Project X

by Watkins, TM

  “Well done Katherine.”

  I turned to the beaming smile, something that was worth treasuring.

  “If you would put the safety on please, the little yellow button.”

  I clicked the button and placed the weapon into my father's waiting hands.

  “Metal arrows to help pierce the flesh and bone. When aiming for a kill you would want to target the heart.”

  His face became serious and as I looked at him I began to fear. Fearing why he thought that I needed such a bizarre weapon. Why wasn't a gun good enough?

  “Rapid fire is a quick succession of the arrows; it will unload the entire barrel. It should only be used when you don't have time to take aim.”

  “Do you think that I am in such danger?” My eyes widened as I whispered. “Why isn't a gun enough?”

  He sighed as he put the gun back into the box and then put it aside. Without warning he took my hands and held them in his, something he had not done in many years.

  “Katherine you are being watched.”

  “I know that.” I interrupted.

  “Not by Charles or the client's goons but by the woman.”

  “Eva?” I gasped.

  He nodded and gripped my hands tighter.

  “Frank had been watching the building the day after you began there, Charles was watching over you. While Frank was watching the building, a woman left. She was wrapped up in a long black jacket looking like the rest of the people around her but there was one little stand out. A large black hat. Some had their umbrellas to hide from the rain, some had nothing at all but she had a wide brim summer hat. He followed her until she reached the coffee shop where Walter works. Charles found Frank and the two of them watched as she stood in the shadows. Watching you, following you and that was when the boys were approached by a man.”

  His fingers caressed the knuckles of my hand, pressing his loving warmth into the skin.

  “He warned that there are some that walk this earth that should not be, some that should be removed from their life before they take another. This man offered his weaponry skills, giving us what he believed was the only thing that will protect us if she were to attack. Guns are too noisy. This is swift and because it's an arrow if it gets stuck it can't be pulled out, it has to be pushed all the way through. The heart allows for instant death, anywhere else and she will be able to move around. Take great care with this Katherine, it is for your safety. Now, you should retreat to the safe house with promptness. Do you want a lift?”

  “It's okay, I've got a place that I want to go to.” I shrugged. “I think I need a bit of a break for a while, if you don't mind.”

  “Of course not darling. Come and see me when you want to start with your next mission.”

  I nodded quietly and took the box from him, slipping out of the vehicle.

  “Later squirt.” Chet grinned at me as he shut the door. “Keep safe.”

  With a pained smile I hugged him, something he wasn't used to. That and the fact that we were in public so it was against the company’s policy to show such an association but I didn't care. My life was in danger apparently, so why couldn't I hug one of my favorite brothers?

  Chapter 35: One shade of brown

  This was my little secret, one that no one knew of. Not Wal or Chet. There was no way I'd tell Tilley. I hadn't even told Amber. I had second safe house. It was a little unit, modern and pleasant. All it contained was one bedroom with a bathroom and an open lounge, dining and kitchen. The kitchen even contained a washer and a dryer which was perfect for this person who bought it with the thought that there might just be a time when she needed to hide.

  Sadly, though it wasn't the best of places to hide at the moment. Not because it was on the other side of town or it was in a part of the city that was riddled with crime. No, it wasn't ideal because it was really close to Dorian's building. Worse yet, I was a level below his apartment, so I could see easily into his place. I would just have to shut the curtains and refrain from looking out the window, simple.

  I slipped around the edge of the building, looking at the soft smile of my brother one last time. How long would I hide before I returned to the espionage business? I didn't know, I could only assume that with a little time I would be ready for it again. This time I wouldn't get so emotionally involved. I was already mourning the loss of Dorian, it seemed that he fitted perfectly into my world and that there was a great gaping hole now that he wasn't there.

  When I reached the archway to the shopping arcade, I turned into it. It was the long way to get to the building but it was necessary if I thought that I might be being followed. Which after the revelation about Eva I now believed I was. It didn't make a lot of sense that Eva would get past her security detail, but I hardly knew her so I didn't know how determined she could be. I climbed the stairs to the second level of the building, stopping around the corner to watch those that were behind me. The stores around me were high end fashion, I looked incredibly out of place in my dull jeans, cotton shirt and jacket. No one took any notice of me as they walked away from the top of the stairs, they all moved towards their store of choice.

  Without finding anyone of interest, I continued onto the other end of the building, slipping into the service doors. Long cinder block walls lined my path through the corridor, eventually I made it to the service elevator. Beside it was a set of stairs that went to the next levels, both up and down. Down was the loading dock, an area where I knew I would be noticed. Up the stairs was another level of shops and an overpass to the next building. Hearing the ping of the elevator, I quickly scampered up the stairs and avoided any unwanted attention.

  The next level was the same as the previous, a long corridor that was a bland grey path. It was constricting and a little nerve-wracking. Considering there was only two ways to move through this path, I knew I could become trapped easily. I had only taken this path once, ensuring that there was a path for me to move to my safe house quickly and easily, I plotted this path a year ago. Nothing had changed of course but it was still causing my stomach to turn over. I pushed through the service doors with an anxious and deep inhalation, soaking in the terrible shopping center music.

  Within a few more minutes I was walking into the building lobby, pressing the button to call for the elevator. I had survived the walk to the building, hopefully without being watched. The elevator doors opened and I quickly stepped in, shutting the doors fast. I couldn't stop the rising need to encase myself into my apartment, shrinking away from the world. As the elevator steadily rose through the floors I pulled my watch off, breaking the band away from it. I slipped the broken piece into my pocket and continued to break away the rubber molding around my key.

  “Always with me.” I whispered to my little silver friend.

  I slipped the key into the door, ignoring the laughing couple that were getting into the elevator.

  Ensconced in the safety of my apartment, I turned the locks over and set about freshening the place up. After almost a year of being closed up it was a little on the nose. I had to resort to using the air conditioning, at this level there was only fixed windows so there was no fresh air for me. The pantry cupboard had survived without an infestation from vermin but there was only tinned and dried food. I knew I couldn't survive without fresh food so I quickly set out to the laptop I had left on the desk in the bedroom and placed an online order. As I perused the items I was grateful that I had the foresight to set this up, I had taken the time to ensure that there was enough here for an emergency and I had left entertainment for myself.

  I could survive here for a long time, so long as I had access to the internet. Bills could be received and paid for electronically, food could be paid for and delivered, all without leaving the apartment. The only thing I had to do was take my rubbish to the disposal chute at the end of the corridor. Everything was in fake names, it was a bonus of being in the espionage world. Having access to forged documents, I took a few items and set up a second life. This apartment, the u
tilities and all of the goods within the apartment were bought under the name of Claire Reynolds.

  Once the order was done, I set about my next task. Changing my look. I wasn't a fan of home hair dyes. Tilley and I had gone through a phase in our teen years where we did nothing but home hair dyes. It was a mess, hair dye was all over the pristine white vanity and our father went ballistic because of it. After that he insisted that Tilley's mother help us with the messy job. I stared at my long blonde locks with tears in my eyes, slowly cutting away the past. When I was done, I faced a woman with a poorly cut mid length style, the sink filled with her hair. I bundled them into the bin and pulled out the packet of dye, chestnut brown.

  Chapter 36: Red door

  In the lounge room there was one wide window. The lounge that I had bought sat perfectly below the sill, allowing me to put it against the wall and peer through the crack in the curtains. Watching the neighbors or rather, one neighbor. The place had been quiet for the most of the day, up until an hour ago I hadn't seen movement. Then out of nowhere it seemed like a war had broken out in the apartment. Something hit the glass door, not enough to break it but it was enough to make me flinch.

  A few more things hit the glass, one item did manage to make its way through. The glass shattered, flying across the patio. I watched rather shocked, never did I think that I could cause such anger in him, not after a few days of being with him. Then I saw Dorian walk through the door and I wanted to cry, I could see the pain. I had walked away without a word. When he left this morning, he would have thought that everything was fine and for the most part, it was. But that was gone now, he was clueless to what really happened, why I wasn't around. Did he think that I had walked out on him and not bothered with a note? My mind slipped into a dark thought, did he think that something had happened to me?

  A knock on the door roused me from my teary view of Dorian, I quickly slipped in my colored contacts and opened the door as far as the chain would allow. The fellow on the other side of the door offered a smile, he was delivering my groceries.

  “Afternoon… Miss Reynolds?”

  “Yeah.”

  I shut the door and unlatched the chain, letting him into the apartment.

  “On the kitchen floor is fine thanks.”

  He pushed his trolley to the kitchen, unloading the boxes onto the floor.

  “Have a great day.”

  “You too.” I said as he pushed his trolley out again.

  I quickly packed away the groceries and returned to the view. It was shocking to say the least. He'd called the cops. I frowned and pulled the watch out of my pocket, looking at the time. An hour had passed, I had spent an hour packing away the groceries. But it did not make sense, I could understand Dorian wanting to make sure I was safe and it was reasonable to think that he would call the cops but was it normal for them to arrive so quickly? I thought they had to wait so many hours before a person could be reported missing. Did Dorian hold such sway with the police department that he could call them and they would come running? It didn't seem possible and it made me question the view.

  Dorian walked out onto the patio, Derek soon followed after him. It looked like Dorian was barking orders at the poor man, catching the attention of the police who were still inside. Derek scuttled away, leaving Dorian to his view of the city. He sat on an outdoor chair, resting his elbows on his knees as his head lowered. A police officer walked out to him, Dorian stood and though I couldn’t see a lot, I could see that he was pretty pissed. I wished I could be a fly on the wall, to hear the conversation, to know what the cop was saying to him.

  The man handed something to Dorian, I could only assume it was a business card, then he walked back into the apartment. Dorian sat back onto the outdoor chair, sinking back into his despondent view of the floor. I watched him, wishing that I could reach out and comfort him but I couldn't. Not when I was the one that caused him such grief. I had done this to him, I caused that pain and I was a horrible person. Tears slid down my face as I pressed my hand to the glass.

  “I'm sorry.” I whispered to him.

  When I couldn't handle the view, I found a bottle of wine that I had stashed in the cupboard and decided to surf the internet. Foolishly I had started with the city news. How he had managed to get my disappearance to the news site so quickly I don't know but I figured that Dorian's influence on this city was greater than I had anticipated. The banner was just one word, missing. My heart hammered hard and even though I had only had one sip of the glass of wine, I felt the fog of drunkenness weigh heavily upon me.

  The article indicated that a staff member of Aphrodite International was missing, a staff member that happened to be classed as upper management. And even though there was no mention of the parents or loved ones of this missing person, Dorian had taken it upon himself to make a statement about it. I had managed to avoid Madelyn and the papers she was constantly reminding me about, therefore there were no next of kin details.

  All they had was a name, a name of a woman who didn't really exist. As for her apartment, she didn't live there any more and her friend, well she was in hiding too. Dorian had little to go on and it pained me to think that he had accepted me so willingly and without thought. At least he could rest easy knowing that the project was still safely hidden. I looked at the picture of Dorian, his face was cold and lifeless as he read the media release.

  As I stared at his image, I couldn’t help but ponder the speed in which he had gotten things done. Cops turning up within the hour for a missing adult woman, a woman who could have gone shopping? Odd. Top banner for the local newspapers website, too convenient. I was beginning to become more and more suspicious, curiosity got the better of me and I stood to the bedroom window. Slowly I pulled the curtain back and peered through the tiny slit opening, checking what was happening with my neighbor. It was quiet all except for a man who was patching the hole in the glass. It looked like a temporary fix, boarding it with a tape and what looked like a plastic sheet.

  A knock at the door made me gasp, my heart began to beat faster as I slowly walked towards the door. Was it one of the neighbors? Or was it the neighbor? My mind went into overdrive, wondering if it was Eva. I feared to open the door, wishing that the person would go away. Peering through the peep hole I saw an empty corridor, the ping of the elevator and seconds later the doors sliding shut. Warily I opened the door with the chain across and whispered hello, there was no response but there was a parcel on the floor. My mind sighed with relief, it must have been the guy on the front desk. Though what this was, I had no idea. I hadn't ordered anything other than the groceries and they were all accounted for.

  I closed the door and released the chain, pausing a moment to tighten the grip I had on the kitchen knife. With one hand on it and the other opening the door, I cautiously checked the corridor. Not a soul to be seen, it was void of everything except the stark white walls, dreary lighting and dirtied wood floors. Oh, the parcel too. I picked it up and pressed my ear to it, the over-active imagination that I have informed me that it was definitely a bomb. With no ticking to be heard I looked around the corridor one last time and returned to the seclusion of my apartment.

  It was a small box with no return address, just the delivery address. When I opened the box I was suitably shocked, there were two items and I knew instantly who they were from. It had me worried that Dorian had found me so easily, but he had. My silk kimono was neatly packed at the bottom of the shallow box, nestled against it was a small red box. Perfume. He had sent me a bottle of Red Door. I frowned at the box, opening it to see the bottle inside, nothing unusual. I pulled out the bottle and looked at it, nothing peculiar.

  Returning to the box I removed my kimono, shaking it and checking the box, still nothing. There was a message to be had here, I knew it. The dressing gown was an unspoken message that he knew where I was but the perfume? I lifted the lid off the bottle and sprayed it in the air, soaking in the scent of it. It wasn't until I went to put the lid back on did I f
inally find the message. Hidden in the lid of the perfume was one little scrap of paper. My hands were shaking as I pulled it free, unravelling it I gasped.

  I've always known KC. What I did, I did to protect you. Your world is a lie and you are not safe. I am not angry but I want to talk to you. Do you know what this perfume means? I hope you do, meet me there at 7:00 pm tonight.

  Chapter 37: What a load of bull plop

  The perfume meant something. A place that I should know. Red door? I squinted at it and knew that I had no clue. Why could he not just say, hey, meet me at the café down the road. No, mister riddles had to speak in code like he is worried that someone would intercept the package and be waiting for him at this mysterious location. The thought was cast aside for the thought that he said that he's always known. He called me KC which means that he knew my true identity and yet he wasn't angry.

  Dorian had played me, much like I had played him and I realized that everything that happened earlier was for show. If he thought that I might be watching, knowing where I was I do not know but it was one hell of a show even if there was the chance that I might not have seen it. I stared at the bottle of perfume as I ate an apple. It sat on the counter with the light shining through the liquid, the box cast aside without thought. The box itself was plain red with gold outlining the door and I gasped.

  “Oh my god, red door!” I laughed at my own stupidity.

  I quickly finished off the apple as I searched through the clothes I had left here. There wasn't much here other than a few items for lying around in. I managed to find a pair of black jeans, they were a little inappropriate but I had to work with what I had. The only shirt that was even slightly worthy was a blue silk camisole, luckily there was a reasonably nice cardigan to wear over the top of it. I found a pair of black canvas flat shoes and hoped that no one would take any notice of me.