Author's Note: Hello lovely people, I've finally managed to get the chapter out, thanks to my fantastic new beta CreativeKiss. I'm posting now because I have exams from next week which will last over a month so I won't be able to post again until mid-June so this is a consolation prize. I'm certain I'm going to have a mental breakdown during this period of time so I wanted to get the chapter out before, just for you. I was going to put the fight scene in this chapter but I always think a little suspense is good for the heart. :P

I hope you enjoy the chapter and thanks to all the fabulous people who reviewed the last chapter. You make me smile. :)

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter and read on!

Chapter Ten

When I entered the back room, Hei had already clocked in and was being briefed about what to do today. I followed his lead and managed to catch the last few sentences.

"...the Boss does not appreciate tardiness and he will be looking for any workers who are not up to the standard he expects, so this might just be your last day. If you work hard then you'll hopefully survive it. Get to work!"

Well, it is your last day whatever you do, so you might as well go out with a bang.

Again, I wish my brain had a switch so I could just turn it off. I really didn't want to mess today up. Hei told me the rest of what the supervisor had said and we started our first menial task of the day: Packing and moving the old products into boxes so that there would be room for the new deliveries.

The tedium of the job made the time go by quicker than it should have. I discussed some of the plans with Hei, but every time we were about to make a decision, our supervisor appeared and glared our conversation to dust. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I realized we only had half an hour before the delivery van would arrive with the boss following.

Oops. Better hurry up or the boss will see how "tardy" you are.

Gritting my teeth and earning another strange look from Hei, who was the only other person working in the backroom, I increased my pace. I was getting annoyed with the number of strange looks I was getting from him, and I was also certain that he was now getting used to my strange behaviour, something I didn't want him to think was normal.

Well, it is normal for you, so you'd technically be lying to him if you told him anything otherwise. And you wouldn't want to lie to lover-boy now; it'd ruin the lovely image I'd built of you for him.

Sometimes, I really hate my brain.

I finished packing the last item into the flimsy cardboard box when the siren started warning us that the automatic door was opening. The sound of a large delivery van could be heard, and I hastily flung the last box onto the pile before dashing to the safety of the far wall. The revving of the engine and the smell of burnt cigarettes clung to the air and I could barely make out the black saloon car parked next to the pavement. The air slowly cleared when the engine finally sputtered to a stop, our supervisor rushing forwards just as the door to the saloon opened.

I could see the glass of the car was tinted black and the thick frame of the door as it opened.

Turning toward Hei, who had been standing quietly beside me and observing as well, I whispered, "The car has a two inch, bulletproof material on the frame and the windows are blacked out and most likely bullet proof, too. We won't be able to cause it much damage without injuring ourselves through exertion as well..."

He nodded and then motioned quietly with his fingers towards the van. It was being opened and two guards had come to stand by each side of it. Clearly someone thought whatever was in it had value.

Well clearly! I would have thought you'd realise that by now. You wouldn't have been assigned this mission if he was dealing with teddy bears, would you? I'd say use your brain but I'm happy with just insulting you.

I rolled my eyes and waited until the boss had stepped out of his car. Apparently he liked to watch the delivery being carried out so none of the items were misplaced. I'd picked up bits of information about him throughout the week by chatting with the other waitresses, but all I found out was that he was quite good looking, rich and a spoiled prick. He'd flirted with every waitress in every restaurant he owned and liked them tall, blonde and leggy. I was the opposite to all of those things, so I felt I was safe.

Stop being so complacent, you nitwit. You never know what might happen and you'll jeopardise the mission if you're not on your toes. Wait... am I giving you advice? What is the world coming too?

I silently agreed. If my head was giving me advice then the situation was really serious. And damn it, it was good advice as well so if I didn't follow it, then I'd be stupid.

I glanced at Hei and he was waiting by the van, ready for the first batch. I walked to his side, and waited besides him. The others also stood in line beside me, looking like robots. Then I heard the clunk of expensive leather shoes on linoleum and the supervisor chattering away to its owner.

Then in a flurry of movement, we began the unloading.

I stumbled backwards as a heavy box was shoved into my arms and then followed after Hei as he entered a separate storage room. Littered around the room were upturned cardboard boxes and a few stubs of old cigarettes from when the employees had taken a sneaky break.

The minutes passed away with the room filling up with boxes and me slowly starting to lose my patience. I began muttering while stacking up the boxes so my fellow workers started to give me a wide berth. Nobody wanted to be close to the crazy lady.

I finally managed to enter the room when it was empty as the manager had allowed us a short, ten-minute break after nearly breaking our backs from the tiring labour. I used a lighter to melt the wax seal on the first box I found and gently pried the lid up. To my disappointment, it was just lots of bubble wrap and several bottles of hand washing soap. Nothing out of the ordinary.

That was until my brain gave me a mental slap which I could actually feel, it was that strong.

FOCUS! Look more closely, you dunderhead. I sometimes worry how you were ever made a contractor, you can be so slow. I swear a sloth is quicker than you. No. I've changed my mind. A snail is quicker than you because it's an insult to sloths to be even compared with you. Nitwit.

I blinked owlishly before shaking my head and slapping myself.I am such a fool sometimes.

I know you are.

I could almost feel the smugness radiating from my head.

I rummaged around in my pocket and found a pair of thick, old, leather gloves, which I donned and then proceeded to lift a bottle of the soap and examine it more closely. Now that I think about it, the supposed soap looked a lot more viscous than any I'd ever seen, even the cheap ones. There was nothing apart from the name on the front of the bottle, no label with ingredients and the top was secured shut with a special micro lock. Unfortunately I didn't have anything I could use as a lock picking device, so I just decided to stuff the bottle down my shirt and pass it off as a belly.

Wow. That's one of the best...I mean worst attempts of smuggling I've ever seen. I mean you top any novice burglar or stupid thief. You are truly one of the stupidest people I've ever seen. And that isn't a compliment. But knowing you, you'll take it as one anyways.

I scowled and retrieved it. I had to find someplace to put it without looking too suspicious.

Down my trousers? No, I'd actually get more looks than if I'd put it down my top.

Oh. My. God. Only you could even consider that as an option. I'm actually going to have visions of you with a bulge in the front of your trousers for the rest of my existence. You are a genius. And by that I mean you are a complete idiot.

I groaned and looked about. I realized I'd left the box open so I quickly resealed it with my lighter and then progressed to frown at the bottle in my hand. If only it wasn't so damn conspicuous. It'd look odd for me to carry it around in my hand as the people would immediately start to wonder what it was and I had no pockets for me to carry it in.

How about to hide it in your boots? I mean you already are fairly clumsy so if it made you clumsier, you could just blame it on your lack of coordination.

I smiled.

That was a joke. I wasn't being serious. You're taking that suggestion seriously, aren't you? I'm not even going to bother...

I then shoved the bottle down my large, Wellington boots which I'd worn because they were comfortable and also very cool. If not a bit cumbersome and not the latest fashion. But then again, I'm not the fashion type so everything's good.

It did bulge a bit, but I'll just say I've got heavy socks on in case it rains. That sounds like a decent lie.

For a retard, yes.

For a contractor with deadly skills, no.

"Oh shut it..." I growled at myself. And then checking to see I'd left no evidence behind, I took off my gloves, put them in my trouser pockets and walked out of the store room, to bump into Hei and my supervisor. The look on the supervisor's face did not comfort me. Not in the slightest.

Puce is not an attractive shade for a balding obese man of fifty.

"Where have you been? You've missed another meeting and the boss wanted to know why one of his employees was late for his speech. He's kindly agreed to wait five minutes so we could find you and here you are in the storeroom when your break was over ten minutes ago! Care to explain?"

I was so tempted to say "No." but the look on Hei's face made me reconsider angering him and instead I tried my best to look contrite and apologetic.

Say no. You know you want to.... say it and be a brave and stupid person. You're already stupid so you won't have to do much. Be brave. Go on... I dare you to...

"My mistake, sir. I was trying to finish putting everything away but when I turned to leave the store room, the door had locked and I couldn't get out. I shouted, but nobody answered so I just waited, thinking more people would come back to finish the unloading. I only got let out now when a kind person heard my shouts and opened the door."

He narrowed his eyes, his expression doubtful. So rather than have him go to the door to collaborate the evidence with my story and find the door didn't even have a normal lock, only a key lock which the boss checked when he left, I bowed low and grabbed Hei's arm before speed-walking to the area where all the other employees would be waiting.

I forget to factor the soap bottle in my boot into the equation so I tripped several times, nearly taking Hei down with me on one occasion. By the time I reached the large meeting area, my face was a glowing crimson and I had several bruises from the bottle on my shin. Thankfully, no one noticed that I winced slightly when I walked.

Apart from Hei, but I think that he thought it was because of my falls, not because I had a heavy object in my shoe which was destroying my co-ordination and my legs.

I'd congratulate the bottle but I don't talk to inanimate objects.*cough*

Ignoring the jibe against my sanity, I sat down in the closest chair and focused ahead at the stage.

There was no-one there but a spotlight, which they'd managed to conjure up, focused on the low podium where I knew the boss would stand to take his speech.

Settling in, the lights were turned off and the show began...

A/N: Did you enjoy the chapter? Found any mistakes? Have a thought you'd like to share?

Review and make my day! I'm going to be so nervous and I alwys think reviews help. That was a not so subtle hint. Just in case you missed the first not so subtle hint. ;D But anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I promise to work hard and get the next one out as soon as I can.

Lotsa love,

O.N