Chapter 3: Fire at will

I wasn't much for driving. I knew how to but I often decided against it when I could ride the bus or walk instead. Seeing as Sips Co. wasn't far from where I currently lived, I decided it would be nice to walk. The weather was nice, sky blue and clouds fluffy. Walking through town, it felt like walking in one of those little towns you see in movies before all the action sequences take place. Small shops, quiet people, few cars, overall just the perfect peaceful little town in the middle of nowhere. Take away the towering Sips Co. building and it would be the world's most scenic place in the world.

Wandering into the Sips Co. parking lot, it seemed oddly empty. I mean, there were a few cars parked and everything but it didn't seem as busy as it was yesterday. Nonetheless, a woman in red stood at the front, hands together in front of her and a fake smile across her face. She motioned for me to enter beside her. Walking in, it almost felt like I was about to be murdered.

"Am I late?" I commented, noticing no other person from the group the day before.

"No, no, no!" she quickly responded. "Private tours are always much better and organized. Each individual will be given a unique experience based on their interests."

"How do you know their interests?"

She didn't respond. The elevator doors opened, but I was the only one to enter. She leaned in and pushed one of the buttons. It definitely felt like I was going to be murdered. Her fake smiled remained as the doors slowly closed. She didn't say a word as to where I was going, why, and whether or not I was to expect another tour guide to greet me when I arrived on the floor. Riding up, I thought about yesterday and the man I had spoken to. How do he know about me?

"Miss Morgan!"

I didn't realize the doors had opened. Paul Sykes stood on the other side, smiling like a kid in a candy store. I wasn't sure why he was so excited, but I stepped out of the elevator and let the doors close behind me. We were on a fairly empty floor. It looked like it was under construction. Concrete floor, boarded up windows, faulty lights. I was going to be murdered.

"We're still working on this floor, sorry," he quickly apologized, leading me further into the room. "Weird place to start the tour, I know, but trust me it gets better from here."

I offered a smile, but still felt like I was getting killed. Easy to kill me here. No witnessed. No mess. It was kind of weird, thinking about my own murder but not actually thinking about why I was getting killed. Did this go back to yesterday and the man in the elevator? Paul turned to me, mouth open as if to speak but stopped. His eyes looked over my shoulder. Naturally, I turned around.

Just exiting the elevator was a man dressed in black. Face covered, hands gloved, he raised a gun. Murder. I felt my heart in my throat. Paul stepped forward, gently pushing me behind him. Now I was getting confused. Maybe I wasn't getting murdered but something else was happening.

"I'm not here for you, lady," the man assured, stepping away from the elevator. "Just him."

"What's happening?" I whispered.

"Just another attempt at information," shrugged Paul. "Happens from time to time. You get used to it."

"Used to it? The guys pointing a gun at us!"

"At me, not you," corrected Paul.

"Leave, lady!" ordered the man, motioning to the elevator with the gun.

"Okay," I blurted, darting for the elevator.

I could hear Paul chuckle lightly. I felt my heart racing as I stepped pass the man. I glanced at him, meeting his eyes. Blue. Enchanting blue. Somehow, meeting his eyes, I felt slightly more relaxed. Disarming. That's the word. I stopped in front of the elevator doors. They opened. Why wasn't I going in?

"Leave," repeated the man.

"Are you going to kill him?" I gulped, turning around. "You can't just kill a man for no reason."

"I have my reasons," he replied, digging into his pocket. "Yogscast. Isn't that what this is all about, Sykes?"

Paul shrugged.

"You still can't kill him," I mumbled.

The man pulled from his pocket a flash drive. It matched his outfit, black and nondescript. He tossed it on the floor in front of me. My heart was in my throat again.

"Everything you ever wanted to know about the Yogscast is on that drive," the man instructed. "Take it and leave."

I stared at the drive. For a moment, that's all that was there, me and the flash drive. Shutting my eyes, listening to my heart pound, I had the stupidest thought in the whole world. Opening my eyes again, looking up I saw the man addressing Paul again, gun pointed. I swallowed hard and charged forward, tackling the man. We hit the ground hard. I felt my palms scrape along the concrete, head hitting the chest of the black dressed man. Paul leaned forward, watching us on the floor.