Vorfreude // Jake Riley

Chapter 3

Jake had been gone for 15 minutes and I was already bored out of my mind. I decided to do what I did best, engineer. I hunted down Doctor Cannerts, the supposed specialist around here, and annoyed him some more.

"I was wondering if anything needed repair? I need to make myself useful somehow." He looked me up and down as if assessing what kind of half assed answer he would give me.

"Third floor east wing has no power can you fix that?" I grinned, finally something to do. I nodded and before walking away mock-saluted him.

+++
"Shit!" Sparks were flying everywhere as I fixed the power supply. It seemed something or someone had chewed the wires but not enough to the point it was irreparable. In my mouth I held an xacto knife as my hands were sorting through the wires. My legs were keeping me upright on a thin metal beam. The whole scene looked idiotic and suicidal. Boy would this make a good story. That is if I lived to tell it.

Either I would get electrocuted or I would fall to my death due to a 20 ft drop. Well technically I could survive it but it still was scary as hell to look down. I maintained my balance as I stripped the wire and successfully repaired it. I didn't know what to do with the knife as I lowered myself down onto the beam. So I just chucked it onto  the nearest platform. The platform the happened to be a couple feet away and harder to reach as I was now on a small beam.

I slid across the beam so I was opposite of the platform my hands grew sweaty now. I just had to push off of the beam towards it, how the hell am I gonna do that? Think Kendal, think. I looked around and saw there was another beam perpendicular to the one I was on it was above me however. I slowly stood up and quickly held onto it.

Swinging back and forth I propelled myself forward launching onto the platform. I almost landed on my face but quickly caught myself by rolling onto my side. "Not bad Parker." I said to myself as I stood and looked at the height that could have been the end of me.

+++
Jake was pacing in the hallway of my moms room when I came back. He didn't look too happy, or to be more accurate, he looked grumpier than usual.

Before he saw me he punched the wall and I winced and jumped back slightly. "Hey calm down! What happened out there?" I probably looked like hell because he looked surprised and concerned when he saw me.

"I can't do this, I can't be the guy that saves everyone, that's not me. Lex is that guy." He paced as he spoke and I could tell he was mad but just at himself.

"I think you already are that guy but you just haven't realized it yet." His expression lightened up and stopped pacing and leaned against the wall.

"Things aren't getting better out there." I didn't know what to say in response to that. I should've guessed as much but the thought terrified me. Instead I did the only thing I could think of.

I walked up to where he stood against the wall, keeping my distance of course, and lightly punched the wall where he had. Jake wore a grim smile and nodded as he put his helmet on and we walked back to the room.

+++
"Alright I'm super bored. I think I've read every health magazine in the waiting room, and I now know how to raise a child properly and affordably." Jake chuckled at that and I looked for other stuff to read.

"You never told me what you do for a living." He said and I looked up from my seventh magazine.

"I work for NASA down in Florida, I'm an engineer." It never got old telling people I worked for NASA, of course most of them assumed spaceships and inside scoop on if green little aliens existed, but Jake understood the importance of secrecy when it came to the government.

"That's pretty cool, mind building a spaceship so we can get the hell out of this cordon?"

"Hmm I think I'm lacking just a few supplies." I said sarcastically and he grinned.

It was easy with Jake, most of the guys I knew in Atlanta knew my entire life story. To say the least, I wasn't the most popular kid.

"Question for you, what is your favorite color and your favorite tv show?"

"Those are very deep, personal questions I'm not sure I can answer." I rolled my eyes and threw pen at his chest. He acted as if it hurt him and I couldn't hold back laughter.

"Blue and this changes everyday but everybody loves Raymond is always great. What about you, what's your favorite movie?" We sat across from each other in the waiting room.

"That also changes everyday for me I might have to go with The Empire Strikes Back or Godfather or Jurassic Park or both Captain America movies."

"Oh yeah episode five was definitely the best one." I nodded and was about to say something back but we heard a voice coming from down the hall. I stood to go towards it, and Jake followed en suite.

The man seemed to be fine as he walked towards us, "do you know where the nearest do-" he coughed in the middle of his sentence and I saw that I was closer to him than Jake. I had my mask on but I felt the blood splatter onto my skin. Stay calm. I didn't move as Jake pushed past me and made the man move back.

Everything seemed faded as if in another dimension. Jake was calling my name trying to get my attention, "Kendal! Come on I need to get you to Cannerts" I nodded and moved behind him. Blood was everywhere and I had no idea what that meant.

"Get her into quarantine." Doctor Cannerts gave me one look and then said this. I didn't fight it but Jake seemed reluctant.

"She had her mask on," Cannerts didn't meet his eyes and only motioned for Jake to move me in.

"Jake promise me something?" I had the door open I wouldn't close it until he promised.

"You're gonna be fine you don't get a 'last wish,' yet." He smiled trying to make me feel better.

"Promise me you'll take care of my mother, she doesn't have much time left but just make sure she's happy if I'm not there when she-just take care of her. And Jake you don't have to be that guy, you already are." I forced myself to stay strong and held back a sob. The door closed before he could respond and all I saw was him nodding.

Now I would just have to live long enough to see the outside of this room again.

A/n: I'm seeing civil war tomorrow OMG I'm so excited anyways containment is so good and Jake is so adorable and hot everything he does is beautiful I love his character so much

Goodnight and thanks for all the support 1k READS ALREADY IS INSANE love you guys X.