The Lioness

Chapter Two

Chapter two

I knew I was pushing my limits again but I couldn't stop running the fastest I could. I was angry that the most important test mission was such a disaster. I knew if it would have been a real mission, something like that couldn't happen. But hearing it from the higher ranked officers was a different story. Their voices repeating themselves in my head. Could someone turn off the replay button, please?

I pushed even harder, my lungs burning from overuse. I was aware that I was still out running because I didn't want to go home. Today was the deadline. If I didn't get the letter I have been working my butt off for... for the last four years...

I went out the door, shocked to see the mailman arrive this morning and literally fled from my own home. I shook my head and allowed a little smile on my face. I was such a coward. I stopped and took in a deep breath, allowing myself to calm down.

I had thought of this before. What I would do if I didn't get to work as a special-force agent. They just all seemed so dull now. There was no motivation left for me, I thought depressingly. I felt how appalled Section Chief Blair was when he got the news of my mistake. Hell, even I didn't believe myself anymore that I set the frequency right.

I felt my phone buzzing in my pocked and accepted the call by pressing onto the earpiece.

"Emma!" I heard Amaya screeching. I moved my head to the left, trying to distance myself from the sound of her loud voice. Even if I couldn't use my ability to 'feel' her, I knew she was happy. "I've got accepted, Emma! I'm so excited, we need to celebrate!" I couldn't help but laugh at the presence of her accent. You rarely heard it other than the times she got emotional.

"Sure," I answered shortly. Even if I didn't get accepted, I'm happy for her. She was the closest I had to a friend. "But you do know it'll be a short night when you'll be having drinks as well." Amaya was the shortest and most fragile in our former class. Not that it affected her combat skills, she was fast. But alcohol in that tiny body?

"Hush it. It'll be fun. And I know I can trust you to carry me home unharmed." I pointlessly rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't ruin my clothes again, alright?" She laughed but slowed, letting me know what the next question was going to be. "I'm not home yet, I went for a little run and am heading back now. I'll let you know, okay?"

She was silent for a bit, interpreting why I was talking so fast. "Okay. Don't forget about me or I'll find you. You know I can," she laughed half-heartedly. After we said our byes I was left alone again, feeling cold now that I stopped running. I didn't recognize this place but that wouldn't be a problem. I would have just followed my scent back. But as I was focusing, I smelled someone else. Someone, who was familiar.

I turned around to see White approaching me. I couldn't help noticing the scars on his inner elbows. He never told us where he had gotten them and we didn't dare asking him either.

"Why do you have to be so fast all the time?" I noticed his heart beat was just slowing down. His t-shirt was clinging to his chest, obviously from sweating.

"Maybe you're just too slow," I said, hoping it would lighten the mood a bit. I was getting nervous. Why had he followed me? He wouldn't have troubled to bring me the letter himself. Maybe he wanted to tell me persoanlly that I didn't make it.

"I'm pretty sure you're too fast, Emma." He reached me and stood in front of me, forcing me to lift my head so I could look at him. "You have been home the entire month, not going out once. Using the gym on the first floor and getting junk food delivered afterwards. I would have given you the good news sooner if you had just gone out some."

He was still talking but I was only listening to parts of it. He said good news. Good news.

"What good news?" I interrupted him. He gave me a smile and fished something out of his pocket. There was a micro memory card in his hands and he gave it to me. Sliding it into the glasses I got from him, I slipped it on. There was a text, too long for my taste at the moment. I hurriedly skipped over it just to read it again, carefully this time.

"This isn't real. We should have learned about a branch like this one."

"That's the point, isn't it? It is just for people with special talents. There was no way out of that building. It was sealed shut but you still got out. Without outside help, too. I must say I was impressed. It's top-secret. You can't tell anyone about this but the director and me. Connor, too, is in on this. We don't have much time left though. Here," he gave me another memory card, "are the infos you'll need for the meeting. Place and time will be on there, too."

I held my free hand up. " You're seriously telling me I'll be a secret secret agent?"

His face turned emotionless and hard. "There is a reason why I didn't tell you aloud but showed you the concept of it. You can't ever be sure enough if and who is listening in. I thought I taught you that much." I knew he was right but I did check if anyone was close by, knowing people from the other end of the world could listen in if they knew how.

"It won't happen again, Sir." He nodded stiffly.

-

"Emma, I love you. You know of course," Amaya said. I just calmed her down because she was so upset I didn't make it. I coulnd't tell her, closest friend or not, but I really appreciated how much she cared. Now she was telling me for the nth time how much she loved me. A few more drinks and I would have to get her home. "I'm proud of you, you know that? If it was me I'd be pissed as hell. I'd go up to that bossy man and tell him what I really thought of him. That he is a r-" I put my hand on her mouth to shut her up. Like Mr. White had said. You never knew who was listening in when and where. And she officially still worked for him.

Laughing again, she took my hand away and got up to dance. Which would be fine if there was anyone else dancing. She danced over to the bar and ordered another round of tequilas. Better the drinks than her dancing all by herself while I was just standing awkwardly next to her. We licked the salt off our hands, gulped the liquid down and bit on the slice of lemon.

"Amaya, do you think we should get you home now?" I asked. She shook her head a definite no. "I never saw you here before," she told the bartender. Of course she wouldn't have. As far as I know it was her first time that she was in this bar. I turned around to not intrude on whatever was going on between them now. It was pretty crowded, all the tables were occupied and the waitresses were working fast to get all orders as fast as they could.

I felt someone staring at me and looked over. What a happy ending I thought, the team was back together after all. Connor nodded his head in greeting and I returned it. What I didn't see coming was him standing up and walking over to me. He really wasn't the guy to come over to anyone. I never saw it in the last four years but here he was, in front of me, smiling the best he could I assumed. Maybe he decided we should be friends now that we are going to be working together. He leaned in, catching me off guard. "You shouldn't be partying this hard if you want to be on time tomorrow, Lake." And just like he arrived, he disappeared again.

I didn't look at the information yet but I had thought I had more time. Dang Connor. I looked back over to Amaya. She was oblivious to what had happened and was more busy with the cute guy behind the bar. I took her elbow and told her to say bye to her new friend and after a very dramatic parting on her side, she was going out with me. I gave in the combination for my car into my phone and it appeared around the corner a minute after.

"Do you think you'll be able to get in on your own or do I need to help you?" I teased. She fake glared at me and stumbled into the passenger seat. "Good evening, Miss Lake. Please select your destination." I quickly typed in the adress and soon we were moving.

"You're not going to stay? I thought we agreed, Emma," she said.

"I'm really exhausted and I know you'll be waking up with a hangover tomorrow. Do you really want to put me through that again?"