bobby pin and my hair clip. I twisted one, and bent the other.
"You're going to get in the door with that?"
"Not the door." I told her, walking over to her front window. Good thing her block was dimly lit and the neighbors were spaced out because someone would of called the cops by now. As I let us both into the house, Selena fell into her living room sofa, face first.
"I've never been so scared in my life," she told me, finally sitting up.
"I'm sorry." I repeated before her face twisted and she ran over to me. "What?"
"You're bleeding?"
"I, what?" Honestly, I hadn't felt the warm oozing blood until Selena spoke of it. That's when I began to panic, rubbing my hand against my elbow where the blood was now soaking through my blazer sleeve. "How the hell did I cut myself?"
"Your ear," Selena brought her trembling fingers against my right ear, her eyes never faltering. That's when I realized, the blood was falling onto my blazer, not out of it.
"Did I get shot again?" I asked, un-amused as Selena ran into her bathroom. "This is why I quit. I suck at not getting shot."
"This isn't a joking matter," Selena returned, her hand falling into mine. She made me sit against the arm of the chair before she ran different things over my ear. Her eyes were stern, concerned, and hard as ice.
"If these guys followed me home..." I began to think aloud as Selena dropped her hands to her sides.
"Are you even safe Demi?"
"You don't want to know that answer." I truthfully stated as she fell onto her knees before me. Selena ran her slightly bloody hands over my exposed knee, her eyes looking up into mine. She chewed on her bottom lip in thought before thumbing my skin.
"I need you to be safe."
"I want to be safe."
"Maybe you need help. Like Joe's help." Selena's eyes began to cloud with tears as I forced her to stand. Her finger sat cradled between mine as I was now the one looking up at her from my place on the couch arm.
"That sounds like a plan," I gave her a faint smile. "But don't worry about me. I always get through all of this."
"I can't lose you."
"I know," I smiled, "I know."
After three hours of laying with Selena in her bed, rubbing my fingers through her hair until she fell asleep, I slowly crept out of her bed. I went into the next room to use her landline phone, which at a time like this I was thankful she still hand. I dialed Joe's number from memory before his voice rung through.
"Selena?" He asked confused as I sighed.
"Hey, its me."
"Demi?"
"I'm in trouble." I inform him as his once asleep state shakes.
"What kind of trouble?"
"Like, someone tried to kill me and Selena hours ago at Gino's."
"That was you?" He asked, as I question how he knew about the shooting. "Hell, its all over the city news. How the hell did you get caught up in shit like that?"
"I think Onyx found their way to our city."
"The hell did you just say?"
"I think they found me."
"How?"
"Look, we could play twenty questions all night, but I need to get to headquarters. You up for it?"
"Tonight?" He asked as I scoffed annoyed.
"The sooner the better. Hell, I don't want to put Selena into any danger being around me."
"If she was with you at the restaurant she's already in danger."
"I doubt it. People like that go after those close to you. I'm not close with my family."
"But you're close with her. How can you not see that?"
"But she's nothing to me." As those words escaped my lips I realized what I just said. I held my breath as my chest heaved. "What I meant to say was, she's just Selena."
"Your best friend." Joe reminded me. "The girl whose had your heart since grade school. She's nothing?"
"Look," I breathed into the receiver. "The further away from her I am, the safer she'll be."
"Fine. I'll get you in thirty."
"Meet me at my house."
"Fine." As Joe and I hung up the phone I took a deep breath and pressed my way back to Selena's room. The moon shimmered across the sheets on the bed before I realized Selena wasn't in it. I panicked for a moment before I flicked on her room light. I tried to find her but noticed her reflection in the vanity mirror. She scared me half to death standing next to me, her back pressed against the wall.
"I um, I'm meeting Joe." I informed her.
"I heard."
"I'm sorry if you heard everything I said, its just…"
"Listen," her voice was raspy, her eyes puffy as if she was crying. But I knew her too well to know that pulling herself out of her sleep was the culprit. "I know you just want to protect me. But if I'm not going to be safe in my own home, wouldn't it be best if I just go with you?"
"No!" I answered quickly. "I refuse to put you in any more danger. Besides, you'll be fine here."
"And if something happens to me. Will you feel nothing?" Her hair fell across her cheeks before she brushed her fingers through it.
"Nothing is going to happen I promise."
"If you say so." She stood upright just as I grabbed her hand. She hadn't looked back, she just stood where she was.
"I have to meet Joe now. Don't answer the landline. I'll be back in a few hours."
"Am I a prisoner in my own home now?"
"No," I assured her, "just get some sleep and don't worry about me."
"Right," She tugged her arm away, "like that'll ever happen."