It's been two weeks since my late night chat with Eggsy, and although I'm still pissed off at him for what he said about me, a part of me took what he said to heart. Since then, I have made a minimal effort not to be as cruel.
I don't think anyone has noticed.
---
I'm holding my dad's hand, half asleep, when it twitches.
I jolt up, staring at his face expectantly. His hand squeezes mine tightly as his eyes flutter open.
"Y/N?" He mumbles, his eyes starting to gain recollection.
I wrap my arms around his neck, inhaling his scent. He hesitates, before returning the gesture. I lean back, staring at him furiously.
"How's my candidate's training going?" He asks, and I frown. Clearly my father cares more about Eggsy than his own daughter.
"Final six." I say tersely. "You scared me to death. You can't just run into danger like that, how many times have I told you not to go in without backup?"
My father sits up, sighing heavily. "Y/N you can't lecture me on how I do my work, you're my dau-"
"Yes I know I'm your daughter, but I'm also your co-worker. And as your co-worker I think it was incredibly stupid of you to go speak with a target, without any information about them or backup aware of where you were."
"I don't have to listen to this." He says, attempting to get out of the bed.
"Oh no you don't." I growl, pushing him back into the bed, gripping his hands tightly. "You have to listen to me."
"No I don't." He says calmly, pressing the call button by his waist. He stares at me coldly. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm a full grown man. I can take care of myself."
"You also care for me though, so what happens if you die? I'm alone."
Before he can respond the door bangs open and Eggsy comes rushing in. "Harry! You're awake."
"Ever heard of knocking?" My father says, taking his hands out of mine.
Eggsy doesn't fail to notice the movement. He gives me a strange look but continues into the room.
"Only when I'm casing a place to rob. You called?"
Harry sits forward and stands up, walking across the room towards Eggsy, forgetting me. J.B starts to bark at Apollo, and I pick up my dog to restrain him.
"I hope J.B.'s training is going as well as yours is." Harry comments.
"Sit." Eggsy commands the dog, and he complies.
"Congratulations on making it to the final six. Your test results must be even better than I hoped."
There comes a knocking at the door, and at Harry's approval, Merlin wanders in. He seems surprised to see Eggsy.
"Ah, Eggsy. I need to have a private conversation with these two; you are dismissed."
My father grabs onto Eggsy's shoulder. "Nonsense. Let him observe. Might learn a thing or two."
"As you wish." Merlin says. He brings out his tablet and mirrors it to the screen we are all conveniently standing in front of.
A video plays, presumably from Harry's perspective as he confronts the Professor. Their conversation seems to be intense, but it cut short by the man's head exploding. No one but Eggsy reacts.
"Fucking hell! That is rank, Harry. You blew up his head? It's a bit much, ain't it?" Eggsy stammers in shock.
I scoff, earning a look from all three of the men, which I easily ignore.
Merlin pauses the video, zooming in on a scar along the professor's neck that is observable just before the explosion took place. "Actually, the explosion was caused by an implant in his neck. Here, under the scar."
"Did my hardware pick up the signal that triggered it?" My father asks, unfazed by the reliving of his trauma.
"Fortunately, yes. Unfortunately, the IP address I traced it to is registered to the Valentine Corporation." He brings up the profile of Valentine on the screen.
"That's one hell of a lead." I say sarcastically. "He has millions of employees worldwide."
Eggsy points to the man on the screen in awe. "That Richmond Valentine is a genius."
We stare at him blankly and he stares at us, equally confused.
"Did you not see his announcement today?"
"No." I say for the three of us.
Eggsy takes the tablet from Merlin and types something elusive into it, bringing up a video which he plays. Richmond Valentine himself is pacing across a stage in front of a large audience. We hold our breath as he speaks.
"We each spend on average two thousand dollars a year on cell phone and internet usage. It gives me great pleasure to announce those days are over. As of tomorrow, every man, woman and child can claim a free SIM card, compatible with any cell phone, any computer, and utilize my communications network for free. Free calls, free Internet for everyone. Forever."
The video stops and Merlin takes back his tablet, which Harry promptly grabs and zooms in on Valentine's assistant, showing the scar on her neck.
"Valentine's assistant has the same implant scar. I think Mr Valentine and I should have a tête-à-tête."
"With back-up ready to go, I assume?" I say pointedly, and though I can tell he wants to resist it, he nods.
Merlin also nods. "He's having a gala dinner next week, I'll get you an invitation. You need to be careful, though. Since you've been out, hundreds of VIPs have gone missing. No ransom notes, exactly like Professor Arnold."
"Then you better make my alias someone worth kidnapping."
As Merlin and my father discuss their plan, I walk out of the room with Eggsy. The second we're out of sight and the door between us and them is closed, he pushes me against a wall roughly and glares at me.
"What the fuck was that Y/N?"
I gape at him in shock, pushing him off me and straightening my top out. "It's Atkins, remember? And what the fuck are you talking about?"
"I saw you holding hands with Harry." He says, looking at me in shock. He leans forward to face me urgently. "You do realise he's like twice your age right?"
It takes me a minute to realise he's being serious. I laugh in his face, patting his shoulder.
"Oh my god, I forgot you don't know."
He looks flustered and confused. "Don't know what? That you're screwing Galahad?"
"Oh my god no." I say disgusted, shuddering at the suggestion. "Jesus Christ I almost feel sorry for you, having to find out this way. You know, I won't tell Harry. It'll save your face."
"What are you on about?"
I relish this moment, the moment his precious little face will burn bright red and he'll realise what he's suggested to his superior.
"Harry is my Dad."
The look on his face is far better than I could have hoped for. I cackle at it, bending over with laughter. "Oh my god, your face. See why I'm not telling him now?"
"Fucking hell." He says quietly, his hands on his head in embarrassment. "Ohhhh god no."
"No no no no no no no no."
His panic is music to my ears. I laugh again, patting his shoulder, feeling sorry for his idiocy.
"It's okay bub. We all make assumptions sometimes, some worse than others though."
He grabs my hand urgently, which snaps me out of my laughter. But all he says is: "Please don't tell him. Jesus Christ if he knew I suggested that I'd be gone within the hour."
"I won't tell him, I already said that." I pull my hand out of his grasp, aware that it is becoming sweaty and for some reason, actually caring about that. "I am a woman of my word, and you have mine."
"Thank you." He says, wrapping me into a relieved hug. I raise my eyebrows but return the gesture. "Thank you."
"Eggsy, it's fine. It's not that big of a deal." I pull away to stare at him in shock.
He smiles, grateful, but I can see the embarrassment clearly in his eyes still. I pat his shoulder for the third time, friendly this time. "Let's get going, shall we? You've a busy day ahead of you I can tell you that."
From an outsider's view, I may seem content, but really I'm confused. Why is it that after hearing all that vital information about Valentine, I'm more concerned about Eggsy's embarrassment than the fact that my father is plunging himself into yet another dangerous situation?
[1401 words]