Oh, it's been a month since I last posted. And I just realized it's been over a year since I started this story, which has gone in directions I didn't expect. So, it's pretty exciting for me to say the least. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter as much as I have.
Edited: sep 8, 2014
Surprisingly, Remy had stuck by his word and kept the pair within a half mile away from the hotel. Sure, Ansa didn't get to see all the sights, but then she reminded herself she wasn't in New Orleans on vacation—she had work to do.
After roaming through shops and streets, Remy brought Ansa to a small café around two pm. As they took a seat, the Cajun explained he was to meet someone here; it was about Boudreaux's safe. The men who were supposed to meet them were experts on most safes—the Guilds often trusted them when in need of something new. And it seemed that, for now, Remy could still trust them.
The men arrived about ten minutes after the pair. The Trahan brothers looked like completely average guys—their attire was casual, and they almost looked unkempt by Ansa's observations. Jules, the older of the two had a much more firm expression—he was more focused on business. Theo seemed to be the care-free one, almost as if he was the 'go along for the ride' kind of guy. Nonetheless, one could still tell that when it came to their line of work, they knew all the ups and downs.
At their arrival, they went straight into business, hardly giving Remy a greeting and not introducing themselves to Ansa. When working with both the Thieves and the Assassins Guilds, they learned to keep things brief.
"So, we looked through our files, tried ta fin' any records o' Boudreaux's purchases." Jules started. Remy gave a quick nod, "Abou' three months 'go 'e got a new safe."
"Is state o' the art, pretty advanced stuff." Theo added, "is gon' be difficult ta break into."
"But do you know how? Is there some kind of override?" Ansa questioned as she leaned her elbows on the table they sat at toward the back of the café.
"You'd 'ave ta get the safe back ta our shop fo' dat." The older brother replied, "An' I assume ya can't exactly do dat so easily."
"Too difficult." Remy muttered.
Ansa thought for a few moments before her eyes brightened in thought, "Can you teach us how to disable it on our own?"
The brothers shared a thoughtful look. For a few long seconds, the group was silent.
"Maybe we coul'…"
"Bu' it'd take time."
"Time we're willing to spend." Ansa replied instantly. Remy couldn't hide the smile that crossed his lips at her quick response.
Again, the other two glanced at each other. As he waited, Remy leaned over to whisper to Ansa.
"Ya sure ya wanna learn dat? Safes are tricky." Ansa turned to look at him, nose practically skimming his skin. She raised a cocky eyebrow.
"I'm a fast learning." She gave him a brief grin.
The two men looked back at the pair, catching them in what appeared to be an intimate moment, "We'll show ya, but we betta' start now."
So, the group stood and began their trek. To protect the men from suspicion, Remy and Ansa remained a few long paces behind, keeping their heads down. They were hoping not to be spotted, especially now, and they could never be sure when a spy would be around the corner. They were close to the end of the mission; they couldn't have a stumble now.
Learning to disable the safe took hours. Yes, both Ansa and Remy had their fair share of experience, but neither had seen this kind of safe before. It had become quite obvious how cautious Boudreaux was. The Trahan brothers repeated steps for them and showed them the best tools to use—after a bit of very confusing steps, Ansa began to take notes, which got Remy chuckling. She retorted by saying that she'd be the one to do it right.
Once they finally arrived to the hotel, Ansa briefly went over her notes, hoping to memorize as much as she could. She knew soon they'd be faced with the task and she didn't want to take longer than necessary. Remy took to watching her for a short while, but grew bored quickly enough. He called for room service, getting way more food than necessary. Ansa scoffed when he stated he ate when he was bored.
Eventually, Ansa set aside the notes and watched as Remy carried the food toward the kitchenette, where he set it on a table and returned to his seat on the couch. When he caught her gaze, he quirked an eyebrow and grinned.
"What ya thinking 'bout, chère?" He asked while leaning back into his seat.
Ansa watched him for another moment, a look akin to contentment in her eyes, "If this all goes well—if we can get the files and go—we could be back to headquarters tomorrow this time." Remy stared back at her, suddenly realizing that this was almost over, "It's a little strange."
"Wha' happens afta dat?" The Cajun asked.
Ansa shrugged, "We go back to what we were doing before this mission." She stood, stretching her legs for a moment before walking about the room, "We go on with our lives."
As he watched her wander the room, Remy could see the government agent coming through again, could see Agent Lindström for a brief moment before she was once again Ansa. She was used to this, did this for a living—her whole life was going undercover to simply become herself again after completing a mission. That wasn't him. He doesn't pretend he's someone else; he can't put forward fake feelings and personas. This mission brought back memories he wanted to forget, reminded him of his past—he didn't know how anyone could deal with that possibility.
"How do ya jus' act like these missions neva' happened?" Remy finally asked. Ansa came to a halt in front of him, looking down thoughtfully.
"I don't know anymore—it's just my job." She finally responded, "I'm good at forgetting."
A thought came to Remy, one that made him frown. When Ansa saw this, she grew worried—he was getting emotional and anxious and that's the last thing she wanted to deal with, "So, you jus' gon' forget me afta this?"
Ansa stopped, eyes staring at him; she didn't expect that question. She didn't want to talk about this, definitely not. But the expectant look on Remy's face let her know it couldn't be avoided.
"No…" she finally said. Remy, though more contented, still looked doubtful, "I can't forget you—I won't let myself."
"Why that, chère?"
Ansa rolled her eyes, "You're gonna make me tell ya?"
At that, the corner of Remy's lips pulled up and he let out a slight chuckle. Ansa's eyes narrowed slightly, but the Cajun could see her resisting a smile.
It was then Ansa tried to consider what the man was feeling—he wasn't used to this like she was. He didn't form fake relationships simply to drop them the next day. He wasn't trained to kill. He didn't work for the government; he worked for himself.
Then it hit her—this could be their last night as partners. After tomorrow, they go home. They won't see each other every day, won't go on some absurd adventures. She would miss that, and that's what scared her most. Ansa had only known Remy for verging on two weeks, and she grew way too attached. So, what did that mean once they leave New Orleans?
Ansa wasn't sure what to do with this… relationship. She had virtually no personal ties to people, and she had always kept it that way. And now she wondered if she should let Remy into that. What would happen, then, if they remained in touch?
'Just forget about it.' A voice in the back of her head spoke, 'Don't worry so much, stop thinking about it.'
And do what?
Ansa stared at Remy once more, who had a searching expression on his face as he caught her zoning out and coming back.
"Chère?" he asked quietly as she looked at him thoughtfully.
"Are you going to just forget about me after this?" She repeated his question. Remy almost scoffed.
"O' course not." He replied simply. And that's all Ansa needed. She stepped forward, practically forcing herself to stand between his legs. Her lips crashed down onto Remy's as one hand tangled its way into his hair, the other lying firmly against his cheek. The Cajun was momentarily shocked before his arms wrapped around her waist, pressing her closer to his warm body.
The kiss was sloppy and heated and aggressive as they melded together. Ansa ran her tongue along his lips, and he immediately opened his mouth so their tongues could come together. Remy let out a needy groan as she began to scrape her nails against his scalp; damn did that feel fantastic. His fingers pressed into her skin as she moved even closer, pulling one leg up to rest against his—quickly, the Cajun grabbed her other leg and pulled her completely into his lap.
Ansa pulled away from his lips to kiss down his neck, nipping at his skin. Remy was breathless as his hands continued to hold her closer, roaming all the curves of her body.
"Wha's this 'bout, chère?" He asked once he finally found his voice, though he continued to sound out of breath. Ansa placed a firm kiss up just under his ear, allowing her nose to brush against his cheek before she opened her eyes to look up at him.
"It's our last night as partners." She replied simply before she continued back down his neck. Want pulsed through Remy's entire being as his hands slid under her shirt, warm against her skin, causing her to curve her back at the sensation. His fingernails skimmed her soft skin as they traveled up toward her bra, momentarily halting over the delicate material. It was then that Ansa sat up to look him in the eyes, a mischievous glint completely apparent in them.
"Las' night, huh?" Remy questioned breathily as he grinned back at the woman, "Wha' ever coul' be done wit' tha' time…" He quickly gripped Ansa and moved her to lie on the couch. He rearranged himself swiftly and was soon on top of her, their lips hungrily coming back together.
As Ansa's hands traveled down the Cajun's chest, unbuttoning his shirt hastily, that little voice in the back of her head—the voice of need—grew louder, drowning out the agent in her. It encouraged her to keep going, reassured her that this is exactly what she needed to be doing in the moment. And she most definitely agreed with it.
I definitely need to write some more-I've only just started writing chapter 13! I'll try to make updates a bit quicker, but I can't really make promises. Hope you enjoyed!