Lion's Roar (Clexa)

7. Roll Up, Roll Up!

"Ah yes, about that," Kelsea said. There was another clattering sound, she seemed to be rifling through a cupboard or drawer or something. "That's where we keep the special sauce recipe. And if you'll see here, we've got a permit from Mr President himself saying that the vessel in which the recipe is kept is in fact exempt from all governmental and non-governmental searches."

Clarke snickered. The special sauce recipe was an honest-to-god highly classified top secret document as decided by the literal president? That was ridiculous! There was a pause whilst the man presumably examined the document.

"Very well then," conceded the man in a cold tone. "We'll be seizing the phone, and if you become aware of any more of the subject's activities, let myself or my associates know immediately. Here's my card."

"As you wish, Agent... Connors." replied Kelsea, most likely reading the name off of the aforementioned business card. And with the ominous sound of expensive dress shoes on a tiled floor, Connors and his colleagues absconded.

Within moments, this sound was replaced by the jingle of keys as Chris unlocked the freezer to free the fugitives.

"Y'all are cute," said Kelsea with a smirk when she saw the pair huddled together like penguins amidst the endless boxes of burger patties.

"And unfortunately you're gonna have to stick around here a little longer," explained Chris. "Odds are they'll be watching the premises for another twenty-four hours, so one of us'll have to take your car 'til then to throw 'em off the trail."

"Man, you guys are really fucking smart," Lexa said, shaking her head in astonishment. "You want the keys now?"

"And can we maybe, um, you know, hang out somewhere a little less Antarctic?" suggested Clarke.

"Yeah, yeah, sure, of course," agreed Kelsea. "Y'all can stake out in the kitchen once we lock up. And Chris'll take your keys. He's a better driver than me, less likely to scratch your car." Lexa pulled the keys from her coat pocket and handed them to Chris.

"If you get hungry there's food, well, pretty much everywhere." Chris said helpfully. "And stay away from the windows. We don't know how close they're watching from, or what kind of equipment they've got to watch with."

"Aren't you guys a twenty-four hour business though?" asked Clarke, narrowing her eyes in confusion.

"Eh, we'll find some religious holiday to close for tomorrow." Chris said flippantly. "Even if we have to make up a new religion. We've done it before, the manager's chill."

"The manager's chill because she's a raging alcoholic who'll take any excuse not to show up before we stop serving breakfast," Kelsea reminded him. "Anyway, you'll be fine in the kitchen, or the manager's office just in there," she pointed to a wooden door to her left, still ajar from Agent Connors' search of the premises. Through the crack it could be seen that the desk inside was itself too a mess thanks to Connors' pursuit. Chris, who'd been looking something up on his phone, now grabbed a paper bag and a permanent marker from a shelf and scribbled a note:

Closed this morning in recognition of World Numbat Day. Will re-open at 12pm. Sorry for inconvenience.

"See y'all tomorrow," said Kelsea as she and Chris left the building, taping the note to the glass door before closing it behind them. Chris headed toward Lexa's car whilst Kelsea made a beeline for the truck they'd seen earlier. Within seconds of the cars disappearing from sight, the lights flickered off on a timer and the pair were left in darkness once again.

"I guess no windows means no lights too?" Clarke queried.

"Looks like the office doesn't have any windows so we'd be alright to put the light on in there." suggested Lexa. "Probably be more comfortable than sleeping on the tables too."