A/N: Story is nearly finished I promise. Please take this time to vote. Please. It doesn't take a lot of time and the more votes I get, the more readers will be attracted so please.
We bantered back and forth until a reasonable agreement was made. I would have accepted the first offer, seeing as I wasn't actually looking for a job, but I wanted to look authentic. The guy had introduced himself as Silas. We eventually agreed on the arrangement and he had one of his men put it in writing. I was in. Suck it Dan who spent hours doubting I would come out of this alive.
"Now, Lil." He emphasised that name in a way that meant he knew it was fake. "How about we start you nice and early. That way I can see what you can do." I nod and wait for him to continue. "I want you to find me ten new buyers before the day is up." Okay. That wouldn't be too hard, if it wasn't already past 2 o'clock in the afternoon. "Don't worry. Seeing as it is your first time with us, I shall give you a partner. She will also act as a monitor. A supervisor of sorts to make sure nothing, goes, wrong." The last three words were said with a pause in between that told me that this 'supervisor' was making sure I wasn't going to dob them in to the police. Which was exactly what my job was to do. But I nod and go with it, despite my mind buzzing, trying to figure out a new way to complete my task.
A young girl, my height, around my age, walked out from a door and towards the mob boss. She had dark, jet black hair that shone even under the dim lights. Her pale skin contrasted beautifully against her Jade greens eyes. She wore all black except for her emerald green sneakers and bright green buttons on her silk button up shirt. I caught myself staring at her and looked down, hoping I hadn't been obvious.
"Afternoon Sir. This her?" Her voice was melodic and echoed in the halls.
"Obviously Layla." She blushed and Walked towards me. Her hand was outstretched towards me and I took it, matching her smile.
"I'm Layla." She said at a whisper. I nearly stopped breathing as she spoke in my ear.
"Lauren." I managed to squeak.
"Right, now that you are acquainted, get out of my sight." He didn't need to ask twice. The two of us left the building and walked down the street in the opposite direction to where the guys were in the van.
"So how long have you been working here?" I asked. I wanted to break the awkward silence. Plus if I gained more of her trust, she may let slip some sort of details about Chloe's kid.
"Almost two years now." I nod. "I know why you're here." My heart froze. She couldn't know. "And I want to help." What? She took a hold of my arm and I did my best not to react at the contact. I was pulled into a narrow alley and she pressed me against the wall. Shit she was hot. "Look. This guy has always been rough to work with, but when he took that young girl I knew I had to get out of there. I just didn't know how. I also wanted to do my best to get her out as well. When I saw you from out the window, you crushed an earpiece. Are you police?" I had to be careful. If she was playing me, this entire operation was toast. But she could be my ticket to Trixie.
I looked in here eyes, trying not to get lost in them, and watched the light flicker through them. She was telling the truth. I nod and she steps back.
"Cool, so what's the plan."
***
Lucifer's POV
What was taking her so long? She should be out by now.
"Lucifer your pacing is really not helping." I stop moving to face Chloe.
"She should be here."
"I know but we can't do much more other than wait." As soon as the words left her mouth, the van door swung open with Lauren outside with a stranger in black.
Dan got his gun but Lauren quickly put a hand up and one in front of the girl.
"Hey, chill. This is Layla. She works with the gang and wants out. She can lead us to Trixie." Dan's hands faltered but he frowned.
"How can we be sure?" Lauren looked him directly in the eye.
"Trust me, she's telling the truth." She must have used her ability to read this girls emotions. Chloe touched Dan's shoulder and he slowly lowered his gun and walked off to the other side of the van, clearly unhappy. Chloe stood and grabbed Lauren's hand and helped her into the van before doing the same for Layla. Dan went round to the drivers seat while the rest of us sat down for the ride. Lauren and Layla sat side by side, both looking very awkward.
"I'm Lauren by the way. Not Lil." Lauren said, breaking the silence. Layla smiles.
"I figured it was a fake name. I'm just Layla. Easy to have a fake name when it's your real name." I saw something in Lauren's face as Layla looked away. It was there for a split second but I caught it. But thanks to my sensible self control, I didn't say anything.
***
Lauren's POV
I saw Lucifer looking over at me and I glared at him which only made his mischievous grin grow wider. He was going to be so annoying later.
"So Layla, how much do you know about Trixie's kidnapping?" Layla smiled.
"Actually I know quite a bit. I've known the boss for ages. He helped me when my parents died and I joined as a thank you and I never left. So he's had a lot of time to trust me and I know, not only where she is, but I know how to get in without being noticed."
***
After a few days, we had a plan. Layla and I found the buyers needed for me to be put me in with the guys and I managed to do my job while the adults found a plan. Trixie was being held at one of their storage facilities which was heavily guarded. Chloe and Dan sorted out a strike team to storm into the place. No one listened when I said it was a bad idea. Layla agreed with me but her opinion wasn't very valid when she had spent two years working for a drug ring. And my words were ignored after years of being hated by basically everyone at the precinct, not to mention the couple dozen policemen in hospital because of me.
There was nothing we could do. The strike team would break into the warehouse and Trixie would be killed as soon as they did. It was infuriating that they couldn't see the flaws in there plan. Layla and I sat on a bench outside the precinct, contemplating the predicament.
"They'll kill her." I stated quietly.
"I know." Layla agreed. "But what else can we do? It's not like we can save her ourselves." An idea struck me as she said this and she looked at me, her expression changing to dismay and recognition. "No. No no no I know what you're thinking. Absolutely not. " I say nothing but smile. "No!"
***
This was our only chance. If we didn't rescue Trixie today, it would be too late and she would be dead by morning. Layla was supposed to get me inside the building where I would sneak off and find Trixie and get her out.
We both dressed in all black, and made our way inside the building.
"Hey, beat it kids." The security guard at the door shooed us off but Layla pulled back her hood and handed him a few hundred dollar bills I had snuck out of Lucifer's wallet.
"We need something to finish a job for the boss." The guy recognized Layla and accepted the cash, nodding for us to go inside. I have Layla a look of uncertainty and she squeezed my hand encouragingly. her smile caused my heart to skip a beat and I looked ahead to our next obstacle.
"Layla? what are you doing here?" We turn around to face a boy, no older than 18, walking towards us. Layla silently curses under her breath.
"Ben, hi. Yeah the boss told me to show Laur- Lil here the ropes." Layla falters to get my name right. "So I thought I would show her what it is that we sell. Lil is new and is going to be one of our sales reps." Ben nods thoughtfully but doesn't smile.
"Alright carry on. but don't get into mischief. Nice to meet you Lil." I smile a goodbye to him and we keep moving.
"Ben was here when I started, he showed me how to do everything. He's a bit of a big brother really."
We go into an empty aisle and stop.
"This is where we separate." She moves in for a hug and I hesitate before returning the embrace. "Good luck. You remember where she is?" I nod. "You remember the plan?" Again, I dip my head in agreement. She gives another smile and takes both my hands in hers. "Don't die." I almost laugh but we hear voices rounding the corner and she pushes me out of sight before picking up a conversation with the passerby's.
Now is the second part of our plan. Get Trixie. Silently, I move through the Isles and closer to the closed door of what looks like a broom closet. Layla said it was an entire interrogation type room where our target was being held. Voices interrupted my thought and thinking quickly, shuffled underneath one of the many shelves and hoped to Grandad they didn't see me. Their feet moved passed but I waited a while until I was sure that the coast was clear.
The rest of the way went smoothly and I made it to the door with ease. I gently twisted the handle and pushed the door open, keeping an eye on anyone outside, as well as anyone inside. Before I was seen, I slipped into the room to see a small girl tied up and sitting on the ground. Her face was red and tear stained. She looked skinny. Too skinny. They must not have been feeding her much. At the sudden appearance of a stranger, she whimpered and shuffled closer to the wall and away from me.
"Shh, hey, it's okay." I reassured her. "I'm a friend. Your mum sent me." Her face flooded with relief and her body slumped from exhaustion. I got a knife out from underneath my shirt, out of a sheath I had strapped against my upper waist. Trixie's eyes widened in shock at the weapon and shook her head in fear. "Just stay still and it won't hurt." She squeezed her eyes shut as I cut into her bonds. They split easily and she was free. I ushered her over to the door. Turning to twist the handle and open it and check for our escape, but a sharp stabbing pain erupted from my neck and I reached up to grab the syringe that had injected something bad into my bloodstream. I turned to Trixie to see her smile.
"Maybe if your friends had bothered to clue you in with a picture, you would know that I'm not the girl you're looking for." The room tilted sideways and I fell roughly to knees, breaking the skin. The door behind me opened and a pair of legs walked in front of me as I struggled to stay awake.
"Such a pity. And you were a good salesman too." I looked up with blurry eyesight at Silas who smiled evily at me, patting the girl, who was definitely not Trixie, on the back. "Well done Sophie. I have trained you well. The girls glowing expression of pride was the last thing I saw before my vision went dark and my head hit the floor."