I knew that my first chapter was really cheesy but now we're going to see the dizzy part of this daydream. Thinking that Alex is attracted to Lainey right off makes even me a little sick.
It struck Lainey on about Monday as she thought about the meeting they had that she had been extremely awkward. There was no way that had just happened. Maybe she had dreamed it all. They hadn't even exchanged digits. She called Rachel twice to make sure that she had indeed met him. Rachel assured her both times that she had.
It also struck her that it was a week before she turned twenty. Twenty years old and she wouldn't be spending it with her family. It was Tuesday and she had almost forgotten about Alex picking her up because she kept taking the ring off during classes. It was lost amongst her belongings there for a while as homesickness swept over her. It wasn't until she had stopped to listen to music that she saw it lying on the floor.
She slipped it onto her finger as she thought about all the stupid things she had blurted out. She would have to break it all off. She really didn't want to but she had a family back in America.
Lainey looked at the ring fondly. She'd never been in such a relationship before. She was reminded of the movie "Father of the Bride." Of course she had no intention on marriage but the thought that having to stay away from her family longer than planned might hurt them in some way. One part of her told her that was crazy. Her parents would support her in anything she decided to do. What if this ruined her chances for college? She wasn't even sure why she'd written the note. It was her day dreaming head that she had inherited from her mother. Still why on earth had he even come? Had she really seemed that interesting?
Wednesday was finally here and Lainey woke up two hours earlier than she planned and went for an early morning run to keep her mind off of what she had to do later that day. She wasn't even sure what she had to do. She had to refuse him in some way. Refuse one of the greatest looking and probably friendliest actors ever? Of course it isn't like she's met a whole lot of actors face to face before. This was getting way too dizzy.
It seemed like only the first time that she looked at her watch it was less than an hour before four o'clock. After classes ended Lainey was in her dorm completely flipping out. This consisted of a lot of pacing and talking out loud to herself. Finally she stopped in her tracks and forced her mind gears to stop turning.
Slowly she talked herself through getting ready as she put on jeans and a powder blue tank top with an elegant blouse underneath. She put her hair up in a ponytail and put on some make up. She looked at herself in the mirror as if asking herself why she was doing this and then grabbed her books and went to the library.
Two boys in her classes nodded and smiled to her as she passed them. She was pretty sure they didn't even know her name. Still her ponytail followed her head as she looked back at them quizzically before going on. Why does make up always have that odd effect on boys?
Lainey saw Alex before he saw her. He looked around as if he didn't really belong in this big place. She took the chance to appraise him. Alex seemed so small compared to the towering atrium that surrounded the library entrance. For a moment he seemed like a normal college student. Lainey sighed and walked out behind the showcase that had obscured her from his view. "I'll be there in a minute," she said before returning her books.
"Look," she started but Alex cut in.
"Don't worry about anything," he said throwing Lainey off.
"I'm not worrying," Lainey said confused as he gently took her by the arm. His smile took her breath away.
"Good," he replied the smile still playing on his lips. "Then come with me."
They walked outside to a brand new black BMW with leather upholstery. It was like the belching stomach of hell inside before Alex turned the air conditioner on and took off from the curb. The windows were tinted so no one could see inside. This however didn't surprise Lainey. She figured a actor like Alex would have such windows.
"Where are we going?" she asked after they stopped at the second stoplight.
"A modeling agency," Alex replied coolly.
"Where?" Lainey pushed she looked over at him as if to check if he was joking.
Alex smiled slightly at her persistence as he made the car go forward. "You'll see," he said.
Ten minutes later Lainey was asleep with her head rested on the window pane. Alex looked over at her and smiled one of his smiles as he rolled up to a building with the letters 'Modeling Incorporated' stretched across a royal blue canopy. Alex pulled into a small parking garage on the side before waking Lainey up. It didn't take much to Alex's surprise. She had almost woken herself up when the car stopped and he cut the engine. A light sleeper; it was perfect.
"This is a modeling agency?" Lainey asked doubtfully after they had walked through a grey barrack type atrium with catwalks mirroring each other. They stepped into an elevator as she looked over at Alex. "It looked like an abandoned warehouse to me for being the first floor," she said commenting on the fact that no one had been there to meet them.
The sense that it seemed to be set up for an armory more than a basement seemed fishy in and of itself. Still another sense had gone up her spine that there was an expanse of cameras peeking out from the catwalks. They weren't cameras for taking pictures of made up persons. No, more like cameras scoping to see whether or not she belonged. She didn't like that feeling or the fact that Alex seemed to know something she did not.
Lainey never got the chance to put forward her suspicions as the elevator opened on the next floor. She at least expected some people to be milling about. The silence in the carpeted hall she had stepped into was deafening as a single desk at the other end loomed in front of them as Alex walked forward.
"What's the name of this place again?" Lainey asked just to break the silence all around her.
"Modeling Incorporated," Alex replied without looking at her. His face had been holding back a smile since the parking garage. Now the smile was gone and there was no trace of any kind of emotion left.
Lainey's tried to lighten the mood by saying, "Some incorporation." She received a small satisfaction of seeing Alex smile a little bit, but it was quickly taken away by the woman at the desk.
Her eyes were searching Lainey all over, but it wasn't in distaste. The woman's nametag read 'Tulip' in thin narrow letters. Lainey couldn't stop herself from saying, "Parent's avid gardeners?" It struck her as strange as her mind went back to the Alex Rider books and remembered Tulip Jones.
Tulip looked mortified and ducked down so the concealed camera behind a mirror could take a picture of the newcomer. If Lainey would ever see that picture she would have laughed. Her face was contorted with her former suspicion and a laugh at her own joke and sudden confusion.
Tulip would only acknowledge Alex from then on. Lainey was so worked up on how rude this was that she missed what Alex had said. She cursed herself as she was led to another elevator by Alex. She could have learned why she was so suspicious if she just listened. She sighed and clasped her hands in front of her as the elevator ascended. Something was definitely going on. Whatever it was she was pretty sure she wasn't going to like it. She was also pretty sure that it had nothing to do with modeling either.
"Why are you bringing me here?" Lainey asked glancing at him.
"Because I thought you'd like to see my work," Alex said.
"What is your work," she asked still looking at him.
Alex hesitated. "Well," he said finally, "You'll see."
Lainey sighed heavily as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Now that she expected silence there was to be no such thing. It actually looked like a modeling agency. It had people crisscrossing across the hallway, many of them being fussed over by make-up artists. Lainey was disgusted with the over powering smell of more than one kind of sprits and perfume. She wriggled her nose so she wouldn't sneeze.
Alex pulled her into an empty office room where he inserted a key. He walked across the room and put his hand on the wall. Lainey raised an eyebrow in question as a blue light flashed over his hand.
"What's going on?" Lainey asked as the wall parted to reveal a secret elevator.
"You'll see," Alex said again reaching for her hand but she backed away. It was as if she'd rather be in the fake getup outside rather than go up to whatever it was.
"I've had enough of seeing Alex," Lainey said stubbornly. "I want to know what's going on."
"I can't tell you that," Alex said lamely and Lainey stomped her foot and glared at him. Okay, so he had been right in assuming Lainey was a challenge. "Look I really don't know what's got you so uptight," he said recovering from his slip up.
"The fact that it feels like I've just been thrown into one of Horowitz's books," Lainey said her hands on her hips. Despite the fact that she was angry and flustered her make-up wasn't messed up in the least. Her cheeks that had been accented by blush were burning more furiously than ever.
"Tulip is a bit of a strange coincidence," Alex said agreeing with a shrug. Lainey's eyebrows became knotted up. She opened her mouth to ask another dangerous question but he smoothly recovered again and led her over to the elevator and slipped an arm casually around her waist. It completely through Lainey off but he had a feeling it would have to stay there for a while to keep her happy.
He kept her close as they walked through a series of empty hallways.
"Alex," Lainey started again but he just wrapped her closer. Finally they walked over a threshold into what Lainey thought it looked like CTU headquarters right out of 24. She shook her head in disbelief as Alex brought her over to an empty conference room. The hum of computers dissipated as Alex finally let go of her waist and closed the door.
"I've had about enough of this Alex," Lainey said rounding on him. So Alex would have to work on being more seductive, or she was just smarter than he thought. "Why did you bring me here and what exactly is here?" she asked. "Have I been kidnapped?"
"To tell you the truth," Alex started. "I'm not really sure myself." He'd gotten her there, or at least he thought he did.
She glared at him. "You're lying," she said with the same delectable air that she had had in the office. "Modeling Incorporated my foot," she said. "What does that stand for? MI..."
Awe and terror struck her face at the same time as she sank into a chair and covered her open mouth. When she finally found something to say she turned to Alex who was standing like a guard by the door. "So you're really Alex Rider," she said still a bit awestruck.
"Pettyfer is my code name," Alex said.
"Then all those things actually happened?" Lainey asked.
He hesitated for a moment as if to think back. That was all an act. He would never forget what happened to him. "Not exactly but I was fourteen when it all started," he said if not a little proud.
Lainey felt sorry for him. She could see right through the fake pride "What about your parents?"
"That was all true," Alex said taken aback by Lainey sudden pity towards him. It was as if she could see right through him.
On the other end of the room two people came in. One was a young woman in her mid thirties. She had short layered hair that threw off her professional attire and was miraculously sucking on a peppermint. It was an equivalent to Mrs. Jones although she introduced herself as Lillian Hartford.
The second one was a man who seemed emotionless enough. He wasn't grey though like Mr. Blunt. He was introduced as George Conway. He was extremely well built and had dark hair and deep set eyes.
Lainey looked between the both of them as they invited Alex to sit down which he did. He sat next to Lainey who was sitting rigidly in her seat. Her knuckles were white as she squeezed the arms of the chair as if waiting for a death sentence. Alex was glad that it wasn't his hands that she was crushing.
"So Lainey Piety," Mrs. Hartford said after she was finished with her peppermint. "We finally meet."
"It's Pee-it-ee," Lainey corrected as she clenched her teeth. "Not Pie-tee." Rage was gleaming in Lainey's eyes. All the pity she had held for Alex evaporated. "I'm not a dining tray to be used."
Mrs. Hartford raised her brow at the tray comment. "Who said anything about being used?" she questioned.
"I was lied to!" Lainey yelled. She wanted to jump up and run but her anxiety level now had grown so high she was certain that she would trip on her own feet before reaching the doors right behind her. Her face started to turn red as she looked on the verge of tears.
None said anything for a few moments.
"We just want your help Miss Piety," Mr. Conway said gently.
Waves of panic, fear and anger rippled through Lainey's body language as she trembled with convulsing emotions. Finally she put her forehead down on the cool table and tried to relax. The rage still bubbled beneath her skin.
"Just hear them out Lain," Alex said softly.
Lainey lifted her upper body slowly from the table. Her face was emotionless. She suddenly swept her arm straight at Alex's throat. Alex was fast enough to have kept her hand from gripping his windpipe. Still her nails scratched into his skin as she lunged her whole body at him. The chair toppled over. Alex saw a frantic pleading look in her eyes that took his breath away. "Why did you bring me here?" she asked as she tried to hit his face. "Do I look like a hero to you? Are you trying to mock me? I trusted you!"
Alex grabbed Lainey's wrists as he felt something wet fall on his face. He saw that she was crying. "I'll be with you the whole time," he promised. "I won't let anything happen to you." Her eyes closed and another few tears fell on his face.
Exhausted from holding in her rage Lainey sat on the floor and backed away from him so he could get up. Alex held out his hand for her to take. It reminded Lainey of the day at the soccer field. She pressed her lips firmly together and got up without his help. She dried her tears and sat down in her seat again. "I've been under a lot of pressure lately," Lainey explained with a sniff. "I'm fine now."
The two at the other end of the table exchanged glances before going on. Alex righted his chair and sat farther away from Lainey than her had been. He could tell that she hadn't relaxed because of his promise. He had ruined a relationship from the beginning as usual. First he gave her a ring and now he had brought her to a special agent headquarters. Alex didn't blame her for hating him at all. He'd been in that chair before. He looked away from her lifeless frame in shame. Winning back her trust was as hopeless as anyone accepting a true engagement ring from him.
"Let's start over," Mrs. Hartford breathed to break the tension.