E.C.H.O.

Stage 26 "The Enemy of my Enemy"

The two teens lay unmoving. Each held a deadly weapon and yet both were at the receiving end of another. They both knew bullets flew faster than knives could cut, yet Lucas didn't doubt for a second that if he pulled the trigger Amber would find it in her to deliver a finishing blow before passing out herself.

Another second passed in which Lucas made his decision. He didn't want to shoot the girl, so he needed to disarm her before she decided he was better off dead. Unfortunately, the moment he moved he realized that Amber had come to the same conclusion.

As a result, he went for the knife while she went for the gun. Both reacted simultaneously by drawing their weapons away from the other. Amber rolled off Lucas and he in turn leaped to his feet. He whirled almost instantly, gun ready to take aim at its target. However, the moment he came around a foot connected with his hand and the gun went flying. Lucas' second hand grabbed the knife that had been thrust down toward his shoulder.

He squeezed the wrist, tight, and the knife clattered to the floor. Lucas couldn't help raising a mocking eyebrow. In response Amber flashed him a sweet smile. The next moment she came at him from his blind spot. An arm was pushed against his neck and he was pinned back against the wall.

Those brown eyes that made sweet bells ring in his mind stared at him menacingly.

"Who sent you?" the girl hissed.

Despite the situation, Lucas could feel that the threat level from the girl before him had gone down. She didn't seem to want to cause any harm to him either. On top of that, he was finding that he didn't really mind being pinned down by her.

"You know..." Lucas began as he stared at the beautiful girl before him. Why out of all people did it have to be you? He thought in regret. "I could tell you..." The arm against his throat didn't resist as he pushed against it and leaned forward. "But then I'd have to kill you," he breathed.

The girl wavered.

Now! Lucas was about to end it when the doorknob turned.

Amber's eyes widened in realization. "Shoot!"

It was Lucas who acted first. He grabbed the girl and whirled her in one smooth motion so that her back was to the wall. At the same time his foot connected with the gun, sending it sliding below a shelf and out of sight. The same foot came to rest on the blade, hiding it from view.

As the door opened, Lucas finished the move. He shoved Amber against the wall, hand snaking behind her head to cushion the blow. The other hand pined hers above her head and then his lips locked on hers as he gave her a passionate kiss.

For a brief second the girl didn't react, and then she melted into it, her free hand snaking behind Lucas' neck.

"I thought I heard..." a voice from the door began as it opened all the way. "Oh...ah..."

The duo held the kiss.

"E-excuse us." The door shut rather quickly.

It was Lucas who pulled away.

Amber was breathing hard as she stared at him, her eyes filled with confusion.

Lucas swiped a thumb across his bottom lip. "I've been wanting to do that for some time now," he admitted.

Amber's mouth opened and closed, and then to Lucas' surprise her face grew red.

"You...!"

The ECHO agent caught the hand that attempted to slap him. He cocked his head to the side. "Seriously?"

The girl mustered her best glare, but with her flushing face it could only make Lucas think of one word. Cute. He was tempted to pull her into another kiss.