The next few hours were a blur.
I faintly remember being whisked over to our private suites, Mike patting me on the back a few times, and Jawa and Chip complimenting me on my successful landed punches on the man.
Catherine gave me a motherly hug and went over to the medical center to get her wound healed, and Erica... well, Erica's situation was interesting.
After we had settled down in our rooms and making sure everything was unpacked, Catherine told us to rest for a few hours. Especially with the injuries, she said clearly for us to get some sleep.
Despite this warning, Erica had come to visit my suite. (Thankfully, this time coming in the normal way and knocking on the front door). And here I was, sitting on the edge of my bed, watching as she strolled over and took a disgusted look at my unpacked suitcase.
"Where're the weapons?" she asked, running her hand over the clothes that I had packed. "I only see some spare grenades and two ninja stars. Are you expecting to defend yourself with only that if an assassin breaks into your room at night? And is that cologne?" she said, picking up a bar that I had grabbed when packing. I flushed as she popped it open and took a deep breath.
A sly smile appeared on her face. "What's this for?"
I knew there was no point in lying, so I just said: "You know after we go on missions we tend to sweat a lot. And being a teenager, I know bring cologne would be the best choice, unless you want your noses to die."
"That's bullcrap," she said. "I know your real intentions, Ben."
I flushed even more and walked over to my window, gazing out at the bustling city of London. The city was especially beautiful at this point in time, with the Big Ben peeking out at the tip of the city as a mark of time for everyone to see.
"By the way, thanks for saving my life earlier," Erica said, whipping a ninja star so that it plunked onto the wall millimeters from my face. "But if I were you, then I would've not gone with such a risky plan. The CIA's secrets are more important than our lives. You should know that by now." Another ninja star hit the wall right above my left arm.
I sighed. I knew this talk was coming, and I'd tried to avoid it, but as they say, you can't avoid the inevitable.
Erica pulled me over to the bedside and sat down next to me, taking something out of her pocket and placing it in my palm. The touch of our fingers sent a bolt of electricity jerking through my veins, and I cursed myself for letting that happen.
"Ben," Erica said, taking her hand off mine to reveal the little item she'd place in my hand. "This is my presentation of thanks. Even though I've saved your life many times and that's already paying back for what you did today, here's still a little token of my favor."
I looked at my hand. There was a little gold square with the words "Thanks, but try harder," engraved on them. I couldn't help but laugh.
I turned my head back up to Erica, who pulled her hair behind her ear. Our faces were inches away, and they seemed to close the distance as seconds crawled by.
Our noses touched. Another bolt of electricity surged through my body.
She was close enough for me to see her pupils in an ultra-clear vision when a knock on the door suddenly burst us apart.
There stood Zoe, fuming mad at the doorway, eyes narrowed at me.
"Ben," she said, teeth gritted. "I'm back."