Intense. That is the only word I can use to describe this experience. For obvious reasons. The candlelit area in this very expensive restaurant where, might I add, he offered to pay immediately which is always a plus. His simple (but kind of hot) name.

Jackson. The way he said "You can call me Jack". The way he is staring into my eyes right now with so much...intensity, as if I'm the only one in the room...like he's known me before.

Maybe it's because this is only my first ever blind date that my sister set up for me in order to get me out of the house. Thanks a lot Anna. Oh wait I'm supposed to be talking. Oh god. Say something, Elsa say somethi-

"So, um, what do you do?" I cut the silence asking the third question of the night with utmost confidence.

"What do I do?"

"What do you do... you know, as a job?" Why did I say that as a question?

I'm almost thinking I ruined the date when he finally responds, "I'm a...data scientist"

Oh. Ok. Simple. Like his name and everything else he has told me in the past 15 minutes- But! I am not one to judge. Especially on a first date. I'll give it some time and maybe he'll open up some more.

"What does that entail exactly?" I ask gently but skeptically. "It's just collecting data for the company I work for" Jack responds while scratching the back of his neck. Very secretive.

"And what company is that exactly?"

"Huh?"

I ask my question again. "What company do you work for?"

"I can't tell you all that. I'm sorry"

All that like he's told me something already. "Why not?"

"Kind of top secret"

I"What are you some kind of spy?"

I don't know why my joke prompted this kind of response but he started...coughing. Violently.

I don't know if I'm the only one in this fancy ass restaurant who doesn't know how to stop someone from literally dying in front of them but I'll sure as hell try.

If you can call patting his back a few times trying. Thankfully, he stops soon enough (I don't think I really helped the process too much) and has some water.

I put my hand on his shoulder and asked him if he was ok.

"Yeah I'm fine thank you." He says with a laugh. "That was slightly emmbarasi-

He stops his sentence abruptly when he spots my silver ring on my right hand. It has this emblem on it. Never questioned what it was, never really cared.

But now I'm starting to.

It was given to me by my parents when I was young. Like, really young, like two or three. I don't remember receiving it. I just knew it was special. I only sized it up as the years went by so I wouldn't have to put it on a necklace or something.

As I'm going on my inner tangent I don't think to ask why he is so interested in my ring.

"Why are you so interested in my ring" I ask curiously but with a laugh to lighten the mood. Again. We're off to a great start.

"Where did you get it?" He asks quietly. "My parents..why?" He lets in a sharp intake of breath.

"You need to come with me." He states with urgency.

"What?"

"Please, you'll understand later." He jumps up from his seat and pulls me from the restaurant. I hardly have enough time to leave a tip on the table before we are out of the door.

He runs to his motorcycle of course he has a motorcycle and tells me to get on the back.

Now, I am not the most structured person in the world but my number one rule of living is don't do stupid shit that will make you die. So I respond negatively, for obvious reasons, one of them having to do with the fact that I don't feel like dying in my mid-twenties.

"No. Never gonna happen I refuse to get on this motorcycle. I don't have a death wish."

5 MINUTES LATER

Seems that I have a death wish because I am sitting on the back of a motorcycle going to who knows where with, at this point, who knows who because apparently, he knows me.

"We're almost there" I can hardly hear him over the wind in my ears as we drive fast down a secluded street with almost no streetlights. Fancy.

I quickly realized I could have easily been kidnapped on this blind date. I still could as a matter of fact.

"Hey, uh, Jack? Yeah um...where are we?"

"You'll see." He pushes open an old garage door and leads me to what looks like an elevator. He types a code on an intercon and the door opens. I walk in with uncertainty.

"I don't know why you trust me right now but just know, you are right to. I don't intend to hurt you in any way. I promise." He says with complete sincerity. The look in his eyes almost knocks me off of my feet.

After a few minutes, we get to the bottom floor and the door opens for the second time.

The first thing I notice is people, a lot of people at desks in an office that spans as far as the eye can see. At this moment I forget we are underground.

"What is this" I mutter to myself.

"Gloratech"