the final mission

04

The party was to start strictly at 8:00 sharp.

The workers rushed around, stumbling to make sure every nook was clean, every table was in place, and every meal was cooked to perfection. The decorations had already been put on the walls and the butlers were ready to welcome incoming visitors. This party occurred once a year, so the Flores family wanted nothing short of the best.

Mrs. Flores sat in front of her mirror, being pampered from the workers that surrounded her. They cut, teased, and applied until she was in her full glam. Mrs. Flores stared at herself in the mirror with a toothy grin and thanked the workers around her. They adored the stunning lady in front of them with all of their hearts. She had taken each and every one of them under her wing in order to keep them off the streets. Some of them were even licensed cosmetologists.

Mr. Flores was in the room beside them, making sure his tailored suit fit in all the right places. Which it did. He put on his baby blue tie to match his wife's dress and stepped into the room, lifting the corners of his mouth when he saw his wife laughing with her maids. After twenty years, he was still in love with everything his spouse did.

Down the hall, a 19 year old boy was grumbling to himself about the stupid party he was forced to go to every year. He wasn't one for socializing and preferred sitting in his room and reading. He loved sitting on his balcony and being able to feel the breeze as his brain soaked in classics. It was splendid.

"Kai! Your ass better be out that room in no more than two minutes!" Kai's younger sister, Karissa screamed over the ruckus occurring just below them. Every year he made her wait for him, but Karissa was determined to not let that happen this year. She recently learned how to pick locks and she was willing to put her newfound skill to the test.

Kai sighed, a frown overtaking his face. He didn't understand the point for the party every year, but he went along with it anyway, as if he had a choice. His parents could be excessive at times, but they seemed very passionate about this party. Kai never got a straightforward answer as to why the Flores' were insistent on hosting it.

Kai walked out of his room, greeted by the sight of the rest of his family. He knew he looked ridiculous with his baby blue tie, but he let it go for this singular day. Mrs. Flores was adamant about the whole family color coordinating every year. She never failed to surprise her family.

Mrs. and Mr. Flores, followed by their four children, descended down the stairs and into the ballroom, which was slowly filling up. Karissa's arm was looped through Kai's and Kassandra's through Kolton's. The family always was the center of the room. They were all stars in their own ways, but together, they made a sun.

The Flores parents immediately worked the floor, introducing themselves to as many people as they could. The night was still young and in that moment, they were too. Mrs. Flores reminisced. She had met her husband at one of these parties. And now she was determined for Kai to find his future here, too.

Kai sized up the room, looking at all the possible escapes if he were to engage in awkward conversation. It happened much too often for his liking. Karissa pulled him along, pointing out all the relatively attractive boys in the vicinity. Kai rolled his eyes. He couldn't care less.

As the food was being served, the guests took their seats and dined on the wonderful meal. It consisted of well-done steak topped with asparagus and handmade mash potatoes, one of the Flores' favorite home cooked meals. As his family was eating, Kai surveyed the room once more. This time, noticing an empty seat near the back. He had never heard of anyone skipping the Flores' party.

Mr. Flores stood up and clunk his glass with a spoon. Slowly, the chatter died down and the guests turned towards him to give him their undivided attention. He smiled and introduced his family members as well as the many workers who had helped this party happen. Mr. Flores divided into a bit of family history that Kai found remarkably boring.

"In about ten years time, my eldest son, Kai, will be taking over the company. He's not a man of many words, but his knowledge speaks for itself. He's calculative, thoughtful, and witty, things he learned for himself. I am proud of the man he's become." People teared up at the speech Mr. Flores gave his son. Kai glanced at his dad with a small smile and continued eating.

The party went on, people returning back to the dance floor. Luckily, Karissa found someone to dance with, so Kai could immerse himself in his own thoughts. Something seemed out of place in the back of the room and Kai's eyes were automatically drawn there. In the once empty seat sat a girl who seemed to be about his age.

Long, black hair and darker eyes to match stared him down, daring him to look away. Kai almost snickered at the thought. Nobody intimidated him. He noticed the blood red dress she had on, a stark contrast to her hair. He tried to read her place card from afar, but it did not work in his favor. It was already missing. He remembered to check Mrs. Flores' seating plan later to find out who she was.

The lights dimmed and he realized it was time for the slow dance. Mrs. Flores insisted on keeping the tradition, but Kai found it even more unneccessary than the party itself. She always tried to force him to dance with girls, but it never worked out in her favor because he'd just hide away in the shadows. That was his gameplan.

He found a plant near the back and didn't say a word. Kai observed the scene around him and the tranquility of it all. Girls gently leaning their heads on guys' shoulders. The soft orchestra playing in the background. The moonlight shining through the window. It looked like it was a movie scene.

Until the screams erupted.

"Help!" One of the workers attempted to turn the lights back on, but the switch was not working. More screams sounded as Kai heard bodies drop to the ground. He waited in his hiding spot until the quiet passed over. He was going to begin looking for his family members, which he hoped were safe. On the way, he passed the girl in the red dress from earlier, laying on the ground, unmoving. Kai didn't have time to check if she had a pulse, but he had just assumed she was dead.

The room burst into flames, all the bodies on the ground slowly going up with the flames. The room was getting hotter and Kai was a nervous wreck. He saw Kolton and Kassandra lying still on the ground, their arms still attached. That was more than enough to bring the emotionless Kai to his breaking point. He cried like a little wussy.

When Kai tried to reach them, a flame broke them apart and forced him to back up. The room was getting quite hazy and the temperature was increasing, wrapping Kai in a bubble. He didn't know where to go. By the time he had reached an exit, he had passed out from the lack of oxygen.

When Kai hit the floor, he noticed a bottle of empty lipstick laying there.