Ringing sounds in my ear. I squint at the phone screen. 5:36AM!
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKyXQUUslb
«Rise and shine. Your first task is ready. Get up.»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Yw8XeOYRJ
Ugh.... I wanted to go back to sleep, but there are lives on the line. So I reply.
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOphG6FP3TP
«What do you want?»
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«Read carefully. You're not to question my directions, even if you don't understand something. You're to exit the school from the cafeteria emergency exit. Walk a mile south of the door, to a store called Brandsmart USA. Take the backpack next to the door with you.»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LERCzQ5Pn
Umm?
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«After that, what do I do?»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XK46V4L9q
He replies:
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmAxW5NHkA
«Get there first. Then you'll receive more instructions.»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxi7GGpkml
I'm scared... It's dangerous at this time in this area... But I risk my life anyways. Wait...
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAK0kyM8dp
«What if I don't make it alive? What happens to Lawrence?»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMbluOvyZW
«Then he'll see you in Hell soon.»
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I get up from my chair, shaking of fear. What if it's a trick? A trap? I can't care either way.
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKiBXzyCedB
I grab the bag and open the door of the lounge slowly, unaware if I'm being watched.
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqp2v7tkpYG
I head towards the cafeteria. It seems almost haunted in the darkness... The space between me and the door seems to stretch!
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4TVnkByIR
I push the door open, and it's open! Why didn't I think of this earlier?
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My thigh vibrates as I receive a text.
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdUr2JvrF4
«Don't think of running away. Somewhere on your body is a tracking device, so I can and will hunt you down.»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtiMnubdrh
The air brushes coolly against my bare skin. It's so creepy on the street... The crickets chirping, the newspaper tumbling down the sidewalks, the flickering lights...
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrtRG48UQl
I walk for what seems like forever... Finally, I see that I'm approaching Brandsmart, a big store full of electric and electronic things: from smartphones to fridges.
Before I can even ask what my task is at this time, I get a text.
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VP5fhWpQJ
«Now break in.»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0514E36Uq
...Break in...?
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30ZWqJ6Hfl
«WHY? I'm going to go to jail! Why do you want me to break in?»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtrb1lYSlm
He replies:
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHEZaKBud7E
«Did I not make it clear that you are not permitted to question my motives?»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGyTmpbj0T
Ugh. I'm screwed. I look around for a rock or something, and I find only see one... Do or die... LITERALLY.
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrl0UF4tA0M
I bend down, trembling, to retrieve it. I look around to see if there are people watching, but I see no one.
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH02TZTNkjR
I close my eyes and take a deep breath. 1... 2... 3...
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7PrKMpA8N
Life sloooows down. I throw the rock at the display window and I hear the ear-splitting shatter, and the ringing alarm, killing my ear.
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoc0A4sF6Ay
Little did I know that Brandsmart has night guards. And this one looks pretty merciless.
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡranVtsJtP6
"Little girl! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" The huge, muscular man yells. Right when I'm about to run for my life, I feel the buzz. Damn it!
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAVYAVZ44D
I quickly run from the guard while trying to read the text.
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMw8PGctx1K
«Do not run away from the store, or you'll have failed. Of course, he will be a hurdle, but you must jump over this obstacle.»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8XaChSxTU
I stop dead in my tracks. I look up from the phone and turn back. No movement. Where is the guard?
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvnStV5tKg
I turn my head to face what's looming in front of me, and it's the guard. With a bat! Luckily, I dodge the hit. He outran me, snuck up on me and then tries to murder me?! What was he trained for, war?!
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjr2R0DKCd
Before I can even ask Luke what he wants me to do, he tells me. I look up at the guard, who's running towards me. Let me just check what Luke says...
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgwk1io8Gg
«Kill him.»
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSkfdAlntn
No... I'm not a murderer... I can't! To take the life of a guy who's just doing his job (although trying to kill innocent people is no good job)?
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But... It's for Lawrence... And me!
616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5nI5uBmFA
As if I have all the time in the world... I get up... Slooowly... Not even realizing that—616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WXnJVd0Fd
