Sixty Seconds

Chapter Ten

Jessica

I stared at the calender. Mouth open slightly. It was the fourteenth of January. Exactly a week befpre my birthday. I hadn't actually mentioned it to anyone and I planned to keep it that way. Carter came up behind me, I could feel his breath on my shoulder. We had reached a mutual agreement. He wouldn't try to kill me if I didn't run away like that again. Which I probably would but only on special occasions.

“Ready, to go?” He asked, Looking over my shoulder at the calender. “Something special happening soon?”

I turned to him, he was closer than anticipated and I had to look up “No, nothing at all.” He looked at me for a second before turning away. I had been here for just over a week and Alex hadn't reappeared. Carter grabbed his backpack from the table.

“Black box” He called, heading out the door. I walked over to the table and searched its surface for my tracker. It was nestled between the main phone and one of Carter's many Coffee mugs, one day I had to wash them all, I wasn't looking forward to that day.

I stuffed it into my pocket, grabbing my earpiece from the island. I headed down the the car, where Carter was waiting. I would be an adult in one week. Score.

***

I shuffled along the narrow, low ceilinged maintenance corridor. The various warning signs, fought for my attention as I ignored them and climbed into the main vent. The main vent was massive and I could sit up in it. The cool metal was nice under my hot hands and I tried to remember the route I had planned in my head. Turning left I stopped, and stood up, the vent had widened a lot, and various wires and ropes hung down beside me.

“You left your ear piece on” A voice in my ear said.

“I would never have guessed.” I told Carter sarcastically. “Wait, does this mean I have to come out?”

“Nah” He told me. “With a real intruder we wouldn't know where you were.”

I glanced down, the drop at my feet was a lot bigger in person than in theory. At least ten meters. I swore silently.

“If you're smart, I wouldn't try to jump that” Carter told me.

“I'm not going to.” I said, looking around for another way down.

“What are you going to do?” He asked, sounding amused. I kinda felt like punching him.

“No idea” I replied, spotting a loose rope above my head. I grabbed it, a plan forming in my head.

“So what are you doing?” He asked, now sounding amused but slightly worried.

“Improvising” I told him, pulling on the rope above my head. It seemed solid. “Do you think the old ropes down here could hold my weight?”

“Probably, wait, what?” He asked sounding considerably more concerned.

“I'm going to try to abseil” I wrapped my hands round the rope.

“Have you ever done that before?” I backed up towards the edge of the ledge. I looked down again, I could feel the adrenaline coming.

“Nope” I told him, leaning over the edge, I lowered my self down quickly. The vent zoomed past me. I landed and ran for the nearest door. I yanked it open and found myself in a corridor. Adrenaline took over as I sprinted down another corridor as the alarm went off.

“Bang!” Carter shouted behind me. I stopped, turning to see Carter grinning behind me.

“You followed me!”I shouted, furious. He had waited for me outside the door!

“Actually, no, that's the control room.” He pointed down the corridor, I could see people working in the main room from here.

I flapped my hands about, the were suddenly in pain. I moaned. Carter glanced at me, looking worried. “What is it?”

“Rope burn” I whined, flapping my stinging hands in front of his face. He rolled his eyes at me.

“Idiot”

I hit his arm. “Ow!” I shouted. Clutching my hand in agony. Carter laughed at me, obviously finding my pain hilarious. He grabbed my wrist, pulling me down another corridor.

“Come on” He dragged me to an empty medical room. Pulling out a medical kit he asked me. “Did you not realise rope gave you rope burn?”

I only scowled at him. He took out antiseptic. He began putting it on. I yanked my hand out of his.

“Ow! That hurts!” I moaned.

“That's what she said!” He grinned at me, trying again to place the cream on my hands.

“What are you, Twelve?” I asked, yanking my hands away again.

“That's what she said!” He laughed, teasing me.

“Stop it” I told him, a lingering threat in my voice. I reached for my bag.

“That's what she s-OW” He moaned, holding his shoulder in agony. I dropped my hand again, the stinging of the burn and the cream being made worse by the bag.

“What the hell do you have in that bag? Bricks?” Carter spluttered, still clutching his shoulder.

“Just the one. ” I told him, applying anti-burn cream to my hands.

“What?” He asked in disbelief. “Why the hell do you have a brick in your bag?”

“To hit you with, moron.” I told him. Holding out the bandages to him.

He snatched them and began bandaging my hands tightly. Muttering what sounded like; psychopath and numerous other words.

He rubbed his shoulder again. “I'm getting a bruise after this, and to think I have to trudge round a shopping centre after you and Harper later. ”

“You, what?” I asked him, eyebrows raised.

“We do have your file, idiot, we know when it's your birthday.”

Suddenly it looked like I'd have a party.

AN: Please Vomment, I'd really appreciate it!