Scandøva

Kapittel sytten

-Giulia-

Marek and I jogged through the town square and searched all of the shops; supermarkets, coffee shops and even department stores. Anything to find food. After at least half an hour of searching, we stopped in an old abandoned cafe. Backs up against the wall. Panting like wolves.

"We've got cereal bars, crisps and water!" Marek gasped, "this is nowhere near enough for everyone!"
"It will have to do for now," I replied, breathless, "there's no way I'm running around again. The others can get their own!"
Marek let out a small laugh, and then looked at me.
"You and me both."
We sat down against the wall, I tilted my head backwards, closing my exhausted eyes. I felt a hand go across my back and gave a slight pull. I woke up a few seconds later, my head resting on Marek's shoulder, his arm wrapped around my waist.
"What are you doing?" I enquired, perking my head up and making eye contact with his deep blue eyes.
"I just thought it was a good idea, you know?" He replied with a smirk.
After seconds of staring at each other, I leant forward and kissed him. I pulled back slowly and smiled. He carried it on, only this time I felt his hands gripping my waist, his fingernails digging into my skin. I threw my head back, letting out a sigh of pleasure. It felt like it could have lasted forever, only I saw a glimpse of something in the corner of my eye.
"Marek..."
Outside was a massacre of black suited figures, flooding out of a hovering aircraft, which looked as if it was from the Scanzian base. Marek pulled me up and we silently ran to the back of the shop, hiding in what looked like a pantry. We ducked down under a shelf, Marek setting up his rifle whilst I put on my helmet for safety.

Minutes passed, and I hesitated to open the door and see what was going on. As my thoughts ran wild, the door handle turned and flew open. Marek stayed armed with the rifle pointing straight at two black figures.
"Giulia Bakken," one spoke in a robotic tone, "you know what your mission is. You must complete it. Otherwise we will kill you."
Marek turned to me with a confused expression,
"What does it mean, your mission?"
I sunk my head, "It doesn't matter Marek, just kill the damn things!"
A bullet shot out of the rifle, hitting the robotic figure in the chest. It started shaking and beeping loudly.
"Giulia look—"
Marek's screams were deafened by the explosion of the robot. The other followed, shrapnel and debris flying everywhere. Marek grabbed my arm and we sprinted through the flying pieces of metal that were once the spies from the Scanzian base.

We hid behind a wall. It sounded like a distant fireworks display, and Marek turned to me.
"Giulia talk to me!"
I looked at his exhausted blue pools of eyes. If he found out what I had done, and what I was planning to do, this relationship would end, for sure.
"You don't need to know, it's none of your business!"
"Are you going to hurt us? Kill us?! Giulia talk to me!"
In anger I grabbed the collar of his jacket and kissed him hard. It only lasted a matter of seconds, then I let go.
"I'm not who you think I am. You don't deserve me, Marek, none of you do!"
His puzzled face stared at mine, his arm wrapping itself round my waist, his hand touching my skin. I rolled my eyes and pushed him away.
"I'm no good for you."

Suddenly a muffled voice came from under my belt. It was speaking in Sentric, the native language of the Senter, also code in the Scanzian base.
"Bakken, wo bidst du?" Where are you?
"Kontakt wit inhen. Erlaubnis fortsetzen" I have contact with them, permission to continue."
Luckily Marek was from the East, he didn't understand Sentric. He looked at me puzzled.
"Who was that? What are they saying?"
"Marek you can't say anything," my eyes now filling with tears as I drew a small rifle from my backpack. I pointed at him.
"Don't. Say. A. Word. To. Anyone."
He put his hands up and nodded vigorously. I nodded slightly and lowered the gun. I walked up to him and cupped his face gently.
"Not a word."
And with that his blistered lips met mine softly. His cold hand cupped my face and stroked the back of my neck. I didn't deserve to be treated like this, it wasn't fair on Marek. I pushed away and we walked back to the cottage.

If only Lister were here to see this...