Forever, Chapter One-Shaun

Forever, Chapter One-Shaun

“You are…unbreakable, correct?”

Nathan Lowry’s hushed voice drifted across the dark, wide room, floating over my ears as I closed my failing eyes.

“Yes.”

The waves of my own voice bounced off the podium the four lords shared, and as they did, I caught a glimpse of Lord Nathan’s face. I could hear no color, but his hair was shaggy, one small lock of it hanging down to the end of his nose. His eyes, however, were uncovered, unhindered, but I knew from past experience their white, glowing nature. The nose that peeked out from under that lock of hair was a long slope, his cheekbones almost nonexistent, and his chin slightly pointed, almost feminine. But, even being unable to hear the colors, I knew his entire appearance to be white, from his hair, to his skin, to his eyes and even his clothes. Then again, I also knew this to be a fairly common trait amongst the four lords of the Megalon Corporation. I heard Lord Nathan smile and fold his hands in front of him.

“Excellent.” He stood, baggy clothes rustling softly against his thin frame. “You start immediately,” he continued, chuckling. “You see, I’m afraid your partnering is almost a mission in itself. She—”

“Thank you for the forewarning, sir,” I interjected, “but I’d like to assess the situation myself. Thank you for the acceptance. I’ll await your orders.” I bowed at the waist, one arm behind my back, before exiting the room.

As I walked silently down the hallway, passing many people on the way, I glanced at the paper in my hand, squinting to read off the number of the room I would occupy at the M-Corp facility.

“S-3…S-3…ah, here we are.” I looked up at the door to the room at the very end of the hallway, which was the only one I could see that was adorned with signs and stickers, few of which I looked upon before entering. I could only think, Is this what Lord Nathan meant?

Inside, though, it was clean and quiet, much unlike the door had lead me to believe. A woman sat on the couch, reading a novel; I assumed she was to be my supposedly troublesome partner.

“Hello, ma’am. I am Shaun Marquis,” I said. No use in being rude. She looked up at me, high ponytail swinging from side to side. I put my glasses on, in order to assess her better. I saw that she had brown skin, hair, and eyes. The skin around her right eye was discolored, lighter than the rest of it. She smiled warmly at me, though, sitting up.

“Oh, it’s you!” she said, almost radiating with cheeriness. I could only blink in surprise, as she was nothing like what I expected. She patted the seat next to her with excitement. “Please, sit down!”

Warily, I did as she asked, wondering what Lord Nathan could have been talking about. The girl seemed to be naught but effervescent, a nice change from the drab company I’d kept before.

“So…” I said, trying to find a place to begin, “how is life here? I’ve never heard anything bad, but then again, I hadn’t even heard of M-Corp before Lord Francis approached me.”

The girl sat back, pulling her knees up on the couch. I noted that she wasn’t wearing shoes. “Well, it’s not bad. The lunches could be worse, and so could the lodgings, the people are generally friendly as long as you avoid section D, and they’re pretty good at partnering people so they work well together…” She smiled in an almost silly fashion. “Actually, now that I think about it, this is the perfect job!”

I nodded. “I see. By the way, what is your name?”

She giggled. “Who, me? Me llamo Janette Falcón. ¡Es un placer, Shaun!” Before I could ask what she meant, though, she laughed loudly. “Sorry, I’m taking Spanish for the first time. It’s so exciting! My teacher will be so proud…”

Her cheeriness didn’t compute for a moment, but I then laughed shakily in return. “I understand. So, what do you do here?”

She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, the door opened. A shorter woman, with gold-blond hair down to her mid-back and a mischievous air to her walked in, carrying a grocery bag.

“Who’s this broad?” she asked brusquely, presumably directing her question at my new partner. Janette giggled, standing up.

“Jean, meet your new partner, Shaun…Marquis, was it?”’

Confusion struck, making the words slip awkwardly out of my mouth. “But…I thought you were my new partner. Do you not live here?”

The woman named Jean rolled her eyes. I noticed one mark beneath each of them, a black thorn-like shape curving down her cheek; they sunk no lower than the bottom of her nose. “No, she doesn’t. Jan, you know you aren’t supposed to do that to new partners. Scaring them off is my job.”

Sighing, I stood up. “I’m sorry for the confusion, then. I am Shaun Marquis, your new—”

“Yeah, yeah, lady, whatever. Listen. I got some things to let you know.” She sets the bag down, tossing her keys on the small table beside it. “First off, I hate rules. Rules could take it up the ass for all I care. Secondly, I don’t need a partner. I could do anything and everything by myself, and those very, very few things I can’t, I ask Jan here for ‘em.”

Somehow, I doubted that the kind, yet seemingly air-headed woman beside her could do much of anything.

“I’m sorry about your severe problem,” I said in a disingenuously sweet tone, “but I have no choice. Lord Nathan asked me personally to do this, and do this I shall.” I wondered if she’d catch on to what I was saying.

Surprisingly enough, she did. “What problem? I have no problems! I’m perfect!” At that, almost as if to prove my point, she flopped down on the white sofa and belched loudly. “See? Perfect.”

I shook my head, looking at Janette. “If you wouldn’t mind, could you lave us? My partner and I have much to discuss.”

Janette nodded, hugging me on the way out. “I’m glad you aren’t mad at me! I hope we could get to be close!” She gave me a strange look before adding, “Very close.” With that, she walked out the door, closing it quietly behind her. I then turned to Jean.

“Listen,” I started, “We are partners, whether you like it or not. I intend to make the best of this situation. You’d do well to try it once in a while.” I couldn’t help it. I was used to struggling with obstinate people, and that instinct seemed to kick in when I looked at her. However, she seemed to be ignoring me, yawning and stretching on the couch.

“I’m sure whatever you have to said could wait until after you quit,” she said, rolling onto her side. I sat next to her, hands in my lap. Whatever she had going on in her head, I hadn’t forgotten my manners.

“And why would I quit? Just because you have some sort of problem with assistance?” I couldn’t help but chuckle, at which she turned and glared at me.

“Princess, I’ve been here for five years. In those five years, eleven of the toughest women in the world have been paired with me. They all quit. The longest time it took to run one out was a week. You, I’m guessing, will be gone before that.” She turned over again, and I noticed that the back of her hair was purple. At her roots, and down much of her hair, it was a sepia tone, and it faded slowly into something of a yellow ochre.

Despite what she’d said, though, I laughed. “Dear, I am not so easily frightened. However horrendous you might be, I’m sure I could handle it. Now get off the couch, you lazy bum. You went through the trouble of buying food, now put it away.”

Rather indignantly, she turned to look at me, hate in her eyes. “I am no maid. Besides, the food just goes in the fridge automatically. Have you ever lived in a high-tech building before?”

I looked around, shaking my head. “No, but I’m learning quickly. That’s what I do, strategize and work with technology. How about you?”

She scoffed, rolling her yellow eyes again. “Babe, believe me, strategy won’t give you any help in this joint. Nothing ever goes according to plan, which makes your strategies useless, which means you are useless. Now get out.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Then what do you do that’s so helpful? Lay around and grow a new layer of fat?” I poked her belly, which wasn’t large at all, just a little pudgy. It wasn’t bad that she had some meat on her bones, unlike me, but I thought that irking her nerves might make her look at me as an equal instead of an enemy. Maybe.

Then, very suddenly, she grabbed my wrist, pulling me on top of her. I saw that as counterproductive, but she, judging by the grin on her face, did not.

“Sally, listen. I am the alpha bitch here. My partners are all just very unfortunate chicks. They never last.” She then pushed me off, onto the floor. “Better women than you have failed to tame me. I suggest giving up and going back to your obscure little village before I destroy you and what little self-esteem you may possess.” She stood up, walking to what was presumably her room. Finding a computer, I quickly struck some keys, and her door slammed shut.

“Useless, am I?” I asked, looking at her.

She merely sighed, putting a hand on her curvy hip. “Okay, you have a little skill. It’s very cute. I am so impressed. Could I go to sleep now?”

I grinned, opening the door for her. “If you must. I’ll be waking you up early tomorrow, so we can get used to each other. It wouldn’t be very good to—”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever lady. G’night.” She ungracefully trudged into the room, closing the door with a loud bang that hurt my ears. Still, I felt like I’d won.

After my victory, I found my room with relative ease and set up my few things: a picture of my boyfriend hugging me, a picture of my parents, and an alarm clock. With a yawn, I sidled into bed, pulling the soft comforter up to my face. I was triumphant. I was winning. I was Shaun Devon Marquis, and I was confident in myself, if nothing else.



The next morning, I woke up around dawn, when the sky was still gray-pink. The pollution made it look dingy, but I could remember when it was a beautiful sight. I stretched, pulled on fresh clothes, and walked out of the room, ready to assault my new partner to whip her into shape—but I met with an interesting sight. Jean was already awake, in nothing but a baggy shirt and underwear, doing one-armed chin-ups by the doorway, of all things. I walked into what appeared to be the kitchen, going for breakfast.

“Morning,” I said.

“I thought you were going to wake me up,” she retorted, disdain in her voice. I only shrugged.

“Judging by what I saw of you yesterday, I assumed you would be a little more…lethargic. Frankly, I’m impressed.” I stopped speaking, as an English muffin had caught my eye.

“Yeah, well, you don’t end up as M-Corp’s best agent by slacking.” She dropped down, rolling her shoulder. “Girly, no matter what you may think, I am a self-made woman. Don’t ever underestimate me. It may be the last thing you do.” She leapt up to the bar again, this time, using her other arm.

I put the muffin in the toaster that sat upon the countertop, leaning against its edge. “It’s nice to know you aren’t a complete waste of air,” I said nonchalantly, somewhat amused. “Oh, by the way, you never did tell me what you do.”

Dropping down once more, she sighed. “Couldn’t really work out with you jabbering on. Yak me to death, why don’tcha.” She cracks her neck before lying on the couch. “If you must know, I do disguise and infiltration, and most other things that involve getting close and working with people. If the need arises, I could do elimination, but I make a point to see that the need never arises.” She had a nasty tone in her voice, though it wasn’t directed at me. It seemed to me that she had a certain distaste for murder.

My muffin popped up then, and I retrieved it before walking over to her and sitting down. “You impress me yet again. I thought you might be the kill-happy type. Actually, I’m very glad you aren’t.” I took a bite of the muffin before adding, “Because I’m not, either.”

She scoffed lightly, though it was more in amusement than in disdain. “At least we agree on that.”

I smiled. “Yes.”



After a few minutes of silence, she stood, stretching her arms. “Well, I couldn’t really dawdle,” she said. “I’ve got a date.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Oh? And who is this lucky fellow?”

Instead of answering like a normal person, she burst out in laughter, holding her stomach. I assumed she was laughing at my choice of words at first, but I was soon proven wrong. “Guy? Guy?” She continued to cackle, finding great amusement in something. I figure it has to do with a guy.

“Might you let me in on the joke? I’d enjoy a good laugh, too, you know.” I racked my brain, and all I could think was that I’d never met a girl so strange.

“You…you think…my date…ha!” She couldn’t stop laughing long enough to finish her sentence, a fact that was starting to get on my nerves. I never had liked being left out of the loop.

“I’ll wait,” I said irritably. Finally, she calmed down, sitting back on the couch.

“O-kay…” she said, laughter still in her voice, “I’ll put it this way. Other than the lords, have you seen single man here?”

I thought back, and out of the few people I’d passed, I didn’t recall any men.

“No. The agents I saw were all women.”

She chuckled, grinning. “Exactly. This is a company run by four men. You know who they hire? Lesbians. All of us are. Every single agent in this building. Well, except Atticus…but he’s a whole new set o’ wacko.”

“But, me…I’m not a—I have a boyfriend!”

“Babe, you most certainly are a lesbian. There’s no doubt in my mind. You just don’t know it yet.” She walked into her room then, leaving me sitting speechless on the couch. I hoped it that would clear up. Lord Nathan and I would need to talk.



~end