Playing for Rya

13. The Barn

Song: Anywhere by Rita Ora

'Take this,' Elsa said, handing Rya what looked like a business card, it was white in color and, Rya couldn't help but notice, much thicker than a business card needed to be.

It was also bare, with nothing written on it to indicate what it was for. To anyone else, it wouldn't seem like much, but as Rya ran her thumb over its textured surface, she knew that it had to be an access card, similar to the one Derek had handed her not too long ago.

'What's it for?' she asked, staying close to Elsa as the blonde walked confidently up to the buildings entrance, her heels clicking against the embossed concrete floor and her hips swaying with every step.

'It's my access card,' Elsa responded as they approached the building, 'I'm going to use Gio's.'

Again, there was no discernible security system at the wide entranceway, which slid open as they approached, and closed behind them, effectively encasing them in a spacious enclosure, as they faced a wide panel of frosted glass, which she instinctively knew, was not another false entrance, as the one they'd just passed through had been.

She glanced around discreetly, with her heart pounding in her chest, there was nothing she could see, that indicated the presence of cameras or a semblance of anything else that would give an indication that a video feed was being transmitted.

But she knew that there probably was.

She watched Elsa place a gold card, over a small rectangular black box resting on the wall adjacent to them, which, but for its color, was identical to the one she'd been given.

Her heartbeat quickened as she waited expectantly for the glass doors before them to open.

They didn't.

Elsa stepped aside and glanced quickly back at her, nodding discreetly and gesturing with her eyes for her to do exactly as she had done.

Stepping up to the black box, she placed the card over it, swallowing as she became plagued by even more nervous thoughts.

Was she placing the card right? would they get caught even before they got in?

Her head swivelled to the doors as they parted a second later, confirming her suspicions that whatever security systems they had in place, had detected two people trying to gain access.

She entered the building alongside Elsa, and stopped short as the doors slid shut behind them.

They were standing in a foyer decorated with intricately designed beige and brown marble flooring, luxurious cream colored walls decorated with beautiful pieces of artwork, and a white ceiling fitted with small round light inserts that lit up the place, and added to the luminance of the crystal chandelier which hung in the center of the semi large space.

She half expected Elsa to usher her into one of the two elevators directly opposite the hall from where they stood just inside the entranceway, but it seemed her friend had other ideas as she turned and began walking towards one end of the slightly curved hallway.

'Whatever you do, do not look surprised,' Elsa suddenly said, as they descended a short flight of steps and entered into a large, cozy, space, lit by sunlight emanating from the wide window panels that took up an entire section of the room, and gave a breathtaking view of a section of the private beach beyond with it's white sands and turquoise colored waters.

The room itself had a rustic feel to it, a different design aesthetic from that of the foyer they'd just passed through. Rya took in the polished dark brown hardwood flooring, stone accent walls, plush rugs, square shaped beige leather sofas and high ceiling from which hung oversized wooden beams fitted with small round light inserts, that accentuated the natural lighting and showed a continuing pattern from the lighting in the hallway.