THE KEY (book one)

|twelve|

•Wednesday
Eight twenty-six•
We arrive at Red Phoenix and park the mobile in the back parking lot. The atmosphere here is so eerie and dark, I almost don't want to get out. Luke parks to the right of us in a white car and Drew parks in front of us.
phoebe walks over to us in gestures for me to roll down my window.
"I'm going in okay. I'll let you know when to walk in. When I do meet me around that back door. I'll be there holding it open." She explains sending me a soft smile and walks away. Levi loads his gun and tucks it away in the inside of his coat.
"Did you bring an extra?" I ask. He nods and gestures towards the glove compartment. I reach in front of me pulling it open and taking the gun out.
"Hold onto it for me. I don't think Mr. Cadman would like that very much." I try to lighten the mood, but i'm terrified. He grabs it and puts it on the other side of his coat.
"Okay Erra it's go time." Phoebe says into the walkie-talkie. I sigh and tuck the blade in my bra strap.
"You don't have to do this... I mean if you don't want." Levi speaks up, I open the car door and step out.
What? Where was the energy when we where coming up with the plan.
"I will... this isn't a game remember."
Remembering his words from the other day he huffs and takes he eyes off mine.
I close the door and make my way over to the clubs back door. Phoebe is holding it open like she said waving her hands in the air beckoning me to come fast. I quickly run up to her and we both walk in.
She leads me down a dark hall with green neon lights trailed along the ceiling and walls.
"Come this way." She orders opening a side door. I follow her in to find myself in a large dressing room. The bulbs from the vanity brighten the room tremendously. There are colorful costumes and everywhere and mirrors along the walls.
"Levi says you don't need it but who cares what he says." Phoebe grabs makeup off the counter and dabs a brush on my jaw, neck and forehead. Putting the powder and Brush down she grabs a burgundy lipstick next and applies it to my lips.
"The bruises weren't cutting it." She explains, while swaying to the techno music playing from the front. She looks around for a little then gasps.
"You have to wear these." She grabs a pair of red heels and I scowl at the dangerous thing.
Backing away I say, "You're pushing it Phoebe." She tries a few more times but i'm not giving in on this one.
"Bare foot it is." She laughs tossing the shoes to the side.
"One more thing." Oh gosh.
"You need this. There's eyes everywhere and we can risk them getting an accurate description." She opens a small case and pulls out a little circular chip.
"What is that?" I ask and she sticks it to my temple.
"Features manipulator, you just tap it and think about what you want to look like... it'll do the rest."
"Like a disguise?"
"Yes." She clicks it on and steps back gesturing me to try.
"Umm long red hair." I the first thing that comes to mind and not even a moment later I can feel the shift.
"Look!" She turns me to look in the mirror and there it is; silky long red hair.
I look so different.
"How is this even..."
"Technology baby." She smiles and shakes my arms.
"You look stunning but we have to move it. I'm sure he doesn't like to wait, and take this coat off women!" Phoebe nags and I quickly take it off along with my boots.
"I'm just saying you'd look better with the heels." She mumbles understand raising her breath.
"Okay okay give me the damn heels Phoebe." I demand and she hands them to me. I slip them on and we rush out. The techno music booms through the building. I can barely here myself think.
"Phoebe are you sure I should wear these!"
I complain holding the wall to keep me from falling down.
"Come on Erra you should be fine. It's only for like thirty seconds." She whines opening a black door allowing  fog to creep in.
"Let's go, let's go!" She orders and we scurry in. The air's humid and reeks of cigarettes and alcohol. Multi colored strobe lights flash from every inch of the room. Dirty men look away from the dancers on the stage to glance at me.
This can't be real. We stop at the bar and she grabs a tray with four drinks sitting on it.
"You're on okay!" She yells over the music. We walk more towards the back ,and stop at black velvet curtains guarded by three security guards.
"Wait here." She says holding her hand up. The nerves are starting to take over. I never had to dance or seduce someone before. I crack my knuckles and stare down at my shoes. I need to get this done, gain some type of confidence. Maybe I should change my hair. Instead of saying it out loud and think of platinum blonde hair and a green lingerie set instead. I hope I still look decent. The fact that I'm doing this makes me nauseous.
"Wait!"  I yell out before she walks in. She stops and turns to me.
"Oh wow you changed your-" Before could finish I grab a drink off the tray and chug it down. I cough as the alcohol poisons my throat and put the glass back on the tray. Phoebe gives me a concerned look, smiles then walks away. I sway to the music trying to shake the nerves away.
About two minutes later she walks back out and gives me a thumbs up. Taking a deep breath I push through the curtains. The room is lit up by purple lights. A tall tan skinned man, with buzz cut hair, wearing an all black suit sits before me on a leather brown couch.
In front of him is a small glass stage with a metal pole in the middle of it.
"You must be fresh here." He says revealing the gold that sits on his bottom teeth. I can't seem to move and I try to speak but the words don't fall out. I've never felt so uncomfortable in my life. He scratches his neck and I notice every notch of it is covered in tattoos; one of them being The Viper symbol. That's probably why Levi gave me the knife. He beckons me to walk over to him and I oblige. He moves a cane off of his lap, and that's when I notice it. On top of the cane is one of The Keys we're looking for. I slowly walk over to him and he grabs hold of  my forearm.
"Mhmm you look familiar." He frowns and my stomach drops. Squinting his eyes he smiles and releases me.
I don't question and walk over to the stage. Trying my best to find some type of rhythm.
Catching it I begin to dance slowly, keeping my eyes glued to him. Experimenting and changing my hair color when I see fit. Whatever I drank from that glass starts to take over. Swaying side to side running my hands through my hair and over my body I begin to feel a strange desire.
A horrible one.
I want him dead or maybe I just feel sick.
I need to put the poison in his drink before he drinks the last glass. After what feels like forever I slowly go down to my hands and knees and crawl over to him.
I'm definitely erasing this from my memories.
He doesn't look away from my eyes; not for a second. Gently placing my hands on his shoulders I straddle his thighs. A devilish smirk grows on his face but I keep my expression neutral. I can feel his hands slowly slide up my back but I quickly grab it.
"Don't touch." I whisper trying to keep my calm. He ignores and starts kissing my neck . I huff but use this as an opportunity to poison his drink. Sliding my hand up his arm and to my bra strap I pull the blade out and pop the cap off. Cadman starts kissing along my collar bone.
I run my fingers through his short hair, and softly keep his head down so he doesn't catch me. Reaching over I dip the knife in the glass and keep it in for a moment, then toss it on the floor. Cadman looks up and groans.
"What's you're name?" He asks rubbing my arm. He's high I'm sure of it. I ignore his question and smirk.
"Here have a drink." I suggest handing him the glass. He looks me then back at the glass and smiles squinting his eyes.
"Don't mind if I do." With that he takes the drink down with two chugs. For a second I think nothing is going to happen but then he begins to cough. I slowly climb off of him and walk backwards.
"Are you Okay?" I question playing dumb.
"Some- thing i-in my drink." He stutters gripping onto his throat. I squat down to pick up the knife. Holding it up I look at him and frown.
"I guess I dropped this." I mock shrugging my shoulders. His coughing turns into gasps for air.
"Y-you bitch." Are his final words. Then slowly but surely he falls to the side and takes his last breath. I grab his cane and knock the stick against the wall breaking the second key off.
"I got it guys." I speak through the walkie-talkie and make my way out through the curtains.
I killed a man.
"That was fast. Come to the bar and change your hair." Phoebe replies and I change it back to my authentic hair. I spot her sitting on one of the chairs looking out for me.
"Hey!" I yell grabbing onto her shoulder. She jumps up and smiles.
"I killed a man." I feel sick. I've never killed anyone before.
"Guys meet us-" She starts but is cut off by gun shots fired in the air. We immediately look at each other and connect the dots.
"Guys where are you!" I yell over the screaming and music.
"We have your six just find a way out." Levi demands but I don't see him. Everyone's running every which way. We'll get trampled if we try to get out of here right now.
I kick off my heels and pull my hair up.
Phoebe pulls her gun out and jumps behind the bar.
"Erra get down!" She yells and looks at me like I'm crazy. I ignore her and search through the crowd for Levi.
"Levi where are you?" I ask pushing past the stampede of people.
"Main stage!" I look up at the stage and see him jump on top. Shots fire again this time into the crowd, and it gets harder to push through. It doesn't take me long to get trampled over like a doll. I continue to try my best to push throw but i'm drowning here. Not a moment later Levi's face is in my sight and he grabs my arm and yanks me towards him; hiding us both behind a counter. I look at Levi who's already looking down at me.
"We need to leave!" I shout.
"Guys outside now." Levi orders through the walkie-talkie.
"Oh you guys aren't outside yet?" Luke asks. Shots go off again and don't stop this time. Levi takes off his coat and throws it over my shoulders and pushes me towards the exit.
"Stay in front of me please." We run pass dead bodies on the floor and over broken glass until we see light.
"Make a right and go out the black door to the left." Levi explains. Finding the door I push it open, run straight to our black mobile and hop in the passenger seat. Levi gets in the drivers seat and ducks my head. The sounds of our heavy breathing is the only filling the silence. As soon as he takes off I can feel myself dissociate. My hands and parts of my body are covered in blood of strangers lives, I poisoned a Viper, and now i'm here in silence driving home.
"Are you okay?" Levi's words send me off the edge. I sob and sob without a word. Who will I become.