Her cheek was clammy against the cool leather of the couch. She swam up through a red haze, the rich scent of the fabric filling her senses. Combined with the pounding pain in her head, the smell made her feel nauseous. She felt feverish, shaky, hot and cold at the same time; she was confused, and groggy. Slowly she raised a hand and gingerly explored the lump that was forming under her dark hair.
A glass of water was placed with a clink on the table in front of her. She flinched at the sound; it bit viciously into her head. But the lure of the cold water was too much; she struggled into a sitting position, her eyes focused only on the water that promised cool relief. She gulped at it.
'Slowly.' The voice was clear, precise. Ashleigh lifted her head to focus on the owner, as she saw him the glass slipped from her suddenly numb fingertips, shattering on the hardwood floor.
'Janus!'
That laugh again. The rasping hiss building up into a rich reverberating laugh that grated against her senses. The owner of that voice was staring at Ashleigh with an unsettling smile on his face. That face was scarred badly down the right side, scars that Ashleigh knew would continue all the way down his lean muscled body to his slim hips.
A strong jaw. A confidence that vibrated through his entire demeanour. Grey blue eyes glittered beneath dark blond hair, now closely cropped to his head. The man oozed power. It was the scarring that gave the definite clue to his identity. But he was a man that was dead. A man killed three years previously by James Bond.
Her confusion shone through her façade of bravery. Her knitted brow gave away every thought to Alec Trevelyan, the traitor of the British Secret Service.
'So surprised?' A little smirk was beginning to play on the edge of his lips. 'You look like you've seen a ghost.'
'You're supposed to be dead.' Her tone was flat, her wording blunt.
'I would think that all evidence points to the contrary.'
'James killed you.' She was desperate to regain the upper hand, her confusion, her headache, her shock at seeing him running rings around simple coherent thought. She played her trump card, his hatred of Bond.
His attitude changed from one of quiet amusement to full on aggression, he lunged across the room, his strong hands pinning her wrists to the chair.
'He failed.' Alec hissed. 'And I want you to inform him of his mistake.' Like his namesake his mood suddenly switched again, he moved slowly back from her, one hand smoothing down his hair. He pushed a button on the intercom.
'Show our guest to her room please.'
To her surprise Ashleigh was treated with respect. Having guessed that she was in Trevelyan's private quarters she tried to recall the passages around her, but the place was so large she soon became disorientated. She was deposited into a large tastefully furnished room, where she found her belongings, minus her phone, keys and gun. Left alone she roamed the room searching for a mode to escape, but the place was windowless, and the vents too small for her to even consider. In the bathroom she found thick towels, a large shower, even a new toothbrush. Looking for something to occupy herself she opened a bottle of shampoo and smelt its clean fruity fragrance. It was a gorgeous set of rooms to be in, but it was still her cell, and she was beginning to feel caged.
The bedroom had been done in soft muted neutrals, a huge bed in the centre of the room, with crisp sheets and soft blankets. Her head was still hurting her, it was tempting to just lie down and sleep, but she couldn't relax yet, knowing her every move was probably being watched, two way mirrors, peepholes, cameras on every part of the room. She prowled, feeling a little stir crazy already, trying the door with little hope of success, proved right when it refused to open. Like a caged animal she paced the room, one side to the other, and then back again, all the time worrying her thumbnail, trying to concentrate. She sat on the sofa. She opened every drawer she could find, amused to find them empty. She lay on the bed, overwhelmed by a sense of anticipation. Finally she decided that a shower would help to ease the pain in her head.
