3. The underground job

He stood in front of the entrance of the bar for minutes, he didn't know why he was here to be honest. He didn't drink so it wasn't as if he could go in there and sit down, the letter told him to look for a person named Hannah, who he surmised was the owner of the bar. The problem was, what would he tell this Hannah woman when he saw her? "Oh Hannah, I'm sorry but do you know anybody named Annabel or Hen-ry? Just asking..." John sighed and stepped into the bar.

The inside of the bar was much more extravagant than the exterior that was for sure, the interior boasted wooden floors, tiled walls and paintings on each of the walls. It was more so a fancy diner than it was an actual bar, John heard it immediately after he entered but it was until he found the source of the sound that he was actually astonished.

A man played Beethoven on a piano that was located at the edge of the bar, he caressed the keys with grace and a passion that could be felt by everyone in the bar. "What kind of bar is this."

"Oh,"

The piano solo stopped after glasses fell on the floor, everyone turned around to locate the sound of the breaking glasses and it was a woman that stood beside John that caused the noise. "John..." The woman stood in shock as she looked at John and all John could do was stare back at her.

The pianist continued his song after a while and the people carried on with their drinks and dances. John looked at the woman and she stared back at him before grabbing his arm and dragging him into a room behind the bartender's counter.

No one would ever believe him even if he showed them video evidence of its occurrence,  the woman that dragged John into the room removed a wine bottle from a shelf and the entire cupboard next to it descended into the floor unveiling a secret passage that probably led to the underworld. "Ladies first," John said but she didn't react so he went in first.

After climbing down the ladder, the room beneath had all the aura of a torture chamber but instead of pliers and tasers, there were barrels of wine and what seemed like weapons stacked on a wall. "You made this room, something about them not being able to hear us while we're in it."

John looked around, he couldn't feel anything from being in the room. His heart didn't ache, his head didn't hurt. It just felt like any other room he might have been in. "Look.. lady, the only reason I'm here is... because of my dumb curiosity. I'm obviously not who the letter was intended for, me being here is... illogical. Anyways, I'm sorry, but I'm not your guy."

"John..." The woman called out and he looked back at her, tears were running down her eyes and she was struggling to get her words out. "Do you remember me? I'm Kayla... it's been so long."

John stood there, he couldn't understand her feelings but he wanted to. Something about that crying face brought back so many memories but he couldn't grasp even one.

"Look."

"I'm sorry," She quickly cleaned her eyes and walked towards the weapons. "My name is Hannah... Just Hannah, if you didn't already know. I checked for Henry at the shop... fuck... he wanted to live more than anyone else."

"Henry, wait. The letter."

"Yes, Henry dropped that there weeks ago. As a second route in case he didn't talk to you. There's surveillance everywhere, he couldn't afford to be upfront and all."

"Look, ma'am, I have no idea what you're talking about," John said trying to slow down the pace of the conversation.

"There isn't any time," Hannah grabbed one of the many Ak-47s on the wall and threw a pistol toward John, who fumbled the catch but managed to get hold of it. "Let's keep moving, I'll explain along the way."

Hannah pressed another button and the wall filled with guns ascended and a secret passageway opened up, "We have to keep moving, they probably already clocked you from when you got the letter. They won't move until they're sure you've gotten your memories back."

"I'm sorry, who won't move?"

"The hand of order, ring any bells?"

"None that I can hear, unfortunately,"

Still moving throughout the passageway that clearly resembled the sewers John worked at, the two kept on talking. "This world isn't real, nothing here is real. The only real thing here are the humans and even them being real is a stretch."

"Now I'm sure I'm not your guy, what do you mean nothings real? So this wall-" John punched the wall and instantly regretted it. "Isn't real, felt pretty real to me."

"I don't know all the specifics, only you do." Hannah stopped at an intersection and chose to go left. "The hand, they're watching our every move."

"So what they can see us here?"

"No, they can only watch places that are above ground. You said it some time ago, something about their receptors not being able to help them navigate when below ground or something."

"I see," John said, more skeptical than he was a few minutes ago. "Wait... Annabel."

Immediately the name was spoken Hannah stopped and looked back at him, "Who told you about her?"

"The letter did, it said Annabel is alive."

"The less you know about her the better, this won't probably be the last time so you knowing or seeing her would only put her at risk."

"Last time? I'm sorry but where exactly are we going?"

"We're following the underground channels, which lead us directly to the construction site," Hannah said looking around.

"This isn't the way though, we missed it a while ago. When we made a right on the turn lane." John pointed back and Hannah looked back hastily, trying to figure out whether she had actually made a mistake.

"No way,"

"Oh I'm sure, the underground channels are probably the only thing I still remember, oddly enough."

"Hello!" A voice called out from deeper into the sewers and Hannah put her hand on John's mouth.

"It's 12:56, no one should be here," Hannah whispered as she saw a light shine through the darkness that was the sewers.

"An inspection outside working hours is odd, but it does happen sometimes." John whispered as well, not sure why he was doing so but he did anyway.

"You don't understand, we've been down here 12 times and this is the only time someone else has been here with us." Hannah paused for a second before realizing the severity of the situation. "Oh shit, run." Hannah strapped the rifle on her back and both she and John took off running.

"Wait why are we running," John was about to ask another question until he saw the light turn off behind them and what sounded like another pair of footsteps rapidly approaching them.

"The hand is here, and by the sounds of it. It's fucking Index," Hannah grabbed John's hand and made a turn into one of the many passageways the sewers had. All she could see was black and green with water flowing in the distance, which was better than seeing the flashlight.

"I thought you said they couldn't navigate the underground?" John said panting.

"Navigate meaning they can't tell exactly where we are using video, but they can sure as he'll find us."

"So wait, it's only one guy? Why don't we bum-rush him and you know." John slid his hand across his neck.

"They aren't of this world, or at least that's what you said."

"Sounds like I said a lot of stuff and why exactly don't I remember saying all these things?"

"Every time they find out you know something, they wipe your memory."

"Oh yes, they wipe my memory, very convenient."

Hannah stopped and grabbed the collar of John's shirt, "I know you've forgotten everything and this is what anyone would say if they were put in this situation but way too many people have died for this shit. Henry, Ethan, Nathaniel, Krista these are names that will live with me till I die, so I suggest to watch your tongue."

Hannah walked away and John didn't say anything, he was already this deep into this woman's fantasy so he quickly dismissed the idea of turning back. But what he felt when he read that letter, he didn't know if it was a mistake or whatnot. But he wouldn't give up on it just yet.

"Run." A deep but clear voice said from behind Hannah and immediately she heard the voice she emptied the entire magazine of the rifle.

"RUN!" Hannah shouted as she reloaded and John did just that.

Where he was going to he had no idea, was he just going to leave her and flee, probably? Did he want to do it, "Fuck no!" John turned back and shot the pistol at the person Hannah was fighting against.

The adrenaline burst that surged through him messed up his thought process because he didn't stop to think that what he just shot was able to withstand the entire magazine Hannah emptied into it. "What are you doing? I told you to run goddamit! It's not Index so we still have a chance."

"I'm not going without you." John was sure he was delirious because what he just said made absolutely no sense, he had no ties to this person but for some reason, he couldn't leave her alone. "Kayla! Come with me!"

Immediately she heard the name, Hannah turned back and ran toward John, grabbing his hand when she reached him and running deeper into the sewers. "You're remembering me, this is good. No, not now, this is bad!"

Hannah stopped and ripped off the necklace that was hidden under her shirt, "251C, keep it safe!"

"What are you doing? What's this."

"That was the 5th finger, his job is to alert Index and if Index finds me I'll be dead for good. This key can help you unlock something, I can't risk them knowing about it so you're going to have to figure it out on your own."

"Mr. Billoway," A voice that sounded oddly familiar called out, although from a distance.

"Let's just run," John said looking into the sewers.

"There's no running from these people. I really wish I could've helped you, darling. I really wish you got to see Annabel grow up." Hannah started crying and a jolt was sent through John's body.

Before the footsteps came any closer, John pushed Hannah into a corner behind one of the pillars and shot at the voice. "I'm not letting you erase my memories,"

"What are you doing?" Hannah said shocked as Index ran past her chasing down John.

Water splashed and rats scurried off as he ran through the sewers, behind him was the sound of heavier footsteps but he dared not look behind him. What would happen when he woke up and this was all a dream, when he woke up in his empty room. "That probably won't happen," John laughed as he hit a dead end of the sector.

"You should know I abhor running and even more, I abhor secrets Mr. Billoway, who led you underground? Who told you the secret? We already eliminated Henry so who told you this time."

"What I can't come into work any time I please?"

"Work," Index put his glove over his face as if covering his mouth. "The sooner you understand you can live a normal life, the better. Why don't you realize that? Why do you keep on doing this?"

"Index, Second, Middle, Four, Five." John spewed out random words even he didn't know the meaning of.

"I'm afraid our time is up, your starting to remember and we can't spoil the climax this early." Index pointed his gun toward John and the black mask over his head shifted upward as if propped by a smile. "Goodnight... Mr. Billoway."