Hard Days Night

[Maize Hastings]

The man’s grasp on her was tight and forced her to follow along side him. “No,” he said simply to her question, brushing the subject from conversation. A few times she tried to pull her arm away, a weak attempt to have any control, but he’d just stiffen his grip. They continued on walking, their steps taking them closer to the house and he started to feel like a threat and a decision made wrong. Maize’s eyes darted swiftly to the front door, along the house to her father’s bedroom window. There was no sign of anyone inside, which might have been a relief if the pit in her stomach told her otherwise. “Where are your keys?” He commanded, briefly giving her a glance. Her mouth held open, sight spotting the vehicle as he made a turn in direction for it, already having made up his mind.

Blue orbs dropped down to watch her boots shuffle through the snow as he dragged her around to the truck. “Get in,” his tone was impatient. Maize looked up to him again, only the money pushing her limits. His previous demand in the forest was for her to drive, but she didn’t dare question it now. Fingers were freezing without gloves and powdery snowflakes caught in her hair and upon her shoulders. Reaching for the handle, she watched him curiously at what he would do now. She remembered leaving the keys in the truck, at that time not thinking any harm in it. Maize wavered on telling him before her throat constricted when he found them himself as she sat into the passenger's side.

The truck started and she realized she couldn’t bail out now. The doors were shut, the engine was on and he put it in reverse. Maize turned around, trying to get a good view of the direction he was heading. He took the wheel easy on the frozen roads. It consistently bounced and a hand pulled up behind her to feel for the seatbelt. They made it to the main road but silence still hung between them. She didn’t know what to think for the next hours sitting there, starting to feel pointless, aside from the possible life threatening situation.

Maize heard the in take of Bourne's breath before it happened. He spun the wheel taking the truck in a meander, and she twisted around to take a glimpse out the back window. A silver Aston Martin Vanquish was speeding toward them when the car lost control in the winter condition. Her truck took a half turn, hands fumbled to grab the door and the other found the side of the seat. The surroundings blurred in white and she held her breath, not able to scream. Her eyes closed tightly praying for the motion to end, the sound of slush pushing away from the tires made her back flatten to the seat. Frame held the position after the swerve, slowly letting open her eyes and blinking away the fog.

A man already emerged from the car slick with condensation. He had a composure that the man next to her didn’t. The way he carried himself claimed attention as she tried to steady her breathing. He leaned his arms on the side of the window, kind enough to say, “I’m sorry about that, are the two of you okay?” She gave a sharp nod, watching Bourne out of the corner of her eye. “We're fine.” Apparently she didn’t have the authority to speak for herself, when she didn’t feel fine. She was being paid to “drive” a man into town and she’d just experienced a possible crash, that if she had been driving, she’d be in worse state. “If you don't mind, we really must be going. We're supposed to be meeting a few people in town.” He carried on in a lie, Maize getting further suspicions of his intention. Maize released her clasp, settling her hands on her lap.

[James Bond]

“We’re fine.”
The words were blunt but not of quick force. The man who uttered them had complete control and was able to make them sound calm and non-aggravated. Very smooth. To the untrained ear it would have seemed a straight-shooter’s response, but to James it was a mental shove to get lost. Glance moved over towards the woman in the passenger’s seat once again. Her lips parted into a smile nodding to what the man beside her offered as her response. Bond lingered longer then he should have and he knew it made the driver before him restless. Corner of eye caught his arm tense, probably around the grip of a gun. Bond wasn’t equally armed, sure there were weapons on him but nothing he could use before the bullet left the barrel.

“If you don’t mine, we really must be going. We’re supposed to be meeting a few people in town.” Lips gave a smile to the man as he played the lie just like the pro he was. His own lips slinked back into a smile. “Alright…” Hand tapped the door for a moment before his frame took a step back. “…hope that meeting goes well.” Bond gave a wink and slid his hands into his tux pockets. Stature rotated back towards the Martin, well aware the man had a gun and could easily shoot him in the back, but he wouldn’t. Not now anyways. Fingers fell against the door handle for a moment before pulling the door open and climbing in.

Brake lights burned red for a moment as engine roared to life. Putting it into gear his foot fell against the gas pedal and just as he’d stopped, Bond was gone. He went on for a few miles before eyes caught something he was looking for. Hands worked over one another as he turned abruptly, again wheels turned leaving the car pointed towards the road. Fingertips fell down against the steering wheel as he waited, patiently. Soon his auditory senses picked up on another vehicle. Arm reached for the glove department grabbing the binoculars, fixating them to the main road. The truck hadn’t waited very long before trailing after the unknown Vanquish. Sight caught license plate, instantly imprinting it to his memory. Lips parted for a moment as silent numbers left his mouth as invisible as breath. Waiting for the exact moment, the right moment to follow

[Jason Bourne]

The man smiled, fingers tapping the cold metal of the door frame. “Alright… hope that meeting goes well.” Jason knew the man was hardly satisfied with the answer but didn't question it. A friendly smile slid upon his lips, reasurring the man that there was nothing to be suspicious about. He simply gave them a wink, rotating his form before walking back towards his vehicle. Jason sat there for a moment longer, his eyes lingering upon the man in the driver's seat, watching him turn and continue down the icy road. Once satisfied, Bourne eased his foot off the break, gently hitting the gas as he too began driving along the slushy road. However, the man didn't strike him as some typical business man out for a drive, just miles from the city. No, he was much more.. Jason's instincts warned him of that. His fingers curved tightly around the steering wheel as he drove, eyes darting from mirror to mirror. He looked momentarily at the young woman beside him.

"What is your name..?", he asked quietly and suddenly, breaking the silence between them. Her jaw was clenched, obviously a bit shaken by the near crash, her hands clasped upon her lap. But suddenly, something in his mind clicked. The man's sleek silver Aston Martin was no where to be seen. He looked around, searching for a stretch of road that led of their current one, one that man possibly could have turned onto.. but there was none near them. Bourne followed the curve of the road, his eyes scanning the surrounding trees for signs of where the Vanquish could have vanished to. He exhaled the breath he didn't know he was holding, beginning to feel as though he were being slightly paranoid. But it didn't make sense.. A man like that, out here? No..

Jason continued driving the old, shaky truck along the road, turning onto another that would lead the way to the city. A glint of something caught his eye as he drove. The Vanquish.. His blue eyes darted towards the rear-view mirror and sure enough, in the distance and the cover of the foggy air he could make it out. He was being followed.. but by who? His foot pressed harder upon the gas, speeding up only slightly as he entered the city, smoke visibly seen on the horizon, just drifting above the rooftops of the skyline of downtown Zurich. He weaved through the traffic, trying to gain some distance between them both. The image of the city before him was like some bizarre photograph of pristine white filled with freshly fallen snow, the black smoke standing out boldly upon the view. He remembered being there not too long ago, his memory of the city coming back to him as he progressed through the busy street, navigating the truck to the heart of Zurich. He knew he would remember the streets, and hopefully, be able to lose his tail. However, the sight of a Zurich police car alerted him in the distance that he needed to be cautious. Obviously an incident had occured, the police now on high alert. Jason needed to blend.. and the woman beside him would help.

[James Bond]

Tongue slowly grazed along bottom lip as the British bred man remained silent within the small cabin of the sleek sports car. Auditory senses picked up the vibrations from the phone laying beside him within the passenger seat. The tux clad man hesitated for a moment before finally giving into the annoyance. Right hand quickly grasped for the cellular device, bringing it to his ear with well mannered tone regardless of situation, “Yes.” Familiar voice of an elder woman rang through the other end in response. “Bond, I take it you’ve acquired the necessary files…” He nodded as if she could see the non-verbal response as foot applied pressure down along gas pedal with the sight of the opposite vehicle.

Slowly the Vanquish crept back onto the main road. The silence on his end must have stirred query, “…and that you’ve already met with Carlton Brine.” “Not yet, but I’m on my way.” Throat swallowed for a moment as lips parted to continue, “Had a bit of a side track…” “James, this isn’t the time for a detour. Brine will be on a plan within the next two hours.” Smile crossed over his features as he reassured the doubts, “Don’t worry M. You’re good at diversions, you’ll think of something.”

With that thumb hit the END button before tucking the cell phone into inner suit pocket. Luxury British manufactured vehicle still followed the beat up truck with the two inhabitants. Bond couldn’t shake the familiarity with the man behind the wheel, had they met before? It wasn’t just a passerby feeling of déjà vu there had to be something more, unless the first look over of the stranger struck a nerve within the 007. He wasn’t that many car lengths behind the pickup and he wasn’t intending on remaining discreet; although he couldn’t deny he hadn’t planned on the patrons taking notice as soon as they did.

Truck slightly took up speed but he wasn’t running - not yet. So Bond kept eyes locked on the rear bumper of the truck but he didn’t speed up. Swerving around traffic in unison with the rust on wheels before him. Abruptly the Martin cut a hard right down an alleyway. Brake was applied quickly, shift fell into reverse as Aston spun slightly as trained hand maneuvered wheel. Bond had been to Zurich before but memorizing back streets wasn’t his forte - he was just winging it. Tires ate up cracked alleyway pavement as car took another hard left.

Sparks glistened across snow covered ground as undercarriage caught uneven curb as Vanquish re-entered the main street. Scuffed leather slammed down on brake as vehicle screeched in echo along buildings embrace. Washed jade paint of the truck caught Bond’s eye as Bourne applied his own brake. Vehicle jerked forward with the lost momentum, bummer stopping mere centimeters from the silver paintjob of the expensive car. Ocean blue irises locked with the stranger’s behind the wheel of the still rumbling engine. The far cry of sirens pierced the ambiance between the two men. Turning sights back forward, Vanquished lunged forward down another alleyway. Leaving the two ample time to loose the cops, and sadly their identity to remain a mystery.