E.C.H.O.

Stage 26 "The Enemy of my Enemy"

"My brother would kill you," Amber hissed.

"Who? Nathan?" Lucas chuckled at that.

He saw Amber's eyes dart around for the weapons.

"How about we take a break from attempting to shoot or stab each other?" Lucas suggested. The words went against his own training and his mind argued with him. Here was a stranger, a threat. ECHO had taught him that all threats needed to be dealt with right away. And yet for what felt like it was becoming a regular occurrence, Lucas was going against that training. He was doing something he wanted. He was actually thinking for himself.

Amber didn't make a move. Lucas took it that it meant she wouldn't attack.

"So..." He kneeled and slowly pulled the knife out from under his shoe, eyes on Amber the whole time. Show her you trust her and she won't attack.

The girl tensed when the weapon came in sight.

"You're not just some heiress from South Korea I take?" He got back to his feet and then turned the knife back into its dormant pen form before returning it to its hiding place in his clothes.

"No." Amber brushed past him and walked to where the gun had been kicked to. She kneeled, hands rummaging under the bookshelf. "Just like you're not random transfer student with a soppy back story." She turned, gun in hand.

Though it was aimed at Lucas, the boy didn't even flinch. "Random transfer student, no. As for the soppy backstory," Lucas casually leaned against the door. "You'd be surprised."

A quick twirl of the weapon was followed by Amber disarming it.

"You don't think I'm a threat?" Lucas asked.

"I don't need a gun to take you out," came the reply.

That made Lucas grin. "I'm very good at what I do."

"I'm exceptional."

The two stared each other down.

"Nathan?" Lucas surprised himself by asking out loud. But he was curious as to how much the boy knew about his sister.

"Hah." Amber let out a snort. "He's clueless." Fire sparked through her eyes. "And he'll remain so."

"Ahhhh..."

Amber's eyes narrowed. "Did you drag him into something?"

"Hmmm."

The girl stalked toward him. "If you've involved my brother in any..."

"Whoa!" Lucas raised his hands in defense. "I think we should call it something along to lines of he involved himself."

It looked as though Amber was ready to re-arm the gun and shoot.

"What he thinks and what is are not the same," Lucas informed her.

The empty gun was waved in front of his face. "It better not be. If you lead him to be harmed in any way a bullet will be in your brain before you can blink."

Lucas stared into the barrel of the gun. "Noted."

"Good." Amber lowered the weapon once more. "You're not government, so who?"

That rules her out as one of them... Lucas eyed the girl thoughtfully. M18, who was acting as his uncle Zack, had warned him there was another agency after the target.

"You know I can't tell you any more than you can me," Lucas informed Amber calmly. His hands crossed over his chest, eyes still on the girl's every move. "But I can only assume we're after the same thing."