The Last Order

Out of the fold

I watched the landscape zoom by as I sped down the highway listening to the hum of my sports bike. I was rocketing down the long stretch of road heading back from a lunch that was with a company that wanted me to invest some of my money into them. The meeting fell short. I didn't take anyone seriously when they themselves couldn't sit in on the entire meeting that they had in fact set up. My time was precious to me. I glided along taking wide turns around the curves of the road as I drove thinking about how my time had been wasted. Riding had actually become one of my favorite things to do to pass the time.  I had learned through certain jobs and tasks I had completed that life could be very very short. 

I took an exit ramp as I remembered that a friend had made me promise to show my face at his party. I parked down by the docks and walked out onto a yacht. It was Chris Marrows' birthday and I had shown up late, though I believe the saying was better late than never.  I looked around at the crowd of people while the techno music was booming in the background, of course, I had worn my earplugs. I hated loud noise. I was a recon tracker and fighter for years and one of the things that I could count on more then anything else was my hearing. I walked up to Chris and shook his hand.

"Happy Birthday my friend," I leaned in to say.

"JAMES MY BOY YOU MADE IT," he replied happily making me smirk.

What he didn't know was that I was reading his lips. Between the noise on the boat and the earplugs, I could barely hear him anyway.

"This is some party you have going on, I thought you said you were only going to have a few friends. You know like a quiet night?" I asked him.

"Nonsense James. When you become as old as I am I do believe that if you can't throw an outrageous party then you aren't living," he said before slipping something into my pocket.

"Well it seems you've mildly outdone yourself this time," I pointed out ignoring the item, I'd find out was it was later.

"Come on, I wanna introduce you to someone," he said pulling me along before I could say no.

He tugged me through the crowd of dancers and onlookers until we had made our way to the kitchen of the yacht where there was a brunette getting another glass of what looked like chardonnay.

"James I want you to meet Sarah Parker, Sarah this is James I was telling you about," he said before winking at me.

I sighed. I hated it when he did this to me though most of the time the women he introduced to me turned out being somewhat of my piqued interest and extremely useful when it came to needing an alibi.  I wasn't sure how he did it but most of these girls were spread out over the world.

"So Sarah what brings you all the way out here?" I asked before accepting a glass she had poured for me.

"Well when my friend Chris told me he had someone of interest to meet well, I just had to take the chance," she replied with a genuine smile.

The alcohol had made her a bit flirty. She had maybe two glasses before our conversation. She wasn't a real strong drinker as her speech was already a little fuzzy. I indulged her finding out that her husband was in charge of a huge telemarketing business, so big in fact that he had his own private military of mercenaries. I wasn't sure how much of this was actually true but alcohol itself was a great truth serum.  I learned that her husband often neglected and sometimes even ignored her for his work. Late nights in the office, overnight business trips out of town. Part of me didn't have the heart to tell her that her husband was cheating on her, then again I doubt she'd remember much.

I walked her down to Chris's bedroom and laid her down covering her with a blanket. It was honestly a shame her husband was such a tool. Could I have given her a night of revenge? Well sure but then I have to worry about whether her husband is the jealous type, here's a hint most of the time they are. I closed the door and went to find Chris. I shook my head as I saw him surrounded by females telling his famous "I punched a shark" story. I made eye contact before giving him a little wave. Being closed in by his audience gave me the perfect chance to escape and be on my way home.

I pulled the thumb drive from my pocket and looked at it as I walked back up the dock. It wasn't unheard of for Chris to give me side jobs every now and again when I needed some quick cash that I couldn't withdraw from a bank. Though I usually asked for those jobs so this...this had me intrigued.  I slid it back in my pocket before running my hand through my hair as I reached my bike. I pulled my black helmet on and listened to the roar of the engine as I started the engine. It was a clear sky tonight so I would be riding under a blanket of diamonds, my favorite riding condition. 

Forty minutes I was home pulling into the garage that was just to the left of my beach house. I got off the bike and hung my helmet on the wall before shutting the garage door and heading inside. It was a two-floor three bedroom two bathroom house. I had a small library that doubled as my study. There was a fully stocked kitchen for when I felt like cooking and keeping to myself, which was more often than not. I had a gym that kept me in shape and a pool to do the same as well as have a little fun every now and again. I walked through my kitchen, which is where the garage door led me, to the foyer and up the stairs. 

I had neglected to set my alarm, as usual, I didn't feel the need to. I walked into my bedroom and over to my long dresser where I set my phone, watch and wallet next to each other in that order. It had become somewhat of a habit over the years. I pulled the gun that was holstered under the drawer of my nightstand and checked it before putting it back, still loaded, one in the chamber. I put it back before sighing and wiping my hands down my face. I was exhausted. I looked from the king-size bed longing to just let it envelop me. I took my shirt off and threw it in the hamper before walking into my bathroom. I touched a panel on the wall and the lights above the sink came on a dim setting the same time my waterfall shower turned on.

I stopped. Was it a footstep? Was I being paranoid because I was tired? I closed my eyes, as an agent we were trained that there was no such thing as paranoia. I let my pants and boxers fall to the floor before getting in the shower. If I was going to deal with whatever this was, I needed to be fully aware and the hot water woke my senses.