8Chapter One, Year 2450, 435 years later
Luxas laughed while he ran away from the elderly man, his head thrown back in abandonment, muscles pushing him forward with every stride. Oh how he enjoyed his daily escapades, running through families, doing away with the younger women of families. He considered himself the Casanova of the 24th century, and he reveled in it. His feet carried him to an empty dock. This was where he had lived for roughly 19 years of his life, running away from his parents at the naive age of six. He crossed over to an abandoned tether and pushed a small wooden knob, waiting for a trap door to open and reveal his passage home. A set of stairs was uncovered a few feet below him and he sidled over to it.
Luxas climbed through a passage that protected his home from the water. The house, if you could call it that, was made out of concrete. It was used a long time ago to protect Americans from the invading bombers and troops, but it was mostly known as a weaponry. The scorch marks along the walls and uncarpeted ground stood as testament to a fire that had raged in the room. After landing on solid ground Luxas punched a few numbers on a small control panel near the trap door, and walked away as it sealed itself. The lights turned on from a nearby switch and the 25 year old man collapsed on a nearby couch. It deflated under him, not used to his sudden weight. Then again, it was second hand, but free so he couldn't complain. The memory of the girl and her small body came into his idle mind and he leered at the blank ceiling, licking his lips, 'Damn she was fine'.
A small draft passed through his room, making him sit up straight in alarm. That wasn't possible; there were no openings besides the closed trap door. He stood up and looked around for a hole, however small, of some kind. Nothing. He only freaked out when he felt another breeze drift through. He turned around and came face to face to the most amazing woman. She was tall, with endless pale legs and a curvy body with tightly curled shoulder length russet hair. The woman glowed with self confidence and power. He felt his eyes widen and he sank to his knees, his eyes on her feet and the ground.
"Stand, Luxas." Aphrodite commanded, laughing at his behavior. He did as she commanded, but couldn't make himself stare her in the eyes. Instead he fixated his stare on her bare neck, a soft ringlet bouncing as she gave another laugh.
"You may look me in the eyes; I promise I shan't kill you." If he thought her laugh was beautiful, it was nothing to her voice. He did as she told, and couldn't look away. He felt himself sway under their power, the luminous blue eyes capturing his own mahogany eyes.
"Luxas, listen to what I am about to tell you. I have a task for you to complete if you will accept it. You are to help me destroy Ares, our enemy. Do you accept?" She asked. He nodded.
"Excellent. Now, are you prepared to do whatever it is I need you to?" The Goddess gave him an encouraging smile. He nodded again.
"Good. I need you to assassinate this man," she held up a picture with her left hand, and turned his head to face it with the right. "His name is Wilbur Armadas, and he's one of Ares head mortal advisors. I need it done as quickly as possible. I don't care how you do it; just make sure no one suspects either of us. Am I understood?" Luxas nodded again, and she released him.
"Excellent. Armadas lives in Upper Former New Jersey, between 7th and 10th Avenue, building 1232, room seven. Upon completion of your task I will reward you with the next available. Do not fail me, Luxas." She began to glow a dark magenta, making Luxas turn his head. He didn't have to turn back to know that she was gone.
Luxas sighed softly to himself, her body coming to his minds eye. A grin crossed his face and he, remembering his task, started walking around the room, picking up a backpack and filling it with necessary items. It filled quickly, mostly with clean clothes and extra clips of ammo for a gun. He strapped on a leather belt, two semi-automatic pistols in their holsters on the left side. On the right were more clips for the guns. He slung the bag over his back and grabbed an empty wallet lying near the couch. He began to replace his old wallet with this one, transferring stolen credit cards and any cash on hand into the wallet. Luxas looped a chain into a hole on the left wing of the wallet, and shoved it in his back pocket. Giving himself a look over in the TV facing him, he headed towards the exit, picking up a black leather coat on the way.
When Luxas had climbed out of the tunnel, he dropped the bag down and pulled on the coat. Picking out a pair of expensive-looking glasses he slipped them over his eyes, even though the day wasn't sunny, and pulled the backpack onto his back again. The contents of his pockets often changed. His life as a thief demanded it. Winding down to the local bus stop, Luxas eyed the passing by people. One presented the perfect opportunity. It was a young girl gripping a cell phone that obviously was her parents. He walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder, pulling the glasses up into his hair.
"Hey, can I borrow your phone for a moment?" He asked. The girl gave him a look over twice, before handing it over with a bright smile. He returned it.
"Thanks, lemme try and find a good service area." And with that he walked off, flipping the phone up in order to pretend and look for service. But the girl didn't let him off that easily. She walked with him as close as he would allow, words flying out of her mouth. Most were aimed at personal questions, and slight innuendos. He cast her a dark smile. He was at least twice her age, and she was asking whether or not he was married. He replied that he was not, and it egged her on further. He smiled when she asked if he would like to go out with her some night.
"Don't you think I'm a little old for you?"
"So what? I like older men." She looked up at him from behind her thick eyelashes. Luxas resisted the urge to laugh, but grinned wickedly and headed into an alley instead. A small group of homeless people had congregated around the walls and he paid each of them to leave the two alone. They did, with many spared glances at the two and some titters of disapproval. As the last man rounded the corner, he snapped the phone shut and pounced on the girl, his mouth slipping over hers easily. She groaned and he shoved her up against a wall, a single hand of his keeping both of hers above her head. She didn't protest until he wouldn't release her from their kiss. She tried to breathe through her nose, but with his free hand he covered it, keeping his mouth on hers. She coughed a few times in his mouth and that alone would've made him give up if he didn't need her phone.
She stopped moving eventually and he let her drop to the ground, gagging in disgust. Not exactly his favorite way to kill someone but it got the job done. He dropped his old phone, a Motorola 600, at her feet and eyed the newly acquired one. It was a Sliver, sleek and black, with built in iTunes, perfect. The charger came with it, hiding under a small fold of the girl's purse. He also searched her for a wallet of some kind. To his luck he found a bright pink one, stuffed with $100 bucks cash, an expired bus ticket, and a phone number with directions to someone's house from what he assumed was her own. 'Looks like this little girl was running away from home.' He thought, dropping her wallet onto her chest and pulling out his own wallet, placing the cash in the center billfold with the other bills.
He stepped out of the alleyway, pocketing the phone and winding down to the bus station. He purchased a ticket and slipped in the pair of ear buds that were with her phone, plugging it in and searching for any good music she had. He deleted a few things, bought some, and finally compiled a suitable play list. The music had just started when his bus arrived at the station. Taking a seat in the back, Luxas stretched out on the fake leather cushion, lying his head down, pulling his sunglasses back onto his eyes and preparing for a nap. The trip would take at least nine hours, and of those he was planning on spending at least seven on sleep. Disturbed began played in his ears as his mind wandered.
Several eyes wandered over to Luxas' now peaceful figure, eyes taking in the all black apparel, darkly tinted sunglasses and demeanor in general. Many made sure their attention was diverted whenever he would move in the slightest bit, their heart racing and faces heavily flushed. His guns did not go unnoticed and neither did his strong physique. But for now he slept, a lion in a flock of sheep.