The alarm sounded and Henry jumped to grab my arm and rush me to his statue where he shoved a crystal into the eye. The wall moved aside and he forced me into the room. I turned as the wall began to close again and he pressed the crystal into my hand.
Alone I was surrounded with monitors broadcasting the armed people pouring inside. On quivering knees I lowered my body into the leather chair. My eyes flicked from monitor to monitor to watch Henry. He took cover around a corner and caught three of the men by surprise, shooting each between the eyes and making me flinch. Seven other people were approaching him from behind and I swore my heart stopped beating.
I leapt from my chair and ran to the desk. I rifled through the drawers until I found a small device. I turned to look back at the monitor. They had reached him and he was using a metal door as a shield as he fought them off.
Gritting my teeth I stared down at the device. My hands shook. I felt like I was going to puke. I racked my brain for whatever code would reach him as I saw another group approach from the corner of my eye. They'd reach him from his blindside in a minute.
Just a week before I was trudging to mom's house in the freezing rain. It numbed my sore muscles. My body was shaking as I walked up the stone steps to knock on the front door, my knuckles stinging and frozen fingers resisting the shock. The door opened with a creak and my mom revealed herself.
"Oh my God! Mia, come inside!"
She rushed me in and took off my coat. Before I knew it she was sitting me on the couch and wrapping a blanket around me. I heard the click of the kettle preparing to boil. In a moment she was setting a hot mug in my hand, the smell of hot cocoa carrying itself to my nose as the steam warmed my face.
"What happened?" She asked as she sat beside me.
"Mason dumped me. He found someone else."
Her hand roughly rubbed between my shoulder blades. She leaned closer. She went over everything I knew to be true; I was only young, I had to focus on school, I deserved better, she never liked him, etc. It didn't help. I only felt better when she was leading me to my old room where I fell onto the bed. Under the blankets I let myself cry.
I couldn't believe he'd throw me out like that. Like a year together meant nothing. Like he didn't care where I went or even just how I'd get to my mom's.
In the morning I sat at the kitchen table eating pancakes. As miserable as I was it made me smile to see my mom so content with my coming home. She sat next to me. Her hand reached out to take mine.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"I'll be okay."
"I was thinking. How about you switch to online schooling? You can relax and take your classes in your room."
"I don't know... I don't want to stay too long."
"I know you need your independence, my baby," She paused and tentatively added, "Henry has been looking for a new secretary."
My phone started ringing and I excused myself to my bedroom to answer the call. I heard Mason's voice and felt my head get hot.
"Did you make it home okay?"
"Yes."
"I'm glad. I really do want us to be friends."
I rolled my eyes and hung up. Finding my energy sapped dry I laid down in my bed. Within second I was asleep. In the morning I made pancakes for my mom. I served her pancakes and started mixing more after she told me my sister was coming by.
Jackie and Henry came inside once I finished their pancaked. I set them on the table and joined my family with my own. They talked about Jackie's new job. As always Henry was silent. I looked up and caught him watching me with a glint in his eye. I averted my gaze down to my food.
"Lola?" My mom's harmonic voice called my attention, "Did you think about working with Henry?"
I opened my mouth but Henry spoke first with a firm, "No. I'm sorry, but it isn't right for her."
I was going to say the same thing but it still hurt.
"She has the experience," Mom offered, "Besides, she only has a year of school left."
Henry looked to me. He was probably counting on my turning the job down but I really had no other option.
"I would like the job if that's alright."
His jaw ticked and his gaze darkened, still he relented, "You can start tomorrow."
"Thank you."
"What happened with Mason?" Jackie asked.
"He found someone else."
Jackie nodded. I could tell her mind was far away.
The next day I put on a blouse and a pencil skirt. I put my hair in a tight bun and applied my makeup. I took my mom's car to the office building. Henry's office was at the top floor. He met me at the lobby and guided me through security, up the elevator, and to his office where I sat at my desk.
After teaching me what I needed to know he let me peruse his files on the computer. Henry's cooperation was hired to conduct marketing operations for different businesses. Looking through his files I saw that he did a lot of work for different charities. However what made my brows meet was the thousands that they paid him. Thousands they surely couldn't afford.
"How are you settling in?" Henry asked.
"Fine, but, uh... How do the charities pay you so much?"
"They have funds for marketing, Lola," He spoke like I was stupid.
"I know that. I used to volunteer for R.E.B.U.I.L.D and they don't have the money they've paid you."
"You were their accountant?"
I turned and glowered at him, "I know the founder. He's a good friend."
"He's a good man."
"And?"
After a long gust of breath he leaned back and set his tired eyes on me, "Most of it comes out of my pocket in regards to the charities."
"Why didn't you just say that?"
"Why does it matter?"
I rolled my eyes and resumed familiarizing myself with his company. I could feel Henry's dominating energy so heavily I couldn't breathe.
I came across another odd thing; an untitled list.
Claudette: 4790
Henry: 9989
James: 0092
And so on. I assumed it was employee numbers but it was only the head people.
His CFO strode inside. She wore a tight red dress with a pearl necklace and bracelet. Her earrings matched. She had a cherubic face with cat eyes and plump lips. She was incredibly tall. Her name was Claudette. Henry had spoken of her in passing.
I stood and held out my hand to shake hers. She greeted me with a warm smile.
"You must be Henry's sister-in-law. You're just as gorgeous as Jackie."
I bowed my head and giggled. When I looked back up at her she was sporting a wide grin with perfect teeth.
She strode across the wide room and I returned to my seat. The wall behind Henry was glass, allowing a view of the balcony. Lining the walls were bookshelves separated by statues. By the door to the balcony was a black leather sofa.
Henry looked just as classy and elegant as his office. He had wavy, glistening black hair and dark skin. His black, hooded eyes were piercing under wide brows. He was tall and sculped but not too bulky. His face was square with a wide jaw and high but narrow cheekbones. He was beautiful, admittedly.
Claudette brought me with her on her way out. She gave me a personal tour of the building that ended with my getting my own key card.
The rest of the week was uneventful. Well, that's an understatement, it was boring beyond belief. I didn't appreciate the intense boredom until I was cowering in the panic room. I dialed 9989 into the device and watched as henry put his finger to what must have been a hearing device hidden beneath his thick hair.
"Henry."
"Fifteen people approaching the opposite end of the hall."
I heard a growl and my breath caught in my lungs as Henry ducked into the storage room. I watched as he locked the door and rifled through the shelves.
"They're closing in!"
"Tell me when they reach the door."
He stood in the darkness with something in his hand. I watched the group creep forward.
"Now!"
He launched the bomb through the window and I felt my insides spasm as bodies were torn asunder.
"No survivors but the second group is around the corner."
He worked on recreating the bomb. I kept watch. I could see Claudette had made her way to the second floor. She was slick with blood.
"They're coming. Hide."
Henry crouched into the shadows and continued building the bomb. I watched as the group kicked down the door opposite to him. When they found the storage room locked one of them crouched to break in. Before I could update him he launched the bomb again through the broken window and I flinched again when bodies were blown apart.
"Clear?" I heard Claudette's breathless voice.
"Clear," Another man said.
"Lola?"
"Uh-Yeah... I-I don't see anyone."
"Stay where you are."
I hugged my knees to my chest and rested my head against the desk. I closed my eyes. I couldn't think. All I could see was the horrors of taken lives. Soon I heard Henry's voice through the speaker. Sluggishly I brought myself to my feet and I opened the hidden door. When I looked up at Henry, covered in blood and staring at me with so many emotions written across his face, the world went black.