Chapter II - As It Began

She has a life, but her eyes looks different at it...

H

er morning had never been as hectic. Sipping her coffee that is as black as the night sky, Adrienne listened to her friend talking while he accounted of the things that had happened during the weekend. Suddenly Maxwell stopped in midsentence and looked at her incredulously. She put her mug down and stared at her friend.

“What?”

“You’re not listening Adrienne. Your mind’s wandering again…”

She paused for a moment before speaking.

“Max, you know how well I listen to each word you say and I hear and you know you’re my best friend~”

“And I know you can quote me well like a book you’ve read from cover to cover and detail to detail,” Max finished for her, “but I need you to listen to me with your heart Adrienne. Not just your mind or your fox ears.”

She quieted again. She just can’t shrug off the eerie feeling that she had awhile back as she woke up. It has been hours since it happened and yet she still doesn’t understand how something like a dream can feel so real.

“Did you dream about it again?”

She jumped off her seat. Maxwell literally dropped her on her seat by startling her.

“How did you get on my back and whisper in my ear without me noticing?” she asked a little louder while still clutching her chest.

“See there Adrienne, you’ve been a little jumpy lately and I think that’s because of the dream. You’ve never gotten over it right? I mean, c’mon. It’s just a dream. Why the big deal about it?”

Adrienne sighed. Max circled her seat and sat opposite her. They stared each other for a moment and broke off the silence with them giggling together.

“Alright,” Adrienne started, sighing. “I don’t think I have to tell you the story again and again. You’ve heard it a million times. A zillion maybe and I know you can recount it from memory. But you know what Max? This time is different. Before I can only see a man. Bloodied. War. People dying. A woman screaming. But now…”

Max stared at her. She needed a pause or else she’ll break. She can’t point out what she’s been feeling right now. Except that she know she felt a great loss when she woke up. She continued.

“It’s now different Max. I saw the man. I saw him. And the woman screaming. It’s me. Yet it’s not me. I mean, how can I be there when I wasn’t even there? I’ve lived my life here in the Big Apple. Not one soldier I know. Nor kissed. And the dream sounds cheesy don’t you think? I mean I hope you get what I mean.”

“I get it. And I don’t get it. But the thing is that you’ve been much into those soldier movies, war and action you could have been a man. And here you’re asking me it’s cheesy? Hello? Everything we watched together on those movies had sad endings. The guy died, lady left behind. No difference. But if you get having the same dream again and again, maybe you’re thinking so much of those things. For an advice? Maybe you need some rest.”

“Rest? I’m always at rest. I don’t need that. Anyway, there are a lot of tasks for me to do today. Thank you for the advice Max. Sorry for disturbing you. Get back to work now. I’ll call you when I need you. Right now, I’m going to the bathroom to freshen up a bit and we’ll start our day. Now you head back to your office and I’ll be right here, okay?”

She leaned from her seat to give Max his peck in the cheek. When she turned away, she didn’t see the worried look in Maxwell’s eyes nor the pain that is apparent in there.

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

“

I’m worried.”

That one phrase may sound nothing. But to those three people in the darkroom it may mean their world and their whole being. Concealed in the lowest part of the building, the room can only be accessed with high end technology and security. Its walls are soundproof and wired. More than its sensors, the room boasts of a two-inch thick steel walls designed to be fireproof and even bomb proof. The room has access to all of the building's unit; elevators, rooms, offices and even comfort rooms. The room has passages one can’t imagine having. And here only three people; whose fingerprints, irises and voices can be recognized, have access to the room’s facilities. Aside from these hi-tech bents, they also possess unique identification codenames to hide their real identities.

“We have nothing to worry about.”

The man at the head of the table said. He was wearing a dark blue three piece suit and looks formidable with broad shoulders, square face, deep set blue eyes and mouth formed into a tight smile. The man is a screaming authority and yet he was not even speaking. He needs no words. With just a flick of his fingers, even the most powerful will ask for him and his help. While common people call him handsome and rich, those who knew him have words to describe him beyond what can be seen. And if there are some people that one should not mess up with, he would be one of them. He goes by the name of Azure.

He scanned the room and set his eyes on the two other people beside him. The one on his right was an older man. Old enough to be his father but always the quite type. One who listens and listens still. One who can be a great advisor and the best strategist. He was in his mid-fifties. Though not young, the man kept his physique well and can run as much as a twenty-year old can. He’s called Crane.

The last man on his left is a trained marksman. His best man on the field. But sometimes, his best is his worst when it comes to tough decisions. If there is one man who can talk straight to his face and openly say “No” to him, this would be the man. In broad daylight, the man can be downright handsome or a downright geek. Both or one. It’s one of his assets. Disguising. Hiding. None had been better at it but him. But in the same way that he can read a book beyond its meaning, so can Azure read Bravo.

“I’m worried.”

Bravo repeated again. This time a little more powerful. Azure just looked at him. Ignoring his stare, Crane butted in with the two.

“Azure, maybe Bravo has something to worry about for real. He keeps our subject. So we would know by far if something is wrong because he handles it firsthand. Maybe we should let the matter rest for now and take some necessary actions.”

Azure looked at Crane. Nodding in agreement. Understanding what has not been said.

Bravo stood. Checked his watched and saw that almost 17 minutes had passed. Dusting his coat for some invisible dust that’s not been there, they adjourned the meeting. He was two minutes longer here anyway. He needs some fresh air.

Without as much as saying goodbye, he left his colleagues looking after him before he was out of the room in less than a minute of a time.

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

A

drienne closed her eyes and opened them again. She kept looking at the mirror. Keeps looking at herself. It was her. It is her. Her chocolate black hair looks brown in the sunlight. Her lips are just the same, always beautiful with a smile. Always ready with a kind word. Always talking and speaking as part of her job. She looked straight into the mirror. What disturbs her the most are her eyes. And her dreams. What she looked like is her, alright. But her eyes… her eyes is the same eyes as the man she held in her arms.

The man who said loved her and felt like it was right… but never. Never did she understand.

 

Author's Note

This would be the second part of my first book. I'd love to hear your mind with these. I may need some help too so feel free to review and criticize. My thanks. 5/5/2012@9:26 AM