Sub Rosa

Chapter one • The Hiest

Where I came from, death was a blessing. Any chance to escape the rotten life you had been betrothed to was taken without second thought. You would though wouldn't you? If you had been labelled a diseased since birth, you would do anything you could to loose the name and become one of the Gilded. One of the richest and most powerful people in the city. Someone who looked down upon beggars, upon people who slaved for money, the homeless, orphans, me.

I was what you might call a vigilante, a member of society who swore to suppress and punish criminals; a self-appointed doer of justice. But the criminals in my city didn't wear black bandanas and take old ladies handbags. They wore tailored suits and dined in the upmost expensive restaurants where a person of my status would kill for a chance to eat their leftovers. They were robbers, stealing every penny from our pockets and palms. Sitting in their ivory towers and isolating themselves from our slum sectors.

I had slaved for weeks to come up with a plan to slowly take back our empire and tonight it was to be practically tested. I had devised to sneak into one of the top firms, Sub Rosa Corporation, a particularly ironic name for an upstanding, unpopular business amongst my people. Sub Rosa Corp was, for me, an easy target as I had infiltrated larger companies before and succeeded without suspicion. Furthermore, word on the street was that it was run by an inexperienced CEO who had fell into place after the companies creator and his father had passed due to an unknown cause. Apparently he was twenty like myself but I highly doubted he had the same experience with his occupation as I did. I had been preparing my whole life for my job, sneaking into buildings and hacking into the top security sectors was like second nature and growing up in the shadows aided myself with stealth and a light hand which I used at will to perform my acts.

I lived on the western side of the diseased sector. My side was predominantly know for its lack of authority as Gilded officers patrolled only the first few streets of my sector in search of any sign of an uprising and rarely ventured further in fear of being robbed or murdered for their organs to be sold on the black market. Therefor I could freely plan my rebellious acts in peace and keep an eye on anyone who would try to stop me.

Twilight had submerged the city and adrenaline slowly started to pump into my veins. Setting my plan into action, I mounted my black motorbike; a family heirloom that my father presented to me before his passing in hopes I would sell it for a hefty price and get my self out of the slums. But I couldn't bring myself to sell it. To sell what little I had left of my family for an escape wasn't worth it. No amount of money was worth what I lost to the Gilded. Flipping down the visor to my helmet I spiralled through the streets of the diseased sector, slowly making my way to the border and into the Gilded section of the city. Bright lights stabbed at my body causing me to tense up at the unfamiliarity of something other than darkness and my heels dug further into the pedals of my vehicle to shorten the amount of time I would have to waste slaving around.

The luminous sign of the Sub Rosa skyscraper came into sight and I drove toward the underground car part to the left of the metal tower. I moved among the parked cars in a blur, the only indicator of my presence being the harsh sound of the motor beneath my body. Pulling off my helmet, I shook my head letting my blonde waves loose against my shoulder, contrasting deeply with the black of my leather jacket. Everything around me seemed unnatural down to the shining surface of the elevator doors to the sheen of the heels the petite woman who glared at my attire wore. My eyes browsed the long corridor in front of me. The silence of the business was unnerving, adding to the adrenalin that was coursing through my body. I had prepared myself for this night for weeks. If you were anyone who was anyone at Sub Rosa you could count on me to know your exact location in the building at the time of my arrival. I slipped past the main board room which I presumed held over twenty of the most powerful people in the city as they commenced in a meeting hosted by none other than Kit Blackthorn, the CEO I mentioned before. The young boy I bribed a few nights prior to my heist told me of Mr Blackthorns reputation and how he made every women swoon and every man shake in his presents. Never the less I knew it was highly unlikely we would be acquainted anytime soon as I slipped through the building unnoticed. I discovered a door marked ' AUTHORISED PERSONAL ONLY ' printed in black letters directly ahead of me and true to my un-abiding self I checked behind my shoulder before sliding through into the dimly lit room. Rows upon rows of metal cabinets stood in front of me, towering over my body. I took into consideration that someone had probably seen me by now and I doubted that this place lacked security so I marched quickly through the rows of cheap aluminium and down the opposite side of the room while the clicking sound of my low healed boots tapped against the ground. Coming to a holt I stood in front of a large silver door adorned with a huge lock in the centre. Pulling away the glove that concealed my hand I flipped my palm to read the digits scribbled across my skin. I had paid off a gentleman from across the hall from my apartment block to find out Intel on Insurgent and the necessary pin for the massive steel safe ahead of me. I pressed the required numbers into the control panel and heard a satisfying click of an opened lock ring through my ears. I stood in awe as I swung the metal door open to reveal stacks and stacks of cash, piled up to my neck. Attempting not to be distracted by the green paper I grasped one of the trollies under the cash and turned around before increasing my pace and heading towards the exit. My heart started beating faster as I fled the room and made my way for the rooftop, small piles of money falling off and leaving a trail I knew someone would find momentarily. Hearing the sound of a slipped profanity and multiple people behind me, I presumed someone had been notified of the significant absence of money from the safe as I was now being chased by half a dozen security guards.

I could feel my heart banging against my chest as I reached the top floor of the skyscraper. The wind instantly pricked at my skin, making me shiver. My hair spun around me in whirlwinds , confusing me momentarily as I pressed on towards the edge. Looking down I held my breath and stood in shock at the 200 story drop beneath me. Loose notes of money flew up and behind me as I heard the looming footsteps of the guards coming up the stairs. I decided it was now or never and wrapped my arms around as much money as possible before swiping it off the building and watching it flutter down below. My face lit up in amazement, watching what the Gilded slaved over just float away made me smug. I could already see the anger on Mr Blackthorns face upon finding out some of his precious fortune was lying damp in a pile under the feet of the diseased. I continued to push of wods of cash off the rooftop as small droplets of rain started to fall from the heavens. I always loved the rain, believing it symbolised a fresh start and that nothing could stop the force of the water. I heard someone behind me and I turned to see a large guard clad in ill fitting black cargo pants and a grey shirt with various badges and the Sub Rosa corporation logo of the left breast stood in front of me. He mentioned something about finding the thief into his radio before pulling a large torch from his belt and shining it at my face. He told me about how he knew who I was and of my reputation, how I had no where to go now and my only option was to turn myself in. I tuned his monotone voice out as I stepped back and onto the ledge. Ignoring the man giving me a lecture I moved over to a large metal vent and wrapped a black rope around it, securing it tightly. Holding my breath, I returned to the ledge and glared at guard after he finally stopped and looked in horror like he had already seen what was about to happen.
" The Gilded must suffer at the hands of the Diseased. What you do is wrong and if you won't change the fait of the city, I will " and with that I pushed back off the ledge with my arms open and not one thought of hesitation.

Chapter one is up. I hope you guys like the first of many. I'm trying really hard to get each chapter perfect so I will probably update once or twice a week. Thank you for reading!! Please vote!!
-E