Interior by KLeenaGirl (list of e readers .TXT) 📖

since I did this every day. I was the first who stood in the gym waiting for Sebastian. My thoughts were still centred on today’s incidents. Guilt weighed down onto me heavily. My fingers stroked over my silver pendant. What should I do now?
I was slightly startled, when I heard Sebastian enter. Quickly I changed to a smile, ‘Are you alright?’
He didn’t answer me instantly, but instead he walked over to me. ‘I’m okay. Though, I have to say it’s all pretty much for me today.’
I looked down in shame. How could he be here standing with me, talking to me, when I had lied to him, when I was the cause his parents were kidnapped? I didn’t deserve his kindness.
‘Alex?’ he asked, ‘what’s the matter?’ He reached for my hand, but I pulled away fast. His gaze was now full of worry and sympathy. I dodged it.
‘Aren’t you’, I whispered hesitantly, ‘aren’t you angry with me?’
Silence hung in the air. It felt like an eternity before Sebastian opened his mouth to reply.
’Yes.’
I looked up and stared at him. This was the answer I had been expecting, or wasn’t it? I didn’t know. I just knew I had to control myself, so I wouldn’t shed the tears which were beginning to well up in my eyes. ‘I see.’ My voice cracked.
‘Yes, I’m angry with you, but just because of the fact that you didn’t tell me anything about your true self. I know almost nothing about you.’ Sebastian took a step closer to me. ‘I understand you couldn’t tell me about ISO, but…I mean I didn’t even know you haven’t got a father.’
‘I’m sorry, Bastian’, I gulped. He was right. I had denied giving any information to him about myself. I always abused his company, only to be not alone.
‘I really would like to get know the real Alex’, he replied, his lips curving into an honest smile.
‘Thank you’, my voice quivered and I hugged him tightly.
‘Whoa’, he laughed, ‘now this is a lot more than I ever dared to hope for.’
‘Sorry’, I murmured and let go of him. ‘So, what do you want to know about me?’
‘Everything’, Sebastian grinned. ‘How about…where were you born? What happened to your parents? Do you have any siblings? What are your hobbies? How do you think can we solve the international problem of global warming?’
‘What?’ I giggled. ‘Slow down. I’ll answer one after each other.’
I sat down and he did the same. ‘Well, where to start…I was born in London and I never knew my real parents. I was told that they had died in a car accident. So, the next years I was raised in an orphanage. When I was twelve, ISO discovered me. It was actually Jack who took me out of the orphanage. He’d said that I had something powerful in me and ISO would care for me, as long as I would help their organization. I did it because it was my chance to get an own room and better education. They assured me to go to university one day. From that on, I lived with Jack’s family and when I turned 15, they bought me an own apartment. It’s small, but I love it, because it’s my home now. I’m a single kid, I guess, though I can’t be sure. No one could tell me about my parents, I don’t even know how they looked like or what their names were.’ I paused.
‘I’m sorry, Alex, I hadn’t known…’ Sebastian started.
‘No, it’s okay’, I said, ‘You can’t do anything about it. As for my hobbies, I like to read and write and I love being on mission. It surely gives me the kick.’
‘Well, how about starting training then?’ I heard David’s voice from behind us.
‘Sure’, I replied and stood up.
‘The kidnapper just gave us an invitation’, Dave explained. ‘He wants us to meet him in three days, 3 pm at the London Eye.’
‘The London Eye?’ I asked unbelieving. ‘You’ve got to be kidding! There are a hell lot of people!’
‘I know’, Dave answered, ‘He probably wants to use the mass of people, so we can’t pull any surprise attacks on him.’
‘I guess so’, I sighed, ‘well then, let’s start training. We’re gonna kick that bastard’s ass!’


Chapter 10


‘Let’s start with some laps, then’, I suggested and the two of us began walking. I tried to do the regular training with Sebastian, though I decreased the intensity a bit by slowing down all exercises. Lucy, Colin, Matthew and Simon, who was very excited because this, were in the rescue squad I would have to lead. Usually, a team consisted of three to five people, but with Sebastian we would be six. Though, we couldn’t really calculate his participation as an equal to us. As sad as it sounds, Sebastian would have to play the mission’s decoy. There was no way I would allow him to take a relevant role in the mission. I didn’t decide that because I was mean, I was just interested in Sebastian’s safety.
Lucy and Colin’s task was to safeguard the area around the London Eye and to observe all people and visitors around. Matthew was there to support me in overmastering the kidnapper or kidnappers – we weren’t sure about that – and to save Bastian’s parents. It wouldn’t be easy to carry out this operation in such a crowded place, but that was our only option. Simon’s duty would be the overseeing of the whole situation and transmit any piece of relevant information to us. Sebastian’s presence would demonstrate our authenticity.
Matthew and I trained many situations in which we would have to climb up the Ferris wheel, although this would be pretty unlikely. In other scenarios we tried to put the kidnapper out of action while bringing out the hostages out of the gondola at the same time.
‘Let’s call it a night’, Matthew panted and grabbed his towel. ‘It wouldn’t be wise to overpower ourselves all the time. Besides, you need sleep, Alex. You look like you haven’t slept at all these days.’
‘Well, I actually haven’t’, I confessed and took a gulp of water.
Matthew shot a half-worried, half-angry glance at me. ‘Geez, Alex’, he sighed, ‘what’s the matter with you? You need to be fit, not only for this mission, but for your job in general.’
‘I-I don’t know…’ I leaned against the gym’s wall, my head spinning from exhaustion.
‘Is it because of this boy, Sebastian?’ he gently asked, ‘Or is there anything else? Like –‘
‘It’s just about Sebastian.’
‘Because you lied to him and you think it’s your fault that his parents were kidnapped?’
‘No…well, about that, too. But there’s more to it’, I sighed. ‘He tried to kiss me a couple of nights ago.’
‘And now you don’t know what you feel for him’, Matthew guessed and put a hand on my shoulder.
I lowered my gaze. ‘Yes. I can’t help but feel guilty. And I can’t decide what’s right for us – for him. All I want to do is to protect him…’
‘I understand’, Matthew finally said, ‘but you’ve got to find a way to deal with this. And to make peace with him.’
‘I know’, I whispered. ‘Thanks, Matt.’
‘Anytime, gorgeous’, he grinned, ‘just promise me to go to bed soon. See you.’ He quickly waved goodbye and left the gym.
I looked at my watch. 11.15 pm – Still time enough for me to do some push-ups, I decided. Though, before I even started, I heard another person entering the hall.
‘Why didn’t you kiss me that night?’
I gasped and turned around. ‘Sebastian, do we have to do this now?’ I asked and smiled hesitantly.
‘I overheard your conversation with Matthew’, Sebastian explained calmly. ‘So why didn’t you kiss me?’
‘Sebastian’, I walked towards him, ‘you’re my best friend and I really like you, but I don’t – ‘
‘I don’t believe you’, he replied not even bothering to move forward. ‘Then why would you have to feel guilty?’
‘Because I don’t want to hurt your feelings’, I said as I tried to convince him of my honesty. Which obviously failed.
‘And why would you want to decide the right thing for me? Aren’t I old enough to manage that on my own?’ he said, now sounding a little upset. ‘Do you feel like you’re something better or higher than me because you’re in ISO?’
‘What?’ I exclaimed, ‘No, hell no. I just want to help you, Sebastian, as a friend…’
‘Then why can’t you tell me the truth? What are you hiding from me?’ He stared into my eyes and I gave in. Almost.
‘I can’t, Sebastian. You don’t know…I can’t allow that these…You just have to trust me’, I answered. ‘Please.’
When he didn’t reply, I made my way out of the gym desperately suppressing the heavy lump of sorrow that was forming in my throat. What was wrong with me, indeed? I wouldn’t spill tears over some minor happenings like this, would I? When had I become this sentimental? Fortunately, I gained my self control again as soon as I started the shower. The warm water drops washed away all fears and worries for a short moment and I felt comfortable, even if it was just for a few minutes.


Chapter 11


Today would be the day to save Sebastian’s parents.
I opened the car’s door and entered. Matthew drove, while Sebastian and I sat silently in the back row. I nervously fidgeted with the necklace between my fingers. Lucy, Colin and Simon had taken another car, almost an hour earlier than us. Via radio, they informed us that nobody suspicious had been seen at the London Eye yet. But the day was young and we would wait. It was a few minutes after noon, when the three of us arrived at the car park. Matt turned off the engine and we got out. I hadn’t talked much with Sebastian after his confrontation in the gym and even now, both of us only talked about the things necessary for the mission.
I looked around. The place was crowded, as I’d expected, though I could clearly recognize the positions of my co-workers. It was around 3 pm, when Simon radioed that he had seen an oddly-looking man disappear in the Ferris wheel’s control cabin.
‘Matthew’, I hissed and he nodded. ‘You stay behind!’ I commanded Sebastian.
Slowly, Matt and I went for the cabin, a little way away from the attraction. I opened its door in a fast movement and Matthew held his gun straight up into it. Though, it was empty. Before any other thought was begun, we heard screams and shouting from all around. Spinning around we found the London Eye standing completely still and a man with a grenade in his left hand. He looked about 50, had short bright hair, turning already a little grey. Wearing some kind smock, he looked like a doctor or…a scientist.
Suddenly, his old wrinkled face formed into a hollow smile.
‘So you found me, Alexandra’
My breath stopped. I grabbed my micro. ‘Changing the plan’, I said, ‘Simon, Lucy, Colin, get the civilians out of here!’
‘No need to be so upset, my little one’, the man spoke softly. ‘Oh, I see you brought your little friend, hm?’ Instinctively I stepped in front of Bastian. I positioned my gun right ahead of me.
‘Now, now, we don’t want to rush things, do we?’ He laughed. ‘I might drop this otherwise.’ I stared at the grenade knowing that it was futile. We couldn’t allow it that the whole place with all people in it would be wiped out.
‘So, you want his parents