Chapter 2

All you could hear in the room was moaning and panting. I picked up my clipboard that was knocked out of my hands when I came in the room. Two tall people came in the room; a man and a woman. They were clapping. The man had ash blond hair and cut short and choppy. His eyes were so green that they drew you in. Like a forest attracting a bear or a hunter. He was pretty tall, probably around 5’9. The woman was strawberry blond. Her hair was in a professional high ponytail. It wasn’t thin like Barbie doll hair, but thick. Her eyes were an electric blue. They were bluer than the sky in the summer time. She was a few inches shorter than the man, but taller than me.

“That was fantastic! Where did you learn to fight like that?” the man’s deep voice asked.

“I took a few classes here and there. Who are you?” I said still breathing hard.

“My name is Kyle.” he said smiling.

“I’m Samantha but you can call me Sam.” the woman said with a big bright smile and a perky voice. In the small town of Kalamazoo, Michigan, there aren’t many perky voices. “We run the Runaway’s. Of course there is another man in charge but he can’t be named or seen.”

“When you fought those men back there,” he said back there because we had walked into a different room. “You passed the tests. Hence the name Runaway’s, you have to run away from home. We will relocate you to a New York City. With a partner you will fight and kill people. No matter who it is you must kill them, complete your task. Mind you, you might not have an assignment for months.” He took a deep breath. “If you or your partner gets caught we cannot and will not bail you out. That’s also part of your job. Don’t get caught.” He told me that last part sternly. As he was saying all this we walked into a room full of clothes.

Sam looked at me and said “Pick out an outfit and get changed. When you’re finished walk through that door turn left, down that hall, and go through the door at the very end.” She smiled again. Kyle put his arm around her and they walked out the door, not to the left but to the right. I was guessing they were married. I honestly considered following them but I needed this job, and I didn’t want to get fired as soon as I was hired. I found something to wear and followed Sam’s instructions. I ended up in a colorful room with a bunch of guys. The room was painted many different colors; blue, red, green, black, purple. Stripes, polka dots, and swirls. I sat down in a green plastic chair in the corner and hoped no one would notice me. Obviously each of them was looking like a stereotype bad boy. Leather jackets, gray shirts, sunglasses, dark sneakers, and some tight leather pants. A.K.A. The rock star look. The look worked for most of them, and when it didn’t their hair made up for it. One of the ‘bad boys’ did notice me. He did the typical ‘cool guy’ walk. He leaned to the side as he walked. Sitting two seats he said “Hi.” His voice wasn’t too deep, but it wasn’t so high it sounded like an eight year old boy.

“What?” I said in a flat monotone voice.

“I was just wondering if you wanted to be my partner.”