The Agency

by Ann Knightingale

with." I whisper to myself as I walk through the front door of the house.

  Macey

  The wait at the airport is excruciating. I have one officer at my side and am handcuffed to the chair I am sitting in. People turn and look at me funny and walk a wide circle as if I'm some sadistic murder or something. The officer watches them all with a mean glare as if waiting for one of them to come over and try to free me. I breathe deeply knowing I have at least another four hours or so of waiting for my plane to come in to port. But even then I'm going to be escorted by this officer. I look around for any hint of someone trying to find me my escape. A wink would be nice or a nod of the head. Some movement for me to know that I'm not alone. I'm not ready to leave nor will I ever be.

  I shudder as a chill goes down my spine. I'm still in my shorts and t-shirt form earlier when I was running with Chest. Now my sweat is drying to my back and my t shirt is sticking to me. The airport is cold and unforgiving. I shudder again as another cold chill runs up my spine.

  "Drugs will do that to you. Your withdraw symptoms are becoming more pronounced every moment." The officer says," When was the last time you shot up?" I just ignored him not wanting to talk to him. I have never shot up; I only got high because someone laced my glass. Even then I wasn't drinking. It was grape soda for heaven's sake! I'd already tried to explain this to him in the car but he refused to listen. What was the point of asking me questions if he wasn't going to except my truthful answer?

  Finally after about three minutes of him staring at me I reply," I already told you! If you don't believe me hook me up to a lie detector. I'll pass it with great ease." I shiver again and continue to watch the wall. It's a very boring wall, but I want to keep my dignity. I may be cuffed to a chair with an officer beside me interrogating me in public. I look over to the clock through the corner of my eye so I it looks as if I am still staring at the wall arrogantly. I still have over three hours, great more interrogating and more public humiliation.

  "Flight number 110 now boarding." The flight attendant calls over the intercom. Great my flight is early.

  "Time to go." The officer says with glee. He takes the cuffs off me and from my seat and I try one last time to run. But it fails; he has a good grip on my cuffs. The door to freedom is not all that far away if I could only reach it.

  “Now there is no officer on the plane but there are people watching you." The officer reminds me again. He's told me this almost a hundred times already and am getting sick of it. I hold my breath looking for a way out trying to find a decent route to leave and ditch the cop. I want to go home to the life I just left. Already it’s about 8:00 and its dark outside. The officer releases me to board the plane it didn't happen soon enough, I wanted to get away from him. Then right before I could even make the first step up the ramp a motorcycle screeched to a stop next to me. A guy got off and looked at me directly.

  Through the clear plastic in the helmet I can see a familiar pair of eyes. They are so welcome to me that I smile and turn my head. I want to hug Chest so much. He pulls me in to his arms.

  "Don't leave me again Macey. Do you hear me? Don't you ever leave me again." He practically begs and commands me.

  "How are you going to explain this to your captain? There is no proof. I suggest quite strongly that you let her go." Chest growls angrily from the inside of his helmet. The officer thinks about it and nods slowly understanding that he was in the wrong. He either does not tell about this or he loses his job for incompetence to keep a prisoner, and to be sure that she's not lying.

  Chest and I head back out front to the motorcycle he came on. It’s kind of like my knight in leather. Instead of shining armor and his trusty steed is a bike not a horse. He puts his arm around my waist and one of my arms over his shoulder; slowly we make it to his bike. Chest pulls out a spare helmet and hands it to me. I take it gratefully and put it on. It takes a couple of minutes of fumbling with the buckle under my chin until I'm ready to head home. I climb on to the motorcycle behind Chest. He kicks the bike in to gear and off we go back to the compound where I belong.

  The compound seems quiet as we pull up to the gate. The guards signal us in and we head to Chest's shed. We pull in to the shed and Chest shuts off the bike. I get off and jump up to sit on the work table as he puts the kickstand down and takes the keys out of the ignition. I put my palms on the edge of the table and lean forward locking my elbows.

  "You never told me your name." I say using the same words when we first met. He walks around the bike to where he stands right in front of me. Putting his hands on my knees he leans forward to where my eyes are filled with nothing but his face.

  "Chester but everyone calls me Chest." Is all he says. Remembering his answer and giving it back to me. He smiles as he leans forward and kisses me deeply. I smile and move my hands up to his hair. He keeps his stance with his hands on my knees not moving anything except his lips. He pulls away and smiles at me, a little shyly. Chest turns his back to me and jumps up beside me. Looking around his little workshop.

  "This is going to be yours too. As soon as I get to know you a little more. Then I'll buy you a bike that fits your style, if they don't have one made yet then I'll build one myself." Chest promises. But I am not one of those people who like things just given to me. I like to earn my way around.

  "Chest I thank you for the offer but I like to earn my keep. I feel guilty when people go and buy my way around, I thank you I really do but I want to earn it." I plead with him trying to get him to understand and not to fight against me on this.

  "Macey you already earned it. You managed to get yourself in to enough trouble that you need a way around faster so you don't get yourself in too much trouble. You make yourself sound like a burden. Heck everything you say puts others ahead of yourself. You never seem to take in to consideration what you want. Now shouldn't be any different, I want you to have a motorcycle so you and I can leave for a while at some point and be able to race around against each other. I want to be able to take you out and if you get mad at me you are capable of leaving without me having to take you back home and without you leaving I stranded. I want this for you." chest pleads back.

  "I'll meet you in the middle Chest. You buy me the bike but I work around here earning chore money and pay you back." I answer making it come out right. So I get to pay for the motorcycle while Chest gets his way and gets to pay for it. Chest just looks at me a little flustered. He doesn't want me to pay him back for it but he doesn't have much of a choice.

  About an hour later Chest jumps down off of the table and picks me up throwing my legs over his left arm. Sort of like a love's hold type of deal. He starts walking to the house happy that he at least has part his way about the motorcycle. We come up to the porch of the house and he puts me down. He puts his finger to his lips telling me to be quiet. He pushes me behind him hiding me from view. He opens the door to the house but between the door and him I can't see in. I have a pretty good idea on what Chest is doing.

  "Guys I'm home!" Chest calls out," Everyone gather in the living room please I have something to tell you." He adds a little sadness to his voice on the last part. Everyone runs in and gathers in front of Chest.

  "Macey didn't find me in the airport. I couldn't find her, the plane has already left the area so it’s too late to go back and try again. I apologize to you all." Chest says in a grieving voice to everyone around. But he then looks a little bit cheery as if he's trying to lighten the mood. But everyone looks to upset by his false cheeriness," I did find something though before I left. I was heading out and found it on the landing strip," He opens the door a little bit more and stands aside revealing me," Took me forever to her through all the people working.

  As he finished his tale everyone but Maria comes over happily giving hugs and pats on the back. It feels nice to be back where I belong. I breathe in the familiar scent of the house perfectly content. The family seems happy to have me back and I'm happy to be here with them. Benjamin hol
ds my leg like a life line with no intention in letting go.

  "Promise Macey you won't leave again please? I miss you." Benjamin begs me.

  "I'll try Benjamin I promise. I don't want to leave and I'll try not to." I tell him bending down to look at him in the eye. I smile and wrap my arms around him pulling him to me. I rise back on to my feet with him still in my arms. I don't plan on letting go, not for a while at least. We walk to the sitting area taking Benjamin with me. I sit down with him on my lap; he lays his head against my shoulder and doesn't move for some time. I don't notice for a while explaining things to Amy and Tim. Elaine and Maria have gone off to bed and Chest already knows everything there is that everyone else wasn't there for.

  Chest keeps his arm around my shoulders both protectively and comfortably. While Chest talks to Amy and Tim I lay my head over to the side leaning my head against Chest's shoulder. Benjamin rests peacefully on my other side the change in my posture going unnoticed. I close my eyes thinking Benjamin has the right idea about what to do next, it’s almost 11:30 and I don't want to really stay up much longer. Today has been long and I'm ready for it to end.

  I start to doze off, I feel Benjamin being lifted off