All mistakes are mine. Frozen is property of Disney, I just borrow them for fun
.
.
It was a real gun.
Anna never touched or used any kind of firearms in her lifetime but she had watched too many movies and stuffs in internet.
The thing that right now was pointed on her forehead was a real deal.
The job was supposed to be easy. In and out, or so she was told to do. Anna had been delivering so many items to various kinds of people, however, this was the first time that someone had full intention to shoot her just because the items were not like he was ordered.
"Look, I only deliver, I'm not responsible for the content inside the box. You will only waste your time if you kill a young delivery girl who is innocent. If you have any complaint, I will take it to my boss, just… can we solve it without somebody shooting me?" Anna batted her eyelashes for an effect. She was terrified and desperate.
"Who is your boss?" The man who is holding the gun shoved the barrel closer to Anna's head.
Anna gulped her fear, "… Can't tell."
"I will blow your brain out!"
"Okay, okay… I will tell you. My boss is very scary you know…" Anna made gesture to look her surrounding before asking the guy to give his ear.
The second man lowered himself so he could catch Anna's whisper.
"… My boss is the Li-On Ki-ng!" Anna shouted the sentence in purpose. The second man jolted and Anna made a break for it. She twisted so she would be no more inside the shooting range. If only she had been fast enough.
It would be easy they said, It would be quick they said.
If bad turned worst, Anna's life would be an easy and quick death indeed.
She started to regret her choice to accept the job.
Until someone pulled a trigger and a bang followed.
.
.
24 hours earlier
"This is the last delivery for today,"
Anna, who was chaining her bicycle up and preparing to wrap up her things for home, sighed in defeat. She had been hoping to finish early today and doing marathon on netflix for the weekend.
"Are you kidding me?" The red-haired girl reluctantly made a move to grab the rectangular package. No doubt it was an important document since there was a premium label on top of the envelope.
"It came in last minute, I'm sorry Anna. The others are still finishing up, only you who is available right now."
Anna suddenly regretted how she had been rushing today's delivery, if it would turn out like this, she should've taken her time pedaling her bike. Mulan, her boss offered her a small grin for reassurance. Everyone knows how unlucky to get a last minute order on Friday.
"I will be mad if I don't get a bonus this week." Anna shrugged her sling bag and shoved the package into the bag. Mulan flinched for the unfair treatment to the premium package. The address was Arendelle Corporation.
"I will if you don't take out your frustration on client's package." Mulan chided and then helped Anna to unchain her bicycle. Anna always noticed how her boss would do subtly check-up on her bike everytime she was pulling out to the street. She would remind the red-haired girl how the tire needs more pressure or the chain is a bit rusty.
"I'll be going then." Anna said after putting on her helmet.
"I will wrap up here and since I feel bad for you, you may come in later next week."
The proposition made Anna split a huge grin on her face. "That's why you are my favorite boss."
Mulan narrowed her eyes, "I'm your only boss. Go away, Anna."
She didn't need to be told twice since Anna had made up her mind to finish up the last order quickly.
.
The night was getting colder. Anna was thankful that the snow had yet appeared this week. Slippery patch on the street was the least of her worries since what she hated most was how her face would get frozen and dry during the ride, no matter how she had bundled up.
She preferred to take shortcuts on small alleys, rather than going through the main street. Traffic on Friday evening resembled a nightmare just like a Monday morning traffic. After cutting on several alleys corner, campus ground, and city park, Anna almost reached her destination.
The red-haired girl pulled her brake, expertly jumped up from her bike and chained up her ride to nearby pole swiftly. It wasn't her first time to deliver the package to this company but she always amazed of the building before her.
Arendelle Corporation resided on the tallest building on Corona City. The Arendelle tower. The company was founded a century ago by Anderson family. The family was very famous throughout the country's history since they were the last from the royal family before the country turned into States. Even in school, Anna had to learn about the family history. In modern times, Arendelle company was one of the world's leading technology, retail, and insurance company. The current chairman was also the current head of Anderson Family. He had 3 children to continue his legacy. His 2 sons currently were taking charge as CEO in different branches across the world. However, his third child had been remain a mystery. The family never disclosed the identity of the third child, some people believed that the youngest child was a fictional story made up by media.
As Anna stepped inside the building, she went autopilot toward the reception desk. All couriers always dropped in packages there, so Anna knew that this would be quick in and out.
She was greeted with a professional smile from the front desk. Sometimes Anna couldn't understand these people who were still working and smiling in Friday nights. The pay must be very good.
Anna took out the package from her bag, "Delivery for Snow Queen of Arendelle." Anna read the paper on the package and then frowned. She just realized the receiver name, she should've read it beforehand since it could be a prank. Well, it did sound like one.
However, after Anna mentioned that, the receptionist's smile trembled for a second and then vanished completely. She made a phone call in hurry, speaking so fast to whomever across the line with serious and tense expression.
Anna waited for 5 whole minutes before the receptionist glanced at her direction and then the package with concerned expression.
"We apologize, miss... may I have your name?"
Anna blinked, "Uh? Excuse me?"
"Full name, please?" The other woman gritted her teeth as she repeated the question impatiently. It was very certain that she was very nervous with whomever she was talking on the line.
"Anna. Anna Summers." Anna answered with hope that she could get home quickly after this.
The receptionist lady murmured her name and took a note on a small piece of paper. After that she put down the phone slightly trembling. If Anna hadn't known better, she would've guessed that the woman was afraid of something.
"You need to deliver the package personally, miss." She informed Anna and slid a piece of paper to her direction. "Take the elevator to floor C23, someone will take your package there."
Anna sighed, "Can I just drop in here? I always do that everytime I get package for this company. My shift has ended an hour ago."
The front desk lady shook her head, "No, miss. This is different matter. You need to deliver this personally."
Anna groaned internally, taking back the package into her bag again, she stomped her way to the elevator.
"Worst weekend ever." Anna grumbled between her breath as the elevator door opened for her.
Anna almost tripped on her feet where a very huge bulky guy in black suit greeted her from inside the elevator. He sported dark short hair and square strong jaw. Anna eyed the huge muscles on both of his biceps and concluded that the man would have no problem to snap an iron pole into two. "Good Evening, Miss Summers. My name is Jon, I will escort you." He nodded slightly and stepped aside, gesturing Anna to step inside.
The red-haired girl was hesitant at first. She couldn't just get inside with a suspicious guy together inside a cramped elevator.
"Can I just hand over the package to you?" Anna tried for her weekend sake. Although the chance for her to get strangled by the scary huge guy is minimum, she still wanted to avoid it while she can. There was no reason to murder an ordinary courier girl, right? Well, of course unless if the package contains a very sensitive information that no one should know and the messenger should pay the price with their lives.
She had watched too many movies and right now she was terrified. Perhaps netflix was a bad idea.
"No, the package is for the Queen." Jon grunted an answer.
"Can I refuse?" Anna tried the second compromise.
The huge guy seemed to consider Anna's request. He lifted a hand up and then turned slightly to dial a number with his phone.
Even though Jon was talking very low, she still could overhear the conversation.
"The girl said no." He said over the phone. "Yes, I have informed her that she needs to deliver personally. Okay... understood." The guy ended the conversation and turned back to Anna.
"Miss Summers... I apologize of my rude behavior and perhaps my scary appearance... however, if you please spare your time to come with me... this is very important package and Her Highness is in urgency to meet you." He said right now without grunt and Anna could swear that the guy even had flashed a brief smile toward her.
Knowing she couldn't refused since he had asked her politely, Anna finally stepped inside the elevator. "... wait, who is Her Highness?"
The elevator door closed. Jon pulled out a thin card out of his suit and then slid it into a small hole on the panel. Jon glanced at Anna, "Did you receive a paper from the front desk?"
Anna nodded, she read the writing on the paper. "C23, The Ice Castle."
Jon's eyes widened a fracture second and Anna noticed it. After that, he punched certain button on the panel. Anna watched it with certain interest since on the elevator button, she could not find button number C23, but after Jon had slid in the card, the button on the panel then had been replaced with alphabet C in front of the floor number.
The elevator then moved, but instead of moving up, Anna could feel the elevator was descending.
"Are we going down?"
Jon nodded in response.
Not long after that, the elevator stopped and a female robotic voice welcomed them to the 23rd floor. The Ice Castle.
Stepping out, Anna immediately felt like she was entering a real deal ice castle since the room was colder than normal and the ice blue color surrounding the interior of the room.
Jon was still inside the elevator.
"Are you not coming?"
"No, I cannot get in there. Good luck, Miss Summers."
When the elevator closed, for a second, Anna had a thought that she had been trapped on Ice Dungeon and a monster would come out to eat her alive.
However when a sound of footsteps heard from behind her, Anna was faced with another guy though this time, smaller and neater, with a black suit. The guy had a friendly smile plastered on his face and a pair of kind eyes which oddly had eased Anna's mind slightly.
"Good evening, Miss Summers." The guy did a half-bow which Anna responded with another awkward bow too. "My name is Olaf. Welcome to the C23 Ice Castle." He said it cheerfully. Anna felt like she was in for a ride on an amusement park with a funny tour guide in a suit.
"Do you have the package?" Olaf asked her, still smiling.
"Yeah."
"Great. Now, before we proceed, please wear this. The room can get colder." Olaf stepped behind the red-haired girl and assisted Anna to wear a coat. Anna was silently grateful since she only equipped with her long sleeved t-shirt and cargo pants. Anna came to conclusion that Olaf was a kind of guy that obsessed with detail since he even made sure that all the buttons on her coat had put on properly. After he was satisfied, he led Anna to another length of corridor which had similar Ice blue theme on the wall.
As they walked farther, Anna could feel the drop in temperature. It was like winter had come early in this floor.
"We have arrived, Miss."
Anna was confused since in front of them was a dead end wall. She didn't see any door.
"Please wait." Olaf knocked on the wall and a panel appeared from behind the wall. Anna witnessed how he needed to put his hand on a scanner and using his eyes for the machine to identify him. Anna had watched those stuffs in action movie, this was her first time to witness in person. Even Narnia didn't have this kind of security measure.
Like an illusion, the brick wall turned into a transparent glass door and then slid open swiftly.
Anna's jaw dropped because of the sight before her.
"Is that a freaking rocket?!" Anna half shouted to the smiling Olaf. Behind the glass door, they were in another corridor with huge window glasses spread through the hall. Anna could see a huge rocket settling behind the glass window.
"That's only a prototype. Follow me, Miss."
Anna did as she was told with her eyes never left the scenery of the blue and white rocket. It felt like she had stepped into different dimension. So far, Anna never heard of any space project from Arendelle Corporation. Even though it was only a prototype, it seemed like a real thing that could fly to space.
"Your Highness." Olaf halted his pace and clasped one of his arms to the chest and bowed.
Since Anna was too engrossed with the rocket, she was no way prepared from Olaf's abrupt stop. Even though the guy had lean and smaller body, he was hard as rock, which resulting her to fall on her ass once she bumped to him.
Olaf in reflex, turned and helped Anna to her feet. "I apologize, miss. Are you alright?"
Truthfully, Anna's bump was very sore but she couldn't say it since she caught the figure Olaf had greeted respectfully.
The woman was the most beautiful person Anna had ever seen.
Perhaps it was the pair of ice blue eyes that were staring too intently to her direction. Or perhaps the glowing platinum blond hair combined with pale skin and blood red lips that somehow made the woman looked like a Goddess coming out of a painting. Or perhaps it was the ice blue dress which had a slit dangerously higher than common skirts. Or perhaps it was everything about her that made Anna captivated and started hiccupping.
Wait, what? Hic.
Anna put her hand on her mouth as the second hiccup emerged to humiliate her further.
She couldn't take her eyes off from the beautiful woman before her, the same as she could not surpress the fiery blush on her neck, face, and ears.
She is so gorgeous.
"Well, thank you." Elsa responded in a kind. It turned out that Anna had spoken her mind out loud earlier.
Anna was sure she looks like a boiled tomato by now.
The woman's intent stare softened a bit, "welcome to the castle, Miss Summers. My name is Elsa." The woman stepped closer and offered a handshake.
Third hiccup interrupted her respond.
Elsa seemed unfazed when Olaf held a chuckle. Of course the situation was amusing for him.
Unable to form a verbal reply, Anna reached out to shake Elsa's hand. She wasn't surprised when she met a very cold hand.
"Now, do you have my package?" Elsa inquired. She stepped back and put distance between them again.
It is her package. So this Elsa is the Snow Queen? Well, it would be suitable if the woman was a Queen but seriously, even Olaf and Jon called her Your Highness?
Anna wasted no time to contemplate and give Elsa the package. During the exchange, she got double hiccups which again received a chuckle from Olaf.
Elsa tore away the package cover and pulled out several pages of paper from it. A small smile crossed her feature for a moment.
"Thanks to you, our algorithm is complete now. Miss Summers, I'm sure you are wondering about the reason you are down here with us, right?"
Anna opened her mouth, about to reply but her hiccup attacked again, so she simply nodded a respond. Then Anna detemined to try holding her breath in order to cease the hiccups.
"Do sit down, Olaf will prepare refreshment for you. Hot chocolate is it alright?" Elsa pointed to a set of sofa located on the corner of the room nearby the giant window.
Anna nodded eagerly and as in cue, Olaf then disappeared to get the drink.
"I have proposition for you," Elsa started after they both had settled down on the couch.
Anna tilted her head.
"I want you." Elsa continued, her eyes were intently focused on Anna.
Anna hiccupped again. "Excuse me?"
"... I want to hire you." Elsa repeated clearer this time.
Anna's jaw dropped, "I- I cannot make a rocket." was Anna's first reaction for Elsa's offer.
Elsa blinked, seemed Anna's answer had taken her off guard. "I did not ask you to make a rocket."
Anna fidgeted on her seat, glancing to the rocket prototype behind the giant glass. "I thought that is what you are all doing here."
"The Space Project is too premature to be launched in the near future, we are only testing the water with that prototype. The real project that is going on here, is completely different concept."
"What do you want me to do?" Because everything in here seemed out of her league. If a rocket project was a premature project, Anna could not imagine what kind of thing that is made here.
"Right now you have been working as a bike courier in Ming's Delivery for 3 years, am I correct?"
Anna shrugged, she had been working since her high school graduation. She could not afford going to college, working for money seemed a logical thing to do. It wasn't an achievement to be proud of, but it was still a job that had been keeping her from living on the street.
"20 years old, no parents, no relatives, raised in orphanage since 3 years old and then adopted to Summers family before they were killed in car-crash when you were 10." Elsa said it with monotone voice, like she was reading a report script but Anna knew she wasn't. She was keeping her eyes fixed on Anna. "Then you go back to orphanage until your high school graduation."
Anna gritted her teeth, "I don't care how or why you got that information, can you tell me what do you want me to do?"
Elsa nodded, "Alright. Who you are, how you were raised, where you have been living, those are least important to me. I have assessed your performance as a bike-courier in this city. Your rating is good, the client mostly satisfied, you deliver the good safely and most importantly faster than most couriers. In short, you are the best in your job."
Elsa stopped for a moment as Olaf entered with a glass of hot chocolate in his hand. He placed the mug in front of Anna and then quietly made his way outside the room.
"I want to hire you as my messenger, Anna."
Anna's head turned up when Elsa used her given name to address her. She would be lying if she said she doesn't like it.
"You can still work on your current working place. Your assignment would be mostly on the weekend or past your night shift. If you agree to provide those time for me, I would pay you, money is not the matter."
Anna didn't need to think twice, "I'll do it."
Again, Anna witnessed a ghostly smile on Elsa's face but the woman was too expert to hide it right away. "Excellent. You will start tomorrow, Olaf will hand you the contract." Elsa rose from her sitting position, a cue for the end of their meeting.
"I have one question though." To be honest, Anna had million question but it seemed this one would be most appropriate to be asked to her employer.
Elsa raised an eyebrow, encouraging Anna to elaborate further.
"Do I call you, Your Highness?"
Elsa took a second before answering, "Call me Elsa."
"Huh." That was unexpected. "Well, call me Anna then." She had no choice since Elsa had allowed her to call her by name. Although Elsa had used it one time during their conversation earlier.
Elsa acknowledged with a slight nod before Olaf escorted her outside the room.
.
Olaf led her to another room on the same floor. Elsa had explained that he would help Anna with contract agreement for the job.
The contract was 2 pages length and the content was the most bizarre Anna ever read.
Every points needed her to prioritize a discretion.
"So, everything here is a secret?" Anna barely finished reading the first part of the contract.
Olaf nodded, this was the first time for her to see Olaf's serious side. The guy had been cheerful since she met him on the elevator. "Yes, only certain few people knew about the ongoing project in the C floors. Elsa would explain further after you have signed the agreement and do a trial job tomorrow."
Anna considered that was quite acceptable, she then continued to study the contract.
"I need to attend every weekend for the first few months for supplementary lessons?" Anna wasn't sure about the statement. She by no means wasn't really a bad student during her high school days, but seeing what people were doing in the company, Anna had no confidence for what kind of lessons these people had expected her to learn.
"Trust me, those would be very crucial while you are doing your job." Olaf gave a reassuring smile.
"I need to be stand-by for 24 hours a day? What if I cannot pick up the call?"
Olaf smiled, but this time with amused glint on his eyes, "we will make sure you pick up the call."
Anna almost choked when she reached the amount of salary.
"Really?! This much? Won't you guys think this is too much?" Anna blinked, making sure that her eyes were not mistaken to see the six digits salary. She could've paid rent for 3 years straight.
"Her Highness decided that it is suitable amount. Or you want to re-negotiate the number?"
"No," Anna hurriedly cut him off. "This is okay, awesome even." This could be the highest paid side-job and once in lifetime opportunity for her.
"Huh." Anna continued to study the contract. She accepted the statement that she would do whatever Elsa ask her to do, which Anna thought of delivering all kinds of things. Anna could do that, she had been doing it for 3 years.
When Anna reached second page, her eyes widened on the name that has signed the bottom of the contract.
"Elsa's last name is Anderson?" That would be meant…
"Ah yes. Her Highness is the youngest child of Anderson family."
That Friday evening, Anna pedaled her bicycle home with her mind trying to catch up for today's events.
.
.
Anna had a habit to wake up late on Saturday morning. So, when her phone rang noisily she was too sluggish to pick up immediately.
"Yeah, hello." Anna picked up after a minute her phone was buzzing.
"… Good morning Miss Summers." A woman's voice was heard across the line. The voice was familiar but Anna's mind wasn't 100 percents yet.
"Uhm… Who is this?" Anna yawned, checking an alarm clock on her bedside. The time showed 5 in the morning. It was too early for Saturday morning.
"Your new employer." She replied with a clipped tone.
Anna blinked. Once, twice. Oh shit.
Elsa Anderson is on the line.
Anna got up immediately, jumped from her bed and made a dash to the bathroom.
"Uh, oh… good morning, Elsa." That reminded Anna how Elsa had addressed her so formally over the phone.
"I need you in the office within 1 hour. No later."
Was it just her or Elsa's voice on the phone sounded really annoyed?
"Understood, roger… alright." Anna replied immediately with half saluting her hand but then she realized that Elsa could not see her right now.
Then the line was ended.
Anna had showered in record time and put on her shirt and extra jacket. She had a mental note that the Ice castle floor was very cold and she would not survive from hypothermia without her jacket.
15 minutes later Anna had pulled out her bike, going through Corona's street traffic on Saturday morning.
The strange thing in her mind was that, she would not mind at all to be woken up early by Elsa's voice every morning.
.
Jon was waiting on the lobby when Anna arrived. This time, the huge man had let go of his suit and loosened his tie. Anna initially thought that he would be the type who would dress impeccably no matter the occasion. However, Anna also noticed bags under his eyes and he looked like he had seen better days.
"Good morning, Miss Summers." Jon greeted and wasted no time to lead them toward the elevator corridor. This time though, he took Anna to the blue elevator that had a label of 'staff only'.
"Call me Anna," To be honest, almost none of her friends ever called her with her family name. For Anna, the name brought mixed memories and emotion.
"Understood, Miss Anna."
Anna rolled her eyes. She hoped he would drop the 'miss' before her name too.
"Since today you are officially one of us, you need this card to access the elevator and most of the doors on C floors." He handed Anna a sleek blue card with big 'C' written on it.
Anna inspected the card for a moment.
This time Jon pressed 19th floor. Today was Anna's first time to get to watch how the panel worked. There were 23 button floors on the C floors, for 23rd floor as the lowest floor.
"Today you will be briefed and meet the others." Jon grunted his words.
Like yesterday, Olaf was the first who greeted her when the elevator opened. This time Jon also accompanied her toward a spacious meeting room which also had blue ice paint all over the wall and furniture.
Anna noticed that there were 2 other women beside her inside the room.
"Everyone, this is Anna Summers who will be joining us starting today." Olaf made a simple introduction for her.
The brunette woman who sat on the left flashed a warm smile toward her, "well, nice to meet you, Anna! Is it true that you went to 23rd floor yesterday? Oh, my name is Belle French. You can call me Belle. I am the Castle's Chief of liaison."
The woman on the right was less excited in introducing herself, "I'm Meg, the Castle's 'Chief of Finance'."
Olaf seemed satisfied with the introduction, he took over the briefing again. "Well, Anna you already met me. I am the 'Chief Coordinator' and Jon over there is the 'Head of Security'. Welcome to the Castle."
Anna who never got formally introduced was only able to smile awkwardly in respond.
Anna took a seat beside Belle while Jon remained standing on the corner.
"Today is Anna's trial run for the job. We have chosen a simple delivery to be made today." Olaf put a briefcase on the table. Anna who had been delivering stuffs for the past 3 years never got curious about the objects she needed to deliver.
"Where is the address?" Anna asked directly.
Her question gave certain reaction to people in the room. Belle seemed intrigued, Meg raised an eyebrow, Jon was glancing at her like she was an unsolved puzzle and Olaf simply smiled.
"You don't get curious, do you?" Belle commented from her side.
Anna fidgeted on her seat, "It's not my job. I just need to deliver." That had been her motto to survive with her job in the past 3 years. She trusted Mulan to filter inappropriate objects for client to deliver. This time though, can she trust this company enough?
"For your question earlier, there is no address." Olaf trapped the briefcase. "The client set up a rendezvous point and you need to go there." Olaf slid a picture of a man toward Anna.
"Burn the image into your mind Anna, this is your address."
Anna observed the man's picture. He looked like common rich businessman with expensive looking suit and cocky arrogant face. He had sharp chin and thin hairs, his crooked nose could never be missed anywhere.
"Got it. Do I need to go now?"
Everyone rose up from their respective seats when Elsa entered the room without any warning. On the corner of the room, Anna noticed Jon had straightened up his posture. Anna followed the suite though 3 seconds too late. Olaf seemed surprised while Belle and Meg seemed pale.
"Your Highness." Olaf bowed in greeting.
Anna watched over the others who also did a 90 degrees bow. She could never understood these people.
One thing for sure though that right now she could not take her eyes off Elsa. If yesterday she was gorgeous, today, Elsa was straight out breathtaking. She dressed casually with grey slacks, soft blue shirt and white sweater. Her braided hair was set loose instead of bun up like yesterday.
Elsa looked like a white cinnamon roll. Anna could not hold her jaw from dropping.
"How is the preparation?" Elsa inquired with similar clipped monotone voice.
Olaf glanced at Anna for a moment. "She is ready."
Elsa followed Olaf's gaze and her gaze fell on the red-haired girl before her. Elsa was never curious as of why the girl's mouth always hanging open everytime she looked at her.
"Do you get the coordinate?" Elsa titled her head. Anna's stomach did a backflip.
Her phone pinged and Anna immediately scrambled to open the message. It contained the location for the drop off. "Ah, I got it."
"I need you to pick up something from me while you are doing your job." Elsa stepped closer to Anna. The red-haired girl never realized how her ears were turning very red by the simple gesture.
"Wh-What is it?"
"A cappucino latte with 1 percent milk." Elsa replied shortly.
Everyone's jaws dropped at the same time, even Jon could not hide his shocked expression.
"That's all, everybody dismissed." Elsa ended their briefing and left the shocked silence in the room.
Elsa Anderson was really a something else.
.
It was a convenience store.
Olaf had arranged for the briefcase kept inside a duffle bag so it would not attract any attention. The coordinate turned out to be a 24 hours convenience store on the corner of the main street. It was too crowded for a rendezvous point.
The exchange would be done on pedestrian side. Saturday morning, there was a lot of people walking, enjoying the morning market around the area. While she had reached the store, the guy would be waiting to snatch the bag from Anna.
Anna couldn't help but feel excited with the whole plan. She loved action movies, and the job made her like a super spy or something.
Anna spotted the guy with crooked nose. His hoodie was up but she had sharp eye to spot people in the crowd. He seemed to notice her also since he made a move toward her direction.
The delivery was smoothly done when the guy grabbed the duffle bag from Anna subtly in the middle of the crowd. Anna continued her walk casually and determined to find a decent coffee shop for Elsa's second order.
But then her path was intercepted by the crooked nose guy who seemed out of breath. He looked terrified and pale as he had bruises all over his face.
The guy shoved the duffle bag back toward Anna, "I'm sorry." Then he ran like he was chased by ghosts.
Anna turned around.
There were no ghosts, instead 4 angry men were running in full speed toward her.
Oh crap.
Strapping the bag onto her back, Anna ran like hell.
.
They caught her on a dead end. If only she had bought the bike with her, she could outrun those thugs easily.
"Hand over the bag, sweetie." One of the man said. Anna's gaze caught glint of metal strapped on the man's waist.
It was a gun.
She hadn't signed up for this. Anna undid the straps and threw the bag over to the men.
Once their attention was divided, the red-haired girl tried to slip past them only to be caught by her pigtails by one of the men.
"Ouch!" Anna immediately regretted taking her time to braid her hair.
"It's empty!" The man who had caught the flying bag shouted.
Anna grinned. Of course it was empty. Anna knew the second the guy shoved the duffle bag onto her. It was a lot of lighter than before.
"Damn it!"
Then the man pulled out a gun Anna had spotted before.
Anna's smug smile vanished into pure terror.
It was a real gun.
Anna never touched or used any kind of firearms in her lifetime but she had watched too many movies and stuffs in internet.
The thing that right now was pointed on her forehead was a real deal.
The job was supposed to be easy. In and out, or so she was told to do. Anna had been delivering so many items to various kinds of people, however, this was the first time that someone had full intention to shoot her just because the items were not like he was ordered.
"Look, I only deliver, I'm not responsible for the content inside the box. You will only waste your time if you kill a young delivery girl who is innocent. If you have any complaint, I will take it to my boss, just… can we solve it without somebody shooting me?" Anna batted her eyelashes for an effect. She was terrified and desperate.
"Who is your boss?" The man who is holding the gun shoved the barrel closer to Anna's head.
Anna gulped her fear, "… Can't tell."
"I will blow your brain out!"
"Okay, okay… I will tell you. My boss is very scary you know…" Anna made gesture to look her surrounding before asking the guy to give his ear.
The second man lowered himself so he could catch Anna's whisper.
"… My boss is the Li-On Ki-ng!" Anna shouted the sentence in purpose. The second man jolted and Anna made a break for it. She twisted so she would be no more inside the shooting range. If only she had been fast enough.
It would be easy they said, It would be quick they said.
If bad turned worst, Anna's life would be an easy and quick death indeed.
She started to regret her choice to accept the job.
Until someone pulled a trigger and a bang followed.
.
.
She sat uncomfortably on the back of a white limousine. She was sweating from the action earlier, not to mention how her pants and shirt were dirty from rolling over a garbage dump.
Beside her, Elsa was sitting elegantly with her back straight and eyes looking out of the car's window. Anna had been observing her that she never moved since they were in for the ride.
The red-haired girl recalled the event an hour ago.
She closed her eyes and prepared for the worst. After the gunshot, She dared herself to peek. Her brain was intact except that she had fallen on the top of a garbage dump. The man who had held a gun to her head was facing down on the ground. She recognized Jon, who was twisting the man's arms and holding him down.
Anna felt like she was in one of action movies as more of men in black suit coming in, beating up the thugs who had cornered her.
Jon looked up, his dark eyes found Anna. He let out his usual grunt, "Are you alright, Miss Anna?"
Anna did a short assessment on herself. She was still intact except that she needed immediate shower and sponge bath. "I'm stink."
Jon offered his hand to help Anna up which Anna accepted gratefully. "I thought I was totally dead, thank you Jon."
Jon seemed unsure as his eyes kept glancing around, "We apologize Miss… It was supposed to be normal delivery. We have miscalculation on our side."
Anna huffed, "No kidding. You guys should've included firearms confrontation inside the agreement." Anna walked with sluggish steps as her adrenaline now had left her. Noticing Anna's limping leg, Jon helped her by offering his arm. Anna used Jon's sculpted steady grip as support until they got out of the dark alley.
They were not exactly around a nice neighborhood. On the contrary, the area they were in right now was a slum with high crime rate. So, the scene of a white limousine pulled up on the sidewalk had drawn spectacles from most passerbies.
If it wasn't enough, Anna stared as Elsa's figure emerged from the luxurious vehicle. She was still wearing the same attire from this morning, only that she had a sunglasses on and slightly disheveled hair.
Anyone would agree that she looked very out of place.
Beside her, Jon did his usual bowing. Elsa nod toward the car. "Get in, Anna."
At once, she climbed up into the car.
"Thank you, Jon." Elsa said to the huge man who was still standing straight. "I believe you can take care of it from here?"
Jon bowed again, "Understood Your Highness. I will clean up everything."
Elsa settled on the backseat, beside Anna and the car started to accelerate toward downtown area.
The ride was spent on terrifying silence. Anna had been running several scenarios of what Elsa's plan about her. She could fire her after this trial run.
Anna knew the familiar street to her home. The car stopped right in front of her apartment.
"This is your home, no?" Elsa regarded Anna's existence for the first time they got in the car.
Anna nodded, too awkward to form a reply.
"Before that, please open the compartment in front of you." Elsa pointed on a small partition in front of the seat. Anna did as she was told, opening the thing with a click.
She found the 2 pages of agreement she had signed yesterday.
"It is never my intention to risk your life. The truth is, your next assignments would be like this one, or perhaps more dangerous than today's ordeal. I have to admit that today has been a… disappointment. I assure you, it's not coming from your part. It was supposed to be easy and yet…"
Anna knew where this conversation will go.
"I will transfer your payment, you can burn the contract, Anna. If you think this job is not worth risking your life."
Anna silently contemplates, "what if I think that this job is worth it?" That you are worth it?
Elsa's eyes widened for a fraction second.
Yup, Anna had spoken out loud her freaking mind again. Damn her running mouth.
"Then I will wait for you tomorrow morning… in 23rd floor."
.
.
Around 10 am the next day, a certain redhead was pedaling her way toward Arendelle Tower.
The girl ran into the lobby and effortlessly slipped inside the blue elevator. She swiped the access blue card and punched the 23rd floor button.
Elsa had kept her office door open for the red-haired messenger. So when Anna had bursted inside out-of-breathe from her morning dash, Elsa was regarding her carefully.
Elsa waited patiently until the girl regained her breath and equilibrium.
Anna's teal blue eyes flashed with determination as she handed over the agreement paper.
"Are you sure?" Elsa knew by heart that the redhead was not the type who would have second thought on important decision.
"You are worth it." Anna breathed out, this time, she had full intention to say it.
Elsa received the contract, turning her back to the vault behind her desk where she was keeping all important documents. She added Anna's contract to her collection.
She had to admit that she was crushing hard on her boss. And before Anna's confidence seeped out of her body, she put down a small box on Elsa's desk. "Delivery for you."
Anna witnessed her employer's frown as she unpacking the box.
"A cappuccino latte with one percent milk." Anna said as the plastic cup finally uncovered.
Elsa took a moment to respond and then her attention was back to her red-haired messenger.
A rare smile formed on Elsa's face and Anna swore her heart had stopped for a moment.
"Welcome to the team, Anna."
.
.
I would like to hear your opinion. Do you want more?