The X Quadrant

01. No Angels

I was running, not sure from whom exactly, but I knew I had to get away somehow. My thighs were throbbing and my lungs burned with the effort. The moment I spotted them my legs froze up with fear and of course, the height of the heels crossed my mind.

The street was empty, I was late returning from a party. You probably want to know why I was running if I didn't know who the pursuers were. Yeah, well, if two big, muscled men in black suits got out of a black van and started following you on an empty street, believe me, you'd run from them faster than the nutty squirrel, Scrat, from Ice Age ran after his acorn.

I swore softly as I heard their footsteps gaining on me. I could have outrun the Flash at the speed I was racing at. That was until I slowed down on seeing another man dressed in black coming from the opposite direction. I looked left to the other end of the street, but the hopeful look dropped from my face when I saw their black van driving beside me. The tinted glass was giving off an ominous reflection of myself. I felt like I had a bulls-eye on my back.

I glared at the fellow with bulging cheek, he looked like he'd been brushing his teeth when he suddenly decided to chase me. Chuckling breathlessly I sped up. Spotting an alley, one-fourth the distance between Mr Chubby Cheeks and me, I figured the alley was my only way out, so I took it.

A couple of feet in, I realised I should've gone in any other direction, I should have tackled Mr Chubby Cheeks head on; used some of the kick-ass self-defence I had learned during high school. I should've known they were herding me into this dead-end alley. I stopped at the farthest end, huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf who wanted to blow pig-houses down as I leant against the wall with one hand while the other rested on my knee.

I felt the burn of the stitch in my side but what bothered me even more so was the shame, embarrassment and anger. How could I have been so stupid to not see that they were setting a trap?

I turned around to find the entrance blocked. The tallest one, the one with a long neck, let's call him Mr Giraffe. So Giraffe-guy got out of the driver's seat of the black van, grinning at me triumphantly, like the cat that ate the canary. The first two men who had been chasing me came to a stop to his right, they seemed out of breath. One had collapsed, hah; the incompetent fellow couldn't even take his own weight. He sat on the ground like he owned the damn alley, a baton in his hand as if he were holding a club.

I smiled to myself a little, at the thought of calling him Mr Caveman. Chubby Cheeks took another few minutes to get there and lean against the massive van like it was his mother ship. The second man to Giraffe's right was doubled over, hands on his knees sweating buckets, his black shirt had soaked through at several places. I let out a soft snicker. Him, I will call Waterworks.

I stood up straight, more relaxed and confident, adrenaline still pumping through me. Cracking jokes helped me calm down. I was clearly outnumbered but I wasn't afraid. I'd learned to fight, to protect myself. If it was one on one, I could cripple them in no time. What unnerved me was their bulk. They were full grown, muscled men versus small, petite, nineteen-year-old me. This must be some sick cosmic joke. The universe is probably rubbing its hands together, sniggering as it plots against me.

Too bad for me I didn't tell anyone I was leaving my dorm room. There was no chance for someone to come looking. I was prepared to use my heels for self-defense if need be.