Sentinel

Her radio crackled and Kai’s voice jerked her out of her reverie.

“Linnea, are you there?”

She took the radio from her hip and spoke into it. “Yes. I’m here.”
On the other end she heard a scuffle and Denzel’s voice replaced Kai’s. “Listen up you little brat. You’ve been gone for over two hours! Your break was only scheduled until one! You get your pale ass back here right now or you will be on constant guard duty for the remainder of this little excursion!”

A pang of guilt ran through her stomach. “Sorry Sir. I just lost track of time.”

“Shut up and get back here.” The radio clicked off.

Linnea looked around. She obviously could not get anywhere quickly walking back the way she had come. There were too many people to get in her way. Her eye strayed to an alleyway nearby and she started to jog toward it. As soon as she had reached the dirty alley, she broke into a run. She pelted down the narrow path as she ran she looked behind her at the street she had left.
Smack! The man she had collided with flew backwards landing with a thump on the trash strewn ground. Linnea skidded to a halt so fast that her feet lost purchase on a patch of slime and she fell as well with a splash. Linnea groaned and looked up, locking eyes with the man who was staring at her.

“Good afternoon.” He mumbled as he turned his attention to finding his small bag, which he had dropped in the collision. He found it, picked it up, and glanced back at her.

“Good afternoon indeed!” Linnea scoffed rubbing her back where she had landed. “That hurt! What were you doing back here?”

“Same as you I’d wager. Keeping out of the crowds.” The man picked himself up gingerly and smiled.
It was then that the strangeness of the situation struck Linnea. She had had two close encounters with civilians in just a matter of minutes and they had both spoken so casually to her as to appear unnatural. Then there was this feeling, a familiarity, as though she were remembering someone from her distant past. She looked back at the street behind her, and then at the man again. She scrutinized him but could not place his face. He was tall and tan skinned with dark brown hair. His eyes were barley visible through dark sunglasses and his smile appeared slightly stiff and unnatural.

Her eyes narrowed “Do I know you?” She asked.

The man’s smile widened. “I’d hope not.” He said. “I’m no one that you should be concerned with.”

“If I don’t know you, why are you talking to me so informally?”

“Is that unusual?” He asked dusting himself off.

“Very. Most civilians don’t address me at all. When they have to, they always act afraid.” She paused.
“Why are you smiling?”

“Oh no reason really. It’s just that that sounds like a pretty lonely life.” He extended a hand and with a slight hesitation, Linnea took it and was helped to her feet.

“I don’t really mind.” She replied slowly. She was looking him over. “What’s your name?”

“Andres.” He said.

“Your last name?”

“Casal”

Linnea narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“That’s an awfully unique name.” she said quietly. “Spanish?”

The man laughed. “No it’s Earthling. Spain is only a partially forgotten memory. It does not exist anymore. The Alliance took it over in the thirties and now it is part of the world government.” He paused and his eyes narrowed as well, but the smile remained. “That’s what you wanted me to say right?”

A moment of tension passed between them like lightning. Suddenly the man brightened again. “Well young friend, I suppose I should be on my way. I’m sure that you have your hands full with military operations and the like. I suppose we will meet again someday.” He turned to walk away. The light of something around his neck caught the eye. It was a chain and the pendent was hidden under his shirt, but the outline was visible. Linnea recognized it at once: a talisman.

“Hold on! Get back he…” the sound of an enormous explosion tore through the rest of Linnea’s shout. She turned and looked wildly in the direction of the factory. A huge column of smoke was clearly visible above the buildings.

“Stop!” She shouted turning back toward the stranger, but she was alone in the alleyway. He was gone.

“Damn it!” She yelled looking down the alleyway in both directions and then out at the streets.

People were coming out of their homes and pandemonium was ensuing as the street filled with people jostling each other for a look at the smoke cloud. Linnea strained her eyes trying to spot the man in the crowd of people, but he was hidden among them somewhere, effectively invisible. Linnea cursed again and turned her attention back toward the smoke. She needed to get there fast and could obviously not use the streets. She looked up. Above her hung a fire escape. The ladder had not been let down and the platform was almost fifteen feet above her head. She breathed out a frustrated sigh and took a few steps toward it. She then turned around and ran for the opposite wall of the alley. She jumped as high as she could and gracefully rebounded off the brick, catching the bottom of the platform with her fingertips She hauled herself up, rolled onto her back and stood quickly. She climbed as high as the fire escape would let her, and with another fantastic leap, caught the edge of the gutter and pulled herself onto the roof. From this vantage point, she could see the factory clearly in the distance. It was, without a doubt, the source of the smoke. She growled and looked back one more time into the crowd before starting across the roofs.