Espion | Book One

Thirty Four.

It was like a train had run over her head. She didn't know how she surviving with such a heavy pounding that threatened to blow her brains to bits. In fact, she was half sure that, at any moment, her eyes would explode under pressure or her ears would begin bleeding; anything to show just how much torture she was under. It was like an echo, the pain, ricocheting until it was all she could do not to scream out.

The hard boots clunking around on her shining wooden floor made it no better. With her ear pressed against the wood, she could hear it clearly, those horrible footsteps that walked in unison with the pain she was trying to suppress. It sounded even louder than it should have. Anna's eyes fluttered, the cloud over her senses fading slowly. The more conscious she became, the louder the pounding was.

There was talking too. This time, instead of making her want to curl up in a ball and will it all away, she felt like jumping up and punching the talker in their throat. It would definitely relieve some of her stress, although she knew the pain wouldn't diminish in the slightest. Her eyes fluttered again, opened slightly once before falling closed once more.

"... is this it..."

The voice was even louder now, as if it stood right over her head. Fighting the pain with everything she had in her, Anna forced her eyes open. Her limbs felt numb, her body laying immobile on the ground and she instantly remembered what happened. Jackie had appeared at her door with a fancy hello in the form of pass out gas. Even as the memory came flying back, Anna could feel her leg thrown haphazardly over Jessi's. Her eyes shifted downwards, even though it caused her even more pain, and she saw Jessi's calm sleeping face near her feet. Just as she did, someone else's leg came into view and Anna shut her eyes quickly.

"What the hell is this?" she heard Jackie say. Slowly, Anna reopened her eyes, cocking her ear. Jackie was close, maybe just a quick leg swipe away.

"Should I call the chief?" Jackie pondered. She paused for a moment and everything grew silent. Anna waited for her to speak again, trying to plot a plan. She put aside all the questions that came rushing forth. Why was Jackie here? Why was she doing this? Did Thomas tell her to? All those and more was set aside until she was positive they were all safe and sound.

There was more shuffling going on above her head. Anna wanted to jump to her feet and start throwing punches, but that pass out gas really did a number on her. Her brain felt woozy, and when she tried to move her hand, all that happened was a jerky shake of her fingers. Jackie was oblivious to her attempts at trying to push her recovery, so Anna kept on forcing her hand to move, until she was full capable of curling a fist.

Jackie laughed. Eyes still glued shut, Anna made no movement. "Lookie here," said Jackie tauntingly above her head. "Miss big shot knocked out by a little knock out gas. Who would have thought?"

She laughed again, this time a short sound filled with mockery. "You walk around as if you're all that and all it'll take right now is to slice your throat. One little slice and you won't be able to do anything else but die. Isn't that funny?"

More shuffling, things dropped. Anna held back the wince when something banged against her coffee table. She prayed it wasn't the tapes.

"Where's the fun in that though? Slicing your throat while you can't fight back? Doesn't that sound boring to you? I mean, I would much rather punch your nose into your skull or something else just as thrilling."

The numbness was beginning to fade, tingles spreading throughout her body. It was uncomfortable, but Anna knew she had the bare minimum necessary for full movement now.

Jackie came closer, bending at Anna's ear. Anna felt the thin sharpness of a blade run along her cheek, followed by the wet trickle. "Decisions, decisions." Suddenly, she stopped. Anna paused too in her attempt to attack her.