Intrigue: A New Earth ~ One-on-One Ethereal and xraineyesx [IC]

[xraineyesx]

"Miss Merdon?"

The voice belonged to the pretty receptionist of one of the biggest corporations in the world: Intrigue. And Anya Merdon had just been hired as the head architect of their newest project, an excavation in a new, absolutely secret location; even Anya herself had not been told where they were shipping her off to. They wanted it to be completely kept secret until the dig had been executed and they had concrete findings to present to the world. And Anya was totally fine with it. In fact, all this secrecy and the way she was being treated was the ultimate thrill to her. She wanted nothing more than to make her own discovery and to have her name go down in history as the woman who discovered... well, whatever it was she was about to discover.

"Miss Merdon," the receptionist called her name again, and this time Anya snapped out of her exciting musings within the shell of her own mind and answered.

"Oh, excuse me!" she exclaimed, stepping toward the desk. "Yes?"

"Miss Merdon," began the receptionist. "If you will please wait here for just a few moments longer. Mr. Tilton is exchanging a few last words with the security you will be provided with on the excavation."

"Of course," agreed Anya excitedly. She couldn't believe it, her own security! Mr. Tilton was the head of Intrigue and he took this even more seriously than Anya did. She was certain that he would provide her with only the best team to work with, and for the best team to work with, she could easily be patient a few minutes longer.

She retreated from the receptionist's desk and took a seat in the chairs arranged in the waiting area. It had been lavishly decorated and was almost over-bearing in its décor, but Anya ignored that. Giddy with excitement, she bounced her leg up and down subconsciously, wondering how long Mr. Tilton would take to address her security.

Anya had been flown in from her own home, nearly one thousand miles away, two days ago by private jet, and Mr. Tilton had personally greeted her. The noise and lights and general commotion of the city had nearly overwhelmed her. She was used to a completely different environment, and all the new sights and sounds were very distracting to her. It made it hard for her to focus strictly on the business matters that she was there for in the first place.

They had discussed the excavation and proposition of the job over a few very classy drinks, provided from Mr. Tilton's own personal collection. He had put her in a suite in the most expensive hotel in the surrounding area, all expenses paid, and had treated her most graciously and respectfully. Mr. Tilton was a loud, laughing man who made many jokes, but he expected things to be his way and done in his time frame.

And that made Anya nervous. It was the only thing that did trigger her anxiety even in the slightest: the fear that she might not discover anything of use within Mr. Tilton's specified time period. She crossed and uncrossed her legs, tapping her fingers loudly on the glossy, wooden arm of the chair she was sitting in without realizing it as she waited and worried.

[Ethereal]

Suit? Checked. Tie? Checked. Leather shoes? Checked. Hair? Checked...

He could go on checking a few things about himself more in front of the mirror in his quarters but Mr. Tilton is a man of punctuality. He loathes wasted time and has been like that ever since he took Alfrei in. With a dash of expensive cologne and holstering a 9mm pistol behind his back as his last act, Alfrei stepped out of his office quarters and walked his way to the elevator. Mr. Tilton's penthouse office had always been a pain for him but men like him deserve to be at the top. Usually he would complain silently during the elevator ride. Fifty floors is just too long a ride in the elevator for him.

A ding resounded in the empty hallway to Mr. Tilton's office as it arrived to its destination. The glass doors opened and Alfrei nervously stepped outside. Today he has a new assignment. Never has he been keen with taking on new assignments but it was the least he could do under the Boss' roof. Two knocks and a deep breath later, the door to Mr. Tilton's office unlocked.

"Alfrei," the man greeted without looking at him. He seemed anxious. "Sir." Alfrei repsonded. Mr. Tilton then pulled out a file from his desk drawer and stood up. He motioned for Alfrei to take a seat, which the man did so accordingly. "Here is your new assignment. I expect only the best from you Alfrei, operate as you see fit." he finished.

Alfrei, flipped the plastic folder open and saw a female profile on the first page. Details were on the latter pages but it would be read in his quarters. "So she's my new assignment sir?" Alfrei hesitantly asked. Mr. Tilton turned to him with a wide smile. "Not the ladies-man are you? Come on Alfrei, would you rather protect a grumpy old man than a fine looking lass such as her? I think not." the man said followed by a light chuckle. Alfrei mildly irked at the thought of tagging along behind an old man, grumpy no less. "I suppose I can see your point sir." he responded in an attempted positive tone.

"Good! Now be on your way to greet her and bring her here. She's at the lobby as we speak."

A wink after the statement suggested that they were done here for the moment. Alfrei walked out of the room, folder in hand and made his way back to the elevator. Moments that seemed forever later, he was finally at the ground floor searching for this Anya Merdon person. Somehow, it only took him a few seconds to spot her near reception. She stands out with her gestures. With a sigh and a light sideways shake of his head, Alfrei approached her with his usual self, indifferent and unconcerned.

"Miss Merdon? Mr. Tilton would like to see you now. Please follow me."

[xraineyesx]

Waiting and waiting, what seemed like forever passed by ever so slowly. Anya could do little to alleviate her boredom, and even less to keep herself from being impatient. She tried counting the tiles in the floor, but she lost count and gave up. A big television hung in the corner of the room, the news bubbling out of it quietly. It held her gaze for only a few moments before she grew disinterested again.

Eventually, however, someone came for her. A man sent by Mr. Tilton had addressed her, asking her to please come with him.

Anya leaped to her feet, her attention grabbed at once. "Finally! she exclaimed inside her own head. She was glad to be doing something other than sitting in that chair and waiting. It was a nice chair, though.

"Yes sir," she answered out loud. "I wouldn't want to keep Mr. Tilton waiting."

She glanced at the man in front of her. He was young, roughly her own age, with handsome features, and he smelled good, she noted. Giddy inside, she began to envision the job ahead and Mr. Tilton's office, which she had yet to see. In her mind, it was expensively and lavishly decorated with no expense spared with a huge mahogany desk and his own private bar. There would be living plants all over and maybe an exotic bird or two. Or fish. Maybe there would be fish.

"Lead the way!" she announced cheerfully, a smile splitting her face.

"Oh dear, where are my manners?" she added quickly, the words tumbling out of her mouth as if she couldn't get them out fast enough. She stuck out her hand. "I'm Anya Merdon," she introduced herself.

She waited for his reaction and wondered if this was her security. If he was, she had pictured him different. Bigger and dressed in more black than this. And he would have had sunglasses. Big, black sunglasses that no one could see through, and he would be gruff. His voice would be so low that she could barely hear it, but her runaway imagination was stopped again as she snapped back into reality. She had to focus on the job at hand.

[Ethereal]

Just shake her hand and bring her to the boss already!

It was never his intention to be friendly. His job is to watch her and keep her safe. He was not being paid for small-talk after all. Nonetheless, Alfrei did not want to be rude on their first meeting. He figured that since he will be stuck with her until Mr. Tilton's gig is over, it would be best to start on good terms. He reached for her outstretched arm and grabbed her hand in a firm grip and shook it. She had soft hands which actually restrained him from gripping like he usually would.

"Alfrei Reed." was his reply in monotone.

The man then turned his back on her and walked on back to the elevator. He pressed the up button once and waited patiently. He was going over a few facts about the person behind him in his head to pass time. What he knew so far was that she was the new head architect, twenty-four years of age, single. What he learned just now was that she had sort of a cheerful personality. Perhaps it comes from being hired by a famous name. She had every reason to be excited.

Not that he actually cared to learn more. Sooner or later he would be assigned a new detail and probably end up burning her file in a trash bin. In the time he spent working for Intrigue, burning his profile copies of the people he had been assigned to had become a habit of his when he's done with the job.

These were the times he hated the most, waiting for the damned elevator. Alfrei was considering small-talk and was in the process of starting a conversation but was stopped by the sound of the elevator arriving. Finally! he thought and stepped in, pushing the hold button for Miss Anya. When she got inside, a group of three men ran up and caught the elevator just in time. They were casually dressed unlike Alfrei but he knew them well.

"Bluheart! Long time no see buddy! New assignment?" one of them casually asked before the elevator doors closed. "So it would seem." he responded and pushed two floor buttons, twenty-fifth and penthouse. "So where are they shipping you off to man?" another inquired as their ride started. Alfrei turned to him, shrugged and answered: "Classified."

The men looked at each other and chuckled. It was standard protocol not to tell but there had been a trend going on between Intrigue's private security. Something about knowing what to say to their loved ones when they fail. "Lighten up Bluheart, you struck gold!" another of the men said while looking at Anya before getting off the twenty-fifth floor with his buddies. Alfrei could only reply with a sigh as he tried his best to avoid looking over to Anya.

It was Mr. Tilton's job to introduce him to her as her private security but with what just happened, Alfrei felt like it was the right time to tell her. "You guessed right. I am your private security and this folder in my hand is your file." he said out of the blue before the elevator doors opened once again on the fiftieth floor.

"This way please." he said and walked on the carpeted hallway to Mr. Tilton's office.

[xraineyesx]

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Anya said, as she shook hands with her new acquaintance Alfrei Reed.

He asked her to follow him and so she did to an elevator, which was in keeping with the lavish decoration style of all of the Intrigue building. She entered the elevator and stood facing the doors as they closed with her hands folded in front of her. Her back straight and her shoulders back, she tried to look professional and properly-postured.

A group of men that Alfrei seemed to know darted out of no where, catching the elevator just in time. They struck up a conversation with him, and she pretended not to be interested but listened to every word they said.

The elevator's gears and mechanical parts began to whir and grind into action, and they began rising, Anya feeling as if her feet and limbs turned to jelly the first second after movement comenced. Floor after floor passed by, which seemingly took forever, and she watched the lighted display change numbers. One... Two... Three... Four... There were so many floors, and her stomach dropped a little as she realized how high they were. Heights did not bother her, but the idea of falling made her a little sick.

The conversation was still going on between the men in the elevator. Her cheeks turned pink as one of them looked at her and said the words "struck gold". She did not know what that was supposed to mean, but she was certain she did not like it.

Twenty-one... Twenty-two... Twenty-three... Twenty-four... Twenty-five...

They stopped rather abruptly, however, and glancing at the lights, she knew they weren't at the right floor. Anya's mind was temporarily taken off the excitement of her new job as the elevator slid to a halt. The men that were not part of her team exited, and once again, they began to move upward. Twenty-six... Twenty-seven... Twenty-eight...

Alfrei spoke and she glanced at her companion, unsure what to say. "Well," she began awkwardly, "I suppose we'll be spending a lot more time together then."

Thirty-nine... Forty... Forty-one...

She fidgeted nervously and glanced at her appearance as best she could. Tugging on the hem of her blouse to straighten it out, she stood up straight again, hoping that she looked presentable. Inhaling deeply to attempt to steady her nerves, she waited for the elevator to reach their destination.

Forty-nine...Fifty. They had arrived.

The elevator stopped and she proceeded to trail him down the hallway, also decorated in the same style as the rest of the building, toward Mr. Tilton's office. The butterflies in her stomach were fluttering harder than they had since she arrived.

[Ethereal]

It would have been nice if they will indeed spend quite a bit of time together. Alfrei let a half-smile escape his lips after hearing what Anya said. Stuck with each other for a while would be a better term. Shrugging off the thoughts, Alfrei proceeded to Mr. Tilton's office doors. An electronic panel to the right was lit red, which meant that the boss is busy. Alfrei keyed in a combination of keys on the panel. Seconds later, the tile above the panel slid down, revealing a retinal scanner which Alfrei used accordingly. The doors unlocked after the scan and Alfrei pushed them open for Anya.

"After you." he said and gestured for her to proceed.

Mr. Tilton was on the phone when both of them got inside. Alfrei directed Anya to take a seat on one of the fine chairs before Mr. Tilton's large, spot free desk. The only sounds they could hear inside the office were Mr. Tilton's voice, the bubbling of his large aquarium, and the humming of the air-conditioner. "Yes doctor, she is here now... don't worry, I'll send them over your way as soon as I have briefed them... of course... I hope to hear good news doctor."

The man put down the phone and clasped both hands on his desk. He gazed at the two briefly and smiled. "Forgive me, that was the good doctor on the phone just now. He's anxious to meet our new head architect and has been bugging me ever since." he said and fixed his tie.

Mr. Tilton then turned his attention over to Alfrei who was standing on his usual corner in the room when there is a guest. "I believe you have introduced yourself to Ms. Anya here?" he asked. Alfrei nodded, "Yes sir I have. We are already acquainted." The boss smiled and gave him a nod of approval. He then finally turned to Anya.

"How was your flight Ms. Merdon?" he asked while pulling out a couple folders stamped as classified from his desk drawer. In his hands were the files their new head architect would need to review before he sends them out to their destination. There were a lot of things she needed to know and there was so little time. Although the schedule was tight, Mr. Tilton does a good job of keeping an air of calm in his office. One could hardly feel any pressure at all.

[xraineyesx]

Anya watched in fascinated curiosity as Alfrei accessed Mr. Tilton's office and performed the security checks. Of course Mr. Tilton would require security passes to get in and out of his office; he was a very powerful man and surely the lower minded of the population would attempt to harm him for some debauched gain, most like of the monetary form.

“Thank you,” she answered as Alfrei opened the doors before her.

She stepped around him and into Mr. Tilton's office. It was impeccably clean and organized. Her eyes swept over the large space, taking it all in as they waited for Mr. Tilton himself. She smiled as her eyes landed on the aquarium. ”Fish”, she thought to herself, noting that she was right about him having some kind of animals in her office. She highly doubted that Mr. Tilton viewed them as pets but rather, more so as just another ornament placed just so.

The office was surprisingly noise-free. There was just the white-noise hum of the air conditioning unit and the low murmur of a single voice, Mr. Tilton on the phone.

She stood quietly, hands clasped in front of her with her head up. She shifted her shoulders back again and straightened her back. Proper posture was important when making an impression on a man the likes of which she was about to interact with, and she wanted to make sure that she did it just right.

A moment or two passed by before Mr. Tilton paid attention to his guests.

”How was the flight, Ms. Merdon?' she heard him say, his tone pleasant and light.

She smiled at him. “It was wonderful, thank you. Very comfortable,” she answered. She kept her sentences cheery and short. It wouldn't do to waste Mr. Tilton's time with idle chitchat. He was the sort of man who, while friendly, had time only for clear, concise answer.

Mr. Tilton was pulling several files from his desk, she noticed with the word CLASSIFIED stamped across them in capital letters and bold, red ink. Her heart sped up just a little bit at the prospect of finally receiving information on her assignment.

[Ethereal]

"I am relieved to hear that you had a good flight." he replied and stood up, walking around his desk and sat in front of Anya. Mr. Tilton looked at her for a brief moment before handing her the folders. "On to business then. Those folders contain all the information you would need to know before I send you deep into the forests of --believe it or not, an unmapped island on the Arctic Sea."

Alfrei's eyes twitched after hearing the words of his boss. The Arctic eh? he asked himself in silence as he continued to listen.

"Five years ago, our team of explorers codenamed Frontier One, came across that specific island by chance. They were baffled as to why there is such an island in the middle of the Arctic Sea. Being explorers and all, they set foot upon the island in question and found a very..." he trailed off and contemplated for a moment. After a deep breath, Mr. Tilton continued. "Ahh forgive me, I can't seem to find the right words to describe such a find. You should go there and see for yourself." he said with a wide smile, as if proud of the fact that it was Intrigue who got their hands first on that island.

"I want you to review the contents of those folders. Frontier One requires your expertise to establish a stable base of operations near the ruins and help them gain a better understanding regarding the structural complexity of a certain place in the island."

Mr. Tilton then turned his attention over to his large aquarium. He walked over to it and fed the various species of fish he had inside. "I do hope you are fond of spelunking Ms. Merdon, as you will be doing quite a lot of it on site. Of course, you will be leading a team with you and everything you require will be provided by us, just tell us what you need."

Alfrei somehow felt uneasy after hearing a bit more about where they would be going. He just had to ask a few questions. "Forgive me for interrupting Mr. Tilton but am I to lead a team for Ms. Merdon's safety?"

Mr. Tilton laughed. "Alfrei my boy, are you not confident about doing the job alone? The island is deserted! What could go wrong. I'm sure you are well trained to handle a few wild animals are you not?" he questioned back.

Alfrei felt like sinking from where he stood. Of course he was trained! He was the best there is for crying out loud! "No sir, I believe I can handle her security alone." he said and shut up.

"You will be departing two days from now... and Ms. Merdon, Alfrei is officially yours. He'll be tagging along with you from now on."

[xraineyesx]

Anya processed what Mr. Tilton said as he said, trying to remember everything he was telling her. She was certain it would all be important.

“Frontier One... island... Arctic Sea.... Spelunking... Deserted... Ruins...”

She made a mental list in her head, trying to keep track of everything he was saying. It would be in the files that he was about to give her obviously, but knowing her business and knowing it well would always put her ahead in any situation.

"I want you to review the contents of those folders. Frontier One requires your expertise to establish a stable base of operations near the ruins and help them gain a better understanding regarding the structural complexity of a certain place in the island." She extended her hand and collected the folders into her grasp, nodding her understanding at Mr. Tilton.

“Build a base... Structural complexity...” She would have to create a base and establish herself as an authority figure as well as excavating and discovering how the society there lived – and died. It was so strange that a completely undiscovered island existed and that Frontier One and Intrigue had been able to keep it under wraps. Not a word about it had been whispered, not even rumors, and she was in absolute awe at the kind of power Mr. Tilton must have to have achieved that.

Mr. Tilton was still speaking to her as he fed his fish. Her eyes flicked over to the water containing the various species of fish as their movement increased in rapidness and they flocked to the surface to get their share of dinner. "I do hope you are fond of spelunking Ms. Merdon, as you will be doing quite a lot of it on site. Of course, you will be leading a team with you and everything you require will be provided by us, just tell us what you need."

She opened her mouth to speak - she had already thought of several things she would need – but she was interrupted by Alfrei.

"Forgive me for interrupting Mr. Tilton but am I to lead a team for Ms. Merdon's safety?"

It was unusual to hear his voice. He had seemed the silent type to her, never questioning but only accepting orders and completing them. Her eyes flicked to him as he spoke and then back to Mr. Tilton as he responded. They had a short exchange, ending in Alfrei accepting his orders, as she expected he would. Mr. Tilton, she had noticed, sounded gentle when asking if Alfrei was not trained well enough, but to Anya it sounded as if a delicate calling-out was laced under his good-natured tone.

Mr.Tilton was speaking to her again, however, and she snapped to attention, her eyes making eye contact with him.

"You will be departing two days from now... and Ms. Merdon, Alfrei is officially yours. He'll be tagging along with you from now on."

“Yes sir,” she answered. “When would you like the list of things I will need?” Her tone was business-like and formal. The time for playtime was over, and the giddy excitement had settled into a down-to-earth mood of concentration and desire.

She awaited his answer as she ran through things in her head. It was possible she could tell him right now, but it was always better to have time to double check; however, if their departure was set in two days time – what was she talking about? This was Mr. Tilton, head of Intrigue. Time was of no consequence to him. If he said he wanted something, he got it right away. There was no waiting period. What silliness on her part.

“Two days!” she thought to herself. “Two days until I leave to head up my first dig!”

[Ethereal]

Mr. Tilton chuckled lightly. "As soon as you have them ready my dear. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other matters that needs utmost attention." he said and gave Alfrei a nod.

His legs were starting to grow stiff but he was glad Mr. Tilton kept it short. Now he could walk again and actually prepare for their trip. I thought this will take forever! A part of Alfrei was relieved that Anya Merdon proved to be safe to have around his boss. He let go of his hand from the gun on his back and gestured for Anya to follow him outside. He would now take her to her hotel suite and probably spend the night sleeping on a chair outside her door. Not really a thing to be looking forward to.

When both of them got out of the office, Alfrei locked the doors using the same method earlier. He then turned to face the elevator and walked to it slowly. In his mind he was thinking of additional equipment he would probably need to bring for their journey. He was always ready to leave but this job had some sort of bad taste to it. Alfrei doesn't understand it himself but he had heavy feet, and his way to console himself was by bringing extra equipment. It won't hurt to be prepared for anything...

"I'll be driving you to your new hotel suite. Kindly proceed to reception and wait for me there. I'll just get my gear." he informed her as they entered the elevator.

Like usual, Alfrei pressed two floor buttons, tweny-fifth and ground floor. He was silent half of the ride but he couldn't help but notice Anya's professionalism. Great... just great... he thought to himself. In his mind he was thinking that Anya is one of those slave-driver types. He could only hope that she wasn't for if it was indeed the case, they would have a hard time getting along.

"I'll see you in a few minutes." he said as he got off the twenty-fifth floor.

The twenty-fifth floor was home to Intrigue's Private Security. The floor is bustling with activity. This was their base of operations. High-tech equipment can be found in almost every part of the floor. Cameras, large flat-screen monitors, super computers, drone flight control panels --the works.

Alfrei immediately went to his quarters ignoring the whole Private Security staff operating on the floor. They greeted him with a salute but he was far too consumed with his thoughts he could only offer a nod in return. When he neared his quarters, the three men who got on the elevator earlier was there waiting for him by the door.

"So, are we needed?" one of them asked. Alfrei pushed him aside to reveal the small computer panel on the wall. He entered a number combination and the door unlocked two seconds after. "That's a negative. I'm going solo." he replied before entering his room. Alfrei swore he heard one of them curse silently before he locked himself inside his soundproof room.

Moments later, Alfrei came out with a medium-sized metal briefcase and a duffel bag. He proceeded to the elevator and made his way back down to reception where Anya would be waiting for him. It took him less than ten minutes but he felt that he had made her wait too long.

"Sorry for the wait." he said and walked his way out of the building. His car was already parked out front with its engine running and the trunk open. He tossed his things inside the trunk and walked back to open the passenger-side door for Anya.

"Let's go. You must be tired from your flight."

[xraineyesx]

“Yes, Mr. Tilton,” she answered him with a smile. “I'll try to have it ready for you as soon as possible. I just want a little time to double check my list.”

She bowed her head in respect as she and Alfrei were dismissed and she followed her new security guard to the elevator. He gave her simple instructions.

"I'll be driving you to your new hotel suite. Kindly proceed to reception and wait for me there. I'll just get my gear."

“Yes, sir,” she answered, her tone light and cheery. “Wonder what he has to stop there for,” she mused in her own head but did not say anything out loud. She didn't dare question him. She was certain he would not answer her, and besides, he could tell Mr.Tilton anything he wanted about her and lose her the job. It was quite apparent to her that he something of a favorite to the man in charge of the operation, and she wasn't going to be the one to push his buttons.

He exited at the twenty-fifth floor, the sensation of a stopping elevator causing Anya's stomach to plummet to her feet as always. She felt as if she was going to topple over as it began moving again, reinstating the feeling in her insides. “Ugh,” she muttered to herself since there was no one else to hear her.

The floors progressed without much interference. The elevator did stop at the fifteenth floor to let a woman in a business suit enter it. Anya smiled in a friendly, casual manner at the woman as she entered and received a blank, hard stare until the woman turned around and pressed her floor, only to ignore Anya.

“Okay,” she thought to herself, drawing out the word in her head.

The elevator stopped at the sixth floor and the woman exited without so much as glancing in Anya's direction. Anya nodded, her lips bunched up as she made a face expressing the “well then, okay” she wanted to say at the woman. Finally she reached the first floor and she exited into the reception area, giving the receptionist a cheerful wave and smile. Her existence was actually acknowledged this time, and she received a wave in return.

A few moments passed in silence until Afrei returned, carrying what Anya assumed were his job supplies.

“Sorry for the wait." His words were brief and concise, the same way Anya had spoken when she was speaking business.

“It's fine,” she said, as she followed him to his car. A sleek, sexy, silver masterpiece, and her eyes lit up at the prospect of riding in it. By the time she had gotten over how much she liked the car, Alfrei had put his belongings in the trunk and opened the door for her. “Nice car,” she complemented him as she climbed in the car, her eyes wide in excitement.

“Yeah, I'm definitely ready to get back to my suite. Let's go.”

[Ethereal]

"Thank you." he replied nonchalantly at her compliment. Alfrei listened to her last statement before gently closing the car door for her. He then moved around to the driver's side and manned the wheels. "We're not going back to your old suite. I have arranged for a new one." he informed her and drove away from Intrigue's building. "Security purposes." he added. Vital members of Intrigue had always been treated special. As part of their security, they cannot stay too long in one place until they were deployed in the field.

Alfrei still can't understand why the air between him and Anya was tense. Perhaps it was because she had a strikingly professional air around her, perhaps it was her cheery personality that contradicts his strictly business image of her in his mind. He did not know what it was exactly but he was not too keen about the idea of finding out either. Silence was the better option.

He turned on his car's radio and picked a cd to play from quite a number of them. He did not favor any particular genre of music but he does keep a handful of different genres for occasions like this. With a glance, the one he picked turned out to be the old smooth jazz collection by Fourplay. Without much thought, he played the disc in low volume just to give the car a pleasant ambiance inside.

It was not a long drive. Some fifteen to twenty minutes later and they arrived at Empress, the new five-star hotel in town. People believed that a rich, foreign business tycoon owns the place. Little did they know that it actually belongs to Intrigue. Alfrei proceeded to the basement parking lot and stopped at the elevator area where a valet especially assigned for Intrigue employees waited.

He got off the car and immediately got around to open the door for Ms. Anya. When she got out, Alfrei proceeded to quickly unload his belongings from the trunk. He watched the valet drive off with his car for a second and finally joined Anya in waiting for the elevator.

From his suit's inner pocket, Alfrei pulled out a keycard with the room I.D. -a combination of letters and numbers-printed on the front in black. He handed it over to Anya. "Penthouse suite. I hope you like it." he said with the best smile he could come up with.

Moments later, the two finally arrived at the penthouse suite. Now Ms. Anya could relax and Alfrei could start rotting outside her room. "If you need anything the room service can't provide, I'll be right outside your door." he finished and completely diverted his attention to surveying the area. He would need to set up surveillance and monitor the activities on twenty floors of Empress via his powerful laptop.

Two days... What could go wrong? he asked himself while setting up his equipment.

[xraineyesx]

“Yeah,” Anya acknowledged his thanks, “no problem.” She wasn't sure he heard it though because he had shut the door and was moving around the car to take his place as driver.

"We're not going back to your old suite. I have arranged for a new one." he informed her and drove away from Intrigue's building. "Security purposes."

“Okay,” she said, watching him climb into the car. “I understand.” She felt as if she should say more, but there was nothing else to say.

The engine roared to life as he turned the key in the ignition and the noise sent a shiver of thrill down her spine. She considered speaking to him but did not know how to start the conversation or what to say. He wasn't much of a talker. So she instead craned her neck to see out the window and at the surroundings as they passed. Flashing lights, other cars, the road, the sky – it was all entrancing to her, and so different.

A soft, smooth jazz began pouring out of the speakers in the background. Alfrei had put in a CD without her even noticing. Stealth, she noted, a characteristic of a good security guard. He was also a good driver. He made handling such a car easy, even second-nature, as he steered without seeming to pay much attention to it.

Soon enough they pulled into the parking lot of the Empress, the fancy new hotel in the area, and Anya's eyes widened as she stared at it, sweeping her eyes all the way up the lofty height of the building. But she had little time to ogle it, because Alfrei had pulled to a halt and given his keys to a valet. Next he had climbed out of his car with his graceful, quiet way of moving and had opened her door for her.

“Thanks,” she said again at his politeness, even though she suspected he only treated her such on orders of Mr. Tilton. She stepped out of the car, clutching the files she had been given, and walked with Alfrei into the Empress to await the elevator.

He presented her with a key card, presumably to unlock her door. A new hotel like this would have the kind of cards one had to swipe quickly and wait for a green light to turn on after the sensor read the magnetic strip. She took it with another “thank you”.

"Penthouse suite. I hope you like it.”

“Wow,” she said almost to herself and then raising her voice, “All the way up there?” She rolled her eyes up and tilted her head back to signify what she meant. She would have pointed but her hands were full of files and her newly-acquired card.

And then a question popped into her brain. “What about my things in my other room?” she inquired, furrowing her brow.

[Ethereal]

Anya's question shifted Alfrei's attention to her in an instant. She was worried about her things left in the other hotel. Quite a pointless worry though for Alfrei is the type who does his job thoroughly. "I personally made sure all your belongings from your previous suite are inside your new room. You have nothing to worry about." he assured her and went back to fiddling with his laptop and a few wires.

She was starting to relax. Alfrei did not fail to notice a change in her demeanor now that she was out of business atmosphere. The way she reacted when he told her that she would have the penthouse suite played back in his mind. She could be cute. Her gestures while she was in his car told him that she somewhat had an inner-child to her.

"Perhaps my first impression was wrong..." he muttered out loud without noticing.

When he did, he was already sure that she heard him say that. He fell into silence and avoided her eyes by looking back at his laptop screen. A 3D scale of the Empress was rotating on the screen and he typed a few commands to shift the scale into bird's eye view. Everything was set and all that he needed to worry about now is how to kill forty-eight hours without getting bored.

"You should relax while you can Ms. Anya." he reminded her.

[xraineyesx]

"I personally made sure all your belongings from your previous suite are inside your new room. You have nothing to worry about."

“Oh,” she answered, slightly puzzled and slightly irritated. She was a person who did not much care for other people messing with her belongings, and she planned on thoroughly going through them all when she went into her room.

It wasn't that she did not trust Alfrei or Mr. Tilton. She was just of the suspicious sort in the first place. And she was used to having to do everything for herself, to having more control of her life than this. But it couldn't be help, she supposed, not when working for someone such as Mr. Tilton.

“I would have like to have been informed of that before now,” she said, her tone very flat, making it plain that it was just a statement and not an outburst of anger or accusation.

Alfrei was not paying her attention though and was instead fiddling with his laptop when he muttered something that she couldn't quite make it. She furrowed her brow at him. “What was that?” she asked.

His response was quick and not quite what she expected.

"You should relax while you can Ms. Anya," he reminded her.

She shifted her weight to her other foot and shuffled the belongings in her hands about a little bit, getting a better hold on them. “I should, yes,” she said slowly, tilting her head and looking at him. She wanted to talk to him but she wasn't sure what to say still.

“Alfrei?” she said his name as a question, “can I ask you a few things about – about what you do?” She waved her hand at his laptop and the hallway. She meant his security job. Really, she had no idea what he did. She had never had security before, and all this treatment was making her head spin.

[Ethereal]

The question completely halted Alfrei's usual security routine. His expression fell to confusion when he heard her ask what he was all about -- the private security stuff. Mr. Tilton did not inform her? he asked himself, his brows almost meeting each other. His lips formed a light frown. He hated it when things come to this. Alfrei believed the fact that Anya Merdon had been well informed before getting hired. Perhaps it was a desperate attempt to get a new head architect in order for progress to move along with Frontier One.

"Now this makes things a little complicated. Here I thought you knew the basic stuff before you signed a contract with Intrigue..." he trailed off, closing the laptop screen and stood up. He spun on his heel and faced her with his arms crossed before his chest. Now it was clear why the air between them was tense. Alfrei sighed in defeat.

"First off, I apologize for touching your belongings without your consent. I did not look through them I swear. I just packed whatever did not belong in your previous suite before it was given to you." he said and shifted his gaze around the hallway and his gear. He was hesitant at first but knew that she had to know what and why he's there now with her.

With a deep breath, Alfrei began. "Intrigue has a lot of enemies. It comes with the company's unrivaled success in various fields --as you may already know. There are others we consider as rivals but most are acknowledged as threats. Certain people will do everything and anything in their power to impede Intrigue's continual rise to the top. Need I say more?" he asked but after seeing Anya's facial expression unchanged, Alfrei knew that he has to.

He paced back and forth, a mannerism of his when explaining things. "Espionage, extortion, assassination, black propaganda, kidnapping --you know, the dirty stuff. Such things exist around Intrigue. Once you become an asset to the company, these risks are right behind you. Hence, my job... private security." he informed her and pointed at his equipment.

"These equipment I have is for monitoring every activity happening inside the hotel --something fishy goes on in the lower floors, I'll be the first to know. The reason you're in the penthouse is because there's a chopper on the roof we can easily take should things go wrong. I'm here to keep you safe Ms. Merdon, I'm not your enemy." he insisted with a faint smile. "If it helps put you at ease, I have a hundred-percent mission completion ratio." he added proudly.

"Also, while I am instructed to follow your orders, I am also allowed to freely use my judgment. You may find me irritating at times and you might disagree with my methods but I assure you, whatever I do or will do is only meant to guarantee your safety. I'm not just your body guard, I am also your personal assistant, or whatever you need me to be..." he trailed off and looked at his watch.

Alfrei then focused his attention back to his job. He had said enough for her to understand but there's just one more thing.

"There's a few perks to having Intrigue Private Security Ms. Merdon. You are free to hate me, hit me, throw things at me to help vent out frustration if it will ensure the steady progress of your job. No retaliation so don't worry. It's in the fine-print of my contract if you don't believe me." he finished and fell into silence.

[xraineyesx]

Her questioned stunned him and his entire demeanor changed, and she wondered, perhaps, if she had said something wrong. But then he began speaking to her and she listened without interrupting. After all, the best way to learn was to listen.

"Now this makes things a little complicated. Here I thought you knew the basic stuff before you signed a contract with Intrigue..."

She frowned slightly; she had read the contract and knew she would be given security, and she knew Intrigue's size made them and their business associates targets for the slime of the Earth. She hadn't exactly meant that. What she had really wanted to know was what Alfrei did, such as what he was doing with his laptop. Did he fight people? Or what?

Alfrei had continued speaking, however, so she attempted to draw herself out of her own musings. She did, after all, ask him. The least she owed him was the courtesy of listening to his answer.

"Espionage, extortion, assassination, black propaganda, kidnapping --you know, the dirty stuff. Such things exist around Intrigue. Once you become an asset to the company, these risks are right behind you. Hence, my job... private security."

These words told her nothing knew. She already knew working for Intrigue was a hazard to one's health. There was a reason the company did everything so secretly. The less word that got out, the better for them. It kept their people alive.

He had continued speaking, explaining a little more about what she wanted to know now, about his equipment and what he actually did. He told her that he had never failed a mission, his tone and expression proud, and she smiled softly at him to show that she, too, was proud of him without interrupting him.

Wrapping his speech up, he informed her of all the freedoms the she – and he – had.

Her brow furrowing, she stared at him. “I don't want to hit you,” she informed him. Anya was very non-violent, although she had no problem being confrontational. Still... She did not wish to physically harm another person, animal, whatever. Anything.

She turned her head to the side a little bit, thinking over what Alfrei had said. “I knew I was going to have security and that Intrigue is a major target for those of, ah, less moral character,” she explained bluntly. “I really wanted to know what you do, like with your computer and if you fight people and what.”

It was possible she was pushing the boundaries a little too far, but he had said he had to do what she said unless it was putting her or his life in danger, basically. And she was curious about him, not to mention that if she was going to be spending a lot of time around him, she would like them to have a casual, friendly atmosphere between them. There was no point in being total strangers. Being the best of friends wasn't necessarily needed for her, but she at least wanted to be able to have a conversation with her security guard. And anyway, wouldn't he be more likely to save her if she got in a situation if he actually saw her as a person and not just a job?

She remembered what he said about having a 100-percent completion rate, and she relaxed a little bit. Obviously she was safe in his hands, and Alfrei probably didn't plan on her being the one to tarnish his record.

[Ethereal]

"If I fight people and what this thing does?" Alfrei asked with a lighter tone. His idea of the word fight is guns blazing and ducking for cover while trying to stay alive. The idea of him fighting with a laptop almost made him burst out laughing. Anya had a point though, however. Indeed, part of fighting is knowing who the enemies are. With this little thing, he's doing exactly that.

"Yes I fight people with the help of this little thing. It's tapped into the hotel's security mainframe. Like I said, if trouble comes, I'll be the first to know." he answered with a faint smile.

Anya said she won't hit him or anything. Somehow he already knew. She seemed to be, at first glance, the type of person who despises violence. That minor detail about her actually made Alfrei relax a little.

Miss head architect was drawing out their conversation. Alfrei knew exactly what she was doing; creating a pleasant work environment. He was not against that, not at all. It could work to his advantage in the long run. With final adjustments made to his equipment, Alfrei stood up and walked over to Anya. He gently took away the folders and the keycard from her and walked towards the door of her suite.

"I kill people --bad people, I am always armed, I never sleep on the job and I will be right outside your door." he said after opening the door for Anya. "You need to unwind." he added and placed the folders on one of the suite's expensive tables. Inside was a king-size bed draped in white sheets laced with red. The dim lights were on but once Alfrei spoken, "Lights." the whole room brightened up. "Voice command. Pretty convenient really." he added and walked his way around the room, his footsteps muffled by the thick carpeted floor.

Alfrei made his way to the room's large windows and parted the elegant curtains to reveal a magnificent ocean view. "The sunset is a must-see from here." he casually informed her as he surveyed the outside for a brief moment. Then he turned his attention over to the room's other features. "Flat-screen T.V., mini fridge, small kitchen --if you like home-made dishes, bathtub, showers, everything you need for comfort." he added and opened the mini fridge for a bottle of beer.

"I'll take one of these and I'll be outside. I think I'll answer the and what part of your question some other time." he said and made his way to the door. "Oh, keep this door locked alright?" he added and stepped outside.

[xraineyesx]

"If I fight people and what this thing does? Yes I fight people with the help of this little thing. It's tapped into the hotel's security mainframe. Like I said, if trouble comes, I'll be the first to know." [/b] She could tell that she had somehow amused him with her question. Blushing faintly, she theorized that most of the people he got assigned to were much more aware of how security, and particularly Intrigue security, worked than she was.

She listened intently, taking in his words. After all, she had asked and she wanted to know. She nodded to show her comprehension as he continued his explanation.

"I kill people --bad people, I am always armed, I never sleep on the job and I will be right outside your door."

“Good,” she answered. “I trust you to do your job flawlessly.” She gave him a lighthearted smile. She really did trust him to do his job properly. Mr. Tilton wouldn't assign her someone who couldn't take care of her if something did go wrong.

She let him take her folders and followed him into the room as he unlocked it and entered, setting her files on the desk.

"You need to unwind."

She nodded in acknowledgment. “I could use a little rest and relaxation, you're right,” she answered as he turned on the lights with a voice command. “Whoa,” she said, “that's pretty neat.” She turned her head to the side again, a habit of hers when curious, and examined one of the lights.

“Lights!” she exclaimed, laughing as they dimmed. “Lights!” she exclaimed again, turning them back up to their previous brightness.

Alfrei was ignoring her childish play with the lights and was opening the curtains in the beautiful room.
The windows were large, ceiling to floor, and offered a wonderful view of the surrounding area. It was breathtaking.

"The sunset is a must-see from here."

“Wow,” she murmured breathlessly to herself before adding in a louder tone, “I'm sure it is. I'll be certain to watch it.” She smiled again at the thought of watching the sunset. It was one of her favorite things to do. She greatly enjoyed unwinding by watching the sunset with a cup of coffee or perhaps something a bit stronger.

"Flat-screen T.V., mini fridge, small kitchen --if you like home-made dishes, bathtub, showers, everything you need for comfort." Alfrei was going on about the room, which was already overwhelming her in its comfort level.

She turned her eyes away from the window and nodded with the corners of her pink lips turned up in a little smile. “It's wonderful, Alfrei.” She watched as he took a beer out of the fridge. “I wouldn't mind one of those myself.”

"I'll take one of these and I'll be outside. I think I'll answer the and what part of your question some other time. Oh, keep this door locked alright?"

“Okay. Whatever you say!” She had opened the fridge and cracked open a beer already. She raised her free hand to her temple and saluted him, giggling to herself. “Good night!” she called after him, not wanting him to be rude.

After he left, she moved to the door, sipping her drink, and made sure to lock it up tight as he had instructed. She wasn't going to disobey her security; he had to know better than she did how security worked and she did not want to impede his work in anyway.

Flopping down on the bed, she opened the drawer of the nightstand beside it and found the remote to the tv, which she clicked on. Surfing through the channels, she finished her beer and tossed the remote back down on the bed. There was nothing good on anyway, as usual. She moved about the room, checking the drawers and furniture and found all of her possessions to be in proper order.

“Huh,” she said out loud to herself. “I guess I can trust these Intrigue people to do their work right,” she thought in her own head.

Noticing that the sun was sinking, she sat on the edge of the bed and watched the sky turn bright oranges and reds, the sky aflame, as if painted by some giant hand with an equally giant paintbrush. Soon enough, the sun disappeared, and the dusty purples of dusk began to replace the previous painting.

Finding herself with little else to do, she moved into the spacious and elaborately decorated bathroom to take a shower. Undressing and turning the water on, she stepped into the hot shower and pulled the curtain, closing her eyes as she let it run over her face. The temperature of the water was causing a cloud of steam to appear.

A little while later, after her shower, she stepped out of it and pulled on a pair of long, gray sweatpants with loose-fitting legs and a bright green T-shirt, her sleeping clothes, and climbed into the king-sized bed. The covers were so large that she felt as if she could get lost in them, but it was terribly comfy and, with the television on only for background noise, she closed her eyes, drifting into an easy, restful sleep.

[Ethereal]

The uneventful night was replaced by yet again, an uneventful morning. Alfrei was blinking his eyes to keep them from drying as he stared at his laptop screen. He was in the process of stretching his arms when his earpiece cackled static.

"Bluheart do you copy?" the voice on the other end inquired. Alfrei immediately picked up the earpiece, wore it and answered. "Go for Bluheart, something wrong command?" he asked back.

Alfrei's eyes immediately scanned the 3D scale of the Empress for something suspicious. He found nothing. "Change of plans my boy..." Mr. Tilton's voice said. "S-sir?" Alfrei stuttered. It was rare for Mr. Tilton to be in the twenty-fifth floor with Command... something was up. "We need to send Ms. Merdon and you to that island today. They discovered something really big. How is our head architect?" Mr. Tilton continued.

Alfrei pushed a few keys on his laptop and the screen switched to the inside of Anya's room. "Sleeping like a log sir. When do we leave?" he informed and inquired. "As soon as you get here Alfrei, I have already prepared a chopper to take both of you into port."

"Yes sir, on our way." Alfrei confirmed and terminated the call. He took a deep breath and contemplated on how messed up he would probably get when they arrive in the island. Putting trivial matters aside, the boss wanted them to leave today and he was going to comply. Alfrei stood up and approached Anya's door.

"Ms. Merdon?" he called out while knocking. He had a key but every woman needs their privacy. Besides, he had watched her sleep the whole night anyway. "Ms. Merdon we need to leave now, there's been a change of plans."

[xraineyesx]

Anya rolled over in her sleep onto her stomach and stretched her arms under the fluffy white pillow, smiling a little bit in her pleasant dream. She turned her face to the side, a few strands of her black hair falling out of her braid and into her face.

And then a strange noise entered her dream. What was that? It sounded like some kind of ... knocking, perhaps?

"Ms. Merdon?

And now someone was calling to her in her dream. But, after looking around, she couldn't find anyone. She frowned, furrowing her brow, as the strange knocking noise continued. Then, she awoke, still slightly puzzled, until she realized that someone was knocking on her door.

"Oh!" she cried out, then louder, "Just a minute, I'm coming!"

She leaped out of bed, getting tangled in the covers a little bit, and having to extract herself before she could walk to the door, which she unlocked and opened. Alfrei was standing there before her.

She tilted her head a little to the side and asked him, "Yes, Aflrei? What is it?"

Rubbing her eyes with the palm of her hand, she tried to stifle a yawn and failed, covering up her mouth with her hand. It would be rude to yawn in his face. Finished yawning, she asked him again, "What's going on?"

She couldn't imagine why he would wake her up this early unless something was going on that she needed to know about. Oh! What if her life was in danger? The thought both excited her and terrified her a little. Or maybe Mr. Tilton simply needed her - her list of supplies! Oh no! She hadn't finished it yet. She would have to make it as soon as Alfrei told her what was going on.

[Ethereal]

"Change of plans Ms. Merdon, we're leaving for the island today, you're needed there. Get dressed, a chopper is waiting for us back in the office as we speak. Mr. Tilton said Frontier One found something big." he informed her and hurried to pack his equipment.

Their stay in Empress had been short-lived, but it was better that way. Anya was the only one enjoying the comfort after all. Alfrei moved briskly. He had been so used to packing up his gear and he had done it countless times. He was finished in less than five minutes and was already waiting for Anya.

He was in the process of keeping his eyes wet when a ring escaped his suit's inner pocket. Alfrei pulled out his phone and read Mr. Tilton calling. He answered. "Sir?"

"Alfrei, I did not have the chance to tell you this earlier but I want you to be prepared for anything. Truth is, the good doctor has gone missing after the discovery in the island. I decided to keep it under wraps for now until we determine the cause."

Alfrei's expression changed to worry and confusion. "Then why am I bringing her there?" he asked, worry evident in his tone. Mr. Tiltons deep breath was heard from the other end of the line. "We need to keep a chain of command going on, otherwise people will start doing things themselves over there. Who knows what treasures lie in wait on that island? Besides, you are coming with her. I believe you will keep her safe."

Alfrei suddenly felt the weight of his job grow heavier. "I will do my best sir." He responded and hung up. I thought the island was deserted? he thought to himself as he tried in vain to figure out what could have caused the lead scientist of Frontier One to go missing. No scientist in the right mindset would pass up a chance to win a Nobel Prize. His gaze turned to Anya's door.

Just how long is she gonna take?

[xraineyesx]

"Change of plans Ms. Merdon, we're leaving for the island today, you're needed there. Get dressed, a chopper is waiting for us back in the office as we speak. Mr. Tilton said Frontier One found something big."

Anya listened as intently as she could, still trying to shake the sleepy subconscious state off, and she nodded as he spoke.

"Alright," she said, "I'll be ready to go in just a few minutes."

She went back into her room, shutting it and locking it as Alfrei had told her to do, and digging around in the nightstand, found the little pad of paper and pen all hotels always had in them. She took it out and scribbled a few things on it, things she would need. Folding it up, she laid it on the desk and got dressed quickly, pulling on a pair of light blue jeans on one leg at at time and a black, long-sleeved shirt, the material thin like a T-shirt. She grabbed a crimson red, zip-up jacket with a hood and pushed her arms through the sleeves. She didn't look very professional, but there wasn't any time.

Whirling about the room, she collected several items and stuffed the things that she wanted on her person into her handbag, a large, square back in black-and-white plaid print.

She tossed her long, black hair up into a quick ponytail and brushed her teeth hastily, trying to make herself look somewhat presentable to the outside world. She would do her make-up on the way to where ever they were headed.

Sweeping over the room one last time and picking up a book she had forgotten, she jammed it into her handbag and slung it over her shoulder. She gathered up her list and unbolted the door, opening it and peering out at Alfrei.

"Alfrei?" she asked in a questioning tone, "I'm ready whenever you are."

[Ethereal]

Alfrei nodded in approval. With his things on ready, he led the way to the elevator without a word. Something was bothering him about the island and the discovery. With the pressing news he received from Mr. Tilton, about the good doctor gone missing, he wondered if something bad had actually happened. The reason for his disappearance for now, was far beyond comprehension. What if there's something there? Is he alone enough to keep Anya, the next in the chain of command safe?

During the elevator ride to the basement of the hotel, Alfrei pondered if he should tell her what is really going on. If he did that, panic might set in and she might back out from her job. He has not spoken a word when they got out, when the valet brought his car to them, during the ride back to the office, until they were waiting for the elevator down in the lobby of Intrigue.

"Anya... I need to tell you something. This is confidential and must remain under wraps but I can't go in there knowing that I might be bringing you to possible danger. I can't say what danger for sure but if you want to back out, now is the time to do so."

The words came out. Funny why he even bothered telling her, especially since it was against the orders of his boss. Alfrei fell into silence after that statement. His mind mused over the possible outcomes of his previous action. Will he lose his job? Well... he might but it's better than bringing somebody innocent to their death.

[xraineyesx]

Anya followed her security guard Alfrei with quiet haste. This was a time for business, not idle chitchat and questions, no matter how endless her questions might be. And she was certainly confused. Something was going on, but right now was not the time to find out what. She knew that her life was, from now on, dependent on her following Alfrei's orders to the letter, and she planned on doing just that.

The elevator was a silent sojourney to the basement and to the car that the valet had already driven up for them. She got in the passenger seat as Alfrei took the wheel and steered them toward Intrigue. More silence as they drove, their surroundings whipping past them out the window, and her mind drifted to thoughts of what could be happening. Maybe Frontier One had made a major break through on the island and she was needed immediately.

The trip back passed in what seemed to be a shorter amount of time than it had taken the night before to reach the Empress. She got out of the car, tosssing her bag over her shoulder, and the door sounding thunderous as she threw it closed and followed Alfrei to the lobby where he turned and spoke to her.

"Anya... I need to tell you something. This is confidential and must remain under wraps but I can't go in there knowing that I might be bringing you to possible danger. I can't say what danger for sure but if you want to back out, now is the time to do so."

She halted abruptly at her name and turned on her heel to stare at him as he spoke. Danger? Of course there would be danger. It was an uncharted, uncivilized island. But... something about his words made her hesitate.

Opening her mouth and closing it again, she swallowed, regaining her composure. "I am grateful for the warning, Alfrei," she answered, "but I am prepared to face the danger. I knew this job would be dangerous when I took it, and I'm not about to back down now before I even officially start. I trust you to keep me safe."

[Ethereal]

He warned her for nothing but her thanks. Anya Merdon wanted to push through despite his warning; it was a wasted effort on his part. "Very well then." Alfrei replied and stepped inside the elevator. He had not told her that doctor Harvey has gone missing. As the elevator hummed its way to the fiftieth floor, Alfrei pondered if he should tell her. Perhaps he should...

"You are aware that Frontier One is led by renowned scientist Dr. Gilliam Harvey right? Well, to tell you the truth, he's gone missing on the island -cause unknown as of now." he said and took a deep breath. "The reason you're being sent there as soon as possible is to keep the chain of command going." he added and looked at Anya. "It is most likely that I will be tasked to find out the reason for his disappearance as well, so there's a good chance that I cannot keep my eyes on you all the time... It's the reason I'm worried." Alfrei finished.

When they both arrived at Mr. Tilton's penthouse office, Alfrei accessed the doors the same way he did, via retinal scan. After the doors opened, both of them saw a worried Mr. Tilton standing before his spotless windows. Alfrei called for his attention and the man responded with a nod, only then did Alfrei stepped inside along with Anya.

"New frontiers are always troublesome are they not?" Mr. Tilton asked nobody in particular. "There always exist... complications." he added and turned to face Alfrei and Anya. "I am sorry to have called you here on such short notice but I really appreciate that you could come." he added and picked up a remote from his desk.

Mr. Tilton pressed a button and soon, a large flatscreen monitor slid down from the ceiling and completely covered his aquarium. Moments later, satellite images of the island played on the screen. "This was taken sixteen hours ago..." he said and pointed at the picture of the island blurred by a white flash from the center part. Mr. Tilton then scrolled through the images and soon, a clear image of the island was on screen. "We don't know what that white flash was but after that, Dr. Harvey was gone from the island." he said bluntly. "Alfrei, the recent report I received tells us that Dr. Harvey's security detail were found dead. One was burned to death, and the rest were mutilated. I suggest you depart for the island well prepared. -take a team with you." he informed and turned to Anya.

"I trust you have a list of what you would need? May I take a look at it so I can get them prepared before you arrive in port?"

[xraineyesx]

Anya nodded sharply at him, jerking her chin up and down. She was scared. Of couse she was scared, but she wasn't going to back down now. Mr. Tilton had chosen her - her of all people - and this was her chance.

In the elevator, Alfrei began speaking again. She turned toward him and listened intently.

"You are aware that Frontier One is led by renowned scientist Dr. Gilliam Harvey right? Well, to tell you the truth, he's gone missing on the island -cause unknown as of now." he said and took a deep breath. "The reason you're being sent there as soon as possible is to keep the chain of command going." he added and looked at Anya. "It is most likely that I will be tasked to find out the reason for his disappearance as well, so there's a good chance that I cannot keep my eyes on you all the time... It's the reason I'm worried."

It was the most words she had heard him say in a row, and he sounded so serious. She hesitated in answering. Doctor Harvey had gone missing? But how could that happen? There was no one on the island. Frontier One had proclaimed it deserted. It could mean sabatoge from within, and Anya wasn't sure she was skilled to deal with mutiny.

She swallowed loudly. "Alfrei," she said, "I understand that the danger is multiplied. If you wish to not go, I will understand. But I must go, for myself. I want to discover! And this might be my only chance."

She could not meet his eyes and instead fished the little piece of hotel notepad paper out of her pocket and a pen out of her bag. She scribbled a few new items on the list.

Handgun - whichever style you deem best
Ammunition

Anya knew how to shoot a handgun. She would leave it up to Mr. Tilton and his crew to decide what would be best for the island. And she wasn't going to be a helpless child waiting around for Alfrei to save her ass from every little thing. A person had to count on themself before anyone else.

They had arrived in Mr. Tilton's office. She listened quietly. His words were troublesome, but Anya pushed her fear back down into the corners of her mind.

"I trust you have a list of what you would need? May I take a look at it so I can get them prepared before you arrive in port?"

She stepped forward briskly and presented the little folded piece of paper to him. "I'm sorry it's on such a small, folded paper. It looks so unprofessional, but I had to write it in a hurry." She fell silent, knowing better than to blabber on and on.

Tilton had suggested Alfrei take a team. No, suggested wasn't the right word. Ordered, more so. Anya would feel much better with a team of highly trained security men with her - but then again, the last team didn't do so well.

"Here's to not breaking your 100 percent completetion ratio," she toasted inside her head with an imaginary glass of wine.

[Ethereal]

"It's actually more than what I was expecting. With the rush of things, this still appears professional to me -even if it's written on Empress' notepad." He jested and chuckled. "I'll see to it that these be prepared when you arrive into port. Good luck to both of you and stay safe." Mr. Tilton finished and turned to tend to his other duties.

Alfrei pulled out his phone and pressed the speed-dial. "Seems you guys are needed after all. Get ready, we leave in ten." he said and hung up.

Just as Alfrei and Anya were on their way out of his office, Mr. Tilton called for the attention of Alfrei. "Sir?" the man asked. Mr. Tilton raised Anya's little note showing it to Alfrei. "See to it that Ms. Merdon gets a handgun, and please make sure it suits her well." he finished and gestured for them to move on.

Alfrei nodded and turned his gaze to Anya. She wanted a gun. Although he was uncomfortable with letting her handle one, he had no choice but to comply. After closing Mr. Tilton's office doors, Alfrei stopped in his tracks and faced Anya once more. He unbuttoned his suit and revealed a gun holstered to his side. It was his backup pistol. Alfrei removed the both gun and holster from his person and looked Anya in the eyes.

"I trust you wouldn't want a handgun unless you know how to handle one. This is my personal gun, custom-made and always tuned. Never fired it once before. Point and shoot, don't kill me by mistake." he said and then walked behind Anya. He stopped to admire her slender figure for a second before putting on the holster around her waist. Once he made sure it was fastened tight, he was satisfied. "One more thing, the safety is always on." he reminded and headed straight to the stairs that led to the roof.

Above, the chopper was already on standby. Violent winds from its propellers lashed at Alfrei and Anya as they made their way to the craft. Alfrei was relieved to see that the team he trusted the most were already on the chopper and was waiting for them.

Alfrei helped Anya up before getting on the chopper himself. Then with a non-verbal command issued to the pilot, the craft took to the sky. It was some thirty-minute flight to the port.

[xraineyesx]

"Thank you, sir," she smiled at his compliment. She did try to be professional when it came to business. It was best to separate work and play - not that Anya didn't know how to have fun. Right now just wasn't the time to do so.

They were dismissed, and still in the office, Alfrei pulled out his phone and made a quick call. She presumed it was to his team, because of his words, and she waited patiently. She tried not to eavesdrop but it was impossible not to overhear him while he was standing right next to her.

Mr. Tilton called them back, discussing Anya's request of a gun, and to her surprise Alfrei pulled out a Desert Eagle handgun, custom made and very shiny in a black leather holster.

"Your gun?" she said. "Aflrei, I can't take your gun. Won't you need it?" Her protests fell on deaf ears though as he ignored her and began explaining the gun.

"Yes, Alfrei, I understand" she acknowledged him, lifting up her arms, slightly shocked as Alfrei began hooking the belt around her waist for her. She blushed slightly at the contact.

She jogged up the steps, following Alfrei in haste. They had little time to waste. She could hear the chopper as they neared the roof. It was large, and the gust from its whirling blades whipped her bangs around her face. They walked across the roof, Anya with her head down. Again, Alfrei made contact with her, helping her onto the helicopter, and the pink color flooded into her cheeks again. She glanced at the interior of the helicopter. There were people in it, looking very alert and almost eager.

"Alfrei's team," she realized.

These were the men that would be protecting her, the men that were responsible for her life. It gave her an odd sensation to think that someone else was responsible for her life.

[Ethereal]

"Your cheeks are flushed. Are you alright?" Alfrei asked her, his voice cackling through the headsets they wore. He didn't really expect any answer, she looked fine to him. He just wanted to point out that her pinkish cheeks were very visible.

The time for play ended. Alfrei took off his suit and the shirt he wore underneath, leaving only a black body-fit shirt on him. Later when they arrive on site, he would change his slacks to something more fit for travel through forestry. His pack was then handed to him by Gunther, one of his teammates. "Everything you need is in there sir." he informed him.

Alfrei unzipped the green duffel bag and checked the contents himself. Communications gear, kevlar armor, combat boots, black military leggings, grenades, ammunition, sub-machine guns, night vision goggles, and the most important pieces of gadgetry, GPS tracking devices. He plucked one tracker out, it was fashioned like a necklace with a small, black square pendant and wore it over Anya, his hands brushing against her silky soft hair. He smiled at her faintly. "So I can keep my eyes on you all the time." he explained and picked up a small palmtop from the bag next. He switched it on and moments later, a grid of their current location along with one blip blinking was shown on screen.

Satisfied, Alfrei zipped the bag once more and turned to his team. "Alright listen up, we're gonna be expecting heavy resistance. Dr. Harvey's security detail had just crossed over on that island. We don't know what we're up against and we don't have intel either. I expect you people to stay on your toes. Remember, Anya is top priority. Nothing unrelated to Intrigue touches her, got that?"

The three men replied in chorus acknowledging Alfrei's instructions. Soon they would be reaching the port and then they would travel six hours via Intrigue's submarine to get to the site. Hopefully all goes well until they reach their destination.

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