Carpe Noctem

Deadline Midnight Saturday :: 20 March 2010

The stars shone bright this October night, as the wind blew gently,
sending autumn themed leaves tumbling across the city streets. The time was
unknown, for Jacqueline hadn’t a watch nor a cell phone on her person. She
dropped her finished cigarette to the stone pavement and crushed it under her
leather soled stiletto boots. She had replaced the lighter to its home inside the
pocket of her dark gray peacoat and was on her way to the address scribbled
on the piece of paper she had in her gloved hand.

This was weather that Jacqueline had enjoyed; it was not so hot that it was
impossible to enjoy, but it wasn’t too cold to wish for heat either. With a light
jacket, she was prepared to seize the day...or night, rather. She stepped over
the leaves that the wind blew in her path to avoid getting any of it stuck to the
bottom of her shoe as she continued onward. The sun had just set moments
ago, so the sky was still painted a sickly sweet orange that was slowly dimming
to black.

As she arrived at the apartment, she crossed the street to observe the building.
It was nicely constructed and gave off a modern Victorian sensation.
Jacqueline imagined old world furnishings but with hints of modern antiquities
among flat screen televisions and Apple’s latest computer. She crossed the
street once again and stood before the dark brown door. She thought it unwise
to knock or ring the doorbell. Instead, she gently jiggled the handle to verify
inaccessibility before reaching into her back pocket for her lockpick. She
quickly peeked left and right before proceeding in an activity that would be
otherwise considered a crime had she not worked for the British government.

She heard the lock deactivate with a slight click and smiled to herself. Upon
opening the door, she was greeted with the pleasant scent of lavender incense.
She inhaled the aroma deeply, the lovely odour opening her nostrils and
warming her body. Reminding herself that this was not a time of pleasure, she
turned and closed and locked the door she entered through. Proceeding
forward quietly, she verified her previous assumptions as the home was
decorated just as she imagined. She had even passed by the aforementioned
ebony-white computer.

Jacqueline stopped short, however, when she heard a faint voice in the
distance and the sound of footsteps against the polished hardwood. If she
remained in her current position, she was sure to be discovered, as the person
who’s home she’d just invaded was about to enter the hallway in less than a
second. Quickly, she ducked under the desk and nearly avoided being spotted.
Removing her standard issue handgun from her jacket pocket, she slowly
cocked the slide back and brought it forward, loading a bullet into the
chamber. She prepared herself for an altercation, but realized that the person
who entered the hallway had just left. Coming out from under the desk,
Jacqueline made her way into the room where the homeowner came out of and
had a look round. Not a moment after finding what she came for, she felt
someone grab her from behind and a damp cloth cover her mouth and nose.
She inhaled the familiar, yet vulgar scent and felt herself slip into
unconsciousness. “Anaesthesia,” she thought, before everything went black
and she collapsed to the floor with a hard thud.