Secret Sniper

Chapter Five

CHAPTER FIVE

"Eric Smith, two rooms please," I look over the counter at the hotel receptionist. She nods, clicking away, searching for my reservation. She hands me the keys once she confirms the reservation and my crew and I head for the elevator. I push the up-arrow button, it lighting up, and we wait.

*Ding!* The elevator opens and we're on our way up to our rooms.

"It's so good to be in NY again," Courtney exhales. "I remember coming over here for, I think, Thanksgiving with Natalie. It was great and-" I tune Courtney out the moment she mentions Natalie.

Our flight landed about an half an hour ago and ever since then, I can't seem to completely focus. The fact that I know there are people watching Adriana, with guns mind you, makes me really worried and anxious. I just want to get this mission over and done with. The only problem is that if I really do get this mission "over and done with", I would have killed a woman who was loved by many, and I can't live with that on my conscience. Especially, since one of the people who love Natalie is my own wife. *If I kill Natalie, I have an eternal grieving wife. If I don't kill her, I won't have a wife at all..* my conscience debates. I've been having this same argument with myself in my head over and over ever since I'd received that disgusting packet. I-

"Eric, c'mon," Michael beckons, interrupting my thoughts.

I blink a few times, hurrying into the elevator, my thoughts now scattered. I try and make my mind completely blank. I just stare at the elevator doors until they open, leading us into the corridor where our rooms await.

*Ding!*

I step out of the elevator and walk side by side with my colleagues.

"You're key Miss," I say, addressing Courtney while giving her the key.

"Thank you Sir," she smiles.

I open the door to the room Michael and I will share as Courtney opens her own.

"Ahh, now this is what I'm talkin' about!" Michael exclaims, dropping his bags and running for the king-size bed across the room. He hops up and bounces on it, as if to test it.

It *is* a pretty nice room. It has two king-size beds, a wide dresser, three plush couches, and a large window viewing the hotel pool below. I walk over to the couch next to the window and sit down, staring out over the city.

"Hey, still worrying about Adri?" Michael asks as he joins me by the window.

"Yeah, I really hope she's doing okay. I mean, sure our house is protected, like really protected, but I'm still worried about her," I sigh. "What if they break in somehow? Or what if they-"

"Eric," Michael interrupts. "I'm sure she'll be okay. You know she has plenty of experience of defending herself and is pretty good at sneaking around. She can take care of herself," he encourages.

"Yeah I guess, I still wish I were there some way she were more protected," I say.

"Well, we can only hope," he pats my back and walks to his bags to unpack.

"Heyy, who's ready for a stakeout?" Courtney calls out from our hotel room entrance.

"How did you..?" Michael's sentence trails off, him pointing to the door.

"I'm an agent, it's my job to pick locks," she smiles, sitting on my bed.

"Now, why you gotta' sit on my bed Courtney?" I say, getting up from the couch and walking over to her.

"Because Michael's is too stiff," she replies, smiling.

"And how would you know that?" I tilt my head, leaning on the wooden bar at the foot of the bed.

"Don't worry about it," she smirks, knowing how much I dislike that phrase.

"Okay well, about that stakeout. How 'bout we hit the road?" Michael stands up and walks over to my bed.

"Let's go then," Courtney gets up and gracefully swoops up her bag from the floor by our door as we exit.

"Just warning you Court: get ready for some rough living for this mission. Hopefully you're tough enough to take it," Michael jokes, and I laugh a little.

"Oh trust me, I can take it. I don't know about you Mike," she smirks.