'Golden Mary'

Part 20

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Still disconcerted, Luhan followed Victoria outside with his backpack slung over his shoulder. He glanced around at the few people walking alone, none of them bothered by their presence. A taxi passed them by on the street but Luhan still couldn't quite fit the situation into his mind. Victoria had been so difficult with her orders that it had totally left him baffled when she followed her down the stairs.

As the bright sun cooked them Victoria still hadn't said anything but led him down the street, the apartment building soon vanishing behind them.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Victoria who was hurrying ahead didn't reply. Heaving a small sigh he quickened his pace so that he was beside her. Luhan took a small glance at her still expression. He couldn't read anything off it.

"Where are we going? Why are we suddenly leaving the apartment?" he went on. "What's going on?"

Still nothing from Victoria. They were further away from their own apartment now. The roads in the area were busier and the streets were more packed now. Luhan kept his eyes glued on Victoria who was now a few steps ahead afraid that if he lost her he wouldn't be able to find her. A car honked its horn in the distance and an echo of a chattering crowd suddenly filled up the gap of silence between them.

A few smoking men standing outside of a closed bar were quietly talking back and forth about sports whilst a pack of young students was dominating the streets with their freestyle dance. The thin amount of crowd surrounding them forced Luhan to the side losing Victoria. Pushing his way around the few people who'd gotten in the way he spotted her head two people away and quickly caught up to her again. Then suddenly without a word Victoria reached a hand out and pulled him into a heavy apartment molded from rich cement and yellow paint.

The large reception desk at the side covered by a gold frame blinded him with its reflection of the lights above. He could only see the long black leather bench sitting against the wall when Victoria pulled him toward the gold elevator. Once the door opened they stepped in and the doors immediately closed after Victoria pressed a random number. She let go of them and they stood in silence again, the radio playing a kind of jazz music from above.

"Where is this?" he asked lifting his head to look around.

"Lets talk later," Victoria said, "right now, they're still following us. We're going to pretend that you've moved here before sneaking back."

"What?" was all that spilled from his mouth.

Someone had been following them? Why hadn't he been aware? Luhan glanced around the elevator.

"They're out there, not in here," Victoria monotonously flared.

"Well..." was all Luhan could refute, "I know that. I was just checking the lights out."

He glanced at her kind of confused about why she still kept helping him. Their talk earlier seemed so critical that he didn't know whether Victoria was on his side or not.

The elevator opened and Victoria led him down the long white hallway. A whole line of black doors and silver doorknobs passed them by before Victoria pushed open the doors to the stairs and they hurried down the 13 flight of steps. Luhan thought he might die of over using his lungs since Victoria hadn't stopped for even a second to take a breath. How was she able to keep going without panting?

When they finally reached the first floor door Luhan felt a breath of relief fly through him realizing that he'd be able to walks normally now, but felt his hopes fall when Victoria dodged the first door. She continued flying down the stairs like a bat, Luhan following without fail.