The Rogue

two - Green eyes

I stopped off at the closest restroom on my way back to the function room. Light red scratches from the bricks now graced my exposed back. I swept my hair back over my shoulders to hide them and prayed no one would notice.

When I returned the speeches had already started. The lights had been dimmed as the screen was showing a presentation as my father stood center stage speaking, a huge smile gracing his face. I lingered at the back of the function room just inside the door. I wasn’t interested in being noticed squeezing through the tables back to my seat, let alone the speeches.

“The Hale Bio-medical lab is paving the way in new technologies to treat disease.." It was the same speech as every previous function thus far, only mildly altered with updates on their statistics. As Nicholas spoke I gazed around the crowd, my father fascinates people. He’s idolized as a pioneer in his field but I wondered how they would all feel if they really knew him. Evan was sitting back at our table, hanging on every word Nicholas uttered. That was why we couldn’t be together.

My eyes continued to wander; I felt like the room had shifted, some of the catering staff had disappeared. Leaving just a few wandering topping up wine glasses. They were probably being lulled to sleep by my father's technical jargon. My eyes scanned the remaining caterers; looking for the one I had just been with on the balcony. I should have gone to find him and explain what he had seen but was nowhere to be seen.

“More recently we have been able to isolate more genes responsible for disease risks than any other lab. Now with reverse engineering, we hope to make new advancements in epigenetics to eradicate the disease before they arise." Nicholas was met with applause. Whilst the crowd praised Nicholas I was preparing to go back out to the deck to look for the caterer when I heard an odd sound.

It was a lot of low clicking noises, followed painfully loud bang. I grabbed my ears, startled.

The clapping stopped, replaced by a few shrieks and a lot of murmurs as the room was plunged into total darkness.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we seem to be having a power outage, I am sure we will be back on momentarily!" My father announced. Small lights began to appear as people began to pull out their mobile phones out to get some light. I reach for my clutch, hanging from my wrist fumbling with the zip when I saw it.

Movement in the shadows, dark figures moved in blocking the entrance. 

A chill raced down my spine as gloved hands shoot out around me, one tightly around my waist, the other covered my mouth.

The faint ticking noise returns before Explosions erupt throughout the room, screaming followed as a thick cloud of smoke filled the room blocking all vision and thickening the air.

 “Come with me, don't resist," a low muffled voice whispered into my ear. I gave a nod in agreement as I was pulled back through the haze, more explosions elsewhere in the hotel began to shake the function room. I didn't think the night could get any worse, but I guess it did.

The captor led me out of the function room, just as the doors slammed shut. I could just make out more dark figures moving swiftly as the sound of smoke alarms muffled the sounds of fists banging on the door desperate to get out. Somehow they captor can navigate through the haze that fills the hallways as I stumble my way along behind them.

“In here" the voice orders they push me through a doorway into more darkness. Fumbling in the dark I reach out for something to hold onto finding a cold metal rail. My hands cling to it like a lifeline.

The door shuts behind us as small lights ignite on the walls on revealing the flights of stairs above and below.

Dressed head to toe in black, a mask hiding all his features I saw the figure behind the voice that had bought me here. A tall muscular figure, the top of my head would just reach his shoulder. My eyes lingered on the gun that was holstered on his waistband.

“We have 3 minutes before this place is in flames. You need to run." His voice was urgent, but demanding. I quickly tossed my heels off and started barefoot down the flights of stairs. My trembling hand glided down the rail beside me steadying me. The masked figure followed close behind me. When we reached the bottom of the stairs I stopped at the exit. A feeling had come over me, a sudden realization that I did not know where this figure was leading me.

“Why have you stopped?” He snapped.

“Are you taking me to safety?”

“Depends on the way you look at it “we both jump as rumbles from above shook the building. Without hesitation, he heaved us both through the heavy emergency exit, into the smoke-filled street outside.

The pavement was rough against my bare feet, as I ran as fast could with him dragging me by my wrist behind him. My free arm covered my nose and mouth, the thick smoke burnt my lungs. In the distance, the wails of sirens were approaching.

He led me through the smoke and into the back alleys of the buildings nearby. By his movements, he knew exactly where he was leading us. Every turn seemed calculated and planned.

He took a sudden left as we reached the end of another alley, I fell against him, rebounded, his grip released and I fell cracking my head against the cold pavement. I gasped at the pain radiating my skull.

Lying on the pavement, I realized a black SUV is parked waiting for us. Its lights are off, but its engine was idling.

“Are you alright Ivy?”

“How do you know my…” I trailed off, the pain muddling my thoughts.

He didn't answer; instead, he lifted me and carried me to the SUV slipping me inside onto the cold leather seat, before sliding in next to me. He slammed the door shut behind us and the car took off.

Getting my bearings, as the pain began to subside I realized we were not alone. Besides the driver, another two men dressed in black but maskless were squeezed in the back seat of the SUV. The two of them were staring at me intensely- one, the brown-haired hazel-eyed one, seemed concerned, and the other a more full-faced auburn-haired man just looked confused.

I tried to push myself up to sit but my hands were pulled back behind me, sending me face-first into the leather center console. The weight came down on me, pinning me down my calves and back.

"Oww!" I moan. The pressure on my calves, and my shoulders hurt. My chest is being pushed down and it's hard to breathe.

Cold fingertips traced against the bare skin of my thigh making me shiver. Panic rushed through me, as my dress was pulled further up my thigh. This cannot be happening.

“Get off me!” I am screamed as I fought back, thrashing my body, kicking my legs trying to free my hands, but it was no use as I was pushed down harder.

"Dammit hold her still!" My captor snaps. 

The car takes a sharp turn and the bodies pinning me down get thrown aside. Quickly I pulled myself up, bracing myself for force but instead a familiar face greeted me.

"You!" I gasped as the waiter from the function props himself opposite me, twiddling a needle in his now un-gloved hand.

"Hey," he said smiling before stabbing the needle into my exposed thigh. Instinctively I slapped him around the face and he looked as surprised as I felt. 

He pulled the needle from my thigh and I felt the trickle of blood running down my leg. The other two men reclaim their balance and cram in either side of me. All three of them were watching me intently. My heart was racing; nausea stirred in my stomach as the car began to spin. "What the f**k was that..." I mumbled as I locked my gaze on those green eyes one last time before everything fell dark.