Oblivion {James Rodriguez} {Book ONE}

a rude awakening

Carter

My phone silently vibrates in my pocket, waking me up from my short nap that I was taking in the car waiting for Dylan to hurry up.

I pull the phone out and answer it reluctantly, as it was an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Heard you're in town these days, Adams." Sneers an arrogant, spiteful voice belonging to no other than the vile Kerensky.

Any signs of drowsiness from my previous nap immediately vanish. My jaw tightens, so does my suspicions about this man. It's been years since we've last contacted. Six years to be exact.

"What the hell do you want?" I manage to say between gritted teeth. I can literally feel the pathetic smirk forming across his face.

"It's a shame, really," he starts in a pitying tone. "After all I've done for you, you still find it in your cold little heart to hold a grudge against me. Maybe that's why she left you, right Carter?"

I do not let his weak words faze me. I studied his tactics: ignorance is bliss.

"Stop playing. What do you want?" I reply firmly. If words could kill...

"I want that dumb ex-girlfriend of yours to close her case on me. If not, I'll press one little red button right here, and you know what happens next, don't you?"

I should have known earlier; it's about Mia. Of course this retard was going to coax whatever the hell he wanted out of me using Mia. I keep my cool.

"No. Tell me, Kerensky, what happens next? I do want to know." Although it secretly pains me to hear the details of what this gruesome man might do to her, I also need to show him that I can take him and his petty little threats down any day. Because I can.

"I guess we'll find out once you fail your first mission." Was the last thing he growls before cutting off the line. I grit my teeth and punch the steering wheel as hard as I can. What the hell is this idiot up to know? And why is he dragging Mia into this? How am I going to warn her?

I'm interrupted by the sound of the door slamming shut. Dylan slides into the passenger seat. I keep my gaze steady ahead of me with a clenched jaw.

"Dude, I think they just recruited us for..." He trials off as he finally looks up at my stiff posture.

"Kerensky?" He whispers knowingly. I nod.

He swears under his breath and runs a hand through his hair. "Please don't tell me he's using Mia now." He guesses.

"How did you know?" My head snaps up suddenly and he faces me. He looks just as surprised.

"I guessed, I swear." He answered defensively. I relax and slump back into my seat, thinking hard.

After a while of a silence, he speaks up.

"What are we going to do?"

***
"Mia, you're going to kill yourself typing like that." Remarks Andrew.

He's sitting on the guest chairs right next to my desk, with his legs open wide and his hands behind his head. Typical man posture.

"Silence, Andrew. I think I cracked something on my case." I mutter distractedly.

"Really?" He asks, interested.

I nod, alternating between glancing at the screen and the keyboard. The only sounds heard are my furious taps.

"Wanna get coffee afterwards? I'm beat." He suggests lazily.

"Nah, I'm good. Take Lola or someone."

"She's got a date with that Dylan boyfriend of hers."

"How do you know she has a boyfriend?" By far, I'm the only one Lola has confined in about her personal life. Dylan's a really sweet person. I met him several times during staff parties and Lola's dinners. He's very smitten over her. But at the same time, something seemed a bit off about him. Fishy, almost. I brushed it off a long time ago since I haven't seen him in a really long while. Besides, we're just acquaintances.

"I'm a prosecutor, babe. It's sort of my job." He raises a suggestive eyebrow at me.

I cease my typing for a bit. "You did a background check on her?" I gasp. This man is incredulous. He simply smirks at me, arrogantly.

"Unbelievable." I mutter under my breath as a resume updating case details.

"Who ran a background check on who?" Asks Lola as she barges into the room. I jump in my chair a little, totally not expecting the sudden grand entrance. Andrew just cocks his head sideways, giving Lola a welcoming smile.

"Mia's been running background checks on that Carter guy again." Says Andrew with a smirk, totally satisfied with himself. Lola's mouth falls open.

"Mia, are you serious? Show me!" She exclaims, running over to my side and trying to peer at my laptop screen. I quickly click 'save' and shut it down. She pouts adorably.

"No, I am certainly not running background checks on anyone, let alone Carter," I give Andrew the most bitter, pointed look I can master. "And you both are not supposed to be here. Out."

"But I'm bored and everyone else is busy!" Lola whines like a fourteen year old who was just told she can't go to a party.

"That's not my problem." I start packing up my items.

"Where are you going?" Asks Andrew.

"Home. Where else?" I respond, slinging my purse over my shoulder and picking up my files.

"You still busy, Lola?" Attempts Andrew again.

"Sadly, yes. I've got somewhere to be tonight. Have fun guys!" She says, walking out of my office.

"Oh well. That's that, then." I say with mock sadness. He rolls his eyes at me, trying to hide his disappointment.

"Lock my office after you leave!" I exclaim as I walk out with a victorious smile on my face. He clearly won't be "getting some" with her anytime soon. I hope I made it more than clear.

When I'm in the elevator, I do the usual routine of checking my phone. One missed call from an unknown number. Weird? I push down the creeping fears and just assume that someone butt-dialed me by accident, or something.

***

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Dylan asks me reluctantly over the phone.

I'm standing outside Mia's apartment door, seconds away from knocking. A million thoughts and emotions are flooding my mind at the same time it's overwhelming. I could have just simply called and warned her about Kerensky, but I can't. I needed to see her again. Speak to her. Warn her in person. I've missed her, but I won't show it. I'll just walk up there, say what I want to say, and leave. No feelings, no apologies, no regrets.

I know my facade would crumble when I see her again. I know that the second our eyes meet, every little detail I had in my brain will vanish into nothingness. I know that there is also a huge possibility that she'll still be as angry and hurt as she was the last time. And that was when she asked me to leave, and never come back.

But I'm coming back. And not for a lover's reconciliation, wish I secretly wish was the case, but to warn her that if she doesn't stop doing her job, she might lose her life.

And would I let Kerensky or his drones lay a finger on her?

Hell to the no.

"Carter, you still there man?" Asks Dylan again.

"Yeah." I say, loosely holding the phone.

"Good luck." Was the last thing he says before closing the line. I shove my phone back in my pocket.

With sweaty, shaking hands, I hold my breath and ring the doorbell. The sound echoes inside the apartment for a while. Then, I hear the sounds of soft, unmistakable footsteps quickly approaching the door.

I swallow down the lump in my throat and try to compose myself, even though I know that my knees are literally going to give in any second now.

She flings open the door, and our eyes meet for the first time in six years.