Spawn Of Spadille

14

It almost feels like the sweat garnishing my skin is oil that is sizzling under the hot sun. The moisture under my arms feels like it's boiling and I could bet there is a wet patch on my back from my perspiration. The heat from the barbecues and street food vans are not helping but as the smell of delicious food wafts into my welcoming nostrils, I can't help but forgive them. Even though it feels as though my face is burning, it is probably not as red as Aasim's cheeks whenever he accidentally makes eye contact with me. I say accidentally because it seems like he has tried to avoid talking or even looking at me as much as possible after this afternoon's sparring session. To grasp some understanding, I would look at Zeth before but he would just shrug. I can't help but feel guilty if I have made Aasim uncomfortable but it's hard to apologise to someone who is dodging conversations or being alone with you as if you are the plague multiplied. Orabelle and Jiaying cheered me up but I still feel some uncertainty and insecurity about stinking in this blistering heat, especially when forced to be close up with others in this packed crowd we're in at the infamous, annual Nottingham Carnival. What am I doing overthinking? I have to try and refocus my mind on the mission at hand tonight.

This job is a little different from the ones we generally have. Instead of the usual wreaking havoc, sending a message, stealing otherwise known as 'taking back what is ours' in the organisation and more crazy assignments we've had to complete but sounds insane to say out loud, we've been ordered to protect some girl on her birthday. Our subject unknowingly is being guarded by my whole squad who are surrounding her and her friend at all sides. We are never informed of the subject's name in our missions unless it is essential so we normally listen in to find how other's refer to them or else it's a lot of guesswork.  Whenever the girls move, my squad all make eye contact and that's how we decide who goes where without making it obvious to both our subject and whoever we are protecting her from. As of this moment, we are in a mass of people who have gathered in front of a huge blue and purple truck with dancers in bright, colourful feathers and bold makeup enticing us to dance along to the reggae music booming in our ears.  The dancers finish their routine and face their palms upwards, encouraging one half of the crowd to cheer and clap. The other half are already moving along to the next big entertainment, including our subject. She squeals in excitement, sounding younger than her sixteen years of age as her bright pink birthday badge shows-when the swarm of the crowd pushes her along without her having to take a step. I can relate since I failed to wear heels so my height disallows me to see nothing but heads in front of me.  

I hear her whisper to her friend, "Girl, I think someone is purposely pushing me."

"Karla. The whole crowd is pushing us! I get you're the main character today but seriously?" Karla's sassy friend replies.

"No Lola like, I don't know it's just-" Karla looks around suspiciously. Her burgundy braids decorated with gold clips to match her eyeshadow and gems glued to her eyebrows swing around as she does but luckily I have sunglasses on to avoid eye contact with her. 

"I know it sounds weird but it feels like... there's like a... hand on my back?" Karla even sounds confused as she says this, seeming to doubt her own instincts.

"Girl what?" Lola laughs. As the crowd starts to disperse, on my right I do in fact notice a white man dressed casually in dark blue denim jeans with rips, a white plain top and black sunglasses closely following behind them with his hands placed on each of their backs. To any other person it might have just looked like a parent guiding them but knowing better, Jiaying and I casually walk a certain distance behind them whiles the boys walk behind us. Despite the distance, I can clearly see the Lola's shoulder raise and tense up and her walking become stiffer. She's guilty but of what I don't know yet.

The hearing amplifier in my ear assists me so that I don't have to strain to hear what is being said. 

Karla attempts to turn around to see the mans face but he gruffly says, "Face your front, keep quiet and keep walking or else."

Cluelessly Karla enquires, "Is this a birthday prank surprise thing?" She's met with silence and chuckles nervously. 

We start to emerge into a road that is empty except for a singular black van with tinted windows.  My squad stay well back behind a house, analysing the situation from a safe distance but close enough to pounce when we need to. The man pushes the girls into the van and slams the door shut without locking it. He goes round to the driver seat so Jiaying and I crouch down and run straight to the passenger door.

"Hey! Hey!" the man yells when he sees us from his exterior mirror but it's too late. Aasim and Zeth already sprinted to his side. Aasim yanks him out of the car and Zeth quickly puts a cloth covered in an anaesthetic drug that causes the inhaler to instantly feel weaker and dizzier onto the man's nose and mouth, making the man go limp. Meanwhile, Karla's so called friend Lola tried to make a run for it but Jiaying tackles her to the ground as Karla watches the whole scene unfold in shock. I didn't notice the tears running down her face until now but my job is not to comfort her right now. I run to the back of the van, taking a picture of the license plate then go round the front to search through the glove compartment to look for anything that can identify the man or who he works for. There's just a bunch of bloody tissues which I'm hesitant to touch but I stash some in the pocket of my denim, heavy jumpsuit nevertheless. 

"There's nothing here. Check his pockets guys!" I inform Aasim and Zeth. Aasim shoves the man into the front seat so that he can easily rummage through his pockets. Aasim retrieves a wallet and flips it open. 

"There's a driving license but there's a big possibility that it's fake," he states, speaking to me for the first time this evening.

Zeth leans into Aasim, scrutinising the card. "Now that is one bad photo," he cringes.

I sit next to the driver seat in the van with Karla who stills behind me, her eyes widening as Jiaying catches the cloth that Zeth throws and presses it over Lola's nose and mouth. Lola puts up a good fight, squirming and wiggling until she fades into unconsciousness.

"Thanks," Jiaying pants. Zeth helps her to carry Lola into the back. Karla shuffles closer to the passenger door on the right, automatically knowing the consequences of what will happen if she runs too. They all squeeze into the back and Aasim sits in the drivers seat. 

Jiaying cuts through the silence as always. "So guys I was thinking... carpool karaoke?"