.The Eraser.

vingt

                                                             -20-

Larry's lips were soft and warm. 

Her thrilled heart was pumping blood in excitement, but not furiously as it did when she was in danger. This was a good kind of speed. She could feel dopamine rushing through her system, making her feel light-headed and different.  

Before she could even respond and 'go with the flow', he abruptly pulled away from her after two seconds; and Atara fluttered her eyes open in confusion.  

There was a strong emotion dancing behind his glossy blue eyes. Atara wanted to ask what was wrong, but he abruptly stood up and murmured a ''sorry''. She watched him walk away from her with long strides and go out of the gym without a backwards glance. 

For some minutes, she just stared at the door he had just gone out of. 

''What just happened?'' she whispered to herself. 

One minute she was thanking him for making her overcome her troubled thoughts and the next their lips connected. Now Larry was out of the gym, leaving her alone to bewilderment.  

'He's such a hard person to read.' She thought as she grabbed her gym bag off the floor. She searched the bag for her phone and pulled it out. It read, '5.01 AM'. 

She decided not to think too much about what had just happened between her and Larry. A mind clogged with puzzlement was poison. There was a meeting that she needed to attend with Jean and the other Erasers at 9.  

She got up and headed to her room on the ground floor. Maybe she could try and get that shut eye that she desperately needed, even if it would be just for three hours. 

====

Jean sat at the head of the long black table accommodating many other people in the middle of the base's lobby. Richard sat at his right and Louisse sat at his left. Atara sat beside her father. 

''Are you okay?'' her father whispered in her ear. Richard was always quick to notice his daughter's change in body language. 

Atara's eyes instantly landed on Larry who was sitting across from her. The poor guy was avoiding her eyes, ever since their little exchange earlier that morning. Richard caught her looking at Larry. He raised his eyebrows slightly, but quickly changed his expression to a blank one as his daughter looked back at him. 

''Am fine dad, thanks'' 

''Hmm, whatever you say.'' Atara frowned at her father as he faced Jean who had started the meeting. 

''Good morning everyone.'' 

The people sitting on the table responded to his greeting. 

''Well this is meant to be a quick meeting. I just wanted to inform everyone that I have decided to suspend any missions concerning the ZED.'' 

Immediately gasps and whispers of surprise entered Atara's ears. Even she was beyond shocked to hear those words come out of his mouth. 

''Why?'', someone asked over the commotion and Jean visibly sighed. He looked exhausted. 

''Let's face it. We've lost this battle. Copper is dead because of them-'' 

''So?'' someone else interrupted him midsentence. 

''So, she is dead, because she put her life on the line for the mayor.'' 

''Isn't that our job?'' 

''Of course, but I think we are no longer a secret to those terrorists. They saw us coming and they are definitely anticipating our next move. If I send more of us to track them down-which we can-''