The muffled music still pulsed with a life-blood of its own, reaching out as though to draw me back as I wound my way up the metal staircase in near total darkness, but for the odd dim bulb.
The upper floors of the passages spanned the space between the inside and outer walls of the warehouse. They were often only used by the security guards to access all areas of the club.
That’s if they could be bothered to actually do their jobs, and weren’t too busy getting laid instead. I’d seen it before, where they’d chosen someone at random and thrown them out in an attempt to look efficient.
I snorted. I'm pretty sure they were more bent than most of the patrons.
Once I reached the top floor, which they seemed to have forgotten existed, I was still a fair ways down from the roof. Touching the wall as I’d done so many times before, I removed the two loose bricks which revealed a familiar metal tube. Sliding it out, I placed my middle and third fingers together upon the cylinder, and heard the anticipated soft click.
A perfect example of breaking the rules, but as I’d said before, only in a minor way.
Emptying out the slender pieces, I wasted no time in connecting them together. My reflexes and muscle memory working in tandem, as I remembered all of the times that I’d done exactly the same thing, only blindfolded.
The cool, almost delicate, sniper-like rifle, felt as light-weight as always as I slid it into my belt. Kneeling, I opened my clutch and took out the small case of minute darts, loading two of them. The ones that would deliver a tiny tracker beneath the skin.
Stopping, I listened for a moment, the music still muffled and the steps silent of their typical rattle when climbed. Rising, I paused, and then jumped, catching hold of the bars on a metal framework. The climb was careful as I reached the ceiling, and gently stretched out in a cat-like limberness across the extended framework. The suspended skeletal rungs felt like metal bones, reminding me of their angular ledges with every press of my hands and knees.
Looking down from such a height, I could only see writhing bodies and flashing lights, along with one long and continuous stream of colour. I knew that I’d need to activate my augments to see anything of real worth. Finally, having made my way out into the centre of the club, I carefully sat back, having brought one knee up to gently rest the rifle on. Breathing out slowly, I activated my augs and checked the time. The numbers flashing up in the corner of my eye, as I switched to looking down into the club once more.
If my target was on time, he should be somewhere here by now. Gazing down, it was a while before I finally spotted him. Fairly tall like a beanpole, his dirty-blonde hair flopping into his eyes, he stood watching a group of younger men and women. According to the acolytes, he was well known for luring the naive into illegal activity of one kind or another. Although first, he would often find a way for them to become indebted to him, conveniently telling them that they could work it off. Drugs, prostitution or the harvesting of nature, the last of which carried the death penalty.
It would be easier if I could simply shoot him...
Watching him for a moment, it was easy to tell that he was in no hurry to move, he had fallen back into the shadows. No-doubt he was waiting for an opportunity. Straightening up, I lowered my head, looking through the scope.
He turned slightly as I zeroed in on the skin just below his right ear. Waiting for the natural pause after breathing out, my finger rested on the trigger. Prepared, I began to squeeze with a firm but even pressure, when another abruptly appeared directly in my line of fire. Pausing, I carefully looked away from the sight.
This time a guy with wavy hair, the colour of pale wheat, stood with his back to me, his wiry lean build blocking the chance of any kind of shot.
Is this divine intervention or the luck of the ungrateful.
Sighing, I continued to watch, prepared and patient. It looked like this may take a while, something that I’d been through countless times before. Although, the urge to shoot the interloper with a tranquilliser dart was strong. Yet as I kept a firm grip on the rifle and an alert aim, the stranger casually turned around.
Slowly, but without the slightest hesitation, he peered straight up into the rafters and looked right at me. His green eyes, the colour of new spring growth. There within his gaze was an undeniable playfulness, as he winked at me in amusement. He stared as though we were the only two people around, completely ignoring my target and the undulating bodies that surrounded him.
Irritated at the small kernel of curiosity that had begun to unfurl within me, I narrowed my eyes.
How did he know that I was here?
By the way that he stared, it was obvious that he could see me clearly. As we continued to watch one another, he tilted his head to the side before glancing back at my target, and then at me once again. Raising an eyebrow, he crossed his arms and dropped his chin with a look of daring, a sexy challenge clear in his eyes.
A dare to do it?
If he thought that I wouldn’t take the shot because he was deliberately standing there, then I’d be pleased to prove him wrong.
What a shame I’ve only got tracking darts...
As I adjusted the rifle just slightly, I focused. My active augs helping me to realign the shot, my target a shade taller than the stranger. As I aimed, my finger poised, he smiled, his face I noticed gently chiseled, now expressed a touch of excitement.
After a last breath out, I squeezed the trigger. With a rapt anticipation, I watched as the dart cut through the air, heading straight for the bold but mischievous stranger. Unable to look away, I realised that he was still looking directly at me, even as he gracefully spun away to the side. Looking to the left, I caught the dart seamlessly finding its target in every sense of the word, as the numbing agent upon the tip ensured a smooth transition.
Begrudgingly impressed with the boldness of the stranger, my eyes found him once again – but to my surprise, he wasn’t alone. Standing beside him, with a straight face and a careless confidence, was the bartender from earlier. I narrowed my eyes as I slid the rifle back into my belt. For a few moments, the three of us just watched one another. My nostrils flaring in irritation before I eventually turned away. Ignoring the sharper pains in my hands and knees, I crawled at a more insistent pace back along the metal spines, until I finally reached the framework running along the wall.
Smooth and precise, I worked my way down, fighting the urge to move more and more quickly. I was three steps away from jumping to the floor, when grasping hands grabbed me from around the waist, attempting to lift me. Immediately, I used my legs to push back, yet the person behind me didn’t falter. Instead, they recovered their footing before dropping me down and spinning me around. Not resisting, I followed the movement until the last moment, when I brought a sharp elbow up to their temple.
The blow caused them to stagger momentarily, before the sound of their laughter left me frozen. With a hardened glance, I peered up and was faced with the familiar amused green eyes of the bold stranger.
Things just got interesting.
“That was pretty good, it was certainly worth the rush to get up here in time,” he said, still filled with humour.
Just as I was about to reply, the sound of the stairs rattling interrupted me. Moments later, the mysterious bartender appeared, glaring at the green-eyed, pale blonde In front of me.
I was mistaken, now things are interesting.
Being glared at seemed to have no effect on him, though, as he spoke with a hint of mockery to his newly arrived friend. “Getting slow in your old age.”
Ignoring him, his friend let his eyes drift over to me, his gaze holding a piercing frostiness, unlike before when he had been behind the bar.
“I was more interested in seeing what she would do to you,” he said, as he tilted his head, his aubergine hair so sleek in the darkness, it shimmered black.
“Your cruelty never changes. I could have been left in a vulnerable position.” The pale blonde continued, hiding behind a false veil of sadness.
I glanced at him. “It’s not cruelty if you enjoy it, and you clearly do.” My gaze was piercing. “Some may even suggest that you're a little sick, playing the victim card.”
The bartender smirked, and the green-eyed stranger laughed in delight. His eyes darkened as he looked me over in thinly disguised desire.
“There’s nothing sick about being vulnerable. What a dark mind you have.”
“You have no idea – and there is, if it’s simply a ploy to trap another for your own sick pleasure, which seems like something you might enjoy.”
Looking back to his dark-haired friend with a devious smile, he moved away from me to stand next to him, by the door. “I like you,” he mused, looking me over once more.
“The feeling isn’t mutual... And speaking of.”
I let my gaze wander to the side as I met the grey eyes of the so-called bartender. “Who are you? Because I know you’re not the regular barman I’m loosely acquainted with.”
I watched as his steely eyes narrowed. “And how sure are you?” his voice sent a shiver down my spine. A shiver that shouldn’t be there if he was who he said he was.
Leaning closer to him, I whispered, “There's no question about it.”
Dipping his head, he stared into my eyes unflinchingly. “You’re not wrong... How did you know?”
“Your face has replaced his in my memories of him, but there was no feeling, and now...”
“And now?” He raised an eyebrow.
“That’s not so.” Stepping back, I gave them both an impenetrable look. “What do you want?”
This time the wavy-haired blonde spoke. “What, you’re really not going to ask him how he did it?”
“I’d rather know the why than the how, for the moment.” I could feel a dark smile of my own forming as I said, “but I’ll find out eventually. Now, what do you want?”
“I’d like to say, to show off my dancing skills, but...” He looked over to his dark-haired friend before finishing. “We don’t have time.”
I watched as his friend shook his head, and then turned to me.
“If you’re interested in what was said between us at the bar... You should visit sector nine tomorrow.” As he said it, he turned and struck an ethereal looking man, right as he appeared in the doorway. I watched him fall to the ground, flinching, but just bearly at the suddenness.
Meanwhile the pale blonde had lashed a further two with fiery tendrils as they pushed their way through, watching calmly as they choked and burned, trapped in his flaming grasp.
Their movements were finely honed and despite the situation, I was oddly moved by the beauty of it all. Until, the one on the floor attempted to sweep my legs out from under me, a knife glinting in his right hand. Stepping aside, I kicked the knife away from him, quickly bringing the heel of my boot down to press on the hollow at the base of his throat – completely unmoved by his abrupt gagging and unpleasant choking.
What an unattractive face he’s making, I never would have imagined someone so beautiful could make such an ugly expression.
“Wait.”
Speaking of beauty.
The mysterious bartender came over, bending down beside the man I was casually choking. He stared deeply into the prone man’s eyes, and I watched as his tense and struggling movements slowly ceased. Removing my foot, I backed up and leant against the wall in fascination, while listening.
As I watched, it occurred to me that I had probably already witnessed this first hand, once before.
Ironic really.
Leaning closer, I heard his tone change. The melody of his alluring voice, becoming a chilling whisper of a deathly promise. “You'll rise and climb the framework up to the ceiling, before slitting your throat and throwing yourself from the rafters.” As he spoke, there was a cold void in his voice that rang empty of everything except a bearly discernible anger.
That was enough to tell me that it was personal. When he turned away, I noticed that his expression was blank as he moved over to join green-eyes by the door. Knowing that it was time to leave, I listened, my enhanced hearing aiding me. From the corner of my eye, I could see the ethereal looking guy climbing the framework. His actions were going to cause a huge shit-storm, and I knew then that I needed to leave immediately.
Catching both of their gazes, I nodded as I pushed past them, disappearing further into the darkness. We parted without another word, but enough had already been said. Almost without thinking, I took the passages that led to the nearest fire exit. The doors greeting me with a rush of cool air. It was as I embraced the cold night that the story of the mysterious company of two slowly came back to me, and I wondered had I been lucky tonight, or would tomorrow be the day of reckoning...
Thank you for reading ❤️
(Word count 2348)