Chapter 6
I slipped & fell into a puddle of water, but I quickly got up & kept running. I knew that if I slowed down anymore, they would surely catch me.
How did they get here so quickly?
It didn't matter anymore. What mattered was getting away or hiding where they wouldn't find me. It was dark & the perfect time of day to hide. That feeling was back in me again. The feeling of intense adrenaline.
Am I afraid or . . . am I just really excited?!
I was starting to believe I actually loved running away from them. The fact that they are so slow, the fact that they are so naïve, the fact that they never catch me. It was a game of cat & mouse. And the mouse gets away every time.
I climbed over a fence & ran as quickly as I could through the empty park. I had to get to the other side fast or else, they would spot me.
What's that?! A helicopter?! They knew beforehand.
The helicopter's light blinded my eyes, making me trip over a nearby bench into some mud. I was seriously filthy now. I got on all fours & saw the mud on my red vest & thighs. The sound of dogs barking forced me to jump to my feet & continue the escape. I looked back & saw them dropping the dogs in the park & letting them run after me while they climbed over the fence.
Dogs! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
Dogs were the only thing that could keep me from getting away.
The fence . . .
The other side of the park was only several yards away.
If I could just get over that fence . . .
I could hear the dogs getting closer.
I'm over.
I landed on my knees. The dogs' barking startled me. I turned around & saw them clawing at the fence.
They're military dogs, but they can't get over a simple fence?
"Stop or we'll shoot!" an officer in the helicopter just above me yelled.
I stood up & away from the light & ran towards the rows of buildings in the distance. Then my face suddenly met the cement. I tired to pick myself back up, but someone threw themselves onto my back. I fell back down again with them pressing my face into the ground & holding my arms back.
No . . . I'm not getting caught!
I managed to roll over with the officer on the ground & ram my elbow into his stomach. When I heard his painful cry & felt him release my wrists, it was time for me to get going again. But the officer persisted & grabbed my ankle. I spun around & landed a swift kick to his face, making him let go. I stumbled off between a row of buildings, assuming it would hide me until I found a getaway route. My car was far across the city, probably on the other side by then.
The helicopter's light shined onto the buildings, but the buildings were too close together for the light to shine through completely. I could just barely get through the alleys. I glimpsed around the corner. Nothing. I went across to the alley on the other side.
I stopped as soon as I heard voices, "You go that way, I'll go this way!"
Which direction is it coming from?
Sweat slid down my forehead to my nose & down onto the ground. By then, I knew I was very sweaty beneath my clothes. I had to give it to them though. They managed to catch up to me & trap me in the alleys.
Is someone coming that way?
I could sense someone was creeping down the alley behind me.
I don't feel like fighting right now . . . Besides it'll give away my position.
I looked around me for a distraction. There was a rock by a garbage can. I picked it then threw it over to the alley to my left. Wherever it landed at, it made a loud noise as if I broke a window. I glimpsed around the corner at the officer who stopped & looked around. I pulled my head back & stepped a bit farther into the alley I was in. The officer ran past my alley to the one where I made the distraction. He didn't see me. I closed my eyes & breathed a sigh of relief. When I opened my eyes, I found a door just across from me. I quickly made my way towards it.
That damn helicopter!
I backed up to where I was before with the helicopter's light just missing me. It shined in some other area, giving me the chance to get the door open & get in.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You again . . .
I got into my position ready to take on the dark figure in front of me. His back was towards me, not bothering to take me as a threat. I struck . . .
What?!
I missed.
Where is he?
I turned around & there he was. The figure cloaked in black was still not taking me as a threat. I jumped at him, aiming for a kick to his head. I missed again. I was kneeing on the floor now. I turned my head around to look at him. Still wasn't taking me as a threat.
Just want to make a fool of me, is that it?
I struck him with all that I had, the fury that he gave me in just a short time. Aimed for his head, stomach, his head again. I lunged at him with one last strike.
What happened . . .?
I was on the floor. My face was against the cold floor. So cold that it sent chills down my spine. His boots were at my face. I looked up at him, the figure cloaked in black.
What're you trying to prove?
I opened my eyes to find debris hanging from a ceiling. I was in the abandoned building I crept in last night.
Just a dream . . . It didn't mean anything.
I sat up after staring at the ceiling, trying to take in that it was actually a dream.
It seemed so real . . .
I hugged myself, trying to keep warm. For some strange reason, it was freezing cold. I reached behind my neck to feel my cold, damp skin. My sweat was drying up. I looked around me at the rundown room I was in. It was almost completely gray with dust & rubbish. There were tables that still stood with webs clinging onto them.
If I had known this place was so . . .
I looked at the floor. It was covered in dust that stuck to my skin, clothes, & hair. A white puffball floated in front of my face. I let it land in my hand so I could get a close look at it.
Snow?
I got onto my feet, dusted the mess off of me, noticing the dried mud that was still there, & then went over to the cracked window. I looked down at the street & saw that it was covered in snow. I looked off into the rest of the city & saw that it was covered in snow as well.
I am going to freeze to death!
I went out of the building, through the door I came in. I recalled last night when I was being chased. The alleys looked different in the morning.
Time to go back to Donovan.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"But the strange thing about it was . . . it seemed as if they knew I was going to be there," I stuck my head from behind the partition to look at Donovan, trying to see if he was buying my story.
"Christie, if you hadn't noticed, that wasn't the first time it happened," he told me.
He was leaning against the wall, waiting for me to finish dressing. The mist from my shower filled the room. We were in one of DOATEC's many, fancy bathrooms. It seemed more like a room fit for a king other than a bathroom.
I looked out of the window at the city that lit up in the night, thinking hard about the whole incident that occurred twenty-four hours ago.
I stepped out from behind the partition, "No, you see . . ."
How am I going to explain this?
I could see Donovan staring at me, waiting for me to finish.
"There was no clue that I was going to be there. And even if you had left a little . . ." I pointed at him, trying to get out my last few words, "death threat . . ."
He laughed at my remark.
"It's not like that Mafia would call the police, because the police are after them as well!" I sat down on a bench to my side with my arms crossed, "So what I want to know is who could have told the police about me?"
Donovan sat down beside me, not saying anything.
"What? You don't care?!" I asked him after noticing that familiar look on his face, "You don't care that someone knew I was coming & called the police?!"
He turned his head towards me with a smile on his face, "We'll find out who it is eventually. And until then, we'll just have to keep doing what we've been doing."
"Donovan, I know & you know that I love a little challenge, but officers chasing after me every single time like last night is too much. I'll some day get caught."
"How do you know they'll find you every single time?"
"I just have this feeling . . ."
Donovan slumped back into the bench. I did as well. It was sort of hot & misty from my shower. I rubbed my arm, which was moist & then rubbed my bare feet on the purple carpet, feeling it between my toes. Carpet in a bathroom, yes, it was strange.
"Christie, is there something you want to tell me?" he asked me, getting my attention.
Something I want to tell you?
I knew that every time he asked me that question, I was hiding something from him. And every time he was right & managed to get it out of me.
Is there . . .? Oh . . . Bayman . . . I lied to him.
I couldn't believe I've forgotten about him & all that he told me about his incident with Donovan. But I couldn't tell Donovan, because I lied to him earlier.
But how did he know I was keeping something from him?
"Christie?" he tried to get my attention.
Was I defending Bayman or just didn't want Donovan to know that I lied to him? I knew that if I told Donovan about him, he would send so many people out to get him. Probably even me as a punishment for defending his adversary. But was I . . .? Someone I barely knew . . .
"Christie?" he tried to get my attention for the second time.
"Okay! Gees! I lied!" he finally got it out of me.
"Lied about what?"
"About being knocked unconscious & taken to Dalian without knowing who brought me there."
"Oh, really?"
"I was knocked unconscious & taken to Dalian, that part is true. But what I lied about was who brought me there."
"Is that so?" he maintained his calm voice as if he didn't care as much, but I knew he did.
"I did know who brought me there."
"Who?"
Tell him! Get it off your chest! Who cares about Bayman!
A picture of Bayman in his sleep that one night returned to me. His damp body & his chest heaving in his sleep . . .
Don't touch . . .
". . ." my thoughts were interfering with my words.
"Christie?" Donovan said.
You work for Mr. Victor Donovan so do your job!
I turned the other direction, not wanting to see Donovan's face after he finds out I've been keeping this from him, "Bayman . . ."
There was silence for awhile then I felt his fingers turn my head back towards him to look him straight in the eyes. His hands were so strong, but then again most men's hands were like that. I was forced to look him in his black eyes. And he was smiling the warmest smile one could ever see. And it didn't suit him at all. It wasn't Donovan.
"Bayman knocked you unconscious & took you to Dalian?" he asked me, "Now why would he do that?"
"He didn't knock me unconscious," I corrected him, "Someone working for Kin did. I know it. Bayman saved me from them when they were looking for me. At least, that's what he told me. He also told me he was once one of yours & how you tried to get him killed. That's true, right?"
"Yes, it is. I didn't tell you, because I didn't think it was important. But, Christie, how do you know he didn't lie to you & he was the one who did it?"
"I-" I realized I trusted Bayman a little too much.
Donovan let go of my face & got up to stretch, "I see what's going on here . . ."
"What?"
What does he know?
He looked back at me, "Kin hired Bayman to protect him from us by getting you out of the way. And of coarse, Bayman wouldn't pass up an opportunity like this. He gets to get back at me & screw with my plans."
Is that true?
"What?" I asked, a bit dumbfounded that he could find all of this out from my simple words.
"So what's this you have with Bayman?" he asked, smiling & bending down to look me in the eyes, "Trust, understanding, or is it friendship?"
I didn't want to have anything with Bayman after having that little talk. I still had a lot to learn from Donovan. So I told him neither. But he didn't seem to believe me. He must have thought I had something for Bayman even though I barely knew him & he was his adversary. He smiled, disbelieving, then left me in the room.