The Intruders

Chapter Fourteen

I TIE MY shoes up the next afternoon. I've spent the morning paying for my actions last night. Breakfast was overdone oatmeal and stone-cold coffee. The shower was icy and the towel was already wet.

I spent my morning watching José and Natalie fight, José wants to start working on my reflexes and my stance. He started this morning by pouring burning hot water over my hands and if I didn't move them away as quickly as I could, burnt hands I would receive.

Luckily, my hands only sizzled twice.

I've showered and changed, and ready to do something other than fight and live in Veronica's shadow for tonight. I head to R's wardrobe, where his smell hits me like a blast. I ignore my urge to cuddle every single one, and I grab an armful of sweaters and shirts. I move the duvet, shoving the tops into a Mavis Sterling shape, and placing the duvet over the figure of tops. I pace backwards checking out my work, and then turn to the bedroom door.

I sneak out of R's room, I know Veronica is busy today on level 22, I remember her saying earlier. I peak into her office, hoping she isn't at her desk and won't question where I am going either.

Coast is clear.

I head towards the elevator when I hear it churning and moving. I turn back to her office, trying to find somewhere to hide. I run over to her desk, hoping that she isn't back to do work, and as the doors open, I hear her heels against the floor, heading to the corridor, and the door closing. I hear her walk upstairs, and that's when I make my break towards the elevator.

I slide between the doors as they close and select minus 2. Minus 1 is where her cars are kept, minus 3 is capturers, so minus 2 must be underground offices.

I lean against the back of the elevator as it sinks down, my body still aches from José's beating yesterday, my spine needing cracking at least every hour to feel some sort of relief.

I wait for the doors to slide open at level minus 2, and I step out. It's cold but doesn't smell as badly as the floor underneath. I head to the only door, the only entrance I see, grabbing hold of the handle, and turning. But its locked. That's when I see the small red light next to the handle on the door. I sink, inspecting the light.

I hear footsteps on the other side, and I quickly climb to my feet, standing behind where the door would open.

Two men, both in blue suits walk out, talking, not paying attention to the me behind the door. I grab a hold of the door, and quickly walk in, closing it quietly behind me.

It's like I stepped into a completely different world.

The floor is all white gloss marble, the walls the same, two corridors in front of me to the left and right of a reception desk. The ambience light is blue, all I can see down each corridor is white, but I'm sure the offices are down either corridor the further you go.

"Hi, how can I help you?" I hear a chirpy voice ask, and as my eyes move down to receptionist, I feel my entire body go numb.

It starts at my fingertips and it rises up my body, overtaking each leg, it's in my head, freezing my entire body. I feel the blood drip out of my face as I stare at the receptionist.

"Kayla?" I ask.

"Mavis!" she perks up, jumping out her seat, she opens her arms grabbing at my collar, bringing my frozen self in for a hug. "I didn't know you were alive!"

I swallow loudly, wrapping my arms around her body.

"I could say the same." I say, and she sits herself back down. "H-How are you alive? I saw you die?"