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GOLDWING: Billie Eilish
I stir in my sleep and turn my head. I hit something firm, but soft. I place my hand on the surface and I lowly exhale through my nose. I feel something move from under me and my heart jumps. I now open my eyes and so does Mac.
"Uh-"
"Sorry." I pull away.
"No, no. Uh, it's—it's my fault." Mac pulls his arm down and fixes himself.
"No, it's not. The news gets really boring when the one thing that interests you the most ends off." I lean forward.
"Yeah." He scoffs. "Yeah, it does." He nods and we stare at each other before connecting our lips.
He cups my face and we hit the couch. He kisses me more deeply and I rest my arm on his collar bone. He now cups the back of my head and I remove my arm from his collar bone and wrap it around his neck.
I feel his other hand on my waist and I kiss him harder. I tighten my arm around his neck and our kisses get softer and slower. I place my other hand on his chest and fist his shirt. I now snap out of it and pull away. I check the time on my phone.
"Shit. I have to go." I stand up.
"Where?"
"I gotta go do something really quick."
"Do you need a ride?"
"No, I'm fine. Thank you. I'll see you later." I head out and walk down the steps, then shakily exhaling.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Sorry I'm late." I head over.
"I didn't wanna disturb you two." Riley heads over.
"We saved the Ecuadorian President from dying. It was a long day. He came to check on me and we fell asleep."
"Yes, you did." She grins.
"Okay, did you set up the camera?"
"Yeah. But, Lina, you don't have to-"
"I'll be close." I nod and turn. I make my way behind a tree from afar and shove in my earpiece.
"Hey, kiddo." Elwood comes through as I see him walk over.
"Hi, Elwood." Riley replies, turning her head.
"Guess I gotta work my way back to dad, huh?"
"Let's see how it goes."
"A lot warmer than I expected, huh?" He sits across from her. "You know? This, uh, this time of year."
"Is it?"
"Knock, knock."
"Seriously?"
"This is a good one. C'mon."
"Who's there?"
"Cash."
"Cash who?"
"No, thanks. I'll have some peanuts." Elwood chuckles.
"Funny." Riley nods.
"C'mon. You always used to laugh at those jokes."
"When I was eight."
"You're never too old for a good knock-knock joke."
"I'm not interested in talking about the weather or hearing a lame joke, alright? Let's just cut to the chase."
"What chase? What, uh...what do you think I'm here for, Riley?"
"The usual. You wanna tell me you've been working on yourself, that, that you've seen the light, that you realize what a jackass you've been my entire life, and now you want to make things right. And this time, this time will be different than the last time you did this. And the time before that. How am I doing so far?" She tilts her head and he places his hands over hers. "I really hope you didn't come all this way just to give me a speech about how worthless a father you've been." She pulls away. "Trust me, Elwood, that's old news."
"I'm trying to make amends. It's this program. Has steps."
"That's good, I guess."
"So, if you've got any chances left to give me, you know...show you that I'm here to stay. But only if you want me to stay."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"That software's deeply flawed." Cage says from behind us. "It's easily fooled when the subject's an experienced liar."
"Yeah, I said the same thing." I tell her.
"Maybe I should crack open the source code and make some tweaks." Riley suggests.
"You could, yeah, but nothing beats the human eye.
Who's the subject?" Cage asks.
"No one important. Just some footage I found in the Phoenix library. I'm using it to give the software a little test drive."
"You do realize the irony of trying to lie to me right now, yeah?"
"It was worth a shot."
"So, this is family, most likely your father."
"Can you guys just help me figure out if he's lying?"
"Of course." She nods.
"Look, words are just words and mine can't be trusted." Elwood speaks. "I know this, but...if you can find it in your heart to give me another chance..."
"Okay, all I can see here is a father trying to get his daughter back. And for the record, from what I can see, he's telling the truth." She looks at me and I turn away with clenched jaw.
"Cage. Don't tell Jack."
"Yeah." She leaves and I wrap my arm around Riley's neck.
"I always miss your dad, but, today...today I really miss him." Riley inquires.
"I know." I slowly nod and she tightly hugs me.
"I still can't read it. The journal he wrote me."
"And that's okay. He knows that." I squeeze her. "I'm gonna go cut myself and go to the infirmary. Should be about eight minutes. It's enough time." I pull away.
"Thank you."
"Always." I leave and close the door. I now take out my knife and slice my arm, the grimacing. I see my blood spill out and place my knife back my holster. "Hey." I head into the infirmary.
"Hey." Eli stands up. "Hey, what happened?"
"I was fixing a broken piece of my car on my way here and I sliced myself."
"Let me see." He holds my arm. "Alright, looks like you get to see your old friend for a week."
"Great." I sit and he grabs his supplies. I watch him clean and disinfect my wound. I then tense up as he starts doing my stitches. He finishes after a several minutes and then bandages my arm. "Thank you." I get up.
"I would say I would never like to do this again, but..."
"No promises."
"Yeah." He scoffs and I pat his arm before leaving, now heading into the main room.
"Hey." McKenna turns her head.
"Hey." I walk in.
"Woah, what the hell?" Riley walks over and looks at my arm. "What happened?"
"I was fixing a part of my car when I got here and it was a clean slice, but I'm fine."
"Oh, she's got you lying too now?" Jack questions and I undo the bandage while grimacing.
"No one makes me do anything." I show him my stitched arm.
"Ooh. Wow. Lina, Jesus."
"God knows you need it with your life choices. Past and present." I wrap the bandage back around my arm and McKenna chokes on her water in hysteria.
"Okay, hey, now-"
"Guys." Matty cuts Jack off. "If I can have your attention."
"No, no. They're acting weird. All three of them. This some girl code thing? No offense, McKenna." Jack looks between me, Riley and Cage.
"I'm not even gonna respond to that." I shake my head.
"Good rule of thumb for life." Matty tells me. "Lina."
"Yeah." I head over to the screen. "Meet Enzo Lemaire." I pull it up on the screen.
"Another guy who doesn't like cameras." Evan remarks.
"Lemaire is a black market art dealer who traffics in stolen art, but the big issue is what he does with the profits." I pause. "He funnels them to a group on the terror watch list."
"Good-looking and he creatively finances terrorism.
He sounds like a real catch." McKenna clenches her jaw and crosses her arms.
"The alphabet agencies have been chasing this guy for years with nothing to show for it. Lemaire is paranoid and careful. And he does all of his business through one man, the Pawn."
"And who is this Mister The Pawn?" Evan asks. "Is that like his agent or his manager or something?"
"No, more like his authenticator." I correct. "The Pawn verifies each piece of art and then selects what he sends to Lemaire. Because of this buffer, Lemaire has been able to stay hidden for years until now."
"We recently obtained two pieces of intel. One: a way to contact the Pawn directly and two: A way to bait Lemaire from stepping out of the shadows. Turns out Lemaire has a wish list of items that he would like for his personal collection." Matty pulls it up on the screen. "We believe that if we approach the Pawn with one of these items..."
"Then this Lemaire dude will just magically appear." Jack inquires.
"Very good, Jack." I reply in monotone as I pull my hoodie sleeve down to cover my bandage.
"Yes." He whispers happily.
"And we know where one of these items is." I press the button.
"Oh, it's The Tower of Blue Horses." Mac speaks up and I lock eyes with him. "It's an important piece in the German Expressionist movement."
"And you know that how?"
"I like art."
"Do you, now?"
"Yeah."
"Since when?"
"Last year."
"Okay, what's important about it? Looks like some bloke just painted a bunch of horses blue." McKenna breaks the short silence.
"Except that some guy is Franz Marc." I tell her.
"Never heard of him." Jack shakes his head.
"Shocking, Jack." I nod. "This painting was recently found in a basement in Germany and purchased at auction for $25 million by billionaire Todor Janssens.
The painting is now locked away in his private gallery at his Belgian estate."
"So, since you're telling us this, I guess Todor turned you down cold when you asked if we could borrow his Franz Marc?" Riley looks at me.
"Correct, and he also refused to sell it, which is actually good for us." I grin in the corner of my mouth.
"The art world is small. If we showed up out of the blue with an original Franz Marc, Lemaire would definitely be suspicious." Mac nods, still keeping his eyes on me.
"Okay, so if borrow and beg are out, guess that leaves us with one option." Riley says.
"Steal." Jack snaps his fingers.
"You going for the gold star today?" I mock and he grins, raising his fist up. "Evan and I will pose as art thieves, nick the Franz Marc, and deliver it to the Pawn. Then we will dry out Lemaire and finally put him away."
"Can I come along too?" Mac questions.
"No."
"Why?"
"Cause there's only two thieves—me and Evan."
"But you're hurt. It's good to have backup."
"Why do you think I'm going and not you?" I walk past him and leave.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Okay, Team America, just fifteen more feet and you're past the motion sensors." McKenna comes through our earpieces.
"Well, this doesn't feel stupid at all." Evan whispers as we slowly walk down the hall.
"It's not stupid if it works." I tell him.
"Well, just cause it works doesn't mean I gotta like it."
"The combination of a large surface area and slow movement fools the sensors into thinking that everything's fine."
"I feel like I'm in the world's worst ghost costume."
"Good for you."
"Okay, guys, just through that door." Riley says.
"Evan, hold up your motion blocker to hide Lina's movement from the sensor." McKenna informs.
"They're tablecloths, Nancy Drew. Stop trying to make this sound cool." Evan retorts.
"You're sure whoever's in the control room can't see them?" Cage questions.
"We looped all the camera feeds in the west wing. As far as the guards are concerned, they're looking at a bunch of empty hallways." McKenna tells her.
"Okay, we're in." I confirm and we pull the tablecloth down.
"Thank God." Evan exhales.
"Wow." I look around the room. "Hello, horses."
"Careful." Riley warns. "Our Belgian billionaire's alarmed every piece of artwork in there. If you don't absolutely have to touch something, don't."
"Yeah, I know." I carefully remove the painting from the wall. "Evan, don't touch that." I keep my arms still as they hold the painting.
"You know how to get past this?" Mac comes through my earpiece.
"I'm sorry, who are you talking to?" I furrow my eyebrows. "Evan, I need your shoelaces and your sneaker. Basically, your whole shoe."
"Evan, give me your new kicks, Evan, give me your dignity. You know, a please would be nice." He undos his shoe. "Not like you were raised by a pack of wolves or something. You have zero respect for my stuff." He jokes, handing over his Nike high top.
"I'll make sure to ponder on that never." I take his shoe and pull the laces up as high as I can. I now go to pick up the painting again and Evan joins in to help me. I slip the laces on the hook from behind and we both take ahold old the painting with ease.
"That's it?" Evan smiles.
"Yeah."
"Man, stealing modern art is easy. And, you know, for the sake of you, I really think I'm starting to understand it."
"There's more to it than just hanging a sneaker on a wall."
"Is there really?"
"Yes." I turn the painting over.
"Hey, don't play around with it. Get out your Beyblade, emphasis on the word blade, and cut it out of there." Evan tells me.
"You don't cut an original Franz Marc, Evan." Mac says.
"Why not?"
"Because it's a Franz Marc." I ignore Mac.
"Oh, so what?" Evan groans, walking past me. "I don't know what color horses are in Franz's world, but in The Big Apple, they damn sure aren't..." He sits in a chair and the alarm goes off.
"What the fuck did you just do?" I fume.
"Nothing, I just sat in this chair."
"It's not a chair, it's art."
"It's a chair." He leans his arm over back of it.
"It's-It's art. Get out of it!" I urge.
"Fine." He stands up.
"Guys, you've got a bunch of armed guards headed your way." Riley tells us.
"Since when is a chair art?"
"Since it was made in the 18th century." I snap.
"Oh, so if something's old, it's just automatically art?" Evan goes on.
"Yes."
"Well then, I'm a millionaire two times over. I got two La-Z-Boys at the house." Jack speaks up.
"Shut up, Jack."
"It probably makes a better doorstop." Evan uses the chair to secure the door.
"No, your face does." I hear men shouting in French from outside, banging on the door.
"Hurry up. Let's go."
"Relax." I finish rolling up the painting and stand up.
"You got it? You got it?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." I run off.
"Who puts an alarm on a chair?" Evan follows me and we enter another room.
"You know, if the tables were turned, and you were a little bit more near my age, you would have sat in that chair, Lina. You know, to rest." Jack tells me and we hide behind wall.
"Not an original Louis XV." Mac speaks before I can.
"Since when are you the chair art expert? I remember when you had an old toilet in your dining room—you remember that?"
"It was an antique prototype, made by Thomas Crapper." He corrects and Jack scoffs. "I know. Crapper was a real guy."
"Who just happened to make crappers?"
"Guys, you're gonna make me throw up." Evan stresses.
"Me too. Just get out of there." McKenna urges and me and Evan continue to move.
"Okay, take a left at the end of this hall." Cage announces and we make a left, but I yank Evan back at the sight of guards.
"Yeah, take a left's not really an option there." Evan whispers and I pull my hood over my head.
"Right takes you to the east wing. McKenna and I didn't prep those cameras. Security will be able to see you." Riley inquires.
"Part of me wants to say good, but, I'm not really feeling it today, so..." I peek my head out. "You're just gonna have to cut the cameras."
"Cutting cameras means cutting comms. You'll be working in the dark, Lina."
"I know."
"Okay. Cutting cameras now. Be quick, guys."
"Alright, c'mon." I lean off the wall and me and Evan run across, now enter another room.
"Hey, Lina, I don't mean-"
"Evan, get the door. Use a chair, just don't sit in it." I turn.
"Oh, very funny." Evan grabs a chair and I pull back the curtains from the window.
"How's your arm? Does it hurt?" Mac comes through, meaning the cameras are back on.
"The only thing that's gonna be hurting is your jaw if you don't shut your mouth." I look through window.
"Okay, guys, any time now. You gotta get out of there." McKenna says.
"Yeah, that's what we're trying to do." I swing the case that's containing the painting off my shoulder and then open two drawers. I grab a stapler and jump up on the window seat, now taking off the curtain.
"Okay, well, while you do that..." Evan sits down to put his sneaker back on, then tying the laces.
"You had to sit in the chair, didn't you?" I start working and guards bang on the door. "Okay." I finish working and turn to the window.
"Hey, man." He knocks out a guard who opened the door.
"Nice." I open the window and throw the homemade rope I made with the curtain. I then hold the other end and watch the case slide down through it.
"Guys, if you hear me, I've got three more headed right for you." Riley informs.
"Uh, Lina, I don't think that zip line's gonna bear our weight there. Not that you're heavy, I just meant that I'm taller, and have more muscle, so us combined is-"
"I know what you went." I cut Evan off. "And I know it won't."
"Then how the hell are we gonna get out of here?"
"Anytime now." McKenna snaps.
"Aim for the pool." I run and jump out the window. I land in the water and so does Evan.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"So, you guys finally did it last night, huh?" Evan says as I head out of the stall in new clothes.
"What?" I furrow my eyebrows.
"You and Mac, duh." He puts on his shirt.
"Not that it's any of your business, no, we didn't do it last night. We've never done anything for that matter."
"So you didn't kiss? Again?"
"What do you care anyway?"
"Other than the fact that you guys have been wanting each other since you were kids. But other than that, I got nothing." He shakes his head.
"Evan-"
"I know." He turns to me. "I know, believe me. But we can still help you find Murdoc while you're together with Mac."
"No, I can't. And you know that. And besides, I have no time for a relationship anyway."
"Okay, yeah, that's a lie. You just can't fathom that Mac isn't angry with you for doing what you did all these years. You're angry that he understands and wants to be with you, regardless. And I understand that too, I do. But you're finally with him now, Lina. You tracked his every move for over a decade once you got out of juvie. Don't push him away for good this time. Cause I know that's not what you want." He leans down and dries his hair with the hand dryer before the door opens. "Boundaries."
"I'm already in the men's room, dumbass."
"Just got word from the Pawn." Cage enters with Mac and Jack. "His sources confirmed our claim about stealing the painting."
"So we get a meeting?" I wrap a new bandage around my arm.
"We did." She nods.
"Riley and McKenna just got us a time and a location. Barcelona, so wheels up in twenty." Mac inquires.
"Great." I keep my eyes on my arm.
"Yeah, so wrap it up in here, girls." Jack leaves.
"Yeah, yeah." Evan helps bandage my arm and then tears off the end of it. "Throw those out."
"Way ahead of you." I toss my dirty, wet clothes in the garbage pail against the wall. I open the door and Evan follows me out. My phone then goes off and I take it out. I recognize Elwood's number across my screen and I grin in the corner of my mouth, then shaking my head frustration.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"We have an appointment." I head over to the counter with Evan and the clerk presses a button. I look up as the door opens and two guys step out. I hold my arms out and they start patting us down for weapons.
"Whoa...whoa, whoa, watch the hands there, TSA." Evan warns and I walk towards the door. "Standard?"
"I'd say so." I enter the room.
"You must be the Pawn—" He cuts himself off as the Pawn takes new case from me. "Not much of a talker." He leans his arms on the table.
"Don't lean on that." The Pawn tells him and he removes his arms from the table. "Impressive." He examines the painting. "You avoided damaging the painting when you removed it from the frame."
"Yeah, well, I'm always careful when I do that, you know." He picks up a tool and I grin down.
"Put that down." He takes the painting off the table and Evan sets the tool back down.
"Easy with the merch there, pal. You break it, you bought it. You know what I mean? What is that thing, anyway?"
"Just another verification technique." The Pawn closes the case. "The forgers will copy the final version of a painting, but they seldom bother with duplicating the early sketches or paintings hidden underneath." He looks at the screen. "But you two appear to be in possession of an authentic Franz Marc. My employer will be very happy."
"Well, making him happy is the goal." I cross my arms and nod. "We're hoping this is the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship."
"I, uh, have been authorized to offer you $7 million."
"$7 million?" Evan chuckles. "It just went for 25 at auction."
"But...we're willing to hand this over for free. If we can get a face-to-face meeting with Lemaire?" I raise my eyebrows.
"Well." The Pawn laughs.
"The art world is very small, Miss. And none of my friends or associates have ever heard anything about you until you...acquired this painting."
"Well, until now, our operation has serviced a very small, select group of clients."
"Yeah. Yeah, we just want to add Lemaire to the guest list. Know what I'm saying?" Evan adds.
"Well, I will pass your proposal along to Mister Lemaire, let him decide. Hmm? We'll be in touch." The Pawn hands me back the painting in the case.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Well, that could've gone better." McKenna says as me and Evan get in the truck.
"What are you talking about? We nailed it. Totally nailed it." Evan grips my shoulder. "The Pawn's setting up a meeting with Lemaire as we speak."
"From what I heard, all we know for certain is that the Pawn can't be trusted." I take the painting out of the case and smirk.
"What is it?"
"Why are you smiling like that. You only do that when a gun is pointed at your face and you're about to kick ass." Jack adds.
"I love being right, it's amazing. Stop the van." I inquire.
"What?"
"Thank you." I head out of the van.
"Lina!" Evan calls out. "What's the problem?" He follows me and I head back inside.
"You wanna live, you didn't see us." I raise my gun at the clerk from earlier and he steps back with his hands raised. "Smart guy." I keep walking and open the door to see everything gone.
"What's going on?" Cage heads in with Evan, Jack, Riley, Mac and McKenna.
"Whoa, where'd all their stuff go?" Jack looks around and I place my gun back in my holster.
"The painting we stole had a nail hole in the corner where it was attached to the frame." I pluck the panting from the case and unroll it. "This one does not."
"So this is a fake?" Riley nods.
"Yeah."
"And you knew?" McKenna gapes.
"More like a one in ten chance." I look at the painting.
"So we just lost the Franz Marc, the Pawn, and our only lead on Lemaire." Cage turns to me.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"You lost the Franz Marc. That's what you're telling me?" Matty says through my phone as we all stand in the van.
"I mean, it was really elegant in its simplicity. The real Franz Marc, it goes into a machine, and then they show us an X-ray image, congratulate us on the authenticity, then pull out a fake. It's just sleight of hand, but at its finest." Mac speaks before I can.
"Oh. I'm glad you're all so impressed by their con, Mac. You know what would impress me? Someone—anyone—telling me how you plan on getting. The Tower of Blue Horses back and bring down Lemaire."
"Well, get this. McKenna and I pulled call detail records from the cell tower closest to our current location." Riley looks at the screen and I scratch my arm.
"We found a single call placed to a second burner phone. Time-stamped right after Lina and Evan walked out with the fake." McKenna adds.
"That must be the Pawn calling Lemaire to report the switch was a success." I nod.
"I'd bet good money on it."
"Riley, McKenna do you think you can pinpoint the location of that second burner?" Matty asks.
"Already done." Riley tells her. "Tracked it to a mall in Hungary. A mall that was closed for renovations in 2008, and never reopened."
"Yeah, sounds like the perfect place to store millions of dollars in stolen art." Evan crosses his arms.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"I thought this place was abandoned." Jack says as we get through the fence I cut.
"It's supposed to be." McKenna tells him.
"Wait a second." I look at the scene unfolding and take a step forward. "Lemaire isn't just storing his stolen art here. He's selling it. This is an auction."
"Good thing about malls: multiple entrances. I suggest we find one with less, uh, guys with guns?" Evan turns to me and I nod.
"Agreed." Jack nods as well.
"Yeah." Riley agrees.
"But seven people sneaking around in the parking lot's a little conspicuous. I think we should split up. Riley and I will go left."
"Evan, Cage and McKenna will stay here to be lookout. And we'll go the other way." Mac turns to me. "Unless you have a problem with that."
"Oh, not with that." I turn and hear him follow behind me. "What are you doing?"
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing. It's you. Why are you being weird?"
"I'm not being weird, you're being weird. Super weird.
Now, did I do something to piss you off? Because if I did something to upset you, just tell me and I'll stop doing it. At least I'll try."
"There's nothing's going on."
"I'd have to disagree."
"I'm sorry you feel that way." I keep eyes forward.
"What? Accidentally falling asleep on the couch makes you uncomfortable, but me kissing you during not one, but two highly dangerous missions, is okay?" Mac stops me.
"This may come as a shock, but not everything is about you!"
"So, perhaps we should focus on the mission, hash this out later?" Cage suggests. "Open comms means the rest of us can hear every word."
"Thanks." I hit my hands against Mac's chest and continue walking, tuning out the conversation Jack and Riley are having.
"Did someone hurt you?" He stops me again.
"No. Like I said earlier, I was fixing my car and I got cut. Nothing that hasn't happened before. So you can shut up now." I turn and continue walking.
"Is it Murdoc? Did he contact to you again?" He stops me once again.
"If I lie and say yes, will you shut up?" I slightly raise my voice.
"I-"
"I can take care of myself, Mac. Have been since I was eight years old. I don't need to go running to you every time I have a problem. And I'm not saying there is one, cause there isn't. But if I did have one, I'd handle it on my own, like always." I say in one breath before turning.
"You do that when you're nervous." Mac takes out my ear piece and then his.
"What? Give me my damn-"
"Even when we were kids. When you're thinking about something and your mind is racing, you talk fast. Faster than I can even understand."
"Then brush up on your ELA, I don't know what to tell you, Mac." I snatch my ear piece from him and place it back in my ear.
"I think I make you nervous." He breaks the short silence and I turn back to face him. "I think this morning made you nervous." He walks closer to me and I keep my emotionless front. "I think right now is making you nervous. And contrary to what you believe, I'm just as nervous too."
"Do you mind? We're kind of having a moment here." Jack says and I close my eyes frustration.
"Put the gun down." A guard in the background orders.
"Oh, hey, fellas. It's cool, it's cool. We-we, we worked it out."
"Dammit." I take off.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"You'll do what? You can do nothing. You will hang there and watch, most likely." Lamaire says as we rush over to the scene, then crouching down. "There is nothing else you can do but hang there like a little, whiny dog. Now tell me what I want to know!"
"Okay. Your mother's a whore." Evan laughs and he gets electrocuted, then punched in the face a few times.
"No! Evan! Get off him!" Riley sneers.
"Listen to your little girlfriend. It's best to tell the truth." Lamaire inquires.
"I just did, prick." Evan spits out blood on his suit.
"You taught him well." McKenna leans her arm over my shoulder.
"Now is the time they would ask if you have any brilliant ideas." Cage speaks up.
"Got one. Not sure if it's brilliant. Get ready. Things are gonna happen fast." I get up and grab some supplies, now starting to work.
Once I finish doing my thing, I roll the cart out and then get down as an explosion goes off. I now get up and step out with the others. McKenna and Cage fight the guards and I run across. I grip the railing and start climbing up the post. I reach the top and then grunt as I push the whole post down.
It lands on top of Lamaire and I lean myself off, closing my eyes. I'm then caught as my arm wraps around someone's neck out of reflex. I open my eyes and lock them with Mac. We then start to stare at each other. I now pull away and get myself on my feet. I roll up my hoodies sleeves and run over to Jack, Evan and Riley.
"Good to see you, Lina " Jack heaves as I take out my knife.
"Yeah, you, too, Jack." I free the trio.
"Hey." He walks over to Lamaire. "You wanna know who I am? I'm the guy who just broke your nose."
"What?" Lamaire whispers and Jack knocks him out with a punch to the face.
"Evan." Riley helps Evan up and they hug.
"Thank you." Jack picks up his jacket.
"Anytime." I fist bump him.
"Did he hurt you?"
"Yeah, no, I'm good." Riley pants and hugs him. "Oh, Jack."
"Is your leg okay?" Evan asks.
"It will be."
"I'll help you. Come here, come here." He picks her up, now holding her in his arms.
"Thanks." Riley wraps her arms around his neck.
"Anytime."
"Ooh-hoo-hoo." Jack holds his stomach.
"Dallas Cowboys?" Riley questions and I cuff Lamaire.
"Ooh. America's Team, baby. America's Team."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Thanks, Jack." Cage says as the guys hold the doors open for us.
"You're welcome." Jack replies.
"We have Lemaire in custody, Franz Marc is back in our possession, and we cut off a terrorist revenue stream." Evan grips my shoulder.
"All in all, I'd say the mission was a..." Jack trails off.
"Don't do that." I shake my head.
"Work of art."
"Maybe in a Jackson Pollock kind of way?" Cage smiles.
"Please don't encourage him." Riley tells her.
"Congrats, but your success is not the headline here." Matty stops and turns.
"What do you mean?" McKenna crosses her arms.
"Our favorite lab tech just uncovered a massive spy ring."
"Wait, Bozer?" Mac gapes.
"Yeah. Karl Wiessler, disgraced BND operative, now works for a rogue private intelligence firm." Matty shows us her phone. "Wiessler was hired to identify undercover government operatives while they're still in training. Thanks to Bozer, the entire operation has been completely shut down."
"That is awesome. Go, Bozer." Riley grins.
"Yeah, I know. Where is he? We should be popping champagne with him right now." Mac inquires.
"Bozer is right where he should be—in class. He's still got two weeks left of training." Matty turns.
"Ooh. He's gonna be the most popular one in school now. Big man on campus. Of course he'll have to walk by that giant bronze statue they erected of me there...I'm kind of a legend." Jack informs.
"Didn't they kick you out after the whole septic tank incident?" Mac chuckles.
"I'll tell you the same thing I told my instructor: I thought it was a dummy grenade. And I didn't get kicked out, I...graduated early."
"Does that mean you even graduated?" Evan follows the pair inside.
"Can we change the subject, please?" Jack suggests.
"Have you told Jack yet?" Cage asks.
"Not yet." Riley shakes her head.
"But you will." McKenna nods.
"Yeah. I just need some time."
"Good luck." She walks away.
"You tell Mac yet?" Cage turns to me.
"Tell him what?" I furrow my eyebrows and she gives me a look before walking off.
"I'd have to agree." Riley nods. "Thank you for doing what you did. I owe you one." She grips my good arm before turning and so do I.
"Hey." Mac turns me around.
"I'm fine." I tell him. "Really, I am. But you know what I have to do, Mac."
"I know. And we're doing it with you. No matter how long it takes."
"Mac." I shake my head and turn. "I don't-"
"No, no, listen to me." He turns me back around. "You were right. I lost him too. I wasn't there to help you take down the Graysons, but I'm here now. And Murdoc is gonna pay. I'll make it my dying wish if I have to. Because I loved your dad." I pause. "And I-"
"Okay, Mac, I got it, thanks. I know you cared about my dad. But I haven't gone back to tracking down any leads since I chose to stay."
"No, no. You're not leaving. I will not-"
"I never said I was leaving because I'm not. I'm saying I can't do what I need to do...if I'm distracted."
"Distracted?" He questions. "You mean me?"
"You know how I mean it." I turn.
"Yeah, I do." He turns me back around again. "And I'm not buying it."
"There's nothing to buy." I scoff. "I told you that I can't-"
"Yeah, I know. But did you ever think to ask if I wanted that?"
"You know I have." I rasp out.
"So why are you pushing me away again?" He walks closer to me. "We can be together and still take down Murdoc, you know that, right?"
"Mac-"
"Look me in the eye and say it. Look me in the eye and tell me you don't wanna be with me." He whispers and I look up at him.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Mac." I nod before walking off.
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Wanna hurry this up? You know how I hate returning to the scene of the crime." Evan says.
"Relax. I'm almost done." I hang the painting back up and an alarm goes off. "What did you do?"
"I leaned up against the wall."
"It's not a wall—it's a 14th century Giotto di Bondone fresco."
"Oh, well, gesundheit. And it looks like a wall."
"I can't have this argument again."
"Well, when's a wall not a wall?"
"Okay, which way is the pool?" I walk past him.
"Man, sometimes this job sucks." Evan follows me.
I'm sorry, Mac.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
🖇️🧠🪵🧨💥
don't worry, i got more angst coming and a little confession from a certain someone very soon🫶 and it's almost time to say goodbye to cage, we got like three more chapters :(
you sure are jack
good god
ugh girlboss
yes
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