As the dust cleared, the girls were able to open their eyes and enter the apartment.
"What happened?" Macey asked as she made out the boys figures in the clearing dust.
"We're not sure. We were just playing video games," Carlos shrugged his shoulders.
"And I was picking up my lucky comb," James added as he let out a cough.
"Then BANG! There was a huge explosion," Logan explained.
"Wait a minute," Jo muttered under her breath. Cammie seemed to pick up the hint.
"Where is Kendall?" she asked the three other boys.
"Oh, he had just closed the door behind him when it happened," James replied nonchalantly. The five girls exchanged worried glances.
"Well, we need to go back to our apartment for a minute. We'll be back to check on you guys shortly," Bex said hesitantly, making up a believable excuse on the spot. With that, the five girls ran down to the lobby and out the front doors.
"Which way did they go?" Jo asked, looking around the empty street. It was late and dark and outside, so it was a little harder to pick up the trail.
"That way!" Liz's soft voice spoke up a moment later as she put away her DNA scanner.
"You're awesome, Lizzy. Did I ever tell you that?" Cammie asked her friend.
"About a million times before, Cam," Liz grinned before they all took off running down the street. As they passed an alleyway, Jo immediately back-tracked. She thought she had heard Kendall's voice. As she peered into the dark space with the other girls, she was able to make out three figures.
"Bex, you, Liz, and Macey guard the entrance. Jo and I will go get him," Cammie said. All of the girls nodded and Cammie and Jo jumped up on two window ledges and started ledge-jumping toward the back of the alleyway.
As they reached two ledges just above the three figures, they both looked at each and put a finger to their lips, signaling to be quiet.
"Listen, buddy. If you just cooperate, it'll go much smoother," one of the figures was saying.
"Why would I cooperate with people trying to kidnap me?" Kendall's voice replied. Jo's stomach flip-flopped as she heard the cockiness in his voice. He needed to just cool it or he was going to get hurt. As Jo was silently yelling at her boyfriend, the two girls heard a loud crack. Jo looked down just in time to see one of the figures' hand retracting from Kendall's face. He had an expressionless look on his face, but she knew he was hurting.
Jo looked over at Cammie and the two nodded at each other. A moment later, they were behind the men in the alleyway.
"Leave the boy alone and go back to your boss," she commanded as she assumed a fighting stance.
"What are two little girls going to do to us if we don't?" the same figure who had spoken before asked in a mocking tone.
"Don't say we didn't warn you," Cammie told them as if she said it all the time. Jo and Cammie threw flying sidekicks at the two men, successfully knocking them to the ground. The men regained their composure and stood up, ready to attack, but Cammie and Jo were even more ready. They grabbed the fists the men threw at them and flipped them toward the entrance of the alleyway, letting Bex, Liz, and Macey take over.
Once Jo was sure the two men were being taken care of, she turned to Kendall, who had a bruise forming under his eye.
"Are you okay?" she asked him quietly.
"J-J-Jo?" Kendall questioned confusedly before he slumped to the ground in a faint.
"Jo, your mask," Cammie pointed out. Jo reached up to touch her face and found that her mask was hanging off of her hair. It must have gotten ripped off in the fight.
"Great. Just great," Jo groaned.
"Come on, let's get him back to the hotel. We're going to have to explain now," Cammie sighed. Jo nodded as she lifted Kendall up by his shoulders while Cammie took his legs.
About half an hour later, Kendall woke up. James, Carlos, Logan, Cammie, and Jo had been playing a game of Egyptian Rat Scrap, but quickly abandoned the game when Kendall sat up.
"Jo, what's going on?" he asked as soon as she moved into his line of vision.
"Kendall, I'm so sorry. And I'm sorry to you guys, too," she looked over at the three other Big Time Rush boys. "I used to go to school at the Gallagher Academy. It's a school for spies," Jo explained, trailing off as she looked at Kendall. Cammie took up the story.
"Jo was one of the best and my friends and I were given a mission to protect you guys. We needed Jo's help," Cammie explained.
"But you guys can't tell anyone, okay? Promise?" Jo asked.
"Promise," came the unanimous reply.
"But, um, where are Bex, Liz, and Macey?" Logan asked, noticing the three other girls were missing.
"That is a good question," Jo replied, becoming a little suspicious, even more so when she saw the masked figure in the hallway walking away.
"They probably have a good reason for disappearing," Cammie assured her friend.
"We know the perfect location for striking," Bex said to the man in the shadows.
"Good. Where and when?" the shadow asked.
"Tomorrow at Rocque Records," Liz replied.
"Perfect. However, your partners won't be able to show," the shadow pointed out.
"That's fine. You've got your best agents right here," Macey said with a smirk.
"Fine. Tomorrow at Rocque Records," the shadow began laughing evilly.
"Well, Kendall, Logan, and Carlos, why don't you guys come out here with me for a minute?" Jo said. Cammie glared at her, knowing what she was trying to do.
"Okay!" Carlos said perkily as he pushed Jo and Logan and Kendall out of the apartment.
Cammie groaned as the door slammed shut before turning towards James.
"H-hi James," Cammie smiled at him as she spoke awkwardly.
"Hi Cam," James grinned at her as he patted the space on the orange couch next time. Cammie bit her lip as she walked over and sat next to him, becoming shy at the way he was looking at her,
"You're just how I remember you from kindergarten, only prettier," James smirked. "You're blushing," he teased.
"Shut up!" Cammie slapped his arm playfully and they both laughed.
"Seriously though, Cam. I was wondering if you maybe wanted to give…us a try?" James spoke softly, something Cammie was not used to.
"I…I'd like that James," Cammie said shyly, letting him pull her a little closer to him. Cammie gasped, unsure about what was about to happen. A moment, she knew she liked it, though. James kissed her.
A/N: Four more chapters left! Please review!
