Paragon

⊰❉⊱ 79 ⊰❉⊱

I woke to the feel of sunlight on my face.

I blinked in surprise and ran my hand along the sheets to find it empty. I sat up and glanced around Quinn's room. I'd actually slept in. Me.

I'd stole into the room through Quinn's window close to midnight. I didn't wake her from her dreams and it seemed like she'd done the same. My watch told me it was already eight in the morning.

I cursed and rolled onto my feet, searching for my phone. 

Three missed calls, two voicemails, all from my future employers. I glanced down at my ruined shirt and underwear. I didn't bother trying to get back into my own clothes, I ran for Quinn's wardrobe and scanned it. Skirts, skirts, dresses–what the hell was that? I sighed through my nose pulling through her draws until I finally found some suit pants that vaguely mirrored Paragon's own design. 

I was pulling my legs through as I dialled Ash's personal number.

"Yeah."

"It's Fletcher."

"Hey Fletcher!" She perked up. "–Sorry to disturb you but we need to know if you accept the terms of the contract we sent over... Things have moved forward." She finished in slight exasperation.

"Give me five minutes?" I asked.

"You got it." She finished.

I ended the call and drew up my inbox on my phone. Christ fifty pages, really?

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT - VANGUARD SECURITY SOLUTIONS PLC

After the first three paragraphs I got the gist. If you die... If you suffer life changing injuries... There is no state affiliation... These were terms for a mortal to concern themselves with–and if they did pursue me, I had my own personal lawyer rather good at making people change their minds. I smirked, digitally signing its last page and sending it right back to its originator.

I picked up the phone and called her.

"That was quick–"

"No time like the present." I answered flatly.

"Good, because we need you at the helipad in an hour. We'll debrief you on the plane."

I sighed through my nose. Then I noticed a folded piece of paper before the door. I frowned walking to it.

"You just said helipad."

"I did. The plane is a little large for local liftoffs." She allowed, with a smirk in her voice.

"Can you at least tell me how long we'll be out, Ash?" I said, picking up the note.

She laughed, "Don't worry, it's pretty local considering our usual lines of effort." She decided to fill in the space as she heard my silence continue, "–you'll be back tonight if all things go to plan, Fletcher. And we don't often get them wrong." She finished, waiting on my reaction.

"I'll be there in an hour." I answered, hanging up.

I opened the folded paper with Quinn's scent still lingering on it.

Couldn't wake you, you were too beautiful.

– Q

I smiled softly at her elegant handwriting, it was more eloquent than the notes I'd seen on her desk, more careful. I folded it back and tucked it into my pocket. 

I then called a cab outside to shorten the time to my apartment. It still burnt twenty minutes in midday traffic. When I was finally inside my floor I ripped off my destroyed shirt and folded Quinn's trousers and her note over the sink.