Tugging off an olive green dress that looked like something an old lady would wear I complained, “We have hit about five stores and can’t find anything, can I go home yet?” Sam and Natalie both shook their heads while breezing through rack after rack of clothes. Groaning I closed the door to the dressing room until about ten more dresses were handed to me over the door.
The ones that had frills on them immediately went back out the door thrown at Natalie’s head while I grudgingly tried on the other seven. The first one had a sash that pinched my waist uncomfortably, one was too short for my liking while another was way too long, the fourth was designed for a princess like Crystal, the next had about a billion sequins, the sixth was too plain, and then the last one just didn’t look good with my hair.
Changing back into my ratty shirt and soft worn out jeans, I carried the pile of dresses back out to hang up saying, “I can’t find anything in here either.” Sam and Natalie both slumped down but soon perked back up when they showed me the dresses they found for themselves while I was having my personal meltdown.
Sam’s dress was a leafy green color that matched her skin and eyes perfectly. There was a belt that went around her waist to make it skin tight and show off her curves, the dress ended about a foot from the ground and had a dipping neckline.
Natalie’s dress was a pale purple that would look great with her hair. From the waist up the dress was pretty ordinary while the rest of the dress was ruffles falling to the floor. Her dress naturally fit to the curves of her body and she even found silver matching shoes for it; the lucky little hellion.
Sighing in defeat I trailed behind them slowly as they paid and then we were back on main street window shopping. It only took them another minute until they found the sixth store to shove me into. The second I entered a deep perfume of rose petals wafted into my nose making me want to gag.
“Oh my these dresses are lovely,” Natalie breathed touching the fabric of the closest dress to her. The shop owner immediately perked up and took the other two down a few more aisles while I browsed for myself. God damn it, I don’t even want to go to the stupid dance so why can’t I just pick up any old dress and go?
Before I could turn my brain off the answer popped up flashing like a neon sign behind my eyelids. The entire reason why I was going to the dance in a few weeks was because I wanted to dance with Nick and was still secretly hoping that he would ask me to go with him. I’m starting to blame my interest in the dick head on my hormones because there is no way in hell that I would ever naturally fall for a guy like him.
My friends seemed a little busy nodding at everything the store owner was saying, so I walked down a different aisle searching for something by myself. I needed something that would scream sexy but not too sophisticated. A dress that would help me mop the floor with Crystal on the night of the dance and claim me the winner of our little competition.
I needed a dress that would make me look desirable.
Boy did I want to wipe that smug look off of Crystals face when she lost.
When I came back to reality (I was having a fantasy of winning the dress competition) I found myself in the back of the store where a few different pink dresses were hanging. Wrinkling my nose in disgust I was about to turn around when a flash of pale pink caught my eye in the corner almost completely hidden by the dress next to it. Making sure no one was looking I walked over to it and pulled out the dress.
Oh my god it was beautiful! It was such a pale pink you could hardly tell I was wearing my least favorite color. It had a sweetheart neckline and was completely strapless. The bodice narrowed dangerously at the waist and the skirt was in layers all the way down to my feet. In all honesty I have never seen a more beautiful kick ass dress in my life.
Taking it off the rack I found it was also silk and very light although it looked like it would weigh a hundred pounds. Running my hands along it I found myself walking to the dressing room and pulling the door shut behind me. I quickly wiggled out of my clothes and carefully pulled on my dress glad I decided to wear a strapless bra today so I could get the full effect. Taking a deep breath I opened my eyes and looked into the mirror.
Shit I actually had curves; how did I not notice this? Also was my skin always so creamy colored and soft to the touch? I guess it’s a good thing that all of my bruises were along my torso or I wouldn’t be able to wear this dress at all to the dance and I really wanted to.
I ran my hands along the skirt and twirled around giggling when it fluttered around me making me feel like a princess. Cracking open the changing room door I made sure Natalie and Sam weren’t near before making my way over to the big three way mirror so I could see how it looked from the sides and the front.
The dress shimmered like water in the light and made soft whispering sounds every time I moved. Hopping up onto the little stage I critically looked over everything and smiled when I couldn’t find anything wrong with my tiny waist, pronounced curves, and soft looking skin. Just as I was looking at my hair wondering what I would do with it dance night I heard a soft whistle.
Twirling around I saw Sam walk in and her eyes bug out in shock and delight. Walking around me she exclaimed, “Oh my god Josey this looks amazing on you! You have to get it.” At that moment Natalie and the store manager walked in both blinking in surprise when they laid their eyes on me.
While Natalie started squealing in delight over everything the manager said, “Young lady in all of my days working here I have not seen one person that could pull that dress off as well as you.” I smiled my thanks at her and not liking all of the attention I quickly walked back into the stall I was using and wiggled out of the dress carefully putting it back on the hanger. Once I squirmed my way back into my jeans I felt one hundred percent normal.
Walking out holding onto my dress protectively I handed it to the manager saying, “I think I would like to get this please.” She smiled in approval and led me to the register while the other two stayed behind discussing what kind of shoes would go perfectly with my dress.
The dress was over four hundred dollars which wasn’t a problem for me and I quickly paid and shoved the receipt into my bag by the time my friends caught up with me. Waving goodbye to the store owner we walked outside and walked into the nearest shoe store to try to find something for me and Sam. Natalie ran around bringing us different styles of shoes until Sam found a pair of silver heels that would look great with her dress.
With her shoe problem fixed she helped Natalie run around bringing me random pairs of shoes until I found a pair that I thought would look great with my dress. They were these light brown sandals had an inch heel and straps that ran up to mid-calf; it would match my outfit perfectly.
Satisfied we paid and then slowly started walking around town heading to the diner for a really late lunch. At an intersection I pressed the cross walk button and then joked around with Natalie over Shakespeare’s tragic love stories (which were all of them) until the little white person flashed and we started across the street. I was a few feet behind Sam and Natalie halfway across the street when I heard the truck.
In slow motion I saw the eighteen wheeler fly straight at the three of us; the other two didn’t even realize what was going on. My eyes stared at the license plate on front with the weird x symbol, the symbol for my organization. I stared back at my friends and realized what was going on; I had enough time to either push my friends out of the way or save my own life. So this is how they punish me for not doing my job?
Without another thought I did exactly what I had to do; I leapt forward and with all of my might shoved the other two out of harm’s way knowing I was about to be a hood ornament. In slow motion I saw the two of them land safely on the sidewalk and right as I was about to get plowed into an oil stain I felt two arms grab me sending me skidding onto the sidewalk.
The truck rushed on pass just missing my feet and then continued on down the street disappearing for good. My arms were stinging from landing on them, my mouth was bleeding when I accidently bit my cheek, and my knees were skinned raw, but I was amazingly alive. I heard a groan above me and realized that I was actually underneath the person that just saved my life. Craning my neck I looked up into Nick’s eyes.
He rolled off of me and we both just laid there staring up at the happy blue sky panting as the adrenaline coursed through our system. Wiping some blood from my lip I stated, “Guess I owe you major now huh?” I heard his alluring deep chuckle and smirked in response sitting up just to feel a hand around my neck. Looking up I was staring at Adam’s face until his hand tightened and he lifted me off the ground just by my scruff like I was a bad kitten.
“Hey,” I heard Nick shout but Adam kept walking with me just hanging there not moving staring at his livid face. After a few minutes he finally stopped and stared down at me seething; I felt my eyes narrow in response as we stared each other down.
“What the hell did you think you were doing?”
“Saving my friends’ lives that’s what; I couldn’t let them die just because I failed to do my job.”
“Then don’t fail next time! You were supposed to let them die! You should have snuck out last night no matter what happened! You aren’t supposed to care about these people,” Adam shouted at my face and I felt my blood start to run like fire.
Taking a step closer to him until I was craning my neck to stare at his eyes I said, “Well I do care about these people Adam; I care about them a lot. I hate that I kill people for a living when I can be living a normal life here! I don’t care if I have to die for them!” At my last words I saw a strange look pass through Adam’s eyes before it was gone and I was left wondering if I actually saw it or not.
Bending down to look me in the eyes he snarled, “Well then I hope you like dying because you can’t live the best of both worlds.” Straightening up he turned on his heel and stalked away leaving me standing there, staring after him.
What ever happened to the caring older brother acting Adam I’ve known my entire life? He never yelled at me once, maybe he was just concerned about my safety.
Adam suddenly turned back around and came back at me shoving a letter with my name on it. When I didn’t take it from him he just leaned down and tucked it into my jeans pocket before standing back up and staring me in the eyes. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking to himself but a moment later he walked away again for good this time. If he thought I was going to read that letter anytime soon he had another thing coming.
A warm hand landed on my shoulder. I tilted my head to the side so Nick could lean down and whisper in my ear, “Are you okay?” I shrugged my shoulders and felt him tug my around to face him before taking my hand and pulling me back to my hysterical friends; who launched themselves onto my arms.
Staring down at them I stated, “Okay I know that we nearly all died and all that jazz but can you please unattached yourselves from my arms?” After a few more sniffs they both let go and took a few steps back giving me room to breathe. I looked down at their feet and saw our shopping bags. Dropping to my knees I dug my dress out of my bag and sighed in relief when I saw that everything was in order.
When I saw Nick trying to look at my dress I stuffed it back into my bag and scrambled to my feet saying, “Well we should probably be getting home now guys.” Sam and Natalie, still shell shocked, obediently picked up their bags and started walking numbly back to my car. Grabbing my own bags I went to follow them when I felt Nick tug on my elbow. Not turning around I insisted, “I am fine Nick don’t worry about it.”
I could feel his eyes watching me as I chased after my friends. I could also feel the letter from Adam crinkling in my pocket.
Trying to stop any more casualties I snuck out once darkness fell and quickly started on the hike to the target’s house. Leaves kept whacking my face and once or twice I stumbled on a hidden root that I couldn’t see. Damn, ever since starting school here I think I’ve actually become less observant and more dumb; isn’t that some messed up irony.
After a good forty minute hike (I took the long way) I saw the outline of the house in the dark and soon snuck up onto the west side. From here I could see a cute sunroom and a kitchen door that led into it. In hind sight this house is really beautiful, even the location gives it a charm that other houses can’t get from just looks alone.
Shaking my head out of the funk that I seemed to be in; I made sure that all of the cameras around the woods were disconnected. I couldn’t cut the wire because of what happened last night but I did sneak around each camera and put a leaf over half of the lens so it just looked like the wind blew them there. Be that as it may I still had to leave some cameras uncovered so nothing would be suspected and I wouldn’t get caught.
With my perimeter check done I looked back to the house spotting all the cameras, alarm systems, and traps that were between me and my goal. Taking out my favorite gadget (a little spike launcher that went around my wrist) I aimed and fired a small spear into the main control box.
There was a buzz and a flash of light before all of the lights on in the house went off. The advantage to that was since it was about two in the morning, all of the lights were pretty much off already inside, so the chances of me being noticed sneaking in now was zero to none.
I approached the house cautiously stopping now and then to disengage a trap so I wouldn’t get stuck on the way back. Did I think I was going to have the chance to kill him tonight? No, not at all this was just a check. But there was a chance that I would have to make a run for it and getting stuck in a simple rope trap could be the death of me.
Hopping over a pit trap hidden by a blanket of strewn dead leaves (he probably changed them every season) I managed to get to the house. Laying a trembling hand on the fading paint, I looked around myself for a way in that wouldn’t be guarded as heavily. The front and back doors were automatically out when I heard a dog yawn and a small bark. It would probably be in my best interest to not become a human chew toy again.
So I wouldn’t wake the dogs, I decided to just try to find a window near me that wouldn’t go past any door. There was one about a foot above my head but that would be an obvious way in and was probably booby trapped. Taking a step backwards so I could see more I saw one single window that looked like it led to an attic; perfect!
Taking out my grappling hook I aimed and launched the little needle. With a small thud it dug into the wall right above the square window. Pressing the button I was pulled up the thirty some feet in five seconds and landed on the window ledge quietly peering around for signs of life both inside and outside of the house. Seeing nothing I slid out a small knife and slid it between the window and ledge until a click told me that it was unlocked.
“Oh hell yeah, beautifully misunderstood assassin 1, unknowing idiotic suspect 0,” I said to myself doing a little dance. I forced my fingers underneath the window and then pulled it up slowly so not to make any noise. When there was enough space that a person my size could wiggle through; I unhooked my grappling needle and cautiously made my way into the room.
I was right about one thing; it was an attic. Dust and cobwebs were everywhere and there was old pieces of furniture and what looked like lab equipment pushed up against the walls. Covering my nose so I wouldn’t let out the sneeze that was racking my body; I took out my cell phone and took a picture of the old machines in the corner to send to work.
After accessing everything I hopped off the ledge and landed on a plush dust filled carpet. Frowning I stomped my foot again. In a split second the entire room was lit up with a bright red light.
I froze where I was looking around for the source of the light until I saw it was a firecracker. Above it hanging by a thread was a lighter, I followed the thread with my eyes and saw that it led right to the window latch; damn it!
With wide eyes I watched the firecracker burn down until there was enough ash to trigger this pulley system. From the pulley system a rubber ball rolled down a plank of wood knocking down some glass plates which crashed to the floor. I heard the dogs start barking downstairs right when the ball finally stopped triggering about fifty different bells and old fashioned alarm clocks to go off.
Thuds that could only be footsteps started up the stairs. I leapt backwards through the window shooting my needle into the wall with just enough time to stop myself from becoming a pile of broken limbs in his yard. Pulling my grappling hook back to me with a snap of my wrist I started running through the yard again making sure I dodged every single trap and didn’t walk in front of any cameras.
I made it to the forest right when I heard a crash from the attic and muffled cursing coming from the window. With slow meticulous steps I walked deeper into the woods not making a sound until I was far enough away to start running back to school.
He had an entire system made of non-electrical objects that would wake him up in case someone broke into the attic when the power was down.
Damn this guy was good.