Front Line

An Old Friend

*** Lanie POV***

I sat at my desk in the shitty office building I work at. My boss only hired me because I'm smarter than the idiots I work with. I watched the time go by on my watch. Counting down the seconds till I can leave.
"Lanie my office now." My boss said looking at me from above my desk. I nodded getting up to follow him. He closed the door and the blinds. Motioning for me to sit as he did.
"I need you to listen to me Lanie. You are intelligent beyond your years. That's why the government wants you to help them. But they want you as a front line men. Can you do something for me?" He asked as I stared at him shocked. He was never serious but when he was it was life or death. I nodded to him.
"My friend Gunner is going to take you to the air force base. When you get there ask for Sergeant O'Brien. He will help you train. There's no way out of this but you can get a head start," he whispered. I nodded as the door opened. A very attractive young man walked in. He nodded to my boss and looked at me.
"Lanie?" He asked and I nodded. "Good. We gotta go now. They're sending officers up right now."
"Go Lanie. And remember Sergeant O'Brien" my boss yelled as Gunner grabbed my arm and pulled me out if the room. We ran through the cubicles as people watched.
"Stairs. They won't take the stairs," he whispered but as we opened the door we heard the officers. The elevator opened showing more. "Fuck."
"The roof there's a building next to us. We take the sky bridge over and go out over there," I said pulling him up the stairs. We made it to the roof door after three flights of stairs.
"Wait you want to walk across it? This isn't James Fucking Bond Lanie," he snapped looking around for another way out.
"Unless you have a better idea let's go. And my names not Lanie," I sassed as I climbed on top of the bridge. He pulled himself up and looked across it was only thirty feet. He turned to me as he took my hand.
"Then what's your name?" He asked leading me across the bridge. On the other side he got down and turned around. "Here let me help you down."
"My names Alexandria, and thank you," I murmured as I got down. We headed for the roof door. He held my hand tightly as I opened the door. It was quiet and smelled of old wood. We slowly walked down the stairs.
"The sky bridge was for when the buildings were used as military services. Now only my building is used for advertisement," I whispered as we hit the fourth floor. The staircase was narrow causing us to brush against each other. Suddenly the roof door burst open.
"Alexandria Parker stop!" A voice yelled from above. It was those soldiers from before. Gunner tightened his grip on my hand and started running down the stairs.
"My car is on the curb. When we get outside run to the black truck," Gunner panted as we ran. We got to the main lobby and headed for the doors. They were locked and those soldiers were right behind us. I saw a broken window and pulled Gunner over. He slipped through and helped me through just as the soldiers hit the lobby.
"Come on Lanie!" Gunner yelled pulling me towards a back pick up. He didn't let me go around just opened the driver side and pushed me in. "Crawl over. "
"Which base are we going to?" I asked as he started the truck and pulled into traffic. He shook his head and glared into the street.
"Well damn no one asked you to help. I can take care of myself thank you," I snapped at him crossing my arms. He looked at me and sighed.
"I'm just waiting for you to recognize me. I gave you the nickname Lanie,"he said with his eyes on the road. I looked at him wide eyed.
"Joshua?" I asked in a squeaky voice. He nodded with a soft smile. There's no way this handsome man was dorky Josh from third grade. He was godly now. I just stared at him for a minute.
"Put your seatbelt on Lanie. Its an hour drive. And yes I am dorky Josh," he laughed as I turned red embarrassed. I put on my seatbelt and continued to stare at him. At a red light he turned to me.
"Wow you still are so beautiful Lanie," he whispered pushing my bangs back. His touch was warm and gentle. I remember having a crush on him even though I said he was too weird. He was perfect to me then and he still is.