Fallen

Chapter Seventeen

Dad insisted on coming with us when Alec and I walked into Roger's domain. Having Dad with Ben, Alec, Blair, Martin, the two royal guards, and myself in the van we didn't have much elbow room, but I was glad he was with us. If anything went wrong, he would be there to help. Ben and Martin were good at what they do, but they weren't Dad.

The van stopped in an alley. Dad stood between the two front seats, scanning the dark alley ahead. Everyone was quiet, only the ticking of Blair's keyboard bounced off the thin van walls. The silence made me anxious. The weight of how important the mission was caved in on me. The information we would gain would be crucial to us and if we get caught, the consequences would be bad. I didn't want to think about how bad. Half of me wanted to ask if Ben could come along with Alec and I for an extra pair of eyes but I bit down the request. The doctors cleared Ben that morning to do fieldwork, but Dad and Martin didn't want to throw him in head first just yet.

"Good, he is here," Dad said, turning toward the van door and opened it.

A short man with black hair and dark eyes leaned into the van. His clothes were black and he pulled down the dark scarf from his face to reveal – "Wong?" I shot up from my spot near Blair who was ignoring us all as she typed away on her computer.

Wong looked at me, his smile so wide the corners almost reached his ears. He was barely unrecognizable from months back. The baby fat that once was in his face had vanished most likely due to the heavy work out we were put under.

"Wong and Carter," Dad said, cutting me off as I was about to ask how he was doing, "have been watching Roger's group all day from the buildings around the street. They will be our eyes from above. It's reported that Chris is almost there so you three better get moving."

I nodded, jumping out of the van with Alec behind me. The plan was simple. Blend into Roger's followers, listen to what Roger and Chris got to say and then get out without getting caught. Simple in and simple out.

"Hey." Blair popped her head out of the door, "I am still working on the new earpieces in your ears since someone had to destroy the other ones in water. They will work by the time you get there."

"We said we were sorry," I said as the van door closed. "How are you doing?" I asked Wong, giving him a tight hug before we jogged down the street.

"It's been good. They gave Carter, my mentor, and I the position to watch over Roger's men for a week or two now." Wong pointed down the street when we reached the end of the alley. "We need to go that way. We think Roger and Chris' confrontation will be outside in the street. They're communications have been strained the past few weeks." We turned down another street. "So, we think Roger just will shoo away Chris outside and not invite him in."

"Okay, tell us about Roger's place," I said. Without seeing where we were going beforehand, I had no idea where the best place was to stand to overhear the conversation. We turned another corner.

"It is –"

"Hey! Wait up!" The voice from behind us froze me to my spot. Oh, dear god no.

"What the hell." Alec swung around. He was thinking the same thing I was. I turned to see Audrey run down the road. Her clothes all back and her face determined.

"Go to the van Audrey," I said.

She ran up to us. "No, I want to come with you guys. I want to see the rebels base."

"It's too dangerous," Alec said. He stepped toward her with his hand out ready to grab her arm and take her back to the van. Audrey slid out of his reach.

"No." Her head shook violently, a few of the dark curls fell from black winter hat. "I'll keep out of trouble."

I sighed. "It's not that. It's, we... Okay, we made a promise to Dad and Ben that we would take you back if you came after us. Do you know how mad your parents and Ben would be if they found out you are here?"