Thursday, April 24, 2014

Short story project: Unidentified Flying Object, Part 12

A hand clamped down on my shoulder, anchoring me to my spot.
“Please don’t take off.”
I sighed. “I won’t. Not here. It's still daylight.”
“Do you trust anyone?” Jason released the pressure from my shoulder as his hand slid down to the crook of my elbow. A tingling sensation washed over my skin, unaccustomed to such close contact with another person, even if it was through the fabric of my jacket.
“I trust me.” I pealed Jason’s hand from my arm.
“That must be lonely.”
Oddly, I was disappointed he didn’t try to touch me again. What was I thinking? Jason was trouble. I was sure. And we were trying to rescue his girlfriend. I shook my head to dislodge the confusing thoughts that lingered there and continued walked. “What do you want me to look for when I break into Homian’s offices?”
Jason dug through his pockets, and after a moment held out a folded sheet of paper. “All I want is the location of Homain’s other research facility—the one where the conduct human research.”
“And how do you expect me to find that out?” I’d practically been reeled in now. All I had to do was wait to be gutted and placed in the frying pan—which was probably what would happen when I tried to sneak into Homain.
“Check the administrative files. I’m sure files and records are being couriered back and forth between locations. Even if the assistants don’t know what’s going in those facilities, they have to know their addresses.”
“Hm.” I picked at a fleck on my jacket.
“The sooner the better.” Jason said as he tentatively extended his hand and the paper further toward me.
I snapped the sheet up between my index and middle fingers. “Fine. I’ll go tonight.”
If I bothered to look, I suspect Jason was grinning from ear-to-ear. As it was, his tone of voice was awfully jovial. “Prefect. Great. Their offices are on the twenty-second floor. Agatha’s card should get you in, and don’t worry the cards just active the doors, they don’t tell the security system who owns the card. All the passwords are that paper. We just need the location of their other research facilities. And…”
As Jason paused I could almost feel his gaze as it swept me over from head to foot.
“Yes?”
“If you could wear something a little more professional…”
I frowned, but understood. I dressed like a poor grad student. “For the record, I think this is a bad idea.” I slipped the sheet of paper into my shoulder bag.
“You’ll be fine.” Was Jason an unsquashable optimist, or was he stupid?
I shrugged. “Whatever.” Then I turned preparing to leave.
“I’ll see you tonight…at the Tower.”
I didn’t look back, but kept walking toward the subway entrance a half a block ahead.
“What time—?”

“Whenever I get there.” I jogged the remaining distance to the stairs, leaving Jason behind me on the sidewalk.
To be continued...look for more of the story on Tuesday, April 29th, 2014.

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