Section 8: The Love Nest

-Joel POV-

I decided to agree on her whole escape from the university stuff. Suddenly she secluded herself on the corner as she opened her cellphone and whispered. It wasn't that long until suddenly Aria showed her cell phone screen to me.

"This is J, he's going to be our tour guide from now on", she said confidently with a tired smile.

No one appeared on her cell phone screen but I could hear someone's voice.

"Hi, Joel! So Aria decided to leave the University ground right? Well, I know the best route to an abandoned office near a minimarket just a few blocks away", J spoke to me with ease.

I wanted to ask where the voice came from and who is the owner of the voice inside her cellphone. Although to be honest, I felt like I knew this voice somehow. I mean I heard it somewhere but I'm not sure who, Aria just stared at me blankly when I asked her about J.

"So she doesn't want to tell me", I groaned. "Well, I can ask her later".

Aria and I ascended from the desk slowly and opened the door as quiet as possible. We walked quietly through the sixth-floor corridor, so far there's no sign of impending danger.

Aria told me to get my laptop cause it's important, so I grabbed my laptop before we left the seventh floor. We went down the stairs with tired and sluggish bodies, my staggered walk just proves my point that I'm already tired from the running and screaming.

"Don't let your guard down", Aria elbowed me as if to remind my tired self.

I rubbed my eyes, pinched my cheek just to let myself stay awake. Just when we reached the second floor, there was a patrolling drone passed by the stairs. Aria and I flinched at the sight of the drone. The drones noticed but when it was about to face us, Aria hit the drone cameras and jumped on it's back as if riding a mad bull.

She hit the drone mercilessly before the drone could even react, the drone flipped it's back to catch Aria off guard. The mad girl, Aria landed on the ground but she didn't hesitate to land another blow to the drone belly where the Gatling gun was kept.

The drone fell to the ground due to Aria merciless beating and finally shut down. I had to say Aria is an oddball and a scary person, I had to remember not to upset her.

She panted heavily as she tore the drone apart with her metal bat. She just swung it wildly and tore the parts for some reason.

"Hey what are you doing?", I asked her nervously.

"I just want to know what camera or sensors they use to pursue us", she answered with a sigh.

She investigated the remains of the drone, I didn't know what happened but her eyes sparkled for a bit.

"I see, so they were equipped with an infrared thermal imaging camera, I'm going to take a note of that" she grinned.

"Huh, why are you even doing this?" I asked annoyed.

"Cause I'm curious" she replied with no expression.

So we had to stop walking because of her curiosity, she's pretty full of herself but then again her discovery could be useful when we encountered one of these drones. After taking her sweet time with the machines, she stretched her arm upwards and then continued to walk downstairs. The first floor became a nest for the flying drones, I swallowed my breath when I saw four of those drones patrolling the first floor.

"Crap, this is bad", I sighed. "I'm tired as hell".

"I know, just bear with me", Aria said sternly.

There was a notice board on the corridor, there were some points where the drones gathered together in the middle of the corridor, the notice board could hide us just fine if the timing was right. Aria used that opportunity to bypass them, she ran far ahead. Meanwhile, I followed her from the back with a throbbing chest. However it was futile, one of them noticed us and started to pursue us from afar.

The drones mechanical movement startled us to death, both of us ran as fast as we could from the vicinity.

"Holy shit", I cursed under my breath as I saw the drone descended on me.

Just before the drone could open the Gatling gun hatch, Aria pulled me away from the drone as she swung her metal bat upwards to jammed the hatch. Next Aria pushed me to the bushes, as she lay waste another drone with her deadly bat.

I couldn't believe how skilled Aria is with that bat. She looks like someone else and not Aria. After the drone shut down, Aria ran to the direction J instructed us from her sling bag. We arrived at the office J mentioned, but it was a dead end.

Aria and I gasped, both of us are too tired to even move further away. The office J mentioned was the post office, but the entrances were being monopolized by drones.

"Change of plans, we need to change our route", Aria groaned.

We walked slowly further away from the post office.

"Hey tell me why did we have to escape from the University grounds?", I asked her. "We could have stayed there until morning".

"I know", she replied stiffly.

She didn't tell me why she wanted to escape, she's playing secret with me. I didn't like the way she hid her intention and plans, she leaves me in the dark. Before I could say anything, she pointed to a funny looking building.

"We're staying here" she said sternly.

I was shocked by her poor choice, I know it would be a nice comfy face but this building is no doubt a love hotel. I would love to complain, but I didn't have the energy to even retaliate at her. We entered the building cautiously, just to make sure there was no sign of those nasty drones. Aria ransacked the counter drawers and picked the luxury suite room key.

We searched for our room located on the first floor, the furthest away from the entrance and near the staircases to the second floor. I gulped as Aria unlocked the door with ease, she had no hesitation to what will be revealed next. When the door was opened, there were lots of dirty looking items stacked neatly on the night dresser.

"Oh so this is a love hotel", she said nonchalantly.

She didn't bat an eye at the sex toys, but I could see how uncomfortable she was from her nervous eyes. She didn't dare to look on top of the dresser, she just ignored them and went straight to bed. I locked the door behind me, as I heard the voice of the door being locked I felt anxious and nervous. I never had any girlfriend and hearing the lock sound just made my inner manly desire just popped out.

The pink heart-shaped cover, the frilly curtains around the bed, plus the toys on that night dresser made my imagination go wild.

I pinched my cheek hard this time, I had to get rid of any dirty thoughts. I sat next to Aria who was already asleep soundly while holding on a dirty panda doll she found on the bed.

She must be very tired, she slept without thinking that I could make a move on her and took her in my arms. Aria is a cautious person, I'm sure she would be angry if I stayed near her in this situation but this time she just let her guard down. I clenched my fist as I saw her peaceful sleep, I wouldn't want to disturb her sleep. I decided to sleep on the red couch next to the bed, as I laid myself comfortably on that comfy couch.