Target

Chapter 03

"Remember the plan Arls?" prompts Parker.

"Aye aye captain. We've only been over it, oh I don't know, four hundred times?" I reply with a smirk.

"I can hear you smirking through the phone," he says with a sigh, "I hate you."

I brush wet strands of hair out of my eyes and stare into the mirror pouting.

"Naw don't be like that Parks. I just don't see why you are so stressed. I've got this okay?" I lean forward towards the phone balanced on the bathroom sink so he can hear me.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Just be careful. I'm not liking the sound of what General Nahm had to say."

Of course I told Parker. How could I not? I think back to the conversation we had once I arrive in Cali and feel my throat constrict. Telling him was not as easy as I thought, but it sure as hell was easier than telling Brett. Parker was concerned, which was both comforting and frightening. It was comforting because it meant that I wasn't as crazy as I thought, but it frightened me because it meant I did have a reason to be worried.

He was also angry. Parker was pissed that I didn't tell him straight away, which I accredited to his 'Over-Protective Best Friend' status, and also at General Nahm for being such an idiot, to put it nicely. I'll leave out all the expletives because, truthfully, I didn't even know some of them existed until after our phone call.

"I'll be fine," I say, brushing off the anxiety threatening to kick start in my chest at the reminder of our conversation. "I'll call you after and tell you how it goes."

"You better." I hear him grin and can't fight one of my own appearing.

"See ya Parks. Don't worry about me too much or you'll go gray."

He scoffs, "Shutup Arla."

"Bye buddy," I say and end the call, readjusting the phone so it doesn't fall off the edge of the sink and into toothpaste remains. I wrap my towel tighter around my chest and take a minute to release a breath I didn't know I was holding.

Then it's down to business.

I stride out of the hotel bathroom with a sense of purpose and renewed cheeriness after my brief talk with Parker. It's always refreshing to speak with your best friend, even when you are twenty-one.  I slip into a black miniskirt, blue top that stops just above my waist, and black wedge boots. I need to look extra-good today if I am going to capture the attention of Nick. Usually with my older Targets, all I need to do is reveal my chest area and they're hooked, but something tells me he is different to them.

I haven't yet decided if that is good or bad.

*****

The entrance to 'Kaffeine Kingdom' looked about as appealing as a dirty sock. The paint on the door is pealing off in every direction, fading more towards the bottom that has various chips and holes in it. Above the frame is a sign that reads "Kaffeine Condom" thanks to some clever vandalism – which I must admit, forced a smile out of me – and underneath that are signatures and other diagrams I haven't seen since high school, carved into the wood.

So you can imagine my surprise when I walked in five minutes ago to a lively, warm café. The smell of coffee filled my nose and I gravitated towards a secluded spot near a window that's view was fractured by metal bars clamped across it.

The whole place really gave me new meaning to "don't judge a book by its cover."

Now sitting comfortably in a faded lilac armchair I dig deep inside my bag for the various newspapers, pens and folders I need, spreading them out across the table in front of me. Finally I grab my laptop and sit it on top of the mess I created moments ago, checking to make sure everything is in place.