Cat And Mouse, chapter 3
The woman and her partner were now waiting in the elevator, no conversation between them as the glass window showed various scenery whistling by. Finally, he spoke.
"Pam, I've got something to ask you." He turned to her and sighed.
She picked up on his hesitation. "It's alright, Robert. You can ask me anything."
"Well," he said, his courage slowly building up. She leaned forward slightly in anticipation. "Do you ever get tired of this job? I mean, do you ever think what we're doing is wrong?"
Pam let her disappointment show, but only for a moment. She tightened her lips and bit down on the side of her mouth.
"Every day. But it's the only way we'd make it, otherwise..." She trailed off, but Robert nodded in understanding.
The elevator beeped, stopping the conversation. The silver doors slid open gently and revealed a mostly white room. A tall, lean man with glasses perched on his nose clasped his hands and ushered them in.
"Ah, Pam, Robert. I trust you got the job done?"
"Yes." Robert handed him a folder similar to the one Pam had previously burned.
The man, as if by instinct, put it in a filing cabinet.
"Looks like we've got a bit of a following."
Robert turned his head towards the television, which was currently on a news station. A woman in a pink dress suit and a tight bun was on the television, delivering a soliloquy about the murders. Pam shuffled uncomfortably.
"Do you have our next assignment?"
"It's waiting for you downstairs, in the limo. It will take you to the airport, where a plane leaves for New York. There another limo will take you to your hotel."
"Our assignment is in New York?" Pam asked excitedly. But as soon as she saw her boss's furrowed brow, she quickly lost her enthusiasm and nodded.
"So then, I've got some business to attend to. Next time we see each other, the tally will be up to thirteen." He smiled grimly and then walked away.
The two were left to stand in awkwardness and silence until Robert pushed the button for the elevator and they were back down the same way they had gone up. Uncomfortably.
"Alright," Robert said, grabbing the envelope. They had gotten inside the limo and immediately reached for the next assignment. "Let's see who the unlucky bastard is."
"Here, let me do it." Pam reached over for the paper before Robert got a chance to see. She flipped over the paper and then dropped it. It fluttered to the floor as Pam's hand shook. She bit her lip tight and then, holding back a fit, managed to whisper one word.
"Alice... "
"Pam, I've got something to ask you." He turned to her and sighed.
She picked up on his hesitation. "It's alright, Robert. You can ask me anything."
"Well," he said, his courage slowly building up. She leaned forward slightly in anticipation. "Do you ever get tired of this job? I mean, do you ever think what we're doing is wrong?"
Pam let her disappointment show, but only for a moment. She tightened her lips and bit down on the side of her mouth.
"Every day. But it's the only way we'd make it, otherwise..." She trailed off, but Robert nodded in understanding.
The elevator beeped, stopping the conversation. The silver doors slid open gently and revealed a mostly white room. A tall, lean man with glasses perched on his nose clasped his hands and ushered them in.
"Ah, Pam, Robert. I trust you got the job done?"
"Yes." Robert handed him a folder similar to the one Pam had previously burned.
The man, as if by instinct, put it in a filing cabinet.
"Looks like we've got a bit of a following."
Robert turned his head towards the television, which was currently on a news station. A woman in a pink dress suit and a tight bun was on the television, delivering a soliloquy about the murders. Pam shuffled uncomfortably.
"Do you have our next assignment?"
"It's waiting for you downstairs, in the limo. It will take you to the airport, where a plane leaves for New York. There another limo will take you to your hotel."
"Our assignment is in New York?" Pam asked excitedly. But as soon as she saw her boss's furrowed brow, she quickly lost her enthusiasm and nodded.
"So then, I've got some business to attend to. Next time we see each other, the tally will be up to thirteen." He smiled grimly and then walked away.
The two were left to stand in awkwardness and silence until Robert pushed the button for the elevator and they were back down the same way they had gone up. Uncomfortably.
"Alright," Robert said, grabbing the envelope. They had gotten inside the limo and immediately reached for the next assignment. "Let's see who the unlucky bastard is."
"Here, let me do it." Pam reached over for the paper before Robert got a chance to see. She flipped over the paper and then dropped it. It fluttered to the floor as Pam's hand shook. She bit her lip tight and then, holding back a fit, managed to whisper one word.
"Alice... "
