Project Atlas

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"Just a moment!" I called out to Alex, my voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

I grabbed each sister by the collar, dragging them with all the strength I could muster into the bathroom. Their bodies were heavy and limp, but I managed to get them into the bathroom. I could have eased them down and shown a sliver of mercy or respect for their unconscious state, but frustration and a touch of vindictiveness guided my actions. I let them drop with a thud onto the cold tiled floor, the sound echoing off the walls. I may also have let my foot connect with Davina once more, a petty piece of payback for putting me in this situation with Alex, who was continuing to knock outside.

"If you two have messed up my chance with Alex," I murmured under my breath, the words a mix of threat and plea directed at the unconscious forms before me, but as I looked down at them, the surreality of the moment hit me. They looked less like the deadly assassins and more like dolls, their makeup exaggerated and faces serene in unconsciousness.

I closed the bathroom door and quickly straightened the living room as best as possible, erasing the signs of struggle, and then hurried back to the mirror. I straightened my hair, wiped away any smudges on my face, and took a deep breath, trying to compose myself.

"Alison, is everything okay?" his voice came through the door, laced with concern and curiosity.

"Uh, yeah! All good, just... a bit of a late-night workout. You know, staying fit!" I replied, trying to sound casual.

As I opened the door to a crack, there stood Alex, his tall frame leaning against the doorframe. His short, dark hair was slightly tousled, likely from his own day's work, and his striking green eyes conveyed concern and a hint of something more intense. He wore his usual attire, a simple, fitted t-shirt that outlined his athletic build, and a simple pair of blue jeans. His smile, though warm and charming, carried a hint of the worry he felt.

He was everything I found attractive - kind, with a disarming smile and an easygoing attitude. I opened the door slightly wider, allowing Alex a better view of my apparently flustered face. His eyes, filled with concern and affection, tried to look past my shoulder into the apartment.

"Alison, it's midnight. Working out this late? It sounded quite... intense," he said, his tone light but probing.

I laughed, a little too high-pitched, and brushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "Yeah, well, you know how it is. Busy day at Pathway and all that. No time for the gym, so I have to make do at home! I tripped and caused a few things to fall over." I tried to keep the conversation light, hoping he'd buy the quirky neighbour routine I was putting on.

Alex nodded, but the concern didn't leave his eyes. "You sure you're okay? It sounded like a hurricane went through here. I just want to make sure everything's... normal," he said, his gaze attempting to catch a better glimpse of the interior behind me.

I forced a smile, my heart pounding. "All good, just me being my usual, clumsy self. As I said, I knocked a few things over; that's all. Thanks for checking in, though!" I added a little laugh at the end, hoping to convince him.

He didn't seem entirely convinced but offered a solution instead. "Listen, Alison, why don't you join me at the gym tomorrow? I go in the early morning, it's less crowded then. You can be my guest; it might be safer than your...home workouts," he suggested with a playful smile.

"That sounds great, actually. It's a date," I said, surprised at how much I meant it.

He smiled, relief and something else — maybe happiness — flickering in his expression. "Fantastic! I'll swing by in the morning. Is 6am too early?"