Topic: Distractions

Layla · Date: 2012-06-23 01:54 EST

Layla sat in her executive chair behind her large desk in her office suite in the top floor of her own small office building, given to her by the "Company".

The Company had recruited her when she was a just a young woman in Rhydin. They promised her power, money, prestige" eternity. Run by a group of Elder Vampires, the Company ran the world behind the scenes. It had its hands in everything. Its goal was a closely held secret by the Elders, but many speculated. Politics. Weapons. Biological warfare. Layla knew better.

The Company was all seeing, all encompassing. She knew little bits and pieces, much more than she should, but her Sire believed in her and trusted her with a few inner secrets now and then. Her Sire became her father figure after he turned her and she was fully devoted to all he would ask of her; something he would take advantage of many times with impossible tasks. She became the problem-solver. She was proud of her status, but continued to work hard, ever trying to earn her Sire's respect.

Layla, like many higher ranked "Employees" of the Company, had her own crew made up of members she had tested and who had earned her respect. She was wise enough to understand she may not know everything herself and she surrounded herself with the best people who would aid her in completing her "Missions", her sole motivation in her eternity.

But something had changed.

A new recruit came into her employ and she immediately began to test him as she had done with the others under her. He continually passed her tests and he had begun to earn her trust' and her interest. She tried to hide it from him and her team, and tried to deny it to herself, but it began to wear on her.

Read their history here: Blood Red, Black Rose, Business & Pleasure, Baptism in Blood

Layla · Date: 2012-06-23 09:40 EST

Distractions

Layla sat in her executive chair behind her large desk in her office suite. She stared blankly at the paperwork sprawled out in front of her, lost in thought. She didn't hear him come in, which was unimaginable.

"Layla."

She looked up and glared at him. "What, Stephen?" She was upset that he would dare distract her while she was deep in thoughts that she shouldn't have been in to begin with. He walked up to her desk, laid down some more paperwork in front of her, and reported, "The dude's going to be going on vacation. Maybe we can get the documents while he's away."

Layla's current mission was to obtain copies of some simple documentation that a low profile business man was working on for his work. She often received cryptic instructions for her missions from the other Elders in the Company. She was only giving the information she needed. She was among the best, and needed very little details to get her job done. But she was not as stupid as most of the Elders thought she was. She researched everything about a mission. She knew exactly what those seemingly low profile documents were, and the potential they had for the Company. But knowing did not change the fact that she had her mission to complete. She was a good little worker; she did what she was told.

She responded without even look up from the papers, "He's taking the family' His wife and two daughters?" He looked at her questioningly, "Yeah." Still looking down, she said under her breath, "He's too much of a workaholic. He'll take the documents with him. It's a family vacation." She paused, looked up, and asked, "Beach?" He smiled, knowing that look in her eyes, then continued, "Yeah. What you thinking?"

She sat back in her chair and answered, "The girls will want to go out on the beach. He won't take the documents in case they get damaged. He'll leave them in his room during the day." Still smiling, Stephen asked, "So we take them when he's out?" She shook her head and said, "No. He'll know they're gone. He'll alert his department. They'll start looking into things that they shouldn't. It would only reveal us and our involvement."

Stephen sighed and sat down in one of the two chairs facing her, "Speaking of your "involvement?" this is becoming a problem." She shifted forward in her seat and said in her normally harsh tone, "You don't think I can handle this mission?" He glared back at her, "I'm not talking about the mission. I'm talking about that new kid." She glanced at the papers, purposefully adverting her eyes from him, as she said blankly, "What new kid?" He sat silently until she looked up at him and he responded, "That Kaiden. It's becoming a problem." She leaned back in her chair and said softly, giving herself away, "He's always done right by me. What's the problem?" He responded sternly, "That IS the problem."

Layla · Date: 2012-06-24 23:31 EST

Layla didn't like to play games, especially with her crew. She respected them and they her. They were the few who she would allow to speak to her so frankly. She stared at him and said bluntly, "Tell me what?s on your mind." It was his turn to lean back in his chair, "You're not fooling any of us. We see how you look at each other. I have never seen you act so off your game as when you're around him."

Stephen had been her first recruit. She trusted him and his words stung her. She did what she had been doing all along and denied it. She leaned forward in her chair and said firmly, believing her own lies, "I know what you're implying and it's not true." He looked at her blankly, not believing her. She became defensive, "I don't care about him. I just' Ok, a few times we" Look. I have needs too and that's all he is, ok" And it's over anyway. Things got too' I won't mess with him again, ok" I'm more professional than that. You know that."

Stephen sighed and said, "Yeah. Up until him, you've always been the professional, but you can't have that kid going with you on missions. It's going cloud both of your heads. He's a distraction." She said angrily, "Are you questioning my judgment?" He responded frankly, "I don't care how you and the kid feel, I'm just saying, until you both figure out what the hell you are or you're not, you're gonna get each other hurt." He didn't say "in more ways than one", but he clearly thought it.

Layla looked at him, almost taken aback by his response, and asked, "Are you saying you would be ok with?" He quickly responded as she trailed off, "Hey, the rest of us on the team have lives. We have" interests, too, you know. No big deal you got someone on the side. Hell, have him be your right hand man on missions; you two make a good team' when you focus. But, hell, girl, you're too old for these teenage games. You got to call this thing out one way or another."

Layla · Date: 2012-06-24 23:36 EST

Stephen was always right, and that's why Layla kept him around; she wasn't happy with it, though, and didn't know how to handle it. If she admitted that she felt something, it would make her weak; if she said she felt nothing, she would lose out on something she very much valued more than all" this. She looked down at her papers again, lost in her distractions.

Stephen asked, with a hint of concern, "So, what are you going to do?" She looked up at him slowly and replied gently, "I don't know" If I say something?" She trailed off again. He knew how she felt about Kaiden; he had worked with her too long to not know exactly what, or who, was on her mind. She didn't have to finish her thought. She needed to focus on the matter at hand. He quickly interjected, "I meant' about the mission."

Layla looked down, caught in her own web of intermingling thoughts, and then said, "People lock up their jewelry, their valuables. No one thinks anyone would steal work documents. When he goes to the beach with his family, housekeeping can go and tidy up the room, take a few pictures, make a few copies, and be on their way. Easy in, easy out." He smiled at her and said, "And what if he locks them up in the room, too?" She said simply, "People's rooms get broken into all the time on vacations. When they come back from the beach, everything will be ransacked, even if he notices the documents are gone, I'm sure they'll be found some place he overlooked after housekeeping comes in and helps "clean up"." He nodded as he stood up. It was more than enough instruction that he needed. Just as she was good, so was he. He would make sure everything went according to her plans and she wouldn't have to lift a finger.

He walked to the door as she looked back to her paperwork, but he stopped and turned, causing her to look up as he spoke, "You know" you are good at your job because you make the best decisions. I just hope you are smart enough to make the best decision in real life" because you two seem to fit each other well. Just the change I've seen in you? it's like night and day." He turned and continued on his way out the door.

Stephen was always right. She even felt different, though she was too scared to admit it. She never liked to reveal more then she had to admit, but she stared blankly at the papers as she wondered if she should just this once. She got lost in her thoughts again. "That's all they are", she told herself as she began to read over her papers, "Distractions" and nothing more."