The Plan

Through Time, Space and Earpieces

[18 Months ago]
- Saturday's Morning

"Hey, how do I look?"
"Did you get it?"
"Yeah.. Also, how many did you send before me?"
Layla pursed her lips a shadow of smile on them "a few"
"You got some men dying at your feet Layla" Nara told her thinking about the things she would do for a friend and the things she wouldn't.
"And women" Her colleague had provided, the previously concealed smile was now on full show with some batting of the eyelashes.
"Not me, not yet babe. It's a one time favor"
"And is much appreciated"
Layla grabbed the object handed to her with greedy hands.

"Sure.. The thing is.. how do I look?" Nara tried to grab back her attention.
"Aa- Like you're recovering of a boxing match gone bad?"
"Regardless of that"
"Okay, but for Today right ?"
Nara nodded, to Layla had studied her attire taking a minute too long to come up with a suitable word she'd fancy "smart and complicated"

"Not the answer I expected. What about yesterday? How did I look yesterday?"

"Ah. Yeah." She waved her hand turning back to the screen adding on a "Not the best of days"

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't think you'd care" Layla had said inserting the red flash drive into her computer.

"You're right I don't." Nara replied bitterly watching as Layla wrote down codings to unlock the files with distressed features while feeling a pout moving up her lips. Even she would say she looked awful yesterday. It what happens when you meet with the reaper then stick around in his house for awhile. Luckily the worst of it was hidden under her clothes leaving only the purple bruise right below her jaw and the other blackened one over her cheekbone for show, not to mention the slight limp that surfaced every now and then. Nara didn't ask how Layla even knew him or what is it that she's dying to get her hands on.

"Hear... Do I have the mother vibe in me? " resorting to the core of the issue, Nara was now understanding how beating around bushes wasn't at all helpful with tech support or women.

"The what- Who told ya that?"

"It's been going around, why do I?"

"You're not exactly young to rule it out.. but then there comes the haircut."

"What's wrong with my haircut?"

"What isn't?"

"Rude"

"I'm trying the whole honest grounds"

"Venture into the considerate jurisdictions"

"Your haircut doesn't do you justice. You got that youthful energy pumping out of you but then you gaze up and it's sucked all out. Better? Get rid of it. Why won't you ?"

"It's efficient"

"That's something a mother of six would say"

"I will not be offended by that" and dammit she wasn't.

—
-Saturday's Night

"Smooth" Jacob's eyes squinted at Nara Saturday's night, a faint mocking smile was accompanying him. She guessed the big change forgave her latency or gave enough reason for it. He handed her the earpiece without commenting further. And she was grateful for the gesture or lack of because Nara didn't feel like explaining her newfound insecurities right at the moment.

Jacob went on a few meters with her on his tow then took a sharp left and went into a long darker hallway. Nara continued on alone leaving any easiness to her steps behind.

The building came into view and she slipped in having done it before. It was a privately owned rose water factory; quite old and undeniably lovely. On a wild thought Nara fished out her personal firearm, rechecked its lodge and put it back. Then scurried further on waiting for Jacob to give her the get go.