The Negotiator

A Nightmare

"Can you hear me?"

"Who's there?"

"Ghost."

"Where am I?"

"Your mind Draven. You're in your mind."

"How are you speaking to me?"

"You need to help me. Help me save the androids."

"You'll get them killed. You'll get innocent people killed. I can't help a deluded being with no sense of direction. You're a darkness trying to guide more darkness into a path of light."

"You are a fool, Draven. I'll just have to take over."

Ghost appears and grabs the sides of his heads.

"LOOK AROUND. LOOK WHAT YOU DID."

"I didn't do it!" Draven yells as Ghost whips Draven's head around showing the stacks of bodies and white fluid all over the ground

"You'll be mine soon."

"NO!" Draven yells and wakes up.

The puppy jumps onto the bed and licks his face awake as the sun peers over the city and into Draven's dim room. He breaths calmly and pets behind Moonpie's ear. He has a few texts from Hope on his watch in the corner.

"Read texts." He asks the watch.

"Hey Draven, finally went home to see my mom. I couldn't sleep after what I saw. Anyways, Moonpie was walked and fed this morning. Call me when you're up so we can head to the bureau. See you soon." The holo-watch's soft voice recites to Draven.

"Text Hope, 'See you soon'." Draven tells the watch.

"Of course." It replies.

"Weather?" Draven asks the apartment standing.

"Today is mostly cloudy with seventy eight percent chance of rain. It is sixty five degrees outside with a three percent humidity." The apartment replies.

Draven walks over to his desk and grabs his watch. The time is eleven in the morning and Hope sent a happy face as a reply to his reply. Draven walks to the closet and pulls a grey turtleneck, black FBI blazer with holographic display, and black suede loafers. He walks into the bathroom, grooms his hair, and brushes his teeth. He walks out and walks down stairs with Moonpie following behind. Draven takes a drink of water, refills it, and pours it into Moonpie's empty water bowl. He squats on one knee and rubs her belly as she drinks.

"See you soon, princess." He tells her. He grabs his keys, walks to the balcony and gets into his hovering car.

He sets the car into flight and plays his favorite mix. The car flies off and Draven asks Hope where her house is. He gets the address from her, links it to the car, and it flies to her house.

He knocks on the door and Hope's mom answers.

"Oh you must be Draven." She says to him. "Hi I'm Samantha, Hope's mother. You're handsome! Come on in she's getting ready for work." She says smiling outside of her apartment.

"Oh thank you!" Draven says with an extended hand. She shakes it and they walk in.

It's a small two bedroom place. Hallway down the middle with a room on the left and another room further down the hall to the left. On the right is the bathroom and closet. Passed the hallway on the left is a the living room with a couch against the wall, chair next to it, end tables with flowers, and a TV across from all of it. Next to the TV is a window with iron bars outside of it. On the right is the dining room and past that is the kitchen and pantry.