"You do realize this is a complete waste of my abilities right?" Novak said as he walked. "Shouldn't we be doing, I don't know, Bigger and better jobs?"
"Look man we gotta build the brand then comes the big ticket jobs. Afterwards we're free to just get the hell outta here." Gear said simply.
"Easy for you to say. I'm the one doing all the work." Novak complained.
"Hey man. I'm not as high tech as you are." Gear said grinning. "Who knew. My finest work wouldn't only be my undoing but the biggest whiner ever."
Novak rolled his eyes. "Whatever Gear." He said flatly. He didn't know why but over the past couple months he'd come to trust Gear against his better judgement. "We live in the ass end of sector nine in your tiny ass apartment. This isn't exactly where a saw myself a year ago."
Gear laughed. "Me either dude." He said as he unlocked the door to the apartment. It was small and dirty. Random parts and tools lay everywhere but a small section of the living room around the couch. The clean spot was what Novak had claimed as his living space. The rest of the small one bedroom apartment was Gear's workshop and home. There seemed to be no organization to anything and he even had a stack of pizza boxes in the corner complete with foam cups and the cups from noodle cups. The only reason they were stacked neatly and not completely overwhelming the room was because Novak cleaned up whenever he couldn't take the mess any more but he always refused to clean up the parts and tools. Novak sat on the couch and Gear turned the TV on as he sat at the metal table that served as his operation table and dinner table in one. "No place like home." Gear said easily as he went back to working on his newest project.
Novak sighed. "I can't wait to leave this shithole." He mumbled as he lit a cigarette.
Her lungs burned from dragging in gasps of air as hard as she could as she ran. Her bare feet padded against the wet pavement and were getting cut up from debri and glass lying on the ground but she didnt care. They would be after her by now in full force and it wouldnt take long for them to catch her. She wasnt like some of the other Masks who whispered about their families they wanted to return to during cummunal baths. She didnt have a plan beyond getting away and had no idea where she was going to go or what she was supposed to do now. All she knew was that her legs wouldnt keep carrying her forever. She could almost feel the Handlers in the area breathing down her neck as the rain fell in sheets of water around her. A stray dog could be heard barking in the distance as she made her way through alleys and taking roads people werent occupying. It wouldnt be the first time someone made a citizens arrest on one of the escaped Masks for the reward money. And she stood out like a sore thumb. She could feel the sensor in the back of her neck starting to tingle. They were gaining on her. And they had their TazeMotes on and ready to zap her as soon as they were in range. Which wouldnt take much longer. They would have her back in a matter of minutes at most. Fear coursed through her veins as thick as adrenaline making it hard to think. She was running out of time and options. With no other possibilities in sight, she decided she was going to have to take her chances knocking on a strangers door. Atleast then she had a 50/50 shot at best that they would help her. She wouldnt be as lucky in odds with the Handlers. Her blue eyes darted from doorway to doorway trying to decide which one was best. She finally decided on one and said a silent prayer as she ran towards the door. (If youre up there watching me. Please dear god please let them be home. Let them be awake. Let them answer the door. And let them help me. Please let them help me.) She stopped running when she hit the door she had chosen and exhaled. The rain had soaked her, leaving her long curls wet and dripping down her legs. Even her eyelashes were soaked from the onslaught of rain. Her dress clung to her pale skin still glittered from the club. She couldnt see that her cheeks and chest got the brunt end of the sparkles as the chest in question heaved with the effort of running. Her innocent eyes looked pleading at the door, still silently praying they would answer and help as the tingling in the back of her neck intensified.
A hard banging on the door made Gear jump and Novak look to the door. "Relax will ya. I'll get it. After all it may just be someone who lost a pet." Novak teased as he walked over to the door. He nodded back at Gear and he ducked behind his table in case of bullets before Novak turned back and opened the door. He was about to speak but who he saw stunned him to silence. "Uh you got the wrong house we didn't order a mask." He said quickly regaining his thoughts.
