House of the Setting Sun

[LUDMILA ILYUKHIN]

Ludmila stared at Warren in silence. After a long silence during which all she did was stare at her fellow agent, she finally spoke, her tone disapproving.

"That, agent Sorrow, is none of your business", she said, her tone like that of an officer reprimanding a soldier's misconduct. "And such indiscretion should be avoided in the future. I am not a trophy."

Ludmila suddenly felt the need to go back to the garage and take her new bike out for another spin. She didn't have any assignments at the moment, so she had enough free time to go riding. Warren's adventurous and flirtatious behaviour was getting rather boring anyway.

"And if you'll excuse me, I want to take the bike out for a spin", she said, standing up. "I bought it only today."

[WARREN SORROW]

He furrowed his brow in slight confusion. "Did I ever mention a trophy?! Of any kind?! Alsooooo.... Bike? Would that be a ...?" he had stopped, his friends remembering the more current memories. "A Night Rod was it?? Can I see it?" he asked curiously. He'd always had a thing for motorcycles. He had used a ZUNDAPP KS750, an old world war two motorbike that the germans used, to travel until he had found his old Alfa.

"Please??" he asked, batting his eye lashes at her. "I'll be ya best frieeend!" He enjoyed being childish. Not exactly sure why...

[LUDMILA ILYUKHIN]

Ludmila eyed Warren warily. She wasn't too keen on having other people fiddling with her Harley, especially not someone as tactless and ham-fisted as Warren. However, since she didn't want to make a bad impression, she accepted.

"Okay, you can see it. BUT DON'T TOUCH IT!"

And with that, Ludmila left the table and headed to the cafeteria's exit. Followed by Warren, she went to the garage, and when she reached her Harley, she couldn't help but smile with pride and pleasure at owning such a marvellous vehicle.

"There it is", she said, keeping a watchful eye on Warren. "Brand new."

[WARREN SORROW]

Warren wasn't even listening anymore. As soon as the door to the garage had opened, he rushed over to the bike. He crouched next to it, putting the seat and gas tank eye level. He ever so lightly swept his index finger along its elegant curves. "Now this... is a lovely cycle. V-twin engine, even. Oooh this can get some speed! We have to ride it." he said simply as he pushed on his knees to straighten up and walked back over to Ludmila. "You said it yourself you only got it today. That means you've only ridden it once, so come oooooooooon." he partially whined. "I won't break it, promise. I'll even take passenger. So come on, you know ya wanna." Warren hadn't been on a bike in a few years, so he was in need of a good ride.

[LUDMILA ILYUKHIN]

"Stop whining!", said Ludmila, clamping her hands over her ears. Gosh Warren was irritating, he talked far too much for his own good, and Ludmila loathed chatterboxes.

"All right, but on one condition", she said, "no groping. If that happens I'll leave you by the side of the road."

Ludmila got onto the bike, but just as she was about to put her helmet on, she realised she only had one. She turned to Warren with a schooled expression of cold neutrality.

"Hm, I only have one helmet. You wouldn't ride helmet-less, would you?"

[WARREN SORROW]

Warren threw his hands up and let a quiet, "Woo!" then hopped onto the back of the bike, gesturing for the woman to get on. "Heck with the helmet, I got a rock for a skull. I'll be fine." he smiled widely and awaited the driver.

"Don't you trust little ol' me? I wouldn't grope ya even if you wanted me too." he said, crossing his arms and nodding.

Hehehe, even if she does leave me on the road, I can just have the boys go pick up the car. Back up plans are wonderous. He thought, hiding a dastardly smile

[LUDMILA ILYUKHIN]

What Warren did not know was that Ludmila was what one would call a "reckless driver" or a "road hog". This was mostly due to the fact that if a traffic cop intercepted her, she could just woo him into letting her go without any kind of fine. Evidently, this was nigh impossible with female traffic cops, but since the police force was mostly male, she seldom had to face that problem.

The garage doors opened, and Ludmila cracked down on the accelerator like a demented drag racer. The bike's rear wheel squeeled loudly on the floor polished concrete floor before leaping forward and out of the garage. Ludmila slowed down as she reached the gates, but once they opened, she picked up yet more speed, and the Harley went roaring down the dirty little road that lead to the Bureau's headquarters.

As a bend appeared in the road, she skidded slightly, taking the bend so widely that if a car had been coming her way she'd have been sent home in a cardboard box. She almost never slowed down, keeping her bike at impossibly high speeds despite the fact that she was on a small road and driving so fast in that environment could prove to be extremely dangerous. As they reached the inhabited suburbs of Trenton, she did not slow down. Suddenly, a sedan came round a bend, almost knocking Ludmila's bike off the road, but the Rusalka avoided the other vehicle by going over the sidewalk (scaring a young couple in the process).

And then, just after the car, came a truck parked by the side of the road. Men were busily unloading furniture from said lorry, but when they saw Ludmila arrive, they dropped whatever they were doing and waved their arms in panic. She was heading straight for a large board of wood, a bar table of sorts, which propped up against another piece of furniture. Instead of trying to avoid it, she went right for it, and drove over it at top speed. The improvised ramp sent the bike flying through the air before landing heavily on the road beyond. Leaving the distraught men behind, Ludmila continued to drive at breakneck speed till they'd left Trenton and arrived atop a small hill with a view on the city. Ludmila skidded to a halt and removed her helmet.

"Haha! That was liberating!!", she said, her cold stance entirely forgotten. Suddenly, she remembered her passenger, and it was a little morosely that she turned to face Warren. "So, enjoyed the ride? I know I did."

[WARREN SORROW]

Warren's body had been stuck in the 'hold on for dear life' position for the last few minutes. His arms parted to let go of Mila, but that was about it. His eyes were wiiiide open, his limbs locked into position. He sat there on the bike for a moment before falling off the back, his body unmoving as he hit the asphalt, rolling onto the grass of the hill. He was slightly catatonic, it seemed. Only slightly. Then, suddenly a rush of laughing flowed forth from his mouth. It started off slow, letting out a

"He... Hehe...."

"Hehhehehehe."

"Hehehehehehehehe!!"
He suddenly stopped. Just randomly stopped. Then full on laughter burst forth.

"HAHAAAAHAHAAHA!!!"

He rolled onto his sides, his legs closing and his arms wrapping around his sides as he laughed. "That... was amazing... Even the... ramp." he chortled out, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"We're gonna have to do that again at some point." he sighed out as he sat up and whiped his eyes. He awkwardly got up off the floor, pushing off his legs to straighten himself out, dusting off his clothes as he walked over to Mila. "So...." he scratched the back of his head, a strange moment of sheepishness. "What do we do now?"

[LUDMILA ILYUKHIN]

"Now?", said Ludmila. She quickly glanced up at the sky and saw rain clouds gathering. It felt like rain, she could feel it. And then she had an idea. Smiling, she said:

"Well, Warren, I suppose...oh goodness gracious! Look at the time!"

And then she started her bike up, swerved around abruptly and drove off at full throttle. As she drove away, she waved at Warren and mockingly blew him a kiss.

"I always win, Warren!"

[THE STAFF]

Closed due to completion.
Originally closed on: 2011 May 02 by The Staff