A Life In Moments

Nightmares

I woke with a start, cold sweat dripping down my forehead. Something in a dream, or perhaps nightmare, had woken me. I tried to think of what had happened desperately, but just as I was closing in on what had happened it slipped away. Fed up with my mind and in a slightly hazy state I got up to get a drink of water, and realized my hands were shaking. I leaned against the wall trying to get my breath back. Whatever had happened in my dream I was suddenly glad I had forgotten it.

"Adam?" I heard a soft distorted voice whisper in the darkness.

"Emily? Emily is that you?" I whispered, my voice being swallowed by the darkness. I didn't get a reply, probably for the better. I got my water and headed back to bed. Wrapping my arms around Emily helped me finally calm down. She fit so perfect into them, the way she sighed and snuggled closer in her sleep. How lucky I am to have her I thought as I drifted to sleep.

"So how did you sleep?" Emily asked me as I slid a pile of pancakes to her.

"I slept fine, why are you asking?" I replied in mild confusion as I cut into my own glorious stack.

"I thought you woke up, I heard water running." She said in a concerned voice.

"Well if I did I don't remember it. I'm sure it was nothing." I chuckled. Emily was always worrying about nothing, but just to make sure she was okay I leaned across our small table and kissed her. She still blushed, even though we'd been together for almost a year now. It warmed my heart thinking about how far we'd come. From an awkward couple just starting out together in life to where we were now, knowing each other so well. Going back to small talk we enjoyed our breakfast together before we each left for work.

We had moved in together a month ago in a high-rise close to the old coffee shop I had worked at. I missed it sometimes. The steam, the smell of warm coffee. The whole atmosphere, but when life offers you a chance like the one I was given you don't say no. How could anyone turn down a position as the personal assistant of Edward Mach? The Vice President of a global corporation that had a foot in almost every door you could imagine. Vulcan Incorporated, 'working towards a better future'. Emily had gotten me in. Her father was a big business man. He had stocks in almost every company you could think of, especially Vulcan, and I intended to make the best of what he had helped me get.

Walking through the massive glass doors I took it all in. The silver statue of a man striking an anvil in the center of the circular room, the tall white marble pillars rising to the tall ceiling. The cold florescent lights that cast a chilling hand over the walls. It was formidable, intimidating, and glorious. It still took my breath away.
Suddenly I heard the clicking of polished dress shoes across the empty floor heading for me. I turned to find Edward walking towards me. He usually didn't arrive at the office until 10. He looked quite flustered, his blue suit was a bit wrinkled and his silver tie was sitting unevenly.

"Ah Adam, there you are! I have some work for you to do in preparation of the arrival of Mister Allen."

"Anything at all Mister Mach." I said in the usual greeting as I walked up to meet him.

"Aha this isn't the kind of errand that goes with that greeting Adam. Why don't you come with me, my car's waiting outside." He said turning me around with a nervous chuckle over his shoulder at the receptionist. I was a little taken aback by his attitude, he'd never spoken to me like that before. It had always been business, and nothing more.

As we walked outside the valet pulled up in front of us in a brilliant jet black Audi R8, It's carbon fiber trim shining in the sunlight. Edward told me to take the front passenger seat, and as I sat down it took my breath away. I had seen plenty of nice cars while working with Edward, much nicer cars even, but I'd never been invited in to one ever. Then as soon as I had closed my door, with no hesitation, we pulled away into Seattle traffic and left my stomach back with the valet.

"Sorry for the short notice, but I didn't have anyone else to turn too. Everyone is either too busy getting ready for the visit, or too untrustworthy. So I decided to use your help." Edward said as we turned onto the highway and he pushed the car well beyond the speed limit.

"Unlike the car, I'm being a little slow Edward. Could you explain where exactly what's happening?"  I asked when I finally got used to the speed we were going.

"Vulcan has a foot in almost every door you can have one in. This is an amazing thing for the future of the company as you know, but it can also cause problems." He said checking his watch and pushing the car even faster.

"What does Vulcan's feet and where they are have to do with me right now?"

"Adam, when you took this job you read the description, yes?"

"Of course. I read every word of it."

"Then you know that your job entails more than just professional business? I'm asking if I can trust you." He said turning his steely gaze to looking me hard in the face.

"Of course. You can have total faith in me for anything you might need." I said meeting his gaze. I learned on the first day of working with Edward that weakness was not an option.

"No that's not enough, I need more than that. I need your solemn oath you will speak of nothing that's about to happen. No matter what you do or see."

"I give you my word. No matter what I will not speak of this day." I said as confidently as I could under the circumstances of drifting in between huge freight trucks coming from the train station. This was all happening very fast.

"That will have to do. I'd like more but we don't have time, here's whats going on. We're in the middle of an under the table business deal right now regarding our space program. The deal was supposed to go through yesterday, but someone got cold feet and now it's my job. We're on our way to the train station to meet the other party right now, and we're going to push the deal through one way or another. Understand?" he said in a solemn tone.

"Yes, we're going to push through an undercover deal with another business."

"That's right. I usually send someone else to do these sorts of things. I would have rearranged this meeting or sent someone else if I could have, but this is too important."

"Just tell me what I need to do to help." I still didn't understand exactly why the deal was happening at a train station, or why he needed me if it was so undercover, until he spoke again.

"You know how to shoot a gun?"

"To some extent."

"Good. Grab the two Remingtons from the glove compartment, and make sure they're loaded." He said pushing his foot to the floor again.