Over and Out

Chapter Four

Respect. It was what Lisa desired above all else, what she craved from those she worked with; above the money and the thrill of the fight, respect was what drove her work. It was the main force that had kept her going, as she dragged herself out of those woods, her feet screaming in pain as she made it to the station.

There, within the locker that had been allocated, she stashed away her dress, so grateful that she half-ripped the satin off herself, and covered herself in the layers of clothing locked away there, tucking her hair into a beanie, the necklace stowed away under a big hoodie. From there, once she had caught her train, the rest of the journey was laughably easy, but the jewels meant that she could not afford any sleep after her ordeal. She couldn't bring herself to look at them, fascinated but also disgusted at all the represented, of how many lives it turned out they were worth. And in the back of her mine, though she cursed herself for it, a vision of their owner, not nearly as dangerous looking in sleep, tied to his own bed. He was so young, Lisa mused, as she leaned against the cold glass window, what happened to him that made him this way? This was not a line of thought she ever let herself indulge in, but as she watched the countryside flash by her through the window, she couldn't help but to wonder.

Although she knew realistically that the chances of her being caught were almost zero, Lisa hadn't let herself complete a full breath until she finally reached the organisation headquarters, deep in the heart of the city. A pretty generic-looking tattoo shop to outsiders, the building was much larger than it appeared from the outside, extending up like the rest of the city around it, but also down, with floors and floors of training rooms, dorms and cells for hostages deep underground. It had deeply unnerved her when she first arrived, the lack of natural light, the cold stillness that pervaded those floors, but she found herself now seeking their solace, their complete protection, as she made her way into the shop. It was all dark walls and neon signs, soft leather sofas and old rock music playing through the speakers. It was practically a stock image parlour, except for the fact that the 'artists' who did really work there, had also been trained in combat in a programme only one step down from the military. Lisa loved this shop, though her fear of needles prevented her from ever requesting it's services. The receptionist Yoon looked up as she walked in, a façade of boredom glazing over his eyes, but she knew that underneath his desk he had access to firepower that was illegal in many countries. They both shared a look of mutual recognition, but nevertheless carried out protocol, set in place to make sure only those who were in the know could be let in.

"And how might I be able to help you today?" Yoon drawled, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, I was thinking of getting a new tattoo." Lisa droned back, lines she had said hundreds of times prior.

"Of what?" Yoon matched her monotony, smirking as they both acknowledged the mundane exchange.

"Perhaps a dragon?" Lisa finished off, throwing in a wink.

"Good choice," Yoon laughed, as he gave her the thumbs up, signalling her to make her way into the backroom. "Wait," he caught her as she passed, "Do you have it on you?", he asked the curiosity getting the better of him.

"I don't know what you're talking about", Lisa shook herself free, but turned and grinned before disappearing through the door, pulling down her neckline a little to let the necklace twinkle at him—his eyes widened comically in response, but she didn't stay around for anymore pestering. Instead she made her way down the dark hallway to the door at the very end, which was actually and elevator (she always laughed privately at how generically spy movie this touch was). She ran her hands along the door frame, until they caught on the switch hidden there, opening the door. She stepped into the elevator, waiting for the doors to close before punching in the code in the keypad by the floor buttons. Once she was verified, she selected the second floor down, which housed the biggest meeting room in the building, slowing her breathing as she braced herself for what was coming next.