Hunting Her

Chapter 5

The numbing air of the corridor was harsh against my fresh and healing cuts and bruises as I crept down a long stretch of corridor. My legs were weak, threatening to collapse with every step I took. 

I passed multiple doors in the corridor but heard nothing from behind any of them. That didn't stop me from holding my breath, from hoping on everything that I could make it through without being spotted. 

Eventually, I made it to the end of the hallway and was met with a staircase. My knees almost buckled in anticipation. I went to take the first step when I heard a door from the top of the stairs creak open. I moved backwards slowly, before entering the room closest to me. 

I waited by the door, listening for what was happening when suddenly I heard Dominic yelling. His voice was almost feral as he began alerting everyone that I was missing. I looked around the room for something to help my narrowing chance of escape when I spotted a selection of rusted tools on a table. 

There was a set of pliers, a blunt narrow tool of some kind and a blunt knife. I guessed the knife was better than nothing, even if I risked tetanus from just holding it. The shouts had quietened and I took it as a sign to peer out of the door. 

Upon looking out, I saw three men were searching each room. I knew I couldn't outrun them, so I retreated back into the room and gathered the rest of the tools from the table. I stood in the far corner, coated in darkness and waited. 

A few moments passed and eventually the door opened. I didn't wait for a single second before flinging the knife at my target. It landed where I wanted, and the man didn't have a chance to react as I rushed towards him. I yanked the knife out of his throat and watched as he crumbled to the ground. 

I searched his pockets and found a much better set of knives, encrusted with little red jewels. With these tools I simply rushed my opponents. They didn't see me coming, as I wielded a knife in each hand. Bounding off the wall, it took two movement and they were both on the ground. 

I rushed up the stairs and broke into a sprint. Or whatever someone would call a rushed half hobble. I avoided people where I could and killed where I couldn't. Eventually, I found myself alone in another long corridor, I pushed open the first door and found a dark room. 

I glanced inside and made out what appeared to be a study. There was a little desk and a computer resting upon it. I entered the room and gently closed the door behind me. Behind the desk there was a large set of heavy curtains, I carefully pulled one curtain aside revealing a large window. The window looked out upon a snow-coated wonderland. 

Snow. Great. 

 I knew the window was probably going to be my way out, and while I had to make my escape as soon as possible, the computer was too intriguing not to look at. I pulled out the small chair from where it was tucked under the desk and turned on the computer. The screen shone brightly as it opened onto the requirement of a password.

I chewed on my bottom lip as I debated whether it was still worth attempting a few harmless guesses, knowing Dominic was closer to finding me. I looked out at the snow-coated, desolated road that the window peered upon and decided a quick attempt at guessing the password wouldn't hurt.

I tapped my fingers lightly against the keyboard, typing the first word that came into my head.

C-R-I-M-I-N-A-L

As I pressed enter, a small beeping noise sounded, indicating that I was wrong, much to my surprise. A small message then appeared upon the screen, informing me I had two more attempts. 

I began typing out another uneducated guess. 

I-D-I-O-T

But as I pressed enter, I was greeted by the beeping noise once again.

One more attempt, and then you are making a hasty exit.

D-O-M-I-N-I-C

I tapped out my last attempt and got off the seat in anticipation of the beeping sound, but instead, the computer silently granted me access.

"Really?" The evil criminal mastermind had set his password as his own name.

I searched the screen, only to click on the only unnamed file. As it open, it revealed a vast list of names. I scrolled down the list, eventually clicking upon one of the names.

Jeffery Kane.

The document opened upon what I assumed to be a picture of this man. Underneath the picture, was his name, location at present and 'CIA'.  I scrolled down further to the section of names starting with P, and immediately I spotted the name 'Parker Collins'. I clicked upon it, and there he was.

Parker Collins, London, England and MI6. 

I almost laughed in disbelief. I had somehow stumbled upon a list of members in Dominic's criminal organisation. His big secret organisation with double agents and heads of criminal enterprises. 

I knew what I had to do.

Reaching into the inside of my bra, I unzipped a tiny pocket in the padding. Dominic had mistakenly not removed me of my clothes, he took away the obvious weaponry but didn't think about the not-so obvious. From inside the pocket, I pulled a little microchip. 

I attached the microchip to the computer, and it made a little song as it copied everything off of the computer. It didn't take long and within seconds it was securely back in my bra.  

The moment that I turned to face the window, the door swung open and Dominic stood in the doorframe. Immediately I grabbed the desk chair and hurled it at the window. The window shattered upon impact and I leapt through it. 

I scraped myself on the glass, but my landing onto the snow as soft enough. Although I knew I had no time to catch my breath as Dominic began clambering after me. I scrambled to my feet and started to run. 

However, running bare foot in the snow, after weeks of torture is not the the easiest thing. The only thing that kept me going was my training and spite. I ran as fast as I could, through fields, across frozen rivers. I hid in abandoned buildings, stealing leftover rags to keep myself warm. 

When I was sure I lost Dominic I made my way to a main road and waited for someone to come along. As my body began to waver with exhaustion and the idea of giving up started to look more and more like a good idea, I heard the small rumble of a car engine. I turned my head towards the sound and saw a small green car driving towards me, with a little old lady manning the wheel.

I sprinted out into the middle of the road and forced the car to stop in front of me. "Please, help me!" I screamed at the top of my lungs; completely aware this was my only chance of escape.

She looked me up and down, and her face contorted into a scowl. She waved her hand at me, signalling for me to move. 

"Pozhaluysta, pomogite mne!" -Please help me- I begged again.

She stared at me for another moment before relenting. She nodded for me to enter, and I wasted no time in doing so. I slid into the car and slammed the door after me.

She gave me a strange look, and wrinkle her nose at the most likely terrible smell of me before she started driving away.