She entered the dilapidated building cautiously. It wouldn't do for her prey to become aware of her presence before she was ready to reveal herself. Studying the faces of the people milling about the sparsely furnished room, she breathed a sigh of relief. She had arrived before him. She made her way inconspicuously to the back of the room where she knew her informant waited at the bar. Sliding the man a questioning glance, she turned her attention to one of the television monitors positioned nearby. "He's here," the man told her, his voice barely audible above the blare of the jukebox. The woman turned toward him, startled by his words. "How can that be?" she hissed as she scanned the room. He shook his head, warning her to silence. "He came through the back, not more than 30 minutes ago," he told her. "Him, and some of his friends."
She chewed her lower lip, knowing she no longer had the element of surprise. Frustrated, she ran her hand through her long, ebony hair. It didn't matter, she decided. She could still beat him at this game. Scrutinizing the crowd again, she saw him. He smiled slowly, giving her a barely perceptible nod before disappearing through a door behind him. She started after him. Her informant laid his hand on her arm, stopping her. "Maybe you should. . . .," he began. She shook his grasp off, pulling away from him. "No, this time, he's mine" she said adamantly.
She crossed the room and entered the same door through which her quarry had vanished. As she suspected, the room beyond was empty. To find him here would have been too easy, she reminded herself. Knowing how he loved the chase, she knew she would to have to work to earn her prize. She checked her gun, assuring herself it was operational. With that done, she slipped through yet another door into the gloom of the labyrinth.
The fog drifted eerily through the interconnected passageways that formed the maze. Her eyes struggled to adjust to the dim light as she took several deep breaths, concentrating on the task ahead. She crept along, hugging the walls and easing slowly around each corner. Cautious, but ready to strike. She tensed as she heard footsteps running toward her. Melting into an alcove, she held her breath. Two young boys burst into the corridor and passed her hiding spot oblivious to her presence. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she could have easily taken them out. Refocusing on her mission, she waited until a count of ten to give the boys time to move on down the corridor before she resumed the hunt. A chill ran down her spine. Her intuition was seldom wrong. She was positive he was close by.
His laughter rang out just before she felt the impact of a direct hit to her shoulder. "Damn!" she cursed as she ducked and ran. Several blasts rang out over her head. "It's just one hit, only in the shoulder," she told herself, as she scrambled for cover. Her breath came in rapid, short bursts as she assessed the damage and planned her next move. She ruthlessly tamped down the self-doubt she could feel threatening to rise. She had no time for that. She had to hold on to her nerve if she expected to come out of this victorious. Gathering her courage, she continued her foray through the maze. With renewed determination, she went on the offensive. Actively seeking her man. Twice she was forced to waste her limited rounds of ammunition on other denizens of the labyrinth. Creatures other than the one she sought.
Running low on ammunition, she feared she might have to abandon her mission. She had crouched behind a low wall to check her reserves when she finally spotted him. He was easy to identify with his trademark sunglasses and backward ball cap. She stood, rising to her full height, and took aim at her target. A conquering, smug smile spread across her face. And then she felt the barrel of his gun pressed into her back. "It's so simple to mistake someone's identity when you rely on those features that are easily changed," a husky, whisky-soaked voice informed her. Her victory stolen and her euphoria deflated, she cursed herself. She had known he had others with him today, but she'd been so caught up in the chase, she'd failed to realize that he might use that to his advantage. "Yo, D!" he called out to the other man. His friend smiled grimly and raised his hand in acknowledgment before disappearing into the fog.
"To the victor go the spoils," he whispered so close to her ear she could feel his breath, warm and moist. He removed the gun from her grasp and disarmed it, shoving it into the holster on her side before pulling her into a secluded corner. As she turned to face him, she wished for more light. She'd never seen him before without the sunglasses and she longed to see if his eyes were as cold as she had imagined. Perhaps somewhere in them she would be able to detect some small feeling of sympathy for her plight. But the darkness only allowed her a glimpse of a faint, satisfied smile. She didn't resist as he unfastened her vest; pushing it off her shoulders and letting it drop to the floor. Slowly he undid the buttons down the front of her shirt, letting the back of his fingers brush against the curve of her breast. "Nice," he remarked appreciatively, as he felt her quiver beneath his touch. He grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger, lifting her face toward his. His thumb rubbed idly across her full lower lip. She was mesmerized as he bent his head toward hers, stopping only when his lips were just a hair's breadth away from hers. She closed her eyes, waiting breathlessly for him to begin the kiss. She shouldn't want this she knew. Shouldn't want his lips on hers, his touch against her skin. She was the one who closed the distance between them, reaching out with her tongue and tentatively touching his lips. He groaned and pulled her into his arms, not caring that she was his adversary. Her arms wound themselves around his neck of their own volition, her fingers caressing the curls that lay against his nape. He thrust his tongue boldly into her mouth, moving in and out, in imitation of the more intimate joining he intended to pursue. He would take all she would relinquish and more.
They were both startled as a voice invaded their sensual world, intruding on the privacy of their dark corner. "Thank you for playing Laser Quest with us today. All competitors should now return to the airlock." She stepped back away from him, her breath coming in ragged gasps. He laughed regretfully as he took note of her passion-dazed eyes and swollen lips. He chucked her under the chin. "Next time," he whispered huskily, "I'll find you sooner." He turned, and without a backward glance, fled into the maze.
Email the author: Mackenzie
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