Internal Conflict

The car ride to Heidi’s apartment was taking longer than normal, compliments of the rain.Alena didn’t even notice that her friend was continually looking at the clock.The entire time, the women shared stories and reflected on their favorite memories of the shop.Alena mainly listened, relishing in the sounds of a friend from her past.It almost felt as if her life was normal again, until Heidi brought her screaming back to reality with a question.

“Are you hungry?”

Though she was starving, there was no way that Alena could explain to her friend that all she could keep down was blood.“No.I’m good.”

“Well, I’m starving.Do you mind if I run into China Dragon real quick for some take out?”

Alena smiled.“You still eat at that place?”

“Yes.”

“That mystery meat is scary.”

Heidi grinned then steered the little car up to a curb.“It’s not mystery meat.It’s good.”

“Sure, if ya don’t mind eating dog.”

“Ha, ha.It shouldn’t take more than five minutes,” she said.“Ya sure you don’t want anything?I’m buying.”

“Nah.I’m good.Thanks.”

Heidi jumped out and ran through the pouring rain to the door then disappeared inside.Alena waited patiently, enjoying the blast form her past.She could see her friend at the counter placing an order and talking to someone on her cell phone.Alena only hoped she had not interrupted her friend’s plans for the evening.Leaning back in the seat, she stared at the dashboard lights of the Jetta, recalling the many times the two of them had taken this vehicle on road trips.She was in a complete daze when the passenger door opened suddenly and a person popped into the chair.

Alena had been expecting the scent of fried rice and egg rolls.“Did you get all…”She stopped dead in her sentence.A thin, pale man with bleach blonde hair and a bolt through his nose slid the running car into gear and peeled out.“What the…?!”Alena desperately grabbed the door handle to jump out but he merely went faster.

“Don’t do that Alena.”He jerked the wheel and tossed the passenger side of the car into a parked vehicle, preventing her from opening the door. She flung about the interior, half landing on the driver.

Her fear manifested itself by bringing forth her claws and fangs.She lashed at his right arm, tearing thick grooves into his leather jacket and flesh.She could smell the blood and the hunger pangs enveloped her tormented mind.

The man did not fight back, he just kept driving.Without signaling, he took a violent left turn and fishtailed for a moment before getting the car under control.“Are you done,” he asked, wincing as the wound healed over.“Before you jump or cut me again, just look behind us.”

Alena placed her hazel gaze toward the back window and saw headlights over two hundred feet behind them.

“We are being followed.Your friend set you up.”

Alena’s face whipped toward the stranger, ready to kill him in a moments notice.“Not possible.She thought I was dead.”

He shook his head.“She lied.Listen for yourself.We intercepted this call.”He held up a recording device and pushed a button.Heidi’s voice sounded through the small speakers followed by a man’s voice.

Man:Yes?

Heidi:Hi.Um.I was told to call this number.

Man:Is this in regards to the woman?

Heidi: Yes.

Man:Have you seen her?

Heidi: She’s here. She’s with me.

Man:We’ll get a crew headed your way now.Get her to your

apartment.We’ll take care of it from there.

Heidi:Ok.

Then the line went dead.

“Told you.”

Alena’s jaw dropped, snatching the item from him and playing the recording again.“Why would she…wait, is this some sort of trick?”

“Come on, Alena.You’re smarter than that.She’s gonna get paid a shit load of money for handing you over.You’ve got exsanguis looking for you everywhere.Hell, even we had a watch on the coffee shop.It was just a matter of time before you showed up.”

He spun the red car down another street, the wipers doing little to assist in providing visibility.Cutting the headlights, he summoned his instinctive night vision to assist him through the darkened roads.The car behind them was closing the expanse quickly.“Hang on.”He spun the wheel hard, commanding the car to turn into a parking garage.Ramming through the entrance the little car shook as the plastic gate snapped.No attendant was monitoring at this time of night so they entered unannounced.

“Who the hell are you and where the hell are we going?”

He was busy steering through the maze and climbing to the upper levels.Her question caused him to roll his eyes.“Look, who I am isn’t important.Those bastards from the GAO are behind us.With our luck, counsel guards are close behind them.I don’t give a damn whether you believe me or not, but I am merely trying to help you.”

“Help?Stealing my friend’s car is help?For all I know, the people who are following us are with you.Pull over the car or so help me, I will kill you.”

He chuckled.

Alena’s right hand made a swift motion over her body to pound into him, but he was ready and merely lifted his right hand to catch her fist with little effort. He shot her a steady glare then released her hand.“Giveme a break.You don’t have the energy to fight a fly.”

Angry, Alena was about to spring from her chair to jump him, but he anticipated her weak attempt.He slammed on the breaks, forcing both of them forward.Her hands slammed into the dash. “Damnit, Alena.”He tossed his gaze onto her startled face.The blue dashboard light silhouetted her features beautifully.“The GAO want you for experimentation.The counsel wants you dead.Anthony wants to keep you for himself.If you want to get out of the car, then get the fuck out.Go ahead.Run to any of them.They won’t give you choices.But if you do get out, then recognize that Kaiser’s death was in vane.”

The mentioning of his name caused an invisible hand to squeeze her heart.Her claws and fangs disappeared.Her bottom lip began to quiver timidly.“Drive.”

Satisfied, he proceeded forward for another three minutes.He came to a stop and looked at her one last time.“Good luck.”He nodded to her then popped the trunk.

Before she realized what was happening, a ton of lights poured over the vehicle, causing her vision to become blurred temporarily.The door was opened and hands grabbed at her and pulled her out.

“Wait!My bag.”

One of the men reached into the vehicle and grabbed the stuffed purple backpack.She was then guided to a doorway by two men carrying assault rifles.What concerned her greatly was that she could not distinguish if her captors were exsanguis or human.

“What’s going on,” she demanded.

“Stay quiet,” one of the men responded.He sprayed her with some sort of chemical that had no taste or noticeable scent.

“What the…”She began to wipe it off.

“Don’t be stupid.Leave it on.”

“But…”

“Shut up.”

The building was dark and quiet.It was quite likely that even the cleaning crew was gone for the night.She was having difficulty discerning what type of building it was especially due to the generic cubicle environment and a computer on every desk.

Alena was led into a stairwell and they climbed six flights of stairs with an armed escort in front and behind.They finally reached the top of the steps at which point the door was easily opened.She could hear the whirring sound of a motor and when she stepped onto the rooftop, her hair began to whip around her face violently.The main rotor and tail rotor of the slick Bell 407 helicopter churned the air on the roof awaiting her arrival.The door to the chopper was already open as she was guided to the hovering vehicle.

“Get in,” the man stated, half pushing her and tossing in her bag.

She stepped into the helicopter only to find one other person inside, the pilot.She plopped into a leather chair as the door was shut.The 407 lifted off the roof and shot off into the night sky away from her temporary escort.

Alena tried to talk to the pilot, but the man ignored her.After 30 minutes of flight, the chopper touched down in what appeared to be a vacant field.The pilot jumped out and opened her door, holding out a hand to assist her out of the cab.Alena glanced about, requiring her night vision to see the extremely dark field.No more than 20 meters away was a motorcycle with a lone figure standing next to it.

Alena felt something cool and heavy get shoved into her hands.She glanced down only to recognize a motorcycle helmet.

“Put it on,” the pilot yelled so that she could hear him over the engine.“That’s your ride over there.Hurry up.”He pointed to the figure who had mounted the bike and already started it up.

Alena nodded, still unsure as to why she was actually doing what these people said.Grabbing her bag and slipping it onto her back, she jogged toward the rider on the bike.A quick glance was sent over her shoulder as the chopper lifted off the ground.Stepping up to the bike, she could not smell or make out who the driver was.She could see her nervous reflection in the driver’s helmet and it made her quite uncomfortable.Sliding the helmet onto her head, she kicked a leg over the bike, settling in behind the stranger.