Steve and Sam started their workout early on a Friday. They started their day at 6:00 am with a coffee and small-talk then at 7:30 began their daily run.
Zaida starts her day off earlier. At 5:00 she woke her younger sister Dalia with tea, a croissant and a heavy heart. Even though she didn’t have to beg, Zaida hated having to drag her sister into her little mission but she knew she needed help. At 8:00 everything happened.
“Remember I only need you t-.”
“Take away one sense and one sense only. The sense of touch only. The sense of touch on the right arm only and that’s it,” Dalia finished her sister's sentence. “I’ve got this, you’ve got this it’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
The sisters say at a chessboard laughing randomly as their hands took turn flitting across the board moving pieces to purposefully create a long and complex match that had already started at 5:45.
“Check-mate.” As soon as the words were spoken Zaida stood and approached her future.
He was sitting on the ground, leaning against a tree next to the familiar dark-skinned man. They were both watching her, but the difference in their expressions made her stomach clench.
Steve was shocked when he saw the black-haired woman swiftly making her way towards him. He was amazed at how knowingly she walked; avoiding joggers and bikers seconds before any other person would, and never missing a beat.
She walked to him with dangerous confidence and eye contact that never wavered. By the time she reached him, Steve was stuck to his spot on the pavement as if the cement was solidified around his feet and up to his ankles. He was captured by the depth of her cornflower blue eyes and wouldn’t’ve been able to look away even if he wanted to.
In one quick blink of his eyes, there was a startlingly goofy grin on her face and a camera in her hand. Steve frowned; he had been secretly hoping that she wasn't a fan.
The grinning woman stuck out her right hand and Steve took it, being careful not to squeeze too hard seeing as he was still trying to get a handle on his super strength, and smiled back at her.
“I’m sorry to bother you but I ... umm ... could I get a picture?” Her voice was the home of a thick Swedish accent but its undertones held the voices of multiple different countries from across the globe.
“Sure, why not.” He stood and positioned his right shoulder behind her and smiled at the lens of the small device. It flashed, then she faced him, her grin still there when she thanked him and walked off. Seconds later Nicola Hughes, Steves closest friend from RRMR (Red Rock Mountain Reserve) walked up.
“Come on old man, leave the kids alone and let’s go to work,” She nodded her head towards her shiny triple black Ford F-150. “Hey, Sam.”
“ ‘Sup Red.”
“What’d she give you?” The redhead held her hand out in front of Steve expectantly.
“She didn’t give me anything.” With a roll of her eyes, the Russian reached over and into Steves right sleeve and pulled out a golden necklace.
“She didn’t give me anything,” She mocked with a comically deep voice but quickly sobered up. “Open it.”
Inside the globe pendant on the necklace was a piece of paper that was folded so many time that the entire thing could’ve just been one big crease.
The ship is sinking and nobody knows. The captain will be dead and no one will know. Rats are in the ship, they're the reason it's sinking. You will hit the water but you don't have to drown.
Those were to words written on the paper in beautiful handwriting.
ns 15.158.61.54da2
