“Dana…that’s why you’re in IT and not op….wait…what did you say about my phones?” Bette’s initial scolding turned probing as part of Dana’s statement clicked.

“Oh I called but both lines were busied so I came.”  Dana’s casual answer was in contrast to the immediate grimace on Bette’s face.  She snatched the house phone to confirm, silence.  Panic sets in. 

“Fuck” Bette slammed the phone back on the cradle and cursed inwardly at her carelessness.  She left Jodie’s place in complete disarray and ignored protocol.  She makes that one mistake of not covering her track, a death sentence for someone in her profession.  The phone was cut and her place possibly been rigged.

“Let’s go Dana.” Bette move quickly into the kitchen and retrieved the emergency pack.  After securing the sack onto her back, Bette scanned the room and swiftly collected all incriminating evidences of her identity inside another bag.

“Why, what happen?” Dana asked, trying to wrap her head around what was happening while struggling to get herself up.

“I’m marked, the place is trick.” Bette tossed the bag inside the trash receptacle, doused it with an unknown solution and lit it aflame.

“How…” Dana’s eyes widened with fear witnessing what Bette was doing.

“Move NOW…” Bette forcibly commanded and dragged Dana alongside.

She led the way to a secret entrance behind the wall of the coat closet.  A narrow winding staircase took them down to the basement and through a short underground tunnel.  They came to what look like the end of a tunnel.  It was dark but Bette was in control of her environment.  She raised her hands up and lifted an obscured section of the ceiling up, signaling for Dana to stay low as she pulled herself up the tiny opening.

Bette kept a low profile as she crawled across the cold concrete floor on the dark room.  She rented an unused shed from the elderly couple next door a few months after she moved in.  She paid them heartily for the unconditional use of their dilapidated shed.  She spent months constructing the underground connecting pathway for just an occasion as such. It was money well spent with time and labor invested, clearly returned.

As she perched up behind the filthy glass window, Bette could make out shadows of two individuals.  One crouched under the bush near her garage and the other, making his way up the entryway.  Bette assessed and calculated her escape route.  Under the circumstance, taking on those two would posed some danger given Dana was with her.  She looked up on the second floor; the flickering of orange glow reminded her of the lit trashcan as an idea hit her.