4
"So did we get them?" A cold female voice uttered.
"No, they escaped." Another replied, and then there was an unnerving silence, the man in his uniform looked down at his feet.
"Look at you, you're so afraid." Said the female tone in disgust. "You've got nothing to worry about, we'll just have to submit them to what we keep upstairs." She said briskly turning away and walking towards the white paned French window, fondling with the tassels of the tie-up. "You can go you know." She said waving her hand at the young man, who as soon as he was freed was quick to leave the presence of this slowly, and defiantly withering woman. "Oh Adam, despite that you may be a killer, I had always respected your intellect. You were never crude or rash in your actions, and so it does pain me, to have to submit you to the true brutality of our resources. Though if you didn't have that girl with you, you wouldn't be such a threat. Shame really." She spoke only to herself, as a gloved hand slid over the phone, that she lifted to her ear. In the silent room nothing could be heard but the repetitive ringing that moved slowly filling the room, until it was interrupted by the unmistakably formal male tone on the other end.
"Hello" The voice sounded through out the room much like the ringing had, only it seemed to darken the room, making it somehow dead. Stripped of all emotion, and humanity.
"It's me, the first attempts have failed. You and I both know we simply cannot allow this to persevere. We must nip it in the bud, acting immediately is the only option."
"We mustn't act quite so abruptly, we need to prepare to plan. It isn't worth making quick decisions to no avail."
"I don't think you quite understand what it is we are dealing with here. Adam alone on the streets is a danger to the lives of millions of people, but he is accompanied by a mimic, what's more Josephine is a mimic we know very little about. We've found no origin, of relations, we have no idea what her power could amount to. Though truly the concern here is what danger this pair pose to the organisation, they could expose us, or worse find some other way to bring it down. They must be stopped, you know what I'm asking you to do." She said before placing the phone back in its hanger, disguising her ferocity flawlessly with grace and eloquence this elderly yet still distinguished lady lifted herself from her seat. As she left the room with her motive in mind, a job like this needed to be followed up and supervised. This headstrong woman had one thing in mind.
Adam swung a right, into a dark road. They had been driving all day, and neither had said a word to the other. Josie watched as state sign after state sign went by. She wondered if this could be their final destination, as she glanced at the clock that read one fifteen. Through the trees looming ahead of them, Josephine could see light shining, shooting shards of light as thin as spider webs. Josephine hoped they were finally here, as her nose had been severely put out of joint by the way Adam had so quickly disregarded her concerns. She wanted nothing more than to lie in her own solitude, maybe she'd made a huge mistake helping Adam to escape. She asked herself how much she really knew about the man sitting next to her? She knew nearly everything about those he'd been before, but didn't even know the last name of the man she was staring at now. She'd just let him use her, and despite all her power, she felt so weak. She ran her hand through her hair, still stareing intently at the road ahead. Then slowly, piece by piece, this amazing structure came into view. The lights bounced majestically off of the pale grey stoned walls. Josephine gazed in awe up the towers, it was the most amazing house she'd ever seen, she looked around at the neatly trimmed lawns, and the well kept flower beds. Adam stopped the car at the bottom of the steps, a young man came dashing down the stairs followed by a second behind him.
"Valet parking, sir?" The first said, as he opened the driver's door.
"Carry your luggage sir, madam?" said the second, opening the door on her side as the other quickly opened the boot, placing the luggage on the ground before handing Adam a small ticket, and driving away. The second attendant quickly took our bags, and led us up the stairs into the lobby. Though it appeared more like a great hall, the ceilings were so tall, Josie looked up in wonderment at the ornate patterns. She looked back at Adam behind her, he was looking at the ground, with the same cold, worried look. Quickly she turned on her heels, and began to walk quickly to the check-in desk.
"Josie" Adam quickly said after her, he hadn't really noticed her all day, and it wasn't till now that he realised it. He rushed over to the desk behind her, but found himself too late.
"Hi, can I get two double rooms please." She said, quickly, but politely. The lady behind the counter looked at her, and then Adam who was standing behind her.
"Josephine, there's no need for that." He said quickly.
"Are you sure you'd like two separate double rooms, for yourself and this gentlemen?" She said appearing rather bemused.
"Yes thank you, tow separate keys." She said smiling.
"How long for?" The woman asked, clicking about at the computer in front of her.
"We aren't really sure, should we call it a week? And I'll pay you that in advance, if you would reserve the rooms for us the following week also?" She said.
"That'll be fine, rooms seven ten, and seven eleven seem to be free. If you could just provide some details, and identification." She said. Josephine stared at her intently, forcing herself into the girls mind, forcing her to believe her next few words.
"I already gave you our details and ID" She said, as convincingly as if it were the truth.
"So you did. Here are your keys, and Francis here will gladly show you to your rooms." She said gesturing to the young man carrying their luggage.
"Thank you." Josephine quickly said, turning away from the desk, and throwing the keys at Adam before following the young attendant.
"Josie, there really is no need to be like this" He said most urgently "Why are you acting like this?" He asked, desperately trying to deter a seemingly determined Josie.
"Oh now you're concerned, that's funny." She said not bothering to turn to face him. As they approached the lift, the young attendant Francis was appearing more and more uncomfortable. Adam stopped for a second in his tracks and took a deep breath, before walking on without another word.
It felt as though it had taken them a century to reach the seventh floor, the lift was humid and considering it's current occupants, it was decisively uncomfortable. Once he had put down the luggage in between the two door, young Francis made a quick exit. Adam looked at Josephine.
"What is the matter with you Josephine?" He asked, but she said nothing. "Look I really want to know." He said sucking on his bottom lip, his eyes were wider than ever.
"Why should I tell you anything about me, when I don't know anything about you, Adam?" She said, before putting her key into its lock.
"What do you mean, I've told you everything about my past." He said "Well not everything but there's still plenty of time." He said lifting her hand off of the key.
"Exactly, you've told me about who used to be, but I already know all about who you used to be. I've noticed you through out history. But I don't know anything about you now Adam, I don't even know you're last name. So I'm just a little worried that the only reason I'm here now, is because you used everything you used to be to impress me, and then finally you used me to free yourself, well hats off to you. You managed to make me trust you, with nothing but lies, because if you had been telling me the truth, I'd know why people were shooting at us earlier. I'd like to know why they won't let you run free?" She said, all in the relaxed, but detached tone.
"I don't know why people want me dead." He said taking a step towards her, he stared at her knowing that he could get no where without her, and wouldn't even be here without her. Though he knew that he couldn't tell her the truth, he was starting to want to. "God and death are none of my concern… I'm no philosopher. But it's in your heart, there sit's the key, the only one that can set me free, from this prison where I dwell." She glanced up at him then quickly tried to look away, but he softly nudged her chin holding her gaze. "So take all you want from me, and take all I've got from me" He said, with a palpable intensity in his eyes, that glanced from side to side, mirroring Josie's. "You're with me all the time, and I won't forget that." He said, in a calm, candid manner, on that Josephine recognised as the same tone he'd spoken in when he told her about Yaeko. Her hands slip effortlessly down his arms, lifting his hands. To any on-looker in that hallway they would look terribly strange standing there, their arms in the air the tips of the fingers lightly touching. Josie released a short static shock, that stung the tips of Adam's finger's, and then warmed them. Without a moments hesitation, both of them slowly leant in, pausing for a second lips touching, just staring into the other's eyes. Then they kissed, softly and passionately. His hands softly cupped her face, and then stroked through her hair and down her shoulders. She pulled away and looked up at him smiling.
"Let's go change our room number then." He laced his fingers into her, and took the luggage trolley in his other hand. Leading her towards the lift, and there was a strange bounce in his step, like the connection he and Josephine had just made had finally freed him from the tethers that weighted him.
"We'd like to change to the suite please." He said turning back to smile at Josie, who just looked stunned. The lady behind the desk kindly obliged, and it wasn't long before the key was in the lock, and Adam was throwing open the door. The room was breath taking, everything was laid out meticulously. There was so much space, the room was wonderfully ornate, like a British stately home. I suppose it was that which made Josie particularly fond of it, it evoked a reminiscence of a time she loved. There was a large fire place, with rocking chairs, sofas, and wingbacks gathered around it, facing the large mounted TV above it. The kitchen had a small breakfast area, and the room adjacent to that had a dining area. The terrace balcony was lovely, a stone floor, Josephine leant over the pillared wall that protected others from falling. She opened a packet of cigarettes she'd bought earlier and lifted one to her lips lighting it. Adam strolled up behind her unnoticed, he held her close in his arms, and together they looked out into the night sky. She smiled, and watched the smoke fade into the air. "Aren't you tired? We've been driving all day" He said, yawning, and then sliding his hand into her pocket, fishing out the cigarettes and taking one of his own.
"I thought you didn't smoke?" Josephine said.
"I don't" he said in a muffled tone, as he held it in his mouth, cupping the space around it to light it, but the wind was too strong. Josie turned around, loosely cupping her hands around the cigarette.
"There, now try" She said, as she protected the flame from the wind.
"Thanks." He said inhaling, then stepping forward to stand beside her, leaning one arm on the cold, pale stone wall. "Although, I owe you thanks for more than just this cigarette." He said peering at the ground, through slit, concentrated eyes.
"What do you mean?" she said smiling.
"Well, you got me out of that prison. Saved my life, bought me a new wardrobe. Not to mention the fashion advice." He said smiling at her "You got us a car, and you haven't… ,haven't even ahem." He said coughing, holding fist to his mouth, suddenly his eyes widened and his face hardened.
"Haven't what?" Josie said.
"Nothing" he said looking back to meet her eyes "So what do you want to know about, Adam Monroe?" He said in a joking tone. Josie smirked, but she was still distracted about what he was about to say before, she found that a lot with Adam. She stared distantly for a second, and then looked up at him.
"Nothing" she said fluttering her eyelashes.