"Sasha?!!" he had panic in his voice.
"Bathroom! Upstairs!" Sasha replied.
He found her upstairs tending to her wounds.
Her bodysuit was hanging off her waist. Her bra was soaking up a lot of blood. She had washed the wound with alcohol. She stared at him staring at her.
"Nick, come here. Help me put this gauze on."
Nick clumsily pushed down on the wound.
She bit her lip, wincing at the sharp pain.
"Sorry Sasha. This is not how I usually make girls bite their lips."
She glared at him.
"Sorry force of habit," he replied.
'Stupid Nick, this is not the time nor place. If you want her to like you, stop being an idiot.' He cursed himself internally.
"Where is the phone?" she asked.
"Oh here it is."
She called the agency.
"Hey, clean up on my location. I am hurt. Bring medic… External.. no order.. My own.. yup full responsibility."
She hung up and closed her eyes.
"Everything alright there?" Nick asked.
"Yeah, just I am going to be brought in for enquiry because this is a non job kill. You might not want to be here. You wouldn’t want to be involved. I'll cover for you. So go."
"I am not leaving you alone Sasha." He said with full conviction even Sasha knew there was no point arguing.
Agent Foster came.
"You again?" he asked as he saw Nick next to me.
"Uh yeah hi."
"Can you wait outside while I have a word with Ms Hunter?"
Nick left us.
I explained to Agent Foster what happened and why it happened while the medics tended to my shoulder.
"Okay then Sasha. You really shouldn’t have let your boyfriend tag along, you just gave me a week's worth of paperwork to fill for bringing a civilian.. I am just glad that you are safe." He said as he rummaged her hair.
Nick drove her home.
She took some painkillers and went to sleep.
She woke up a few hours later. Nick was next to her. Snoring.
She was wearing a tank top and a pair of shorts. He must have changed her while she was knocked out.
She looked at him. He looked tired. He did just kill someone.
She struggled to get up. This woke Nick up.
"Sorry I woke you."
"No, it is okay. How's your shoulder?"
"Well, feels like it got shot."
"Sorry for undressing you. The medics said to keep you in loose clothing which means no bodysuit."
"It's okay…" there was a long pause. "Thanks Nick."
"Why?"
"For everything. You saved my life. And I was actually the one assigned to keep you safe. Not the other way around."
"I love you Sasha." He blurted.
"What?" Sasha questioned.
"Uhh nothing."
"You love me?"
"Uhh yeah. Sorry."
"Why are you sorry?"
"I don’t know. Bad timing I guess. With Dylan just gone, I just shot someone, I just woke up next to you. This is a lot to process. It made me realise, that I don’t want this to end."
"You don’t want to stop shooting people?" Sasha joked.
"No Sasha, I don’t want us to end."
"Did we even have a beginning?"
"We can start now."
He edged closer to her and waited for her response.
He leaned in closer towards her. She leaned in closer.
Their lips met and started moving in sync.
Once they parted, he smiled at her.
"Sorry Nick. I shouldn’t have done that. It is too soon."
Nick's eyes didn’t hide the disappointment. He knows he shouldn’t push it. He changed the subject.
"Are you hungry?"
"Yeah a bit," she answered.
"What do you feel like eating?"
"I want me some pizza."
"Okay," he said as he started dialling on his phone.
School has just started. It was exam week again since the first exam week was interrupted. Sasha's wound has healed almost completely.
They were having lunch when Sasha's phone rang. Nick eyed it. He had a downturned face. He was frowning at the sight that Bob's Diner is calling.
"Must you answer?" he asked.
"You know I have to babe," Sasha answered briefly. "Hello, Sasha speaking."
Nick looked at her. She had a serious face on. She was looking at him. She hung up.
"Follow me," she said as she grabbed him by the arm.
"Where are we going?"
"I need to take you somewhere. Just listen to me okay."
"Are we going somewhere fun?" he winked.
The M5 pulled out of the car park. She started driving towards the warehouse.
Nick was curious to what was going on.
"Are you not going to explain to me what is going on?"
Silence.
"Am I in danger?"
Silence.
"Is my family?"
Silence.
"SASHA! Answer me!" he snapped.
"Yes."
"Yes? That is all you can say? Is my family alright?"
"As far as I know, they are. They are already in the safe house. That is where I am taking you."
Nick sighed.
"This is not fun." Nick muttered.
"Gee sorry if this is not your idea of fun Nick."
"How would you like it if your family is always in danger?!"
"I don’t know Nick. Let me give it a think, oh wait I don’t have family! Seriously Nick, what the hell. Why are you snapping at me? At least you still have them and hell at least your family is being protected!"
Nick was silenced. He knew it was wrong for him to get angry at her. She was only doing her job. He just got lost in the moment. Feeling worried for his family's safety. The rest of the ride was in uncomfortable silence.
They arrived at the safe house. Sasha got out of the car, took off her dress leaving her in just her bodysuit. She opened the back of the car. Strapped on a holster. She took the gun out of the glove compartment and put it in the holster. She took the knife and put in between the belt. She looked like Lara Croft.
"What are you looking at?" Sasha asked Nick as she caught him staring at her.
"Sasha, we need to talk."
"Now is not the time Nick. Come on follow me."
She swiped her access card, placed her thumb on a scanner and had her retina scanned too.
There was a click. She pulled opened a heavy door.
"Go in, your family should be inside."
Nick went in. She followed from behind. He hugged his family. His dad looked at me and gave me a nod.
"Thank you Agent Hunter."
"Just doing my job Sir. I just need to check the perimeters and meet up with the rest of the agents. Stay put."
Sasha went outside. Called the other agents. They were already doing a parameter check. The first to arrive to her was Agent White.
"Hey Hunter!" greeted Agent White.
"Hi Ryan! Long time no speak."
"I heard you got stuck with the boy. How is high school?"
"Not bad. Who am I kidding? It is high school."
They both laughed. Ryan and Sasha go way back. They were both trained at the same time. They had a summer fling. It could have been more than just a fling but Ryan was sent to South Korea for a job so it ended there.
"Hey lovebirds," Agent Lloyd chirped.
"Hi Bianca," Sasha greeted Agent Bianca Lloyd with a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey, where is my kiss?" exclaimed Agent Ryan White.
"Agents," Agent Foster's voice boomed. "Thank you for bringing them all here. Is everyone accounted for?"
"I think so Sir," answered Ryan. "We are just waiting for Agent Linda to bring the daughter around."
"She should be here by now," remarked Bianca, " I spoke to her half an hour ago and she said she was on her way. She should have been here before you did Sasha."
Every agent had that glint in their eye. Something is not right.
"Okay, everybody in the safe house. We need to track her," said Agent Foster.
We hurried towards the safe house.
Nick's mother asked all of us,
"Where is my daughter? She is not here."
"Don't worry Mrs Summers. We are on it," answered Agent Foster.
Ryan and Sasha were already on the computers trying to track Linda.
"Found her!" they both said simultaneously.
Nick glared at both of them. The chemistry between Ryan and Sasha was unmistakable.
"Oh you two are just too cute. Just continued where you left off already!" Bianca squealed.
Ryan and Sasha looked at each other and both blushed.
Agent Foster made his way towards the other agents.
"Where is Linda?" he asked.
"She is 15 minutes away, she is moving fast but not really heading towards here. I reckon we should go to her," Sasha suggested.
"Okay, Ryan and Sasha you both go to her. Bianca and I will stay here with the Summers. Be safe and take care," Agent Foster ordered.
"Yes Sir," all the agents said.
Ryan opened the door for Sasha and they both disappeared. They took Ryan's black Range Rover and started speeding towards Linda.
They reached the freeway in 10 minutes. According to Linda's coordinates, she should be close. She was heading towards them. She zoomed past them. Another 2 black cars were after her. Ryan turned a sharp left and chased after them.
"There is a gun under your seat," Ryan informed Sasha.
Sasha slid her hand under the seat and sure enough a fully loaded M40A5 was at her disposal.
Ryan was trying to call Linda.
"I am busy here Ryan," Linda answered.
"We are right behind you Linda," Ryan replied.
"Who is we?"
"Hi Linda, Sasha here!"
"Hi Sasha, oh my god! Please tell me that you are back with Ryan!"
"Linda! I thought you were busy?" joked Ryan.
"Okay sorry. I have the governor's daughter with me. But please take them out at least one of them."
"I'm on it Linda but can you take them to somewhere with less people."
"Okay."
Linda led them to the open road. Sasha aimed for the back tires of the car on the right. She missed the first try but got it on the second try. The car lost control. Ryan swerved while naturally holding on to Sasha's hand, worried that she was going to be thrown around even though she had a seatbelt on. As he regained control of the car, he let go of her and had both hands on the wheel again.
Sasha aimed for the tires again but this time the car in front started shooting at them too.
Ryan had his Range Rover bullet proofed.
"Nice bullet proofing Rye," complimented Sasha.
"Thanks," beamed Ryan.
Sasha continued shooting at the car in front of them, the car finally lost control and crashed into a wall.
"Thank you guys!" Linda's voice came through the speaker.
"Linda you are still there?"
"Forgotten all about me already have we?" teased Linda.
"Linda, you are late to the safe house. We got to hurry. I am sure those two cars are not the last of them."
They all arrived at the safe house in one piece.
"Okay, so here is the plan," started Agent Foster, " The governor's family is to sleep in that bedroom." Pointing to a corner of the safe house. "The agents will pair up and take shifts standing guard."
"I want to be with Bianca!" shrieked Linda.
"Okay Agent Linda, you are with Bianca. That means Ryan would be with Sasha."
"I am sorry Governor but this is the safest place to be as of now. I assure you we are trying to resolve this matter as soon as possible." Agent Foster said to the governor.
The Summers family huddled together and went into the corner room.
Ryan and Sasha had the first 3 hour shift.