Athena drove the car out of the car park as quickly as could. Logan was alerted to this almost immediate and began chasing at full speed after her, shouting obscenities.
Athena put her foot and looked in the mirror and saw him pursuing as fast as he could. Anyone watching would see a car driving itself.
The car was not in the best condition it could be and it wasn't long before she realised that the car would not hold out. No….Athena thought. No..no..no…
It was also beginning to rain and she had to pull the car off the road into a field.
She leapt out of the car and looked down at the ground…it was becoming muddy. She walked forward and she realised she was leaving footprints – there was nothing her suit could do about it.
She had only got a few miles away – she knew Logan would catch up with the car and any footprints.
Athena looked in the back of the car and rummaged through some bags. She pulled out a pair of large trainers and quickly shoved them over her own camouflaged feet. She smeared away her own tracks and then walked towards the side of the road, leaving a man's footprints. She hoped that was what it looked like…she was improvising.
When she got to the road, it was pretty clear of mud. She took the shoes off and threw them into a bush. She then began to run down the middle of the road in the middle of no-where and hoped she would find shelter. Thunder rolled across the sky and the rain began to belt down. Athena was extremely physically fit and could easily run a marathon – she just might have to. She needed to put distance between her and Logan.
Athena ran for an hour and full pace and she passed nothing that would act as shelter. She held her hand out infront of her and saw that the rain splattering hard against it, showed a faint outline of it – like a ghost.
Her plan was to take shelter and then go back to the car park and get her car. She would wait until the very early hours of the morning and so that. In the meantime she would wait out the storm and hope Logan had retrieved his car and gone.
Athena saw a large object up in the distance on the right. It looked like a barn. She needed to make a decision to stop or to keep going. Stop, she assessed and then go back. She ran closer up to the barn and saw that it was abandoned and not in great condition. She looked at the ground – muddy…damn! She saw that there was a tree, which she climbed up into it effortlessly. She reached a branch and then became to swing on it, so that she landed on a dry piece of ground. She then leapt forward into somersault and landed on another piece of dry ground. She managed to do this until she landed next to the barn door and then walked into it.
The rain was now pelting down. She didn't know how much longer she had of oxygen – she would have to conserve it. She would have to take her head mask off soon.
She waited for twenty minutes and felt that enough had passed but then she felt something – her jungle sense kicked in. There was someone nearby. She heard the footsteps of someone walking up to the bar door and it was kicked open.
Creed.
Athena's heart began to pound. He stood there, a giant of a man silhouetted against the moonlight. For a moment she absolutely froze and she immediately began to look around herself. There was a small gap in the wood on the opposite side of the barn.
Creed took a step forward slowly and stood there. It was dark in the barn but you could still see with the naked eye. She could see Creed's face – handsome, deadly – angry.
He took another step forward and Athena felt herself taking deeper breaths. Assess agent, assess…she thought. Get to the gap…get to the gap…..
"I know you're here, little girl," Creed whispered. He took another step forward and smirked.
"Show yourself, " he said huskily.
"I'm not going to kill you, little girl, " he whispered. "I'm just gonna teach you some obedience".
The tone of his voice so deep and masculine, Athena felt it once again in her groin. She knew the inhibitors she had lowered her pheromone production but she still felt his presence.
Creed took another step forward.
"Don't make me angry, " he whispered.
He clearly couldn't see her but he knew that she was there – somewhere. She thought of making it to the barn door if he got clear of it….she would then need to leave the same way she arrived – leaving no footprints. This seemed the better option as she noticed he had clocked the gap in the side of the barn and he was making his way towards it.
Stay calm…he can't see you….stay calm….
Creed was slowly approaching the other side of the barn.
Athena stayed still.
He suddenly turned, pounced on all fours and threw himself towards the barn door and reached out…..but caught nothing. It would not be long before he pounced at full speed around the barn, covering all areas in seconds.
Athena did the only thing she thought she could do under these circumstances.
"It's nice to meet you again, Mr Creed, " she said. Creed turned instantly in her direction and smiled wickedly.
Athena switched off her suit and took off her mask.
"Hello, I'm Athena," she said, extending her hand and walking towards him. "I'm sorry I brought you out on a night like this."
Creed looked her up and down slowly.
"A red head….I like red heads, " he whispered. Athena took another step forward with her hand extended. She brought herself right up before him. He smirked, outstretched his huge hand and grabbed hers. Athena internally winced at the pain of his crushing grip but did not show it.
"You're a human?" he asked, almost in disbelief.
"Indeed," Athena replied. "And your tracking ability is phenomenal. No wonder the agency is still interested in you, after all these years."
Athena realised he was not releasing her hand. "And I thought, Mr Creed, that we had an agreement. You leave me alone and all your 'businesses' are kept quiet".
Athena looked up at Creed – he simply dwarfed her. She was only 5ft4" and petite. He looked down and Athena could still see the look of disbelief in his eyes.
He leaned down and sniffed her.
"You have balls, little girl…I'll give you that," he whispered. "…and I don't like deals".
"And you are an incredible predator…old man," she whispered back up to him. "And I don't really appreciate the threat of rape".
Creed smirked down at her, he ran huge finger across her jaw and then held her face, turning it to one side and then the other.
"Rape?" he whispered and smirked.
He leaned down and put his mouth next to her ear…"You want me to fuck you, " he whispered and shivers went up her spine. "Hardly rape, " he whispered, pulling back her hair from her neck.
He stopped dead. He sniffed her neck.
"Jimmy, " he whispered, looking at Logan's bite mark. He sniffed it again. He looked actually stunned for a moment and then he looked at her with very dark, steely eyes. He pulled her to him, gripped her hair – much harder than Logan had and brought his face right down to hers.
Athena tried to control her breathing but she did actually gasp.
"Where is my brother?" He asked – Athena could feel the breath on her face.
"He has amnesia, Mr Creed, " Athena said softly. "I think you'd find a brotherly reunion somewhat disappointing".
"Where is James Logan?" He asked, his mouth centimetres from her.
"He's here, pal," Logan said.
Creed turned to look at his brother standing in the doorway, his claws fully extended.
"And I think you should let the lady go".