Dangerous Illusions

•Coward•

Melody

I could tell something was up when we entered the building. Lana looked at me over her shoulder and gestured me over. I quietly moved and knelt next to her. My body froze as I heard talking, no one was supposed to be here. She looked at me and mouthed 'cops'. My heart started pumping, adrenaline rushed through my body. I nodded my head, making sure I didn't make a sound. We quietly made our way out the back, we had what we needed we just needed to leave. She grabbed my hand, giving me a small smile. Small moments like that made me stay with her to be honest. Moments where she'd calm my nerves about something. As we were about to get in the car a loud shout came from behind and she got in the car, not waiting for me she sped off. I stared shocked but it quickly wore off as I heard gunshots behind me. I clenched my jaw and ran. I can't believe I was just thinking about how sweet she could be. I ran closer to the edge of buildings, places their cars couldn't go. I hated this, I hated being a part of the bad guys. I pulled myself up and over a wall, running on it, I jumped off the side and hid in between two cement pillars. My chest was rising and falling as I heard the sirens drive by. I pressed my ear piece. "I fucking hate you, Lana." I rubbed my right wrist, this stupid tracker was the worst thing I'd ever said yes to.

My walk back to the bunker almost calmed me down completely until it started raining. My black hoodie was immediately soaked, weighing me down. "Mel?" I heard the voice of the person I wasn't wanting to talk to come through my ear piece. I grumbled and took it out. She was a fucking coward. When I got back I slammed open the doors to Lana's office. She turned and smiled at me with her stupid beautiful face. "You're safe." She stood up and I held my hand up. "Do not come near me right now." She stepped near me and put her hands on my waist. "Hey, I'm sorry." I rolled my eyes and stomped on her foot, making her groan and bend over. "Fuck you." As I was walking she shouted after me. "You already have, Mel!" I clenched my fist and made my way back to our room. The only few lights reminded me of a horror movie, honestly that's what this felt like. I sighed and looked around the room, nothing that resembled me was in the room. No pictures on the wall, no string lights. I felt like she didn't even care what I liked.

After I showered I slipped into a pair of leggings and T-shirt, I never knew if we'd be found by someone Lana had pissed off or by that detective that thinks I'm a good person, which is confusing. How the hell does he know? I'd at least be prepared either way with decent clothes on.  When Lana came into our room I'd already started falling asleep. I heard a sigh and felt a kiss on my forehead. "Goodnight, Melody." I rolled over, my back facing her.

When I woke up the next morning I walked around the bunker. The lights gave off a weird color as it hit the cement walls. This felt like a prison. As I was walking by a room I heard someone mention my name making me back up and hide around the corner. "The worst part is Mel doesn't even realize it's happening. Kelsey is literally sleeping with her girlfriend and of course she won't see it. They're pretty good at hiding it." I felt my chest tighten in anxiety. This couldn't be true. I tried brushing it off but the conversation kept coming back into my head. Kelsey? She wouldn't do that...right? She was one of the only friends I had here...I shook my head and made my way to Lana's office.

"Oh good! You're here. I have an idea on how to deal with those pieces of shit that keep coming around." I nodded my head as I sat down, noting Kelsey was in the room. "What is it?" She smirked and slid a couple of papers towards me. "Kill them." I clenched my jaw. "You know I don't do that." She shook her head. "You're going to have to." I shook my head as I read the papers, how did she think this was good? "You have a perfect shot! It'll be so easy!" My jaw dropped at how easily she talked about killing people. I slid them back to her. "I will not kill people, Lana." I stood up and she grabbed my hand. "Melody, we need to do this for the company." I sighed. "I'll think about it." She smiled and pulled me into a kiss. "Thank you." I sighed. "Yeah yeah." She smiled and touched my cheek. "I love you." I rolled my eyes. "I love you too." I smiled and stepped away. "I'm going to grab a drink, do you guys want anything?" Kelsey shook her head and so did Lana. "No I'm good, thank you though." I nodded and left to get a drink. Walking back my stomach twisted in anxiety. I left Lana with Kelsey. I made my way back quietly and peaked through the door. I bit the inside of my cheek as Kelsey straddled Lana, Lana's hands roamed her back. I turned away from the door and ran right into "Chef!" Hey, have you seen Lana?" I forced a smile and nodded my head. "She's busy at the moment, what's up?" He handed me a file. "This is what I want to start doing with dinner." I opened it and smiled at all the amazing meals. Foods from different cultures and paragraphs on the history of them. "I love it. I really think you should go for more of these things." The smile faded from my face as I heard Lana and Kelsey giggling as they walked out. I turned and saw Lana staring at me. "How long have you been here?" I smiled. "Just got here." She nodded her head and Kelsey scurried off like the sewer rat she was. I glared and quickly wiped my face clean of any emotion. I smiled. "Go with these. It'll be good." He smiled and nodded his head. "Thanks, Mel!" He walked away and I walked away from Lana. "Hey, wait up!" I continued walking. "Mel," she lightly grabbed my arm. "What's wrong with you?" She had lipstick stains on her shirt and her neck. "You have lipstick on your shirt and neck." I walked away as she panicked and looked in the reflection of a window. I heard her curse and then follow after me. "Leave me alone right now."

I made up my mind, I was going to leave. Over the course of a few days I mapped everything out. The security cameras, what time everyone would be in bed by. Anytime I saw Kelsey I'd ignore her and walk past her, she's lucky I'm nothing like Lana. I noted the times Lana would wake up at. Recently it had been later, instead of six in the morning she'd wake up at eight or nine. She also avoided Kelsey. I chewed the inside of my cheek as Lana sat beside me at dinner. I ate most of my food and then left dinner. I showered and got into my usual pajamas. Leggings, T-shirt. Quickly I put change and the note the detective gave me in my jacket pocket. I laid in bed thoughts racing through my head. Would I make it? Would I be able to leave? Lana came into the room shortly after. She was sad she got caught, she didn't feel bad. I pretended to sleep as she did her nightly routine. When she got into the bed I draped my arm around her waist. She let out a sigh and put her arms around me. I felt tears sting my eyes but shoved down the feeling of sadness that was starting to eat me alive.

When she fell asleep she naturally let me go and turned her back to me. I looked at the time. 02:17. I bit my lip and silently slipped from the bed, grabbing my jacket. I chewed my lip and tried writing a note. Does she even deserve one? I shook my head and just left the room instead. I had a while until she woke up. I skillfully made my way out of the bunker and wrapped my jacket around me. I chewed on the inside of my cheek as I found a pay phone. Should I wait to call the detective? I can leave a message! I nodded my head and dialed his number. The phone rang for a minute until he picked up making my breath stop in my throat. "Hello?" I sighed as my hands shook. I could always go back, right? I shook my head. "Hello?" I awkwardly coughed. "I'm sorry, Hi Detective Dominik?" I heard a sigh of relief. "Melody?" I nodded my head and stared at the ground. "Yes." I heard shuffling in the background. "Where are you?" I shook my head. "What?" He sighed. "I'm picking you up in my spaceship." I couldn't help the small laugh that escaped me. "You don't have to come get me. I was fine leaving a voicemail." I heard a grumble from the other side. "Where are you?" I sighed and gave him the address. "Before the call ends, detective, there is one thing I want to get rid of before anything else, okay?" I heard a door open and the beeping of a car. "Sure. What is it?" I sighed. "I have a tracker in my right arm, it's located in my wrist." I heard the car start. "We can work with that, I'll give someone a call who can take it out. As soon as I pick you up we'll head to her place, okay?" I nodded my head. "Thank you." He was about to say something but the call ended I sighed and sat at a bench nearby. Was I making a good choice? Would I have been safer there? I mentally smacked myself for the last one. Safer? There? Please.

A car pulled up and I took a second to look at it. It was a Mercedes-Benz. My eyes widened as the detective stepped out and looked for me. His eyebrows knitted together but he smiled when he saw me on the bench. "I'm glad you called." I nodded. "I should have waited, I'm sorry for waking you up." He shook his head. "I've been waiting for your call so I'm fine with being awake right now." I smiled a small smile as he opened the door for me. He closed it and ran to the other side. "Let's get that thing out of your wrist." I nodded my head and rubbed my wrist. I could feel my heart breaking more and more with every mile that was put between me and Lana. I sighed. It's for the best, we can't do this anymore. Four years is a long time to be in that environment. It was mind blowing that I met Lana when I was twenty years old. I tried not to touch anything in the car. This was really expensive. "We're here." I nodded my head as I turned to look at the most beautiful home I had ever seen in my life. It was modern, big windows surrounded the glass door. What was the point of the door being clear too? I was now dealing with very rich people who could buy houses and cars or anything they wanted, instead of a rich person who decided to waste it on buying a bunker and running from the law. I clenched my jaw as we stepped up to the door. "She's great, I promise." I smiled and nodded my head as the door opened to reveal a woman who seemed to be in her early thirties, late twenties. She smiled at us and welcomed us in. There was no turning back now.