He held me tight as we sppinned around the room. As he dipped me, I took it all room was huge. Everything in it sparkled white. People in tuxes and floor length ball gowns, lined the walls. As He pulled me up, my hair fell out of my face. I saw my reflection in a pitcher a waiter was carrying as he passed. I had that whole wind blown look, but not exactly in a good way. I pulled at the hairs sticking up on the sides of my head, putting it down flat again.
"You messed up my hair." I scolded Zach as the floor emptied.
His face contorted and he rolled his eyes. The lights were diming as the music slowed. Zach leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. "First of all," His arms were again around my waist, swaying me to the slow song, "It looks the same." He laughed slightly as I pressed my head into the crook in his neck. "And you look gorgeous."
I couldnt help but smile, then involuntarily sigh. "Do we have to work tonight?" I whispered in his ear, right as the lights came back on and the evenings benefactor walked up on the stage- the band dispersing.
People moved forward towards the stage- wanting to drink in every word he said.
I let Zach lead me-knowing exactly where we moved to, pretending to move with the crowd. We pushed in, farther and farther- to our final destination. It was like slow motion- half hearing the man talk about how succesfull the night had been. But mostly, inching forward with precision.
I was subtle. I was extremely subtle. I don't think that even the best of spies could have felt my hand slip inside the man's pocket. His Jacket was heavy wool. It made my hand itch as my fingers wrapped around the key card. I had it in my hands. We were practically home free. We were almost done, but as every good spy knows, almost only counts in horse shoes, and hand grenades. I felt the beefy hand on my wrist. He had a death grip.
The heavy Italian smiled at me. A menacing smile, telling me I was made. His voice was deep and gargled, and no louder than a whisper compared to the thundering applause around us. "Now, I don't think that belongs to you."
The men thrust me into a cold metal chair. My knuckles jammed against the bars on the back, and I clenched my jaw. "No need to be a jerk, now." I spat out sarcastically. A Beefy fist thrust into my gut and I winced. "Ok, I guess I had that coming." I sighed under my breath.
We heard the mens boots stomp away and a metal door slam shut.
"Since when are you the one to spat out sarcastic comments?" Zach asked. My head was covered by a burlap sack, but somehow I knew that he was about 2 feet away, and I could imagine his face as he spoke. His eyebrows raised and his lips pursed.
"Well im not sure I enjoyed it so much." I groaned.
"Ya, unfortunatly the fun doesnt last long and usually comes with consequences." He said and I knew he was grinning.
I sighed and filled the silence. "Gosh- what a waste of all the effort I put into dressing up."
Not a split second later we heard the door creak open and the footsteps coming closer. But there were three sets this time. Two of them seemed to wait and stay back at the front of wherever we were. But one set continued. But these were slower, like they werent in a hurry to get anywhere. They slid across the floor, instead of defined steps.
The person was right in front of me, I could tell. The person, most likely a man, stood there. I could feel his stare. Then I heard a snap, and the other two rushed forward.
The bag was pulled off of my head in one motion. There was blinding light and my eyes took a while to adjust. But when they did I saw Giancarlo French, staring down at me, with a malicious smirk slapped across his face. He was tall with broad shoulders. His portruding stomach was obvious in his pinstripes. As he stared down at me he twirled a diamond studded gold ring on his index finger.
"Cameron Morgan." He said, almost as if trying on my name for size.
"Giancarlo." I nodded at him.
"I feel as if I know you." One of his henchman slid a chair under him. He struggled to sit down and not show he was aching.
"You having back problems Giancarlo?" I questioned, not trying to be the least bit repectfull.
"My age is peeking through is it?" He laughed. "Yes..." Giancarlo's head cocked to the side, his eyes never leaving mine. "I feel as if I know you well."
"And why is that?" I raised one eyebrow.
"I've been checking up on you." Giancarlo leaned back in his chair, he was comfortable and at ease.
"And again, why is that?" The metal of the chair was cold against my back.
"Why the famous Cameron Morgan!? You have a very impressive history." He smiled. "Somehow, I always knew that we would cross paths."
"A prophet really..." I mocked him, proudly.
"But you have never really been a threat. Not until now, when you have..." he stopped as if thinking how to finish. "blossomed. Graduated now aren't you?"
I clenched my jaw. I had always been a threat. He had no clue."Yes."
"Are you sad to have left your humble mansion?" He didnt wait for me to answer. "Or I guess it was more, it leaving you, now wasnt it?"
"Yes. It was quiet unfortunate, the accident." I sighed, acting bored.
"Oh yes. The accident." He made air quote as he said the word ,'accident'. Then he leaned in. Closer than I want to admit. His finger's followed the line of my jaw. His eyes searched my face intently. "I'm so glad you weren't hurt." His breath smelled faintly of pepperment and canolis. "You are a pretty thing." I cringed at the way he said the word pretty. Zach must have seen it.
"Get. Your hands. Off. Of her." Zach said, anger boiling up in his tone.
Giancarlo licked his lips as he slid his fingertips off of my face, pushing my head away at the last second.
"Zachary Goode." He sighed and turned to him. "I guess we can blame your mother for that unfortunate accident, can't we?"He pouted."I am so sorry for you loss." Giancarlo almost sounded genuinly sorry.
"That makes one of us." Zach said.
Giancarlo laughed and looked at me acting shocked. "I heard you and your mother weren't close, but you would really say you are happy at her death?!"
"Yes." Zach nodded, so sure of himself. I couldnt help myself but to look down and try not to think about what he had said. Catherine Goode was the embodiment of Satan. She was a bad person. But I hated to hear Zach say he was happy about his mother being dead.
Giancarlo however had no problem with it. He let out a bellowing malicious laugh, clapping and grinning like a fool. "Oh Zach!" Even though everyone called Zach , not Zachary but Zach, I cringed when Giancarlo said it. "I like you! I like you very much! I could use a cold soul like you to work for me." He continued to laugh, and I felt my patience wearing thin. Zach's jaw was clenched with the bones and veins on his neck popping out.
"Over my dead body." I said, speaking out.
"Oh yes! That reminds me of why we are here in the first place, dear!"
Zach leaned forward and spat at him. "Get on with it then."He sounded like a bored teenager.
Apparently the fun was over because Giancarlo no longer looked like he was joking, and one of the henchman stepped forward and punched Zach in the jaw. I winced and bit my lip.
"Oh..." Giancarlo drew out the word. "I think we've found the girls weakness." He laughed and I cursed myself for showing that I cared for Zach at all.
"Sit the boy right in front." Giancarlo glared at me.
The henchman set Zach in his chair, that was now about 5 feet in front of me. He looked at me. Like really looked at me, how he does. I was already terrified. Zach and I were barely graduated and working assignments together and some creep was already going to use it against us.
"So Cammie dear. Do you know what I want?" Giancarlo came close to me, leaning against my chair, whispering in my ear.
"I assume, that you want the same thing any other bad guy wants. To know, what I want, and who I work for." I stared at Zach, trying to decifer whatever code he was trying to send to me. His stare was so intense it was like he was trying to communicate through telikenisis or something.
"Correct!" He was having way to much fun. But what do you expect from a phycotic Italian? "You are a smart girl. You know how this works." His hand swept across to Zach. "So are you ready to give me this information?"
I knew, without a doubt that I couldnt tell him this. But I was dreading the sight of the minions beating Zach to a pulp. I knew he would try to make it easier by not screaming, but I would be able to see it because its like watching a train wreck. You can't look away no matter how much you want to. "No." I stated. The bulky man on Zachs right gave him a hefty fist in the gut. Zach toppled over and groaned. "Good one." He smirked, for my benefit, I knew. The men didnt like that and gave him another.
"How about now?" Giancarlo laughed in my face.
I let out a breath and closed my eyes, thinking carefully about my next words. "Who do you think I work for Gian?" I shortened his name to feign that I was scared in any way.
"Well, obviously for the good guys right?"
"Correct!" I smiled, mimicking the fun tone he had before.
"What did you want with my key card?" He asked.
"Your smart Mr. French. You can figure that out." Giancarlo nodded and looked off in the distance. Then suddenly he lunged at me, grabbing the hair on the top of my head and forcing me to look up at him. Pain spread though my skull. I heard Zach inhale deeply.
"It isnt even my room!" Giancarlo yelled, the words echoing. Then he stared into my eyes as he suddenly realized something.
"I know that." I stated, calmly. The room happened to be the room of the woman that Giancarlo was currently seeing. But fortunatly the room right above the woman's, was his, that his fellow arms dealers were having a very important meeting in, the next afternoon.
"Oh... You were hoping to get access through her room!" He laughed and stepped away, looking back and forth between me and Zach. " I thought that the famous duo would have thought of a more in depth plan than that!" He clapped his hands a few times. Then held them together behind his back with a grin, the universal sign that someone thinks they have won. "Well, sadly your little plan failed, and even if you had gotten into her room, I am sure your plan would have failed anyway." He cocked his head and gave a fake pout. After about a minute of staring us down and laughing, he walked to the door. Then stopped. "As you know I have a very significant meeting to attend." His hand landed on the handle. "Get rid of them. It will mean less trouble later."
As he left, the men seperated. One walking towards me and the other eyeing Zach. I sighed, as if we were defeated. But then Zach looked at me, and mouthed something. I understood at the last minute but I nodded and he winked.
The man near me was swinging his arm back, ready for his first blow. My wrists were tied but my hands gripped the metal bars I leaned against. I shifted my weight and somehow did a back flip, while holding onto the chair. The legs smacked the man in his jaw sending him sprawled on the ground. Before he even had time to think about what just happened I was on my feet practically on top of him. With one well placed head butt, he was out cold. Zach was struggling behind me with the other minion. He was facing me, the henchmans back to me. The man didnt even see me, when I placed a kick to his back with my stiletto, and Zach hit him in the jaw.
"Thank God I wore the dress with the slit." I smiled, then sighed.
Zach grinned. "Ready?"
"Um..." I looked at his hands free and he laughed. I dont know how he did it but the ties were off. He slipped a knife out of one of the mans pockets and cut me free. I put one of the mans guns into Zachs hands, taking one for myself, then stole a glance at Zach in his nicest Suite and tie. His hair was messy in a perfect way and he looked kind of hot clutching his gun.
Voices rang out in the hallway past the big metal door.
"Ready Gallagher Girl?" Zach asked, his playfull self back.
"Absolutly."
Zach's hand was warm as it sat in mine. I ran my thumb over the top of it, learning every scar, and vein. The heels of my boots clicked against the bricks that lined the street. As we past a tall lightpost I looked over at Zach. His eyelashes looked even longer than usual in the dim light. Snow flakes fell on them, making his tough facade hide, behind the Zach who wasn't scared, who wasn't angry and who wasn't trying to kill anyone with a toothpick. (Even though there are only a select amount of people who have the clearance to prove he actually did that.) Zach, at that moment, was just mine.
"I hope that doesn't bruise." I said, gently running my finger across his cheekbone where he has a long scratch from one of the men's rings.
"It will." He said, and smiled. We stopped at the corner of the sidewalk and I just stared at him. I wanted to memorize every bit of him, so I could never lose him. I wanted that moment, with Zach and I holding hands, to last forever. And then the phone rang.
Zach stuck his hand into his wool jacket and pulled out his phone that he pressed to his cheek, never letting his eyes leave mine.
"Yes?" He said.I came closer to him, resting on his shoulder, pretending to be romantic, but I was really listening to the conversation. He must have understood what I was doing because he looked down and raised his eyebrows as if to scold me. I heard Townsends voice on the other end. No wonder Zach didnt look happy. He was still a bit touchy about the whole dad thing.
"How's the eye doing?" Townsend said, sounding bored. Some people might think that if a man found out that he had a son after 19 years than they would fawn over them and at least call them son, or act like the enjoyed talking. But if Townsend did that, Zach would know he was faking it, so why would they even try?
"Could be better." Zach said, leaning his head on top of mine.
"Well wanted to let you and and Cammie know that all went well."
"I'll let her know." I smiled, biting back a giggle.
"Don't think im so naïve as not to think that I don't know she is listening to every word I am saying." Townsends British accent must have tickled me somehow because I outwardly laughed.
"Tell Aunt Abby I say hi!" I said into the phone, then stepped away leaning against the lightpost, looking out at the people that were skating on the frozen pond beside us. The stars sparkled above and it was a truly beautiful night.
A minute later I felt Zach's arms wrap around my hips. "So what'd your dad say?" I ask, and wait for the scolding. I felt his eyes on me and turned, they looked pained at the word 'dad'. "Sorry." I sighed and bit my lip. I didnt mean to hurt him, but I did want to see how he would react.
"No." He faked a smile. "Don't be. I guess technically he is my father." Zachs eyes drifted to some imaginary place. He wasnt looking at the pond, or even at the stars. It was like he was peering into his own soul.
"But..." I started for him.
"But I dont know if I could ever call someone my dad. Or even be comfortable with having someone view me that way."
"What about Soloman?" I asked.
At the name, he smiled, and looked me in the eyes. "Well, Soloman has been the exception to about every rule, ever." I laughed a little, then turned into his arms, so we were facing. My hand found the facial hair on his chin, that was newly growing in. Then I tiptoed and kissed the tender spot on his eye. "So what did Townsend say?" I asked.
"Apparently our little stunt worked. Giancarlo was out of the room long enough for a sturdy bug, and they are getting the whole meeting."
"And was it worth a black eye?"
"Oh that's nothing." He waved it off. And I guess compared to everything else thats happened to us it was really no big deal.
"Ya your still cute with it." I said. The whole flirting thing was getting easier for me.
"Are you kidding me,im still like a freaking greek god." Zach stuck out his chest and flexed his arm muscles.
I let out a sturdy 'pht.'
"Ya, but I couldn't stand the couple punches you took." He said, suddenly serious.
"Compared to the punches I got from Bex in the last years of school, that was a cake walk." My eyes rolled. I was not stretching the truth one bit.
"Ya, she is kind of scary." Zach's eyes widened and he shivered. I remembered that after I suddenly re-appeared,that Zach had been paired with Bex for a significant P&E experiment. The word experiment, in that situation where Bex was even more raged than normal,was not good. I felt pain for Zach and nodded.
Our hands once again joined and our feet found the bricks as we walked around the pond, watching the couples. There were a few food stands in front of us and the smell of tacos, and cappucinos filled my nose. It was not a good compination. I gagged and Zach laughed at me. It seemed like time was slower and we were happy. A word that had not been used to describe our lives lately.
"God that things huge." I laughed. A large man walked past with a burger that had to be at least a pound and a half.
Then we got quiet and I couldnt help but be completely and utterly content in the moment.
He stared around- taking in the sights, with a small smile on his face. Looking like he was deep in thought, I dared to pull him out. "What are you thinking about?" I asked.
Zach stopped me under a streetlight, and just stared at me, making me blush. Finally, he leaned down and kissed me. Short, gentle and sweet. It was perfect.
"So? What were you thinking about?" I dont know why, but I wanted to know everything. I wanted to understand every thought that went through his head, because I knew they all had to be pretty close to perfect( as perfect asa former spy,ex assasins thoughts could be.)
He sighed. "That I really want one of those burgers."
I gaped. "Seriously?!" I critisized. Ok- so maybe they wouldn't be all that perfect.