HOLD YOUR BREATH ─── six underground

xxviii. WHEN I SAID 'DAY OF THE DEAD', THIS ISN'T WHAT I MEANT.

               "Uh, I think I know what you're going to say and if it is what I think it is, don't. We can't do this here. Not yet," Zero stammered back, gazing over at him. Four nodded slightly, smirking. He took a step closer to her, pushing her body against the yacht walls.

"Fine," he said. "Then I think...I...sort of-...fancy you."

                  Zero smiled and kissed him hard, pressing her body against his. He responded almost instantly, grabbing her face to deepen the kiss. It was rough and passionate and set her body on fire, reminding her of the way he made her feel earlier on. And she craved for that sensation even now.

                  "Where are you guys?" One spoke into the comms. "We're on our way to Rovach."

                      Nightfall had bestowed itself upon them now and the mission only grew more dangerous. With the trained guards piling up, it was starting to look like the ghostly hunters were becoming the hunted. And the group needed to find one another soon. After all, there was strength in numbers.

"We're at the aft deck now," Zero responded, peeling away from Four's touch. He sighed playfully, his hands wrapping around her waist. She swatted him away. "These numbers aren't good, big brother."

One paused.

"I know. Just meet us at the bow and we can move to Rovach," he finally answered, voice sounding increasingly anxious. He sensed something was coming and Zero did too.

"On our way."

"Over and out."

             Another gunshot rung out as Four dropped an incoming guard. Zero turned to him, thanking him silently.

"We need to move," Four now asserted. "The shots have blown the cover of our position."

Zero drew her stolen Mk 48 to her chest and did as she was told, smiling slightly. "Well, you're the expert on positions."

                Four paused and turned to her, his tongue running across his bottom lip as he smirked.

"And you're the expert on blowing-"

"OVER AND OUT!" One finished in an oddly high-pitched voice.

Zero blushed. "Oops."

She switched off her comms.

                    The pair moved out once more, inching around the edge of the yacht with as much stealth as Zero's heels allowed her to have. For the most part, they were cloaked by the shadows of the night. But this proved to be just as beneficial for their enemies. They were practically blind in their cautious skulking, the faint party lights from inside the yacht being their only guide. But they continued on to the centre of the ship until the voices came. Exigent voices with thick Turgistan accents yelling from both sides of the ship. The pair rotated to each direction, watching as the congregation of men charged.

"Shit," Four cursed. He turned and scanned their options. To either be outgunned and outmanned, to go overboard...or to go up. He eyed the ladder on the side of the ship, leading to the upper deck. And just as Zero turned to fire, he picked her up from the ground and practically threw her onto the ladder. "Climb. Now."