•TZE XIAN•
The days moved on quietly and quickly. And soon, it was almost two weeks.
Almost.
Tze Xian spent time playing with the children and doing things that actually made him happy for a change.
Nothing much happened these few days. Until Qin burst out of her room and got everyone's attention.
"They're on their way." She said, her face showing no emotion.
Everybody just stared at her. Trying to make sense of what she had said. But no one could understand. Except Tze Xian.
"The nuke." He said softly, turning to everyone on board. "They're on their way."
Qin nodded, still showing no emotion at all. And with that, she returned to her room.
Tze Xian chased after her. How could she be so heartless? She's like a fucking genius and she didn't even try to do something.
Her door was locked. Why am I not surprised? But Tze Xian pounded on it desperately with his two fists. I can't let China down. I just can't. Qin, won't you please fucking open the door!
He pounded some more, shouting and shouting. Even though he knew the metal door was soundproof.
"Open the damn door!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, kicking and thrashing, making a scene in front of his sworn enemy's room.
She finally did, after a few minutes of Tze Xian making a fool of himself. She stepped out a little, calm and composed. She asked ,"Yes?"
"Yes? That's your fucking answer?" He asked, not at all surprised that Qin had put on her annoying smirk.
Qin still hasn't replied, waiting for him to say something else before she could slam the door at his face.
Tze Xian noticed this because his next question asked , "Can I come in?"
She scoffed, rolling her eyes before she managed to stifle a curtsy and escort him into her room. And then slamming the door and locking it harshly that sounds vibrated throughout the whole ship.
"So Tze Xian," Qin said, "can you please tell me the reason you pounded on my door like a maniac? And would you like something to drink?"
"I would love to." Tze Xian said. The world's sarcasm level goes up by 100% once you open your freaking mouth. "If only the Americans aren't on the way to bomb our country then may I have a glass of water?"
"Yes you may."
"I said if only the Americans aren't on the way to bomb our country." Tze Xian deadpanned.
"They aren't." She smirked, handing him a glass full of water. "Here you go."
"You just told everybody that they are." He said, confused.
Qin simply smiled. "So?"
"Qin." Tze Xian's tone was serious. And so was his expression. "Stop playing games with me."
"But isn't that what war is?" She asked, her smile still not fading away. "Isn't war like a game? Have you seen me play?"
"What are you getting at?" He asked.
Qin sighed, wiping the smirk of her face and moving towards her computer screen. "Just between you and me." She said, "But I don't trust David Brown."
"Yeah. I'll keep it a secret." Like no one knows that. What the hell are you getting at Qin?
Qin ignored him, her hands were flying over the keyboard and her eyes were staring deep into the screen.
Tze Xian was about to open his mouth to ask what was going on but Qin quickly turned over to him and brandished her screen proudly to him.
On the screen, were two large bold words:
TARGET LOCKED
Tze Xian only stared, studying her screen. "How on earth did you break their code?" He asked. The fucking genius just redirected their nuclear missile to fire at them.
"Oh I don't know." She shrugged. "I just did."
"I'll tell everyone. They have to know."
"No." She shook her head. "Make them think that the nuke is fired."
"What?"
"Make them think that the nuke is fired, Tze Xian." Qin said, frowning.
"Okay." Tze Xian said. "Can you just please start explaining so I don't have to stop every five seconds just to ask a question?"
Qin breathed. "Don't trust David. Whatever you do. Just don't. A couple of days ago I found something in his yearbook. A photo of him with a boy named Sean Carter. The only reason I found it was because he left it on his bed after I saw him read it. So naturally, it made me want to read it as well. So I saw Sean Carter. Beside him. So that means whatever Damien fucking Carter said on the letter was bullshit and we can just probably throw it down the drain. But David realized this way before I did. And he didn't tell anyone.
"I thought he was going to tell eventually but he didn't. He's not working with Worthy. But he did try to hack into my computer a few times. I have no idea what he's playing at but I don't trust him." She said. "That's why we have to make him think that the nuke has been fired and China is gone."
And after all Qin said, the only word that cane out of Tze Xian's mouth was, "What?"
Qin laughed. "Well that's my plan." Then she looked at him in the eye, and her expression darkened. "If you tell anyone at all-"
"I won't. I'm not as stupid as you think I am." Tze Xian cut her off, sighing.
"Well good. Because I intend to get into a relationship with David. So he doesn't suspect anything." Said Qin.
Tze Xian smirked. Though it wasn't as arrogant as the ego maniac, Qin, it was still pretty annoying. "I don't think he will want you."
"And why is that?"
"Because nobody wants you." Tze Xian said.
Qin raised an eyebrow. And then she leaned forward, her face just inches apart from Tze Xian.
His eyes widened. But he didnt back away.
"I want to tell you something." She whispered, leaning a little bit closer.
"W-what?" He asked.
"It's very important. Really." She said, closing her eyes, not getting away from his face.
"Q-Qin what a-are you d-doing?" Tze Xian stammered.
"I just want you to know that..." Qin said.
"W-what?"
She opened her eyes. "Hello." She said, and backed away laughing until she tumbled on the ground. Until her stomach hurt.
Tze Xian rolled his eyes. ""What the hell Qin! You scared me!" And he muttered a string of curses only soft enough for him to hear.
"No one wants me huh?" Qin asked teasingly, elbowing him. "When it comes to flirting, I'm a natural." She waggled her eyebrows.
"Whatever. I'm out." He said, walking towards the door.
"Wait." Said Qin. "When you go out, make everyone think that we were arguing. To make it not so obvious. Because you're the only one that knows of my plan currently."
"Okay. So you pretend to kick me out."
"Yeah." She said. With the smirk on.
And Tze Xian opened the door abruptly, making it slam into the wall behind it.
"Asshole! Get the hell out!" Qin shouted, fake-pushing him into the ground before slamming the door at his face. It seemed to real. But Tze Xian remembered how great an actress she was and he went along with it, pretending that China was gone and that David was his best friend.
****
David acted weirder and weirder with each day to come.
Even trying to hack into Qin's computer a few more times.
Which naturally makes Qin suspicious.
Qin acted really friendly towards David after the talk she and Tze Xian had a few days ago. And David fell for it, being friendly towards her as well.
Tze Xian realized how dumb this 'trained soldier' was.
How could someone so stupidly try to hack into Qin's computer?
Qin had some kind of security installed on it. And no one was to access her computer without her knowing.
David was making radio communication too.
When you share a room with someone, finding out their secrets isn't a hard thing.
And Qin noticed that at 2 a.m. in the morning, everyday, David would go out of the room for exactly five minutes, not bringing out his radio, but his personal laptop screen with him.
That could make anyone suspicious.
His sister acted the same, being herself and flirting with Lu Er and buddying up with WeiTing. Tze Xian never thought much about Izzy. She was just a young teenage girl going through puberty, unlike her brother, who seemed to have...changed.
As the days went by, Tze Xian also realized how he and Qin were the bestest of friends. It was a shame that everyone still thought he hated her. The truth was he used to. He used to have hated her more than anything. But now he realized she and him had more in common than anyone else. And that she had great espionage skills too. Even better than Tang's qualified spy, David Brown.
They both knew David was spying on them.
No matter what, David always seemed aloof, always stayed more of an observer than a participator. What was her observing? Who was he observing for? Qin and Tze Xian didn't know. But they do know that David was horrible at hiding this.
The way Qin acted around him was the most impressive.
Tze Xian knew that in Qin's heart, she distrusted him more than anything. But when she was near him, she acted like her usual bitchy self, pretending to be vulnerable sometimes by telling him stories about her brother and her non existing sister. And even leaving subtle hints that she was into him.
They had small arguments now and then, Tze Xian and Qin. Some were real disagreements and misunderstandings while some were staged for a good show. It felt a little bothersome that whenever Qin's metal soundproof door opened, they had to be enemies again. But this was for the best.
Tze Xian knew Qin was hiding things as well. But he didn't push her to tell him, nor did he ask her what it was. Qin always hid things. Even from her partner in crime. But deep inside, Tze Xian knew what she was hiding. He knew what this brilliant mind was thinking. He never said it, because it was all part of her plan. And questioning the fact that she knew David was pretending to like her for someone, would be prying and ruining everything Qin had prepared to bring America to justice. But still, he felt hurt that she didn't tell him. Maybe she would, sooner or later. Maybe she won't. Until everything is over.
But she wasn't only hiding one thing. She was hiding a whole entire master plan. That consisted of things Tze Xian himself didn't know existed.
The ship reached it's destination right before anyone could ask anything to each other. Part of Tze Xian was grateful, the other part was completely flustered. And he didn't even know why.
***
•QIN•
The storm clouds thundered over them as Tang lead them towards China's spy base in America. Chesapeake Bay wasn't meant to rain that day. But it did anyway and left Qin all drenched.
Qin watched as Tze Xian lifted an umbrella over WeiTing's head to keep her dry. She didn't feel jealous, nor did she feel happy for them that they ironically found love in a hopeless place. She felt wet and she needed an umbrella.
The walk felt miles when rain was pouring over her head. Even though she knew it was nothing compared to her walk to HangZhou.
The place was isolated and dead, a perfect place for a spy base. And somehow, it made Qin feel happy that the city was dead and bare, just like the cities in her country. Now, we're even, aren't we?
No, we're not.
But we will be, soon.
She heard footsteps. The sound of a wet boot not trying to keep itself quiet. And she turned around to find David Brown.
The way he smiled at her made her glow. And the way he walked towards her with an umbrella and shielded her from the rain made her smirk. Part one of the plan, completed.
****