City of Darkness and Desperation ✔

Chapter 3

The halls were dark. Despite it being daytime, all the windows were shuttered making it a thousand times creepier than it already would have been. Far away, Ami heard the rustling of papers, and footsteps walking around.

The closing of a door echoed through the hall, making Ami quiver. More footsteps, approaching closer. The closing of another door. A loud beep. The footsteps continued, approaching closer and closer until they stopped. Light filled the room all at once and Ami saw that someone was standing right in front of her.

She slowly lifted her head to meet the person's eyes and took a step back. He had light brown hair, his cheekbones were sharp and his face was shaped like a heart. His hair fell to his shoulders, and he wore a white blouse and faded brown jeans.

He had stormy grey eyes.

Ami knew immediately that his eyes were a projection since no one had been born with gray eyes since they had left the old planet, and the humans had been on Enton-56 for nearly 1,000 years, but still, the old Earth habits never seemed to die out.

And for some odd reason, Ami couldn't seem to break eye contact with him. He took a step forward, and she took another step back, her guard immediately raised. This is someone with power. Ami thought. Someone who can easily discover me.

"Who are you?" He asked, his voice low and intimidating. "Tell me now before I throw you out and have you killed for trespassing." Ami had been trained for these situations, to escape when she was caught. She shifted her weight to the balls of her feet, ready to run.

"Ami. Secretary. I was told to come here." To her surprise, the man instantly relaxed and nodded.

"Ah yes, I was informed you were coming. Follow me to the office for the interview." The man glanced over his shoulder. "And my name is Koku, but you are to address me as sir. That is if you pass the interview." He grinned and walked away and Ami quickly followed after him.

As expected, Ami passed the interview easily, and Koku dismissed her, allowing her to go home. As soon as Ami entered her temporary house's driveway she stumbled inside, collapsing on the couch and rubbing her eyes tiredly. Her wrist buzzed once again, and, annoyed, Ami tapped it twice, expecting an 'inspiring' text from Raevenna, but instead, she saw a text message from her best friend and co-spy, Dede. It read: Hey, it's our weekly movie night. Can't find you anywhere.

Ami felt guilty that she hadn't had the time to tell Dede what she was doing and she quickly texted her back. Hey, Dede, I'm on a job. I might be gone for a while. Maybe a month, maybe a year. However long it takes. I'll text you weekly updates and let you know how it's doing, deal?

One, two, three seconds passed before Dede replied, Ok. Stay safe. Then Ami tapped her wrist twice again and closed her holo-phone. The next thing she knew, she was passed out on the couch from exhaustion.

***

The next morning, Ami woke up, her hair messy and dried saliva on the corner of her mouth. Remembering that she hadn't gone to her room last night, she went upstairs to get ready for the day. She changed into dark blue jeans and a green t-shirt, and she even applied a touch of make-up, which she usually despised.

She made herself some banana pancakes, which she only made on special occasions, or if she was on a job, which she was. After she finished eating, Ami stuffed the remainder into the fridge, grabbed the keys to her hover-car, and went outside. She slipped into the hover car and drove off, heading to the one place she wished she would never have to see again.

As soon as she arrived, she took the elevator to Floor 17, since Koku had told her that she would be reporting to him every day. The elevator door slid open and Ami hurried out.