“Isis, pull your van around the back and come in.” It was Constantine, and he sounded bored. “I don’t need a trench in front of the door.”
I pressed the speaker button. “I’m so sorry. This is a mistake. I really should be heading home.”
“Woman, stop wasting my time and get your skinny butt in here. What else do you have going on now?”
Did I just get cursed out by a five-thousand-year-old cat? What was the world coming to? I wanted to be mad, but he had a point. Like a whipped puppy, I got in the Whale and drove around the building. On the back side, there was a large commercial garage door. I had wondered how they got the Deathmobile inside.
The door rolled up, and I slowly drove the Whale in. Just like the front door, this had another set of rolling doors on the other side. As soon as the Whale was completely in, the first set rolled down. The weird lights were on, and then the second set of doors rolled up. I slowly pulled the Whale into the building. I drove up next to the two other cars. They were both covered with tarps. When I climbed out of the Whale, Constantine was standing behind me, looking completely bored.
“It’s about time you got here. What took you so long?” This cat was crazy. I had just decided to come there that morning.
“You don’t know why I’m actually here.” I put my hands on my hips and took a pose. I probably looked like a spoil brat, but I didn’t care. I was not backing down.
“Isis, you have no life. You live in a shit hole. You have a minimum-wage job that barely pays your rent, and the only nice person who doesn’t judge you just got kidnapped. Should I go on?” Constantine was ruthless and brutally honest.
“Ouch! Has anyone ever told you that your bedside manner sucks?” My ego was crushed.
“We have no time for sugarcoating. People are disappearing, and you took your sweet time deciding. Let’s be honest, girl. What are your other options?” If Constantine could have crossed his arms, he would have. Instead, he jumped on the hood of the covered car to glare at me. I knew I was not going to win a staring contest with him. I dropped my head and just addressed the floor.
“How sad is it that my best offer in life comes from Death? Do you see the irony in that?” He was so right—my life sucked.
“No. No, I don’t. Humans are odd. You pray for miracles, but when they arrive, you don’t want them. Just because they’re not wrapped the way you expected them.” Constantine was profound. “You search your life for purpose, but when the army got bloody, you ran.”
“I can’t guarantee I won’t stop running.” I was at least honest with myself.
“Fair enough, but at least you’re trying. So enough talk. Let’s get started.” An evil grin crossed his face. Cats were not made for smiling.
“Right now? What are we doing?” OK, so I was a little nervous. The crazy cat had dangerous plans for me. Self-preservation was kicking in.
“We are not doing a thing. You, on the other hand, will start training. I’ll supervise. Follow me to the training area.” In one smooth jump, Constantine was off the car and strolling across the room to an exercise area.
I knew there was exercise equipment there. What I hadn’t realized was the extent of it. For all the gym rats and cross-trainers, this was a wet dream. For me, on the other hand, it was a bunch of high-end torture devices. Constantine had everything, from spinning bikes, treadmills, free weights, some weird inverted benches, and even large tires. I was sure he had stolen those from a five-ton truck. They looked awfully similar to military-issue tires.
Constantine’s training area had racks on the wall that reached to the second-floor balcony. There were jump ropes, elastic bands, and some weird cable with a sign that read Pilates. I looked around to see if other people were coming, because this place had two of everything. From across the room it didn’t look large, but appearances were deceiving. My heart rate had increased, and I wondered how quickly I could clear the double doors.
“Why do you have double doors at each entrance, and what’s the deal with the lights?” I tried to sound normal. I needed a distraction before I passed out.
“Stop stalling and get over here. You want answers, you will earn them. At least you’re dressed appropriately.” Constantine was an evil dictator. Granted, all dictators are evil, just by the nature of it. So, more accurately, he was an evil overlord. “Put on that vest, and let’s get you warmed up on the treadmill. Do ten minutes at a brisk pace.”
Like magic, a vest was lying by the rack of free weights by the wall. I walked carefully across, praying I wouldn’t kill myself in the process. The thing looked similar to the ones issued by the military. I wondered if it had steel plates. My answer came quickly when I picked up the demonic thing and put it on. It weighed at least twenty pounds, and yeah, it had steel plates. I was glad I had decided to wear yoga pants and a thin T-shirt.
“You should be familiar with the design.” Constantine made himself comfortable across from me on one of the benches.
“Oh, thank you. I’m very moved.” My words dripped with sarcasm as I started walking on the treadmill.
“Pick up the pace. If you’re able to talk, you’re going too slow. I said brisk walk.”
I glared at Constantine, but he ignored me by licking his paw. I guess he was practicing his yoga moves. He had his back leg straight in the air, with not a care in the world. Show-off!
In less than five minutes, I was drenched
