I’m not doing too bad, if I do say so myself.
He continued on, heading off to his right.
At the end of the hallway, he found another chip, touched it with the wand, and the beep echoed around him. He walked along like this, keeping to his stride, finding every chip along the way. Before he knew it, he came to the entrance to the labs. Seeing where he was, he now knew that he was almost halfway done with his first tour of the night. Realizing it, he looked at his watch, and read that it was now a quarter after twelve. Seeing the time, he felt surprised. He was doing better than he ever thought that he would have done at first. He was about to move on, but just as he turned, he noticed something wrong. Something, which made him have to freeze right in his steps.
He looked at the doors to the labs, and instantly, and quite unexpectedly, he noticed that a light was coming in through both of the two windows built into each door. Seeing the light, his mind instantly rushed with a jumble of different things all at once. Those lights are supposed to be off, aren’t they?
He touched the chip to the right of the door, looked through the window, and could see a long hallway stretching out from the doors. Everything looked well lit, and seeing it all, it astounded him. What in the hell is this? During his training, the labs were always dark. He never once saw anyone else there. Seeing the light, and what they could mean, he felt instantly nervous. He felt apprehensive. He just didn’t know what to do about it. Should I check it out? Or, should I just keep going? The only thing that he did know was that he had to do something, and that thought alone answered his questions for him. He had to investigate it and he didn’t feel that he had a choice.
He reached for the access card that was faceted to his shirt’s breast pocket, looked for the keypad, a square three inch by three inch black colored box that was to the right of every door, and found it right where it was supposed to be. He touched the card to the front of the pad, and a green light flashed at the top of it. A soft beeping sound danced around him as the doors clicked. He took a deep breath. He had to prepare his mind. When he felt ready, as ready as he was ever going to be, he reached for the handle and went through the doors.
He walked into the hallway as the left door closed silently behind him and stopped. The brightness greeted him first. The sounds of dress shoes on a tiled floor came next. Someone was there all right, and that someone seemed to be walking in the hallway somewhere ahead of him.
No one is supposed to be here. He looked ahead with a certain amount of trepidation creeping up within him all at once. He still wasn’t sure what to do when he found someone in the building. The security policy told him to check everyone, and to make sure that those people were supposed to be there, but that was all that it said. He knew that they all had to have their ID badges with them. He knew that, but he also knew that he hadn’t done it yet, and that made him nervous. But again, he didn’t have a choice. I'd better check it out. I don’t want to get into trouble for not doing what I’m supposed to be doing. He had to do it, but first, he had to find them, so he moved cautiously. He moved with a purpose. He moved down the hallway and followed the sounds.
At the first hallway junction, he turned to his right and stopped. He listened as the footsteps continued and seemed to be coming from his left. He nodded before he turned that way and moved on.
He followed the sounds. He passed several closed doors on both sides of the hallway, and when the footsteps stopped, he held his breaths. By the sounds of them, he could tell that they were coming from a room, just up ahead of him on the left. Believing that, he nodded and took another deep breath.
Finished, he moved on, but this time, he slowed his stride. He walked with caution. He came to an open door right where he thought the footsteps came from, and there he stopped. He peered through the doorway and looked into the room.
Countertops lined the walls and they made two neat rows in the center of the room. It looks just like any other lab that I’ve ever seen before when I was back in high school. He chuckled some, as just across the room, he could see movement coming from another open doorway towards the back wall. Seeing that, he held his breaths again. Now what do I do? He finally breathed. You came in here. You have to find out who they are. It’s your job. You have to do it. He nodded before he slowly moved.
His heart raced as he went into the room and made his way across the floor. He walked quietly as he moved around one of the counters, and came to the door. Slowly, he approached it. Slowly, he stepped inside the doorway. The sounds of a woman’s screams came next.
“Holy shit!” A young, beautiful woman spun around in the closet and held her breaths. The box in her right hand fell to the floor and the sound of its low ebbing thud followed its disappearance. Now empty, her right hand rushed to her forehead and her left hand clenched her chest.
Jimmy also screamed, but his sounded worse than hers did. He always seemed to squeal when he became scared and now there was no difference.
“You scared the life out of me.” She took a deep and exaggerated breath. When she finished it, she laughed softly as well.
He likewise sighed before having to take a deep breath so that he could explain what just happened. “I’m sorry. I saw that the light was on. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He tried putting his words together, but had trouble hearing his own voice. In fact, he wasn’t even sure if he was actually talking at all. “I had to check it out.” He sounded winded and sounded flushed all over.
She listened and nodded, accepting his explanation. “It’s okay, really.” She allowed her breathing to gather again, and as it did, she quickly relaxed. Seeing that he wore a light blue dress shirt with a badge over the left pocket helped her racing heart calm even more. He has to be one of the security guards that works in the lobby. She heard about a new one starting this week, so it had to be him. Realizing that, she dropped her arms back to her sides. “I just didn’t expect to see you here.” She used both hands to brush her long black hair away from her face.
“Same here.” He likewise calmed and attempted to bring himself back under some sort of control. It worked some, until he watched her sweep the hair from her face. Seeing her do it, he held his breath and his heart seemed to stop. Instantly, sweat flared across his face.
She looked more than just beautiful. She looked almost perfect. It had to be her long black hair. It had to be the curves of her face. It had to be the sounds of her voice, but whatever it was; he just couldn’t believe how beautiful she really was.
Suddenly his legs tightened and his mind flew into a thousand different directions all at once. Realizing everything that he was feeling, he knew that he had to try to pull himself back together again. “I’m Jimmy—or—James Walls.” He smiled. He felt lucky that he was able to say anything at all. He was good with people to a point, but when it came to a beautiful woman, he lacked the natural charm that most men had. He couldn’t help himself. He suddenly felt lost.
“Doctor Garland—Rachel Garland.” She laughed, and a smile flared over her.
Seeing the smile made him melt. He had to blink several times before he could say anything else. “Nice to meet you.” He offered her his hand and smiled. His own awkwardness began to build up in his chest. He instantly felt bashful. He instantly became nervous. The monster of his shyness had to be showing, and he hated himself for it.
She took his hand and shook it. “Same.” She let go of his cool, clammy hand. “I’m glad to meet you, too.” His shyness showed and his nervousness flashed. Seeing him react this way, made her feel instantly refreshed. Most men were usually brash, almost arrogant to a resounding point, but obviously not him. Already, she knew he was different, and she liked him instantly for it.
“What are you doing here?” His voice cracked. He had to do something before he lost further control, so getting back to his job seemed to be the best way to do it.
“Working.” She laughed trying to be funny, but when she saw his face go pale, she knew instantly that she failed at i
t. He didn’t seem to get the joke, so she turned serious all too quickly. Hell, he looked like he was about to pass out if she didn’t. “I had to take care of a few things before heading off for the night.”
He nodded. “Sorry.” He could feel that old sensation of embarrassment coursing through his chest. His cheeks flared with heat as his mind doubled in its numbness. His thoughts went blank as he realized that he had said something stupid. Everything he did was so much like him, when it came to a beautiful woman standing in front of him. “I should let you get back to work.” He smiled, but he actually felt like running. More than ever, he felt like he was about to explode.
“It’s okay really. I was just completing everything. I’m almost done.” She turned back to the closet to get what she came in there for in the first place, and quickly realized that that thing was now on the floor, so she bent down to pick it up.
He saw what she was doing, and feeling guilty for causing it, he bent down as well.
They went down at the same time, and their heads came together halfway down to the floor with a solid bump.
For Jimmy, the pain of stupidity for him causing it felt even worse. “Oh God, I’m so sorry.” He winced for what he did.
She smiled and stood back up straight. Both of her hands went to the top of her now aching head. “It’s okay.”
His face now felt beyond red. It almost felt like it was on fire.
She saw it and smiled again. “I’ll get it.”
He watched her bend over and pick up the box. He wanted to say something else, but this time he couldn’t find the right words, so he didn’t even try to, and instead, turned and headed back to the exit as fast as he could move. The feeling to run became too strong for him to fight it. In fact, he almost ran to the door. He never once even looked back.
“So, how long have you been,” Rachel began as she took her extra box of slides, and turned back towards him, but stopped as she saw that he was gone before she could even finish it. He must have left fast. She never even saw him leave. “That was weird.” She nodded, not sure of what just happened, so she responded to all of it with a simple shrug, closed the closet door, and headed back to the counter at the far wall. Before she reached it, she could hear a new set of footsteps coming from the hallway, so she turned, expecting to see the guard coming back. The man who came definitely wasn’t the one that she expected, and in fact, she would have preferred the guard.
“You alright?” Gary asked as he came through the door. His heavy military style boots clunked on the floor as he moved, and the leather gun belt that he wore around his waist creaked some as he put his thumbs in between it and his shirt. He loved both of those sounds. They both sounded powerful. He respected both of them, and he knew that others did as well.
“I’m fine Gary, how are you?” Rachel puffed some. Why is he here? What in the hell do I have to do to get him to understand? Gary bothered her in more ways than she could have ever possibly believed that he would. She knew that she should have never gone out with him. She knew that now.
“I heard you scream.” He walked to her and stopped directly beside her. The sounds of his boots smacked and the leather creaked. His dark blue uniform swayed around his muscular build. He tried hard to get it to move just right. He liked it when people were afraid of him. It helped him in so many ways.
She watched him walk towards her. “The night watchman scared me some. It was nothing.” She shrugged. It’s none of your damn business anyway! She almost said but didn’t. Sometimes, she seemed to be too polite for her own good.
“The new one?” He came closer. Damn, she looked so beautiful, and she smelled so nice. He loved all of it, and everything about her, if not more than that.
She nodded. “Yeah. He was checking to see why the lights were on.”
“Okay.” He nodded, brushing his blonde hair from his face with the back of his hand. He crossed his heavy massive arms over his chest. Doing so, he made his whole body sound almost like it groaned. He then took a deep breath. Now that he had his answer, it was time to get back to more pressing issues. “What are you doing tonight when you’re done?” He smiled.
Everything he did do just made her wince again. Why in the hell did I ever go out with you? What in the hell was I thinking? The reason she did would forever haunt her soul. “I’m going to be awhile. Besides,” She turned and walked to the opposite side of the counter away from him. “I told you before; I don’t date people that I work with.” Especially you Gary! Especially a jerk like you.
“Too late.” He laughed as he crossed the distance between them and came directly to her side. Being this close to her made him feel special. It made him feel right. All of those feelings made him think that they were right together. Feeling it, it seemed like it was just a matter of time before she knew it too.
Watching him come closer to her again made her take a deep breath. She rarely hated anyone, but all of that seemed to change now. She knew she hated him. There was no doubt about that. The feelings grew every time that he came around her. “Gary, you’re a nice guy, but I told you before, I’m not interested in anything more.” She looked from him and back to the door of the room. I wish the guard would come back. I need you now!
“Okay.” He came closer. Goddamn, she smelled so nice. “I just don’t think you know what you’re missing out on.” A smile flashed heavily on his face causing his full mustache to crinkle up under his nose.
“I think I know.” She smiled a nervous look. The sight of his smile caused her to flinch. The mustache above his lip only added to the look of bitterness on his face. She hated the look more than she hated him.
His smile widened. “That’s cool.” He turned and walked back over to where they had begun their conversation. “Maybe some other time then.” He turned back and faced her. His smile only grew larger before it finally disappeared. He loved every minute that he spent with her. Inside, he knew that she wanted him too. He just had to give her time. He just had to stay patient.
Rachel worried. Watching him hesitate, it made her have to hold her breaths, but that worry vanished all too quickly when he finally turned, crossed the room, and disappeared back through the door and back out into the hallway and left. Seeing him do that, relief replaced everything all at once.
“Bastard.” She finally allowed herself to breathe. She bowed her head. She went back to work.
8
Jimmy walked fast. He walked for a while, turned right and then left. He couldn’t get her out of his thoughts. He could still see her beautiful skin. Her skin looked so smooth. She looked slightly pale, but he liked that. It made her look soft. It made her look gentle. He could still see the curves of her face. Every curve looked perfect. Her eyes shined so clearly. He could see everything about her, and he liked all of it.
So, why didn’t I say something? Why didn’t I try to? Why can’t I ever seem to get anything right? Everything that he did do seemed so wrong, and he hated himself for it.
He came to the next intersection and stopped. He looked to his left, turned, and faced right. He turned back around behind him, and after several moments, he realized that he had no idea where he was. You’ve got to be kidding me. He turned back to the way that he came, and saw that everything looked the same. Nothing looked right. Why do I keep doing this? Why can’t I just be me? Other guys can talk to women. Hell, I was with Sally. I did that, didn’t I? He was right. He has done this before, so what was wrong now? What was different about him? He didn’t know, and now, he looked lost in other ways too. It all brought him to have to look at his watch. 12:30! Fucking great! I’m like so way behind! He looked down the hallway to his right. It looked good, so he took it.
He came to another intersection and there he had to stop again. He looked right. He looked left. He looked straight ahead. Everything still looked the same. He saw nothing that looked familiar, but yet, everything did. He was lost all right. He had no idea where he was.
Where in the hell am I? Every hallwa
y—every door—looked like the one next to it. Seeing that, the sensation of feeling stupid only grew in him with leaps and bounds. Seeing the woman, and the embarrassment of how he reacted with her, had completely caused him to go in the wrong direction. What in the hell is wrong with me? He didn’t know. He had nothing to give himself.
He turned around the way that he came, and began heading back that way. He walked until he came to another junction and there he stopped. He looked to the three ways now in front of him, and again, nothing looked familiar, but everything did. Seeing it all, he felt like crying. He almost felt like breaking down.
I tell you Jimmy, you are hopeless. The voice wasn’t his. In fact, it sounded like Brandon. You are such a loser! He sounded mocking. He sounded forceful, but he was right. He always did this. He always headed in the wrong direction.
Becoming frustrated, he turned left, and moved on. Quickly, up ahead, he could see a set of double doors at the end of the hallway, and seeing them, he breathed instantly. That has to be them. He nodded and headed right for them. They had to be the same double doors that he came into the labs.
Heading there, he stopped directly in front of them and looked to the windows that were in the center of each door, but all he could see was his own face. He could see nothing of what was on the other side of them.
Did the doors I came through have windows in each door, and were they mirrored? He questioned his memory. He reached for the handle on the door on the left and tried it, but it didn’t move. He tried the door on the right, and again, he turned the knob, and again, it wouldn’t turn. Both of them seemed locked.
Oh, fuck it Jimmy! Brandon’s voice came in again. Just fuck it, and try another direction. But no, he had to have come in this way. I came in this way. It has to be the way I came in. He turned and looked back to the way he came. The entire area looked quiet. He heard nothing, and again, everything looked familiar. That familiarity stuck in his heart, and it told him that he had to be right about where was. It just had to be the way that he came in, but still, he couldn’t be sure of anything.
A Werewolf's Saga Books 1, 2, & 3 (A Werewolf's Saga Boxed Sets) Page 5
