A Year Of Celebrations

The Fourth of July

By MegganCook

When I agreed to do this mission, I didn't realize it would take all day. I figured I would miss a little beach time with the team. Worst case scenario I would make it just in time for fireworks at the aquarium, but when the whole system locked up just as I finished coding the last program...I knew right then that I wasn't going to make it tonight.

The fourth of July is my favorite holiday and I've been looking forward to it since Sang came into my crazy world.

I've loved this holiday since I was little; while other kids raved about Christmas with presents and Halloween with candy, I have always loved the fireworks and picnics with all of my friends. That is, when my parents haven't force me to perform on some charter tour or that one year in Times Square.

This year, I opted to earn tickets to the 'Sea Stars and Stripes' event at the South Carolina aquarium instead of favors when I helped out another local team. I redid the automatic feeding systems format to make it more user friendly, and when he brought up this event, I just knew I had to bring sang here. So after a little persuading, he agreed to give me ten tickets. Sadly, at this point, only nine of them will get used. Hopefully I'll get a chance to step outside around nine and someone near by will be shooting off mortars or something colorful.

I continue rewiring the system to the electric panel on the wall. I should be finished after this, if everything runs smoothly. I haven't worked on a project like this in sometime; building a program, creating the codes and interface and then applying it to an actual system. It's been nice to just focus on this for the day. Definitely been a nice break from the world, but now I'm ready to get back home with everyone.

Once everything is spliced and wired back together, I turn on the system and go through a test run. No alarms go off and everything seems to be cohesive. Maybe I've finished in time I can drive quickly to the aquarium, I'm only about thirty minutes away from there, at least that's what my GPS said when I put it in earlier.

A glance down at my phone tells me I won't make it there in time, and I feel the hope in my chest deflate with the deep sighs that comes out involuntarily. I spent a week or so with Kota planning our day at the beach, making sure everyone got something they wanted out of the day and now I've missed the whole thing.The only thing I wanted to do was see the fireworks with our girl.

My pace slows and I pack up my equipment, organizing my tools and making sure there isn't a trace of my time here left behind. After a long once over of the office I've spent almost seventeen hours in, I finally begin my descent down in the elevators and out of the drab old building. Maybe it's that I find the typical monotonous, monochromatic, design of offices like this incredibly irritating. Shades from the world's most boring color palette of creams and tans, off whites and eggshell. Whoever designed this office didn't take pride in appearance, so they must have a fantastic product and business strategy to be any kind of successful.

As I lock up with the key that was given to me when I agreed to do this, I see a flash of white and black move across the sidewalk out of view. I twist my hands like I'm flipping through a Rubik's cube and then throw the key into my pocket. Involuntarily I move a few paces out onto the sidewalk and look up and down the roads around me. In the industrial district the city's budget must not be going to lampposts, because all around me is dark for a save few lights further around the block. I see no sign of life, but my senses are on high alert and now I'm going to have to interrupt some of the guys. I don't want to ruin Sang's Fourth of July by taking them all away of the action.

Who do I ask... Which guys leaving wouldn't freak her out? I know I need Blackbourne, but I can't take Kota at the same time or she will know something's seriously wrong.

I pull out my phone and text Kota as I make my way to the building. Hopefully they have a  security system.

V: Have fireworks gone off yet?

I know they shouldn't have yet, based on the time, but maybe I'm wrong. I would prefer to ask them to break off from her on the drive home. She doesn't need anymore on her plate right now. However, if who I think it is, is currently stalking me, that means bad news for this mission.

K: Yes, Finale just ended.

What? The show shouldn't have even started yet? Whatever, minor detail. Move on vi...

Before I can finish my thought, I hear the screeching of tires and my vision goes black. I feel multiple arms go around my body in multiple places subduing me from fighting. My training kicks in, and I remain calm.

Two arms on my torso, two around my legs, another set around my head holding whatever's blocking my vision. I was grabbed all together and lifted, so they were well coordinated. This isn't random. Judging by the scents I'm smelling all together I'm assuming they're men or at least wearing men's deodorant.

I wish I had Sang's sense of smell, maybe I could give better descriptions, not that it would matter.

The hands never move from me, but the air around me changes and I hear the slam of doors. No one let go, so we must have gotten into an area together... the side of a van or the back of an SUV? At least that's my guess with the way the doors sounded as they slammed.

No one speaks for some time and after what has to be a couple turns some music starts up in the front. It quickly silences after a loud thud. Whoever is holding my arms chuckles at the activity up front. If I'm guessing right a cell phone went off and someone got thumped for it. Who are these people.

In what has to be no time at all, but feels like an eternity, the ride ends; I'm hoisted back up and carried away. I try to listen to my surroundings, the silence makes me think we're out of the city since I can't hear cars, but the lack of frogs or natural noises makes me believe we aren't in the rural district either. Where have they take me? I think I make out the sound of water, but it isn't enough to be the ocean... maybe a marina?

Slight whispers come from a distance, but I can't make out what's said, that aggravates me more than actually being kidnapped. As I strain to listen, I'm set on the ground and a black bag is ripped from off my head, just in time that I look up to see a giant fire work explode up above me. My pupils react to the sudden brightness causing me to wince, but the loud pop makes me jump involuntarily. We all received training in the academy about what to do in a situation like this, so I try to shake off the sudden sensory overload and take a look around; somehow, all nine of my Academy family members stand around me.

"Happy Fourth of July." I look to my right and see Sang just as she leans in and gives me a small, quick kiss on my cheek. "There was no way we were watching them without you!"