I SPY

Chapter 13- Take Me Back

Chase sighs, leaning back against the seat in an exhausted manner. I stay quiet, unsure how to form a comforting sentence but unwilling to leave him alone in the car. I'm annoyed I couldn't help them catch the man, but it's not like it's Chase's fault he got away. "Julianne," It comes out as a heavy sigh, the word loud in the uneasy silence.

I close my eyes for a second before leaning back into my own seat. "Chase, don't. It's as much Dom's fault as yours and you're not blaming him." He turns around in the seat startlingly fast, his eyes flashing dark green in anger.

"Do you think that makes it any better? The bottom line is that we failed. And not only that but on my first day, Julianne. How does that make me look?" A faint red hue takes over his cheeks slowly, giving away how important today was for him. Patience never has been his strong point.

"I know you tried your best," I start, frowning at his edgy tone. But sometimes your best isn't good enough."Maybe if I had been there to help-" I trail off at the hard look in his eyes.

"What, you think you could've done a better job than me?" He leans forward angrily, a touch of genuine curiosity mixing with his annoyance. He's taking this way out of context. I roll my eyes, grabbing the door handle and sliding out quickly, not bothering to answer the question. He's too worked up to really listen to me and there's no point replying to that because no matter what answer I give he'll twist it into a reason to keep the fight alive.

"Yeah whatever, Chase. Just come find me when you cool down, alright?" I slam the door without waiting for a response, heading towards headquarters. To make SASS a harder target, it isn't visible from the road. I stomp through the hedge maze and hurry through the narrow twists and turns with unusual efficiency. The last thing I need is for Chase to catch up and start another round of fighting. He always complains that I run away from our fights before they're over so we both have all these leftover bottled up emotions. But he's always been a touch to deep for me to keep up with.

The tall hedges tower above my head by several feet, high enough to make sneeking a peek over the top more difficult than just memorizing the way. I reach the other end quickly; by now I can probably run through at full speed without slowing down once. I march past Toby, one of our security guards and he nods cooly at me as I make my way past. Maybe I'm being paranoid but it seems like he knows exactly what went down this afternoon. "Next time, Julianne." His friendly yet condescending voice confirms my train of thought, and I frown in annoyance. Of course Toby knows. It's his job to know. I spare a weak smile at him and push past him towards the house. When I get there, I stand still a minute and let my thoughts wander. I remember the first time I saw this place. I laugh to myself as the memories start tugging at my brain.

I sit up slowly, rubbing my head in annoyance as it continues to throb. A window on my left shows a view of a brilliant sunset, the reds, oranges, and pinks blending together in a way that makes my breath catch. I almost forget my head in the moment until the van goes flying over a bump, making me sit up straight. It's not meant to be sunset. Is it? I don't really remember... What just happened? I sit still for a minute, thinking hard. Why can't I remember why I'm here? I squirm in my seat trying to remember my last memory. I was playing in the garden, getting ready to weed and then....what? Then the phone rang and I ran inside and who was calling? I don't remember! How on earth did I get here? I unbuckle my seat belt and look around, peering over the top of the seat. A man is behind the wheel, his wavy black hair blowing in the breeze and in the front seat beside him, an old man is resting his arm on the window's ledge. Was I kidnapped? But why don't I remember anything? A sharp cough cuts the silence as an older boy shifts in the seat in front of me.

"Look, I'm sorry okay? How many times do I need to apologize before you forgive me?" His voice carries back to me and my forehead crinkles in confusion. Apologize for what?