One
Adriana glanced up at the clock. It was nearly ten pm. Strands of long dark red and black hair fell into her face as she sat there, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. She was at the law firm. Staying late to help her boss, who was one of the partners of the company, with some work. He was finishing up a few documents she needed to type up and fax over to a client at the last minute. She didn't know why he couldn't do it on his own. It was like he didn't know how to type, but then again she was getting paid double over time for it. She couldn't complain too much.
The reception area of the law firm was rather large. She acted as both the receptionist and at times a secretary. Though it wasn't something she wanted to do long term it would most certainly work for now, at least. The desk, she was nearly falling asleep on at the moment, was a dark wood. Oak maybe but she wasn't really sure. She glanced up at the computer in front of her watching the somewhat dizzying screensaver.
The city outside was bustling as New York City often was at any hour. Luckily she was up on the fifth floor so she didn't have to deal with headlights blinding her through the massive windows that lined the walls in the room. She glanced over at the door, just behind, and to the left of her desk. As she starred, she attempted to will her boss to come bustling out with the documents, but of course he didn't.
Glancing over at the clock again, she grumbled something rather crude under her breath and then she stood up. Carefully she pulled her black skirt down slightly and straightened her white button up blouse and black vest. If he wasn't going to hurry up and get his pudgy ass moving, she was going to prod him along a bit. She needed to sleep eventually considering they wanted her back at seven in the morning.
She moved over to the door and knocked on it lightly. Waiting a few moments, she softly began to tap her long manicured fingernails against the wood. "Mr. Langley ... it's getting late. Are you almost done?" There was a slight hint of irritation in her soft voice as she stood there. Frowning, she pressed her ear to the door. What was that man doing in there? She didn't hear ... wait ... she stopped moving, holding her breath. She caught the sounds of footsteps. Then a rather sickening sound came from behind the door, squishy and wet, followed by what sounded like choking.
Nervously, she began to chew at her bottom lip. Reaching down, she turned the handle of the door. She was worried that maybe something was wrong. She remembered being told that he had a heart attack or something of the sort about six months ago, before she started work there. Though squishy didn't really describe a heart attack, she was still worried.
Hesitantly, Adriana pushed the door open. It all happened in slow motion, the door swinging slowly inward. The rest she saw in short frames as if her eyes were trying to play tricks on her.
The first man she saw was tall and lean; he was wearing all black, and had a knife in his hand. The knife was dripping with blood. Her gaze moved over the scene slowly, she couldn't breathe, or even move. There were two others in the room as well, one had a gun, and the other had a thin cord in his hands. All of them were wearing black.
At first she was confused, hoping maybe her boss did theater or something equally unrealistic. Then her gaze found the figure sitting in the chair in front of a large desk, the front of him was covered with blood. His head was lulled back slightly, a large gash in his throat. His hands were bound behind the chair; silver duct tape was pressed over his mouth.
"Oh God..." She squeaked. It didn't matter what she said, they heard her opening the door. Her hand lifted to her mouth and her gaze moved to the man standing just in front of Mr. Langley's dead and bound corpse, holding the knife.
The man slowly turned around, bright blue eyes sparkling with violence. He motioned to one of the men with him, and the other man started toward her. Adriana quickly grabbed the door handle and pulled it shut. She went running through the reception area, her heels clicking against the marble floors as she went. She wasn't moving fast enough! Oh God, she could hear them coming up behind her. She pushed open the doors to the law firm and bolted down the hallway.
As she reached the elevators she kicked off her shoes and jammed her fingers against the buttons. She didn't think to grab her purse from the desk, her cell phone, anything; there just wasn't enough time. She saw something she obviously wasn't supposed to see.
"Come on ... come on..." She looked from the elevator toward where she had just run from. The man came into view and she screamed, her voice echoing through the fifth floor. She knew no one would hear her. No one was there but Mr. Langley and her; he wouldn't be hearing much of anything any more.
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