The Girly Watch Remade

Chapter 3

Lena gave Angela a friendly wave. "I'll see you back at the apartment once we clear all this up!" she called out.

Angela nodded, squinting against the flashing lights of the police cruiser. A dull, pulsing ache was setting in behind her eyes, the beginning of a migraine. She shielded her face with one hand, trying to block out the strobing blue and red.

"Stay safe," she murmured.

As the cruiser pulled away with a blaring siren, Angela turned down the tree-lined boulevard toward her apartment. Golden beams of the setting sun filtered through the pale pink cherry blossoms overhead, casting long shadows across the sidewalk. Her heels clicked softly with each step.

The dull throbbing in her skull intensified with every squeak of the cruiser's tires and honk of traffic. Angela's brow creased, dread pooling in the pit of her stomach. Why did this keep happening? Her eyes squeezed shut, fingers pressing into her temples in a vain attempt to stave off the oncoming pain.

A gentle breeze rustled the cherry boughs, carrying the sweet scent of nectar. Angela paused, drawing in a slow, deep breath. She needed to get off the busy street and away from the stimuli overloading her senses.

Reaching into her coat pocket, she fished out her phone and sent a quick message to her assistant: "Taking the rest of the evening off. Please don't disturb unless it's urgent."

She hesitated for a moment, thumb hovering over the screen, before scrolling through her contacts list. Row after row of names strictly related to work or Overwatch operations - there was little else in this digital rolodex of hers. Frowning, Angela flicked up and down, unsure what she was searching for. Lena's number popped out, but her friend was likely tied up for hours with the authorities.

She kept scrolling until finally landing on the one number completely unaffiliated with her work. A small, wistful smile tugged at Angela's lips as she opened a new message.

"Hello, Hana. Are you free for dinner this evening? I could use a distraction from...everything."

Hitting send, she slid the phone back into her pocket and continued down the tranquil boulevard, the auburn sunlight filtering through the petals like stained glass. For a brief moment, the pounding in Angela's head receded, and her shoulders relaxed a fraction. She closed her eyes, allowing the gentle breeze to ruffle her hair and wrap her in the comforting embrace of night.

The warm glow of pink LEDs barely illuminated the dimly lit penthouse apartment. Hana stuck her head out from beneath a massive black desk, gilded metal glinting in the soft light. Computer cables and wires snaked around her like vines, tangling her limbs. She grimaced, meticulously pulling them free one by one.

"Tape p'yo-yo," she grumbled in Korean, sliding out from under the desk.

The thin, slick material of her jumpsuit whispered against the polished hardwood floor as Hana wormed her way out. She pressed her palms flat on the plush, bunny-shaped pink rug where her gaming chair rested. Pushing herself upright, she wobbled unsteadily, pins and needles prickling through her legs from sitting too long.

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" Hana huffed and stamped her feet, trying to restore blood flow.

Messy strands of her shoulder-length hair fell across her face. She swiped them back behind her ear with one hand while scooping up a stray extension cord with the other. Hana's dark eyes focused intently as she connected the three-pronged plug to a dock on her PC tower, the gentle whirring of fans filling the room.

A manic grin spread across her round features as the final cable clicked into place. Hana thrust her hands out triumphantly.

"It's alive!" she cackled, voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space.