Sixty Seconds

Chapter Twelve

Jessica

“Tell me again why I have to do this” I told Carter, staring unblinking at the massive hall in front of me. The huge mahogany doors gave off an eerie almost unwelcome feeling, the old bricks looking slightly like teeth. A workman was in the process of fitting lights to the walls, his ladder swaying slightly as he leant over.

“I have no idea” Carter admitted. I rolled my eyes at him. Harper had told us to meet her at the dance hall at six, it was currently ten to six. We were early and the doors were locked and I was not staying in the car with Carter, after he had kissed me in the hopping centre I had tried to distance myself from him, which was hard since he was my boss and I had the misfortune to live with him.

“Carter, Jessica” I heard Miss Harper call from behind us, we turned to face her, she was walking quickly towards us, old iron keys in her perfectly manicured hands. She walked up to the door, unlocking it and ushered us in.

“This is where your party is being held.” I vaguely heard Miss Harper speaking to me as I gapped at the dance hall. It was old, with a high roof and grand staircase with a plush red carpet following the marble steps. There was a modern bar in the corner, it's sleek silver colour didn't fit in with the ancientness of the rest of the hall. I could see that somebody had been in the process of putting up lights sometime before we arrived, the cord dangling down to the white marble floor.

“Wow” I said, turning to Miss Harper. “But why-”

“We have basically kidnapped you, we're putting your life in danger, and you have to live with Carter. It's the least we can do.” Miss Harper smiled at me while Carter rolled his eyes over dramatically.

I smiled slightly, then stopped “What do you mean 'putting my life in danger' ?”

“Carter didn't tell you?” Miss Harper asked, glancing at Carter, who looked away.

“I kept that part out for a reason” He said, looking slightly annoyed.

“But why would I be in danger, I'm hardly going to jump off a building to break in”

“Jessica, You're upping security for every building that is important, our head quarters; since you've been here has had two attempted break ins, they were both stopped because you had previously broken in those ways.”

“But why would someone want to kill me” I asked quietly, taking this information in, I could feel my heart beat quicken.

“Isn't it obvious” Carter said, looking at me. “Because if you die, you can't keep our security up to date, you can't find what our soldiers can't. As much as I hate it, we need you.”

I stared at him, he looked uncomfortable. Miss Harper quickly changed the subject, something I was immensely pleased about.

“So do you like the hall?”

***

“Maybe we should wait for the professionals ” Miss Harper said, looking up at the trail of lights hanging down.

“Doesn't being a soldier count for anything?” Carter asked. I looked at him, he was carrying a ladder.

“What if you fall?” I teased. Grinning at him.

“Don't you have a building to break into” He said, looking annoyed.

“This is much more fun” I told him as he set up the ladder. He was planning to fix the lights that had just fallen. I couldn't imagine him doing it, so I couldn't wait to see it myself.

“Carter, don't do that, we can't risk an injury, the man who was fixing the outdoor lights should still be here. Go find him.”

“I'll go” I said, springing up and stretching out. The hall looked gloomy without the light of the sun and I was getting bored waiting around, I wanted some fresh air.

“Okay, Carter go with her” Miss Harper ordered him. A look of annoyance passed over both of our faces and Carter turned and walked out the door, Miss Harper placed herself in a chair as I scampered out after Carter. The minute I walked out I knew something was wrong. The ladder was still there but there was no one on it, a light dangled from its half fixed perch. Carter was still in front of me.

“What is it?” I asked, walking to his side.

“Stay beside me” He said softly, pulling his pistol out. He descended the steps and I followed, looking around. The street was quiet and I shivered. The moon had disappeared leaving the street lamps to cast an eerie glow about the street.

Carter knelt down beside the ladder, from where I stood I could make out tracks, as if someone had been dragged along. He stood up and followed the tracks. They stopped at an alleyway. The was a mound under a street lamp. Carter made his way quickly over while I stood in the mouth of the alley, shivering.

“He's dead” Carter said, feeling for a pulse. I felt my mouth open slightly. Carter stood up and walked over to me. He put his hand on my shoulder. “We have to get Harper out now”

I nodded. Carter turned on his heel and began to run back towards the hall. I turned to follow when I felt myself being pulled into the alley.

“Carter!” I screamed. Something made its way round my neck and I felt my heartbeat quicken as I struggled to breath. I saw Carter turn. A look of shock passed over his face before he moved but he was to far away and my lungs felt like they were about to burst. I felt my head thicken as if someone was stuffing it with cotton wool. The world began to tip.