Killer Crown

Ricky jogs over to me and throws his arm over my shoulder.

"Why'd you leave so suddenly?"

I push his arm off me.

"I was feeling a bit embarrassed."

"Oh? About what?"

"What Carlos said, it made me feel weird."

"Don't mind him, he's an idiot."

We walk in silence for a bit until his phone rings

"You got Ricky..Oh really...Ok, she right here."

He passes the phone over to me.

"Hello?"

"Zero, how have you been sweet girl?"

"Mother? You never call to check on me, do I have a new mission?"

"Hm, a simple, 'I'm fine mother, how about you?' woulda been fine, but since you asked, yes. There's been a breech in the security council. Secret information is being bought and sold and agents have gone missing. I've been able to find a location, all I need is a name."

"You want me to find whoever it is and put a stop to this?"

"Yes, but you may not kill him. Bring him back to your current location and try to get info from him."

"Understood. Is there anything else you needed mother?"

"Oh, I have good news, we've found a replacement for Three-"

"What does that mean?"

She sighs into the phone,

"It means that your being promoted."

"Promoted? But i'm Zero, that's the lowest you can go, right?"

"Oh no my sweet child, your new name is Negative."

"What, Negative? That's a horrible name."

"You have no choice you rude girl! All the others would happily kill you to take your place, I don't want to hear another complaint out of you. You are Negative."

She hangs up and all I hear is dial tone.

"So, what did she say?"

I past the phone back to him.

"I've been promoted."

"Wow, good for you!"

He holds his hand up for me to high five him but I don't.

"No Ricky, that means i'm even more of a threat than before. She even changed my name."

"Your name? To what?"

My legs start to wobble as the whole reality starts to hit me. I fall to my knees and Ricky rushes to help me up.

"M-my name is Negative."

When those words leave my mouth, everything starts spinning. The world around me starts to fade away, and all I hear is Ricky's muffled voice yelling for help.

***

"Is she gonna be all right?"

I look to see where the voice is coming from. I see Ricky talking to doctor with a stressed look on his face.

"She'll be fine, she's just a little bit overwhelmed. Make sure she gets plenty of sleep and relaxation from now on."

"Ricky?"

He rushes to me.

"Damnit Zero, you scared the shit outta me."

"It's Negative now, and I apologize for worrying you."

He sighs and hands me a cup of water.

"Drink it,"

I do as he says and chug the cold water.

I pull the iv from my arm and sit up,

"I wanna leave. Right now."

"Woah, alright. The cars in the parking garage, you feel like walking?"

"I don't care, just get me out of here."

***

Ricky helps me out of the car and walks me all the way up to my room.

"Listen, whatever mission your mom told you to do, you gotta postpone it. You can't take on another mission on top of this one."

"I'm officially Negative. That means whatever i've done has been a fulfill my job and nothing more."

He looks puts his hand on the back of his neck,

"Everything that you- no, that we ever did was just to get your job done?"

"The only reason i'm here is so that I can finish my mission and the last thing I need right now is any more obstacles."

"Obstacles huh?"

He backs away from me,

"Nice to know what you're finally thinking, Negative."

He slams the door shut and i'm left alone in the dark room.

'It's my own fault. I got distracted, but no more. I'll do my mission, and i'll go back home. Sorry Ricky, but I had to do this, I can't be with you. It's not in my nature to be happy.'

***

"Mother, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Negative. On your left you should see a vent, below that is his office."

"Got it."

I turn off my ear piece and crawl over to the vent. His office seems empty so take the vent out and hop down.

I pick the lock on his desk and search through several files before I find what i'm looking for. I click my ear piece back on.

"Mother, i've found it."

"Good, now find him on take him down. You have about three seconds before he walks back in. Two. One. Your on."

Just as she said, he walks into his office.

"Um, hello? Can I help you?"

I pull my zipper down, exposing more of my chest,

"I hope so."

"Oh so you're one of my 'friends', huh?"

I sit on his desk and spread my legs a little,

"If that's what you wanna call me."

He walks over to me with a crooked smirk on his face. He tries to unzip the rest of my top but I put him in a headlock until he collapses on the floor.

"This is way too easy..."

***

"Yo, Ze-er, I mean Negative, who's this man?"

"A potential rat. Do you have a place where I could interrogate him?"

"Of course we do, fourth floor, second door on the left."

***

I throw a cup of water in his face.

"Pfft, what the hell?! Are you fucking crazy? Let me outta here and get these chains off of me!"

"Well good morning to you too. Mother, hes awake."

I turn the laptop towards him,

"Thank you Negative, when I call you, you can finish your job."

I leave the room and stand at the door. The elevator dings and Ricky steps off. We make brief eye contact but he looks away.

"Ricky! Can you please wait?!"

He stops in his tracks,

"What?"

His tone is cold,

"It's about yesterday, you miss understood what I meant..."

"No, I don't think I did."

"Ricky, my job-"

"Exactly, your job. Just do it and leave."

"Damnit Ricky! Look at me!"

He slowly turns around,

"We are gonna talk about this and you will listen to me!"

He walks over to me and pushes me against the wall.

"Who do you think you're talking to little girl?"

My heart is pounding.

"You're the only person in the hall, so who else?"

He grabs my throat and I bite my lip,

"You know what Negative, I-"

I don't let him finish talking, instead I crash my lips onto his. Our kiss is hot and filled with hunger.

"Negative, come in Negative."

My ear piece beeps.

"Y-yes mother?"

"I've grown bored of him. Get rid of him will you?"

"Right away mother."

Ricky steps back,

"Get rid of him?"

I open the door and let he step inside,

"What the fuck Negative? Who is this?"

I close the door,

"Our rat."

He mans face is covered in sweat,

"P-please! It was a one time thing, I swear it'll never happen again! Just let me go!"

I pull out my gun and load the clip,

"Oh, I know it won't happen again."

"Hey, Negative, let's think about th-"

I fire the gun and everything goes silent. The mans brain decorates the wall behind him.

"You didn't let me talk to him Negative."

I put my gun back on safety and put away,

"No need to, I had all the information I needed from him."

He sighs and wipes his face,

"Ok Negative. You head upstairs, i'll take care of this."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, now leave."

Back upstairs in my room, I notice that someone has fixed my old collar.

I rub my neck, I can still feel that thing on me.

"Too messy Negative. You left a big mess for him to clean up by his self. Such a messy girl."

I mumble quietly at I walk into the bathroom.

"No mess. I can't have a mess. No mess, no mess..."

The room spins and I fall to the floor.

'Why do I do this to myself? Why do I listen to her?'

My last thoughts run through my head before I go unconscious.