Women in Black

Women in Black - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“Hanks,” I repeated the name. He had an arrogant look on his face, and stood with savior bravado. “Well, thanks.” I let go of his hand and crossed mine on my chest.

“No problem, I save pretty ladies all the time.” Ryan snorted a little at his remark and patted Hanks on the shoulder.

“Hanks.” Commander scorned in his no funny business tone. Hanks put his hands up innocently and grinned. I noticed his teeth were like impossibly white. “Emerson, this is your new partner.”

“Partner?!” I hadn’t had a partner since I started here. I was a young recruit following in my father’s footsteps and aiming for revenge. That fuel for revenge is what’s made me so good. I have a reason to be angry and it helped fuel my hate, which in turn gives me a reason to work here and to try. Other Agents who work here are just here for the paycheck. It’s a good paying job and who gets to know the biggest secrets in the world every day?

“Rayne, you’re on the SuperNova high priority list. As much as I hate to say this, they are the most powerful alien group in the universe. Hanks saved your life once, he can save it again. Now please don’t argue with me because I’m not going to change my mind.” Commander said with an authoritive air that I knew better than to fight, “You’re a very import asset to us. We don’t want to lose you.”

I nodded my head. If he didn’t sound so serious, I would whine like a child and convince him that I don’t need some stupid partner. A partner like him could hold me back. I can already tell he’s an arrogant goofball. Look at him over there giving a professional like Ryan a noogie. Inwardly I sighed. I walked over to Ryan and him, who were laughing there asses off like 10 year olds on the playground.

“Alright, let’s get to work Hanks,” I said. He stepped away from Ryan and stopped laughing. He cleared his throat.

“Call me Parker, please.”

“Whatever, let’s get to work. We’re going to check up on the LLA’s and make sure they’re all up to standards. Just listen whenever I tell you to do something and you’ll be fine.” I explained.

“What are LLA’s?” I heard from behind me. I stopped in my tracks, turning to him with an astonished look on my face. Everybody who works here knew what the LLA’s were. How long has he been working here to not know that? It’s practically what this place is about!

“Don’t tell me you don’t know! Everybody knows.” I cried in amazement. Either he didn’t pay attention to a single thing or he was new.

“Whoa, don’t blame me, I’m new to this.” He shrugged and looked totally bored.

“Legal Living Aliens, that’s what it stands for.” I stated and turned back around, walking again. First they give me a partner, and now I figure out that he’s new! Now I’m going to have to practically babysit him. They think he can protect me when he doesn’t even know what LLA stands for. We reached a work provided car that was a nice, sleek black BMW M5 Series just like ten others. I got in and started it up loving the sound of power it gave off. Parker slid into the passenger seat, unsatisfied.

“Isn’t the man supposed to drive?” Parked challenged.

“I can hardly say you’re a man.” I retorted and zipped out of the parking garage. This baby reached speeds that no other car could. Tapping the wheel I pulled into a parallel parking spot and I slid smoothly out of the car. My hand brushed the car as I walked around the front of it and into a tool shop called, Fred’s Tools. Fred was the actual owner, an alien from Mars who was living on Earth to improve tool technology. He invented tools to help humans progress.

“Ladies first,” Parker held the door open with an arrogant smirk. I shook my head and rolled my eyes, making sure to flip my long dark hair over my shoulder successfully smacking him in the face with it. Score!

The shop was filled with people milling about reading signs and inspecting shiny silver tools. They were unusually quiet, but I paid no mind. We breezed past them to a counter with a bell that had a paper sign taped next to it.

“Ring bell for service,” I read aloud and rung the bell. No one answered and the store became completely silent. I looked around suspiciously, but no one was in the store. In fact, the people milling around seconds ago were entirely missing.

“What the hell,” Parker breathed and pulled out a plasma gun. Most aliens were immune to regular bullets in a gun, as to why we have plasma guns. They looked exactly like a regular shotgun, but the inside was complicated mechanics that held the plasma. He crept around the store with the gun aimed in front of him. I jumped behind the counter and went to check out the back.

“Fred!” I called into the store. It only echoed emptily off the walls. I continued on and found a storage room. I pulled out my gun, ready to shoot at anything that popped out at me. My heart beat sped up as anticipation built. Some part of me just knew that something was going to jump out and try to attack me.

An incomprehensible language floated to my ears. I froze and went on high alert. It was the language of the SuperNova. Gently, I moved along the shelves of supplies and peaked through. In the slight gap I saw the disgusting and slimy SuperNova. Their bodies a nasty tone of green, scaly skin, and beady black eyes that had better vision than the human eyes. Their skin was extra sensitive and their hearing enhanced. That’s why there so smart and difficult to deal with. Through the small crack I shot it and watched as the small plasma squeezed between the crack and hit the alien straight in the heart. That’s what those assholes get.

I moved around to find Fred motionless on the floor. I checked for a pulse and found none. Grimly, I looked down at Fred, another life disposed of at their horrid hands. I placed three fingers on his chest, a way of say rest in peace, and left to explore with Parker.

A strong smell hit my nose and I gagged. That’s when it hit me.

“Parker!” I shouted and ran to the front of the store. It was covered in the pungent translucently green Goop. I should have known that the people milling about were awkward looking because they were simple holographs. I sighed and jumped onto the counter top. He only had a few minutes until the Goop would submerge and smother him.