Adrenaline

Summer finds herself caught in something political and ugly.

 

    "Where are you going?"  My dad asked from behind a pile of federal documents.  I doubted he actually cared.  I mean, I am an angel usually. 

 

"Sponsor party," I replied with a half-lie.  He nodded, too wrapped up in governmental business to investigate further.

 

"Alright.  Be back before nine.  I don't want Patrols grabbing you by mistake," he said.

 

"Sure dad.  Love you," I said before leaving.  I bolted out the front door and hopped into the limosine that was sitting in front of my house and waited for the secret service to get in place before I could actually leave.  I sat back with a sigh as I watched the White House disappear behind me.  It was nice to get away sometimes.

 

"Where to, Miss Summer?" The driver asked politely, looking straight ahead as a small camera on the hood of the car watched his every move.  I played with my boot's zipper.

 

"The Club," I muttered.  He didn't ask specifics since everyone knew there was only one now that my father was president.  He was banning nightclubs in an attempt to minimize drunk driving and other accidents associated with alcohol, mostly because of how my mother died.  So tonight was the farewell party for the last and, in my opinion, the best nightclub in town.

 

When the limo and the secret service cars finally arrived at The Club, I gladly got out and lost myself in the crowd before the bodyguards could even start to hover.  I realized with awe that everyone was already wearing the required alcohol detector anklets that my father had laid down as law.  Smiling, I made my way through until I got to the bar, ignoring the blue waves that crashed into me from all sides.  I couldn't help but feel like gloating since I was immune to the anklet law.  I wouldn't have to wear those hideous black things,I could get as drunk as I wanted and not have the Night Patrols on my butt for it.  I'd need the alcohol anyway; This place was packed and it was giving me a major headache already.

 

But of course, nothing ever goes as planned.

 

The party grew more hectic and I could sense something was off.  I turned and automatically felt my stomach plummet to the ground below me.  As people slobbered all over each other on the dance floor, music pounded off a... very unpleasant person in front of me.  Bleak eyes bored down on me in the eerie floruescent lights of The Club.  I glared back at them.

 

"What do you want?"  I growled at the young man drapped in black.  I was asking such a stupid question.  He was here to ruin me, I was sure.  Many people wanted to when you were the daughter of someone who was messing with the traditions of a country, but this was different.  I could feel the stares of the other Guards on my back.  They were strategizing what to do with me, how to get me out of there silently in the corners of the hip, contemporary club.  I wouldn't let them get me.  Before the man could reply, I dodged around him, heated bodies mashed together and thumped around me to the DJ's beat, and I headlined towards the exit.

 

I could feel the pulse of their hearts, feel their breathing on my neck as they burst out into a run behind me.  I slammed into the door, forcing the old and unused exit open, and flew through into an alley, sending rats and other unknown things scattering.  I ran down it, towards the feel of moving cars and people- the city.  I could almost see the lights of the restaurants and stores directly across from me and the speeding headlights of the cars.  The buzz of music vibrated through the brick club walls and through me, combining with and increasing my adrenaline as I fled.

 

Suddenly a black wall appeared in front of me and I just barely stopped in time to, well, not collide with it.  As I collected my breath, I realized the wall had a different pulse from the others surrounding me.  It was a live one, full of energy.  It was a wall of about eight to ten men; all Guards.

 

I cursed silently to myself as feet, running, closed in behind me, one in particular very close to me.  I could feel his pulse right there, only a few inches away from me.  I didn't dare to move.

 

"I want you," the Guard from before said right into my ear.  Then, everything went dark and silent, even the pulses.