Chapter 11
CPOV
I woke early and rolled over in bed, sighing. Warm light spilled out from under the curtains covering the window. I reached up and pulled the curtain away. Sunlight poured onto my face and I blinked, sitting up, and instantly flopping back down. My head was spinning like the Tilt-A-Whirl at an amusement park in London. I groaned and someone laughed.
"Ah, my friend," Mitchie's voice said. "This is what they usually call hangover….but I guess in your case, you're just sick."
"What…the…hell..happened…last night?" I managed out. "Were we attacked?" My heart started to pound and I sat up again, ignoring my spinning cranium and putting my hand under the pillow. Good, my knife was still there.
Mitchie laughed. "Well, we weren't," she snorted. "But you were visited by the Coke Devil from Soda Hell."
I blinked and everything came rushing back to me.
The coke…the more coke…the singing, the dancing, the acrobatics…and finally, curling up by the wall and passing out, and hearing Nate's warm voice calling me, and his arms around me and his heartbeat lulling me back to sleep…
"Oh," I said quietly.
And then it really hit me.
"OHMYGOD!" I screamed. "YOUR KIDDING ME! I FELL ASLEEP? I WAS DRUNK? MITCHIE HOW DARE YOU?" After this, I don't think she understood me. I might have started screaming in French but I couldn't tell. "Don't you know how dangerous that was? Letting me leave you and the boys? You should have stopped me at my second drink! Do you know how monumentally BAD this could have turned out?? ARE YOU INSANE?"
I sat panting on my bed, Mitchie watching me with wide eyes. Finally, she let out a long breath.
"I'm pretty sure I know what that last part was," she said quietly. "And it wasn't my fault. You just have a low tolerance for caffeine. I'm sorry, Caitlyn. But nothing happened and nothing will. We are going to save these boys and we'll do it the right way."
I closed my eyes, not answering her, and pressed my hand to my heart, muttering softly in French, repeating back some old prayers I'd learned when I had studied different religions. Finally, I opened my eyes and gazed calmly at her.
"I forgive you," I said crisply. "Now, is there anything to eat?"
"Let's go get something from the cafeteria," Mitchie suggested, unfolding her crossed legs and hopping off her bed from where she'd been watching me. "Ella's already down there, she's keeping an eye on the boys."
The boys.
I made a major fool of myself in front of the boys. The targets! I may have just as well told them I was a spy intent on protecting their lives! I might have! How the hell was I supposed to remember??
I wanted to run my head into the wall.
"I blew it," I moaned. "I blew the mission!" My Russian came on. "I completely and utterly lost this mission! I should just go back to retirement…her Majesty probably needs me again. I'll help with her royal duties or something. I suck at being a spy!"
"Calm down," Mitchie scolded me. "You're one of the best spies I have ever met. They trained you well. Even if you were given some kind of potion to tell the truth, like in Harry Potter, you wouldn't spill the beans. You are just that good. Now get up, get dressed and let's go! Nate was anxious to see you."
I blinked. "Why?"
"He's the one that found you," Mitchie shrugged. "He had to carry you to the car. Don't you remember?"
He carried me to the car? Really? And truly, without waking me up?
Aww.
"No," I mumbled, my face warming up as I hopped out of bed and went to my closet. "I don't." I opened the closet and sighed. "I feel like a fool."
No duh. I had some weird, fluttery feeling in my stomach that seemed like I was going to be sick but at the same time giggle like there was no tomorrow. I felt light headed yet sturdy and weak but stronger than most girls my age. I had no idea what that meant.
"Don't worry," Mitchie said. "It wasn't that bad."
"I did what?" I squeaked for the millionth time as Mitchie and I made our way down the stairs to the dining room of the hotel.
"Um…skated backwards and did a handstand on the trash can," she repeated. I groaned.
"Kill me."
"Relax! Everyone knows it was one of your first Coke's. No one's mad at you."
"Except myself," I grumbled.
"Whatever. And hide the accent. You're American, remember?"
I sighed and spoke in my American accent. "Yeah, well, still. I was so vulnerable! I hate that."
"Hate what?" came a voice from behind us. We turned and saw Nate behind us. I blushed badly. He grinned at me. "Good morning, Caitlyn. Some night, huh?"
"Speak for yourself," I growled, walking past him to the dining room. "You didn't go drunk on a cheap soda at a Hannah Montana concert."
"True, and I also didn't have to be carried to the car," Nate added. I stopped and turned around, glaring daggers at him before grabbing my food and placing it on a place.
"But," he added. "I also got to see a very amusing part of you. You know, you have a nice voice, Caitlyn."
"Not as nice as Mitchie's," I mumbled, still turned around. I realized Mitchie hadn't followed and mentally cursed her.
"Still, you're better than Hannah." He came beside me to grab a plate and I saw a slight smile on his face. "And you're a wicked awesome skater."
I looked down at my feet, which were currently covered in high very high topped Converse shoes. "Thanks," I mumbled. "You're a really awesome singer." I grabbed a spoonful of raisins and sighed.
"Thanks," Nate said, grabbing a bowl and pouring some corn flakes into it. "But I've had lots of practice."
"So have I," I murmured. I turned away to pay for my food. Nate hesitated, and then I heard his footsteps behind me. Ignoring him, I paid for my food at the counter and looked around for my co-agents. To my dismay, Ella and Mitchie sat at different, two person tables, with Jason and Shane across from them, leaving no room for me. I wanted to bash them with my laptop but instead I moved for another two person table, sitting down with as much dignity as I could muster.
Nate hesitated by my table. "Can I sit down?" he asked quietly. I nodded.
"Sure. Pull up a seat."
He sat down across from me and twirled his spoon around his cereal. I took a bite of my blueberry muffin and looked out the window, watching the people of Hollywood move about in their various morning activities.
After a moment, Nate sighed. I glanced at him and saw him staring out the doorway.
"Are you okay?" I asked gently. He nodded.
"I'm fine," he said softly. "Tired, I guess."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
I sighed too. I felt down, depressed and sad, like I'd been waiting for something that never came. I picked up a raisin and popped it into my mouth. Nate took a small bite of his cereal and we ate in silence.
Suddenly, I saw something out the corner of my eye. I turned and saw someone who looked like FBI, or maybe KGB. He wore a dark suit and sunglasses. I gulped.
Vlad? Here, now?
"Hey, Nate, hold on a moment, okay?" I asked, my hand already texting on my phone, hidden under the table.
"Uh…okay," he said, obviously confused. I hit send and left the table, feeling him watching me. The secret service agent smiled and turned to leave, obviously telling me to follow. I trailed him out the hotel and down the street. He knew I was following him, and my hand was at my pepper spray. Old fashioned, but it worked. All my other weapons, such as my knife, tiny revolver and my paralyzing shot were back in my hotel room.
No matter. I was A…I was Caitlyn Gellar, top spy in England, France and Slovakia, not to mention the United States. I could take this guy.
I followed him down the sidewalk for a few more miles before he turned and walked down an abandoned alleyway. I reached for my badge and followed him.
I opened my mouth to shout "Freeze!" but when I got there, he was gone.
"You lost him?!" Ella repeated. "You lost the guy?!"
"I'm sorry!" I defended myself. "I was five feet away from him when he turned down an alley. I was there in three seconds and .gone. Don't give me your American crap, Angie, Ella, whoever you are. I did my best."
Ella groaned, her fingers grabbing a bunch of her hair and tugging it. Mitchie was watching us silently from the couch in Ella's suite.
"Well, your best wasn't good enough, now was it?!" Ella demanded. "You lost the guy, Caitlyn! He could have been CIA or, or KGB or someone!"
"Well, if that's the truth," I demanded. "Then why aren't we with the boys? If they were in danger, then why aren't we watching them with extra security?"
Ella opened her mouth to reply, but her eyes widened in horror. I smirked and stood up.
"I'm a British spy working with the Mi5," I said seriously. "I don't think I should be the one being scolded." With that, I grabbed my phone and marched out of the room, leaving the American's silent behind me.
I walked downstairs and peeked in the dining room. Connect 3 was sitting there with someone who looked very, very familiar. I couldn't put my finger on it, but…I knew him from somewhere. He wore a simple pair of black jeans, a white shirt and a tux jacket over it. His hair was black and combed back, slick and shiny. I studied him for a bit longer, then ducked out of the way when I saw Jason turn his head in my direction.
I leaned against the wall, trying to connect the pieces of the puzzle in my mind. My mind was still a bit hazy from the Coke last night, however, and everything remained a fuzzy mess.
"Damn it," I growled in French. Why the hell had I done that last night? I might as well have screwed someone.
Sighing, I went out to the pool. It was a warm, sunny day and I was rather pale. I needed to blend in, so I stripped down to my bathing suit, which was underneath my shorts and tank top. Stretching out on a white chair thing that they always have by pools, I closed my eyes and let my mind wander. And by wandering, I mean go over my mission in French.
I backtracked on everything I had learned here in America.
Grand total of new information? Zero point one percent.
With a shock, I realized everything I'd been doing wrong. I'd been playing hard-to-get with the mission targets while I should have been the one tracking down Vlad! Duh!
I shook my head mentally. From now on, Mitchie and Ella can play with Connect 3. Myself, I better start looking into the real danger: Vladimir Lenin.
I was about to get up to go back to my hotel room and grab my laptop when I heard footsteps approaching. They sounded hesitant, and slow. The person was wearing flip flops. How did I know? It's a long story, starting with a special surgery I'd had when I was twelve.
"C…Caitlyn?"
It was Nate.
I opened my eyes in surprise to see him standing beside the chair I was laying on. Once again, his entire self caught me breathless…his dark, serious eyes, his many curls, his all together attractiveness…the boy was, in a word, perfect. He watched me warily. I faked a yawn and mumbled "What's up?" rolling onto my side and propping me head up with my hand, my elbow resting on the chair. I didn't need the surgery to see Nate's eyes automatically trace over my half naked body, now sexily placed in front of him. He reddened when I stared at him.
"Are you going to stand there forever?" I asked lightly. "I was just about to go…" Trying to save your life here, idiot, ask whatever you need to ask and let me go…
"Oh, um, I'm sorry," Nate stuttered, blinking rapidly. "I just…well, I wanted t…to ask you something." He shifted from one foot to another, biting his soft looking lip. I gulped.
"Y…yes?" I asked, cursing my stuttering. I sounded like a fool.
"Um…" He sat slowly down on the chair beside me, his hands in his lap like an obedient schoolboy. I waited.
"Well, I…I know that we've met, what, four days ago but...and I know this sounds…insane but I feel like…like we were supposed to meet. I feel like I know you like I know my brothers. So, um," he pressed his lips into a line. "I was wondering if…um, you…you maybe wanted to go out sometime? With me?"
I blinked, shocked out of my own imagination. Had I, Alyssa turned Caitlyn Gellar, just been asked out on a date? Me, who never even spoke to the male species other than my bosses back in England, just got asked out by Nathan Gray, American music sensation?
I took a deep breath. "Um…sure."
"You…you…you…you what?!" Ella squeaked. Mitchie was beaming. I was standing guiltily in the middle of Mitchie's and mine suite, having just announced I had a date with Nate at seven tonight.
"I have a date with Nate tonight," I said simply, again.
"YES!!" Mitchie shrieked. "HULLEUJAH! Oh, my gosh, Caitlyn, it's about time! Oooh, what are you going to wear?! Don't worry, I have everything planned already! You are going to look fabulous!"
By now she was dancing around, pawing through my closet and hers, practically singing out the words in her perfect voice. I felt lightheaded.
"Why did you accept the date?" Ella demanded. "We have a job, Caitlyn."
"You think I don't know that?!" I said back. "and I didn't take it because I wanted to." …even though I did "…I took it because I needed to! Look, you said it yourself we need to get close to these boys. Besides, you accepted Jason's date!" Ella reddened. Oh yeah. "Well, now I can. I can get close to Nate and…" I trailed off and Mitchie grinned, pulling out three tiny, tiny squares, about the size of the top of a needle. They were packaged in tiny little plastic bags. Ella's eyes studied them.
"I finished making these earlier," she explained.
"Are those...We're going to chip them?" Ella said, "You truly are a mastermind, Mitchie." Her tone had softened; I could tell she was impressed.
"Thank you," Mitchie said, handing me one with the name 'Nathanial Gray' on the bag. I studied it, grinning slightly. The chip was very small, and skin colored. I could tell it was sharp, sharp enough to be slipped easily under the skin, all the way down to the bone. The awesome part was that it was so small, whoever was chipped wouldn't feel it. All they'd feel was a little pinch and then nothing. It didn't even bleed.
"Perfect," I murmured. "Now, here's the plan. We're going to dinner and then to see a movie…I think I'll be able to slip it on during the movie."
"Excellent," Ella said. "Genius. What are they hooked up to?"
"Our PDA's," Mitchie said. "And your Blackberry. Here, let me see yours." She held out her hand and Ella placed the phone in her hand. "Okay, look. See, you log onto this right here…" she clicked it. "Log on using your spy number as the password, and your username is your full real name, not Ella Peterson and boom!"
'Locating, Jason Gray' the phone beeped. 'One point twelve inches north.'
I glanced at the little chip resting in Mitchie's hand and laughed. "That's accurate." Then my expression turned serious and I tucked away the chip into my purse. "Now, we're going to have to get these on them carefully. Somewhere they can't come off…" I bit my lip, contemplating. "These will go all the way down to the bone, and won't come off unless we remove them on purpose..."
"How about the back of their necks?" Ella suggested. "They'll never get them there…"
"Yeah," I nodded slowly. "But I guess anywhere might work…"
"Just put it in the neck," Mitchie sighed, rolling her eyes. "How often do you scratch back there?"
"Hardly ever," I admitted. "But I guess wherever I can get it, right?"
"Right," Mitchie smiled. "Now, about your hair…"
"I look like a moron," I whined. I was standing in front of a full length mirror. Mitchie was running a comb gently through my curls. I was dressed in red converse tucked under black skinny jeans, which hugged my legs. Over that I had a flowy, red, shimmery baby doll top, and in my ears were black studs. My hair had been washed and now curled gently in waves down my back, and around my neck were three different sized black bead necklaces. Three silver bangles were on each of my wrists, jingling like bells at Christmas time.
"Caitlyn, honey, you have never looked sexier," Mitchie said in a phony southern accent like in all the movies. "Nate is gonna go ga-ga over you, darling!"
"I agree!" Ella added, who had quite eagerly lent me clothes from her magical closet. She had joined in Mitchie's spirit and now they were dressing me up like a doll.
"I disagree," I muttered, crossing my arms. The bangles jingled and I wanted to fling them into the wall. Maybe I would. Ella had ten thousand others. Why would six of them make a difference?
"Caitlyn, perk up!" Mitchie said impatiently, fixing my hair. "You look incredible for a kick ass Mi5 agent from England so shut up. Nate is going to fall over his own designer shoes for you."
"Shut up," I growled. "I look like a stuck up runway model from hell."
"Oh, for the love of-" Ella stared to say but the knocking on the door interrupted her.
I made a dash for it; I could survive a jump out the window if I landed on the balcony below, right? But Mitchie grabbed my arm and held me back while Ella went for the door. I shook my head frantically but Mitchie simply grinned and pushed me forward.
"Hi, Nate," Ella said cheerfully. "Caitlyn's coming. One second."
"Okay," his voice said.
"NO," I whispered in Mitchie's ear but she pushed me forward and out the door.
"Have a lovely time guys, Caity be home before ten! Goodniiigghhtttt," she sang, giggling and shutting the door.
I turned to glance at Nate, who was looking a little amused. Then he glanced at me and his eyes widened slightly. I felt like covering myself and making a dash for it.
"Um," I stumbled. "I, um, Mitchie and Ella, um, chose this for me…I'm sorry if it'll make you look bad to be with me, I t-tried to tell them to leave it but…" I trailed off to see Nate's shaking his head.
"No, no," he insisted. "You…you look…beautiful, Caitlyn." He reddened. "I, um, I mean…yeah, no, I meant it. You look stunning."
I glanced down at myself. "Really?" I asked doubtfully.
"Absolutely," he promised, sounding a bit winded. "So, shall we?" He offered his elbow and I hooked mine with his. As we walked down the hallway, I took in what he was wearing. He looked…well, he looked hot. He had on black jeans, leather Prada shoes and the white, slightly loose button up shirt had the sleeves pushed up to his elbows, showing off his strong arms. I gulped.
"So, you like Italian food?"
Nate's perfect voice interrupted my goggling. I blinked myself to Earth and tried to take in what he said. Suddenly, I couldn't understand English.
"Uh, uh," I stuttered. "Yeah, Italian sounds awesome."
My eyes widened in horror. I just answered in French!!! AHH!!
"I mean," I answered in English. "Yeah, I love I…Italian."
Nate laughed as the elevator dinged. "Yeah, me too," he said. He was too polite to mention my French slip up and instead led me to the back of the hotel and into the sparkling white limo. He opened the door for me and let me slide in. I was sure I was blushing.
"Thanks," I murmured. He smiled and sat beside me.
"No problem," he said. He directed the driver and we sat back, watching California speed by. We sat in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. I was dying to say something, anything, to try to get information out of him, but I didn't know where to start.
I had no idea why this boy was making me so nervous. I watched the Californian sunset cast a golden glow on his skin and his hair, making him glow, literally. His skin looked absolutely flawless. I felt breathless.
He turned to me then, smiling.
"So, how was your day?" he started.
"Oh, fine," I said casually, my heart pounding like a typewriter. I hoped he couldn't hear it. "It was interesting. How about you?"
"Oh, boring," Nate rolled his eyes, still smiling. "Our manager is talking about a quick few day trip off the tour to go to Venice. I'm not surprised, our album didn't do so great in Italy…" he rolled his eyes. "He's going insane for money."
I froze, my hand curling gently into a fist. Venice? Italy?
Uh…let me see, oh yea, NO. Not without us girls, they ain't.
I let out a long breath of air and nodded. "That's cool! Venice is beautiful."
"You've been there?" he asked in surprise. I nodded, smiling sheepishly.
"Yeah, I lived in Europe for a while," I said, shrugging. "I've been almost everywhere." I shut my mouth after that. I didn't want to seem like I was bragging. Nate didn't seem to mind, though, and instead smiled more.
"That's pretty cool. We went on a European tour a few months ago, but we never got to Venice."
"Oh, bummer," I sighed. "That's too bad."
"Yeah," he agreed. "Oh, hey, we're here!"
The limo stopped and my jaw dropped. It was an insanely elegant Italian eatery, with the words Fancy e Bella scrawled in fancy cursive in front. Nate caught my expression and chuckled. He took my elbow again and helped me out of the car.
Suddenly, bright flashes of light nearly blinded me. Nate cursed and grabbed me closer to him. When questions started flying, I realized it was paparazzi and instantly hid my face. The questions were all zooming faster than the Concorde.
"Nate, Nate, who's the girl?!"
"Is that your new girlfriend?"
"What's your name?"
"Nate, how did you meet? Are you dating? How long?"
"Nate, are you being a good boy?"
Nate's arm wrapped around my back and pulled me forward. I peeked out to see the shop looming forward and then inside. The door slammed closed behind us and I blinked. The place was completely empty.
"Nate, I think it's closed," I whispered. He laughed.
"No quite," he smiled. Suddenly, someone in a tux waltzed out of kitchen. It was a man who smiled. He spoke in Italian. I knew a little, tiny bit of Italian but only caught Nate's name…because it was said in English. Nate answered in the same manner, to my surprise. Then, he led me to the table.
I laughed. "Really? Wow that sounds insane."
"It was," Nate agreed, smiling. "I love playing concerts, though."
I had my chip already in my hand. I decided to play it up a little, so I could get it on him. Sighing, I put my hand on the table, resting there gently, and smiled shyly at Nate. He smiled back and suddenly, my heart began to go insane. I felt myself speaking without realizing it.
"Nate…" I bit my lip.
"Yes?" he asked gently. "What is it?"
I sighed. "You…you're unlike anyone I've ever met," I admitted. "I've never felt this way with anyone before…never. I know I sound very cliché but…" I shrugged. Nate smiled.
"Thanks," he murmured. "I feel the same way, Caitlyn. I feel like there's a reason we met. Don't you feel it, too?"
I let out a shuddering breath. "Yes…I…I do, actually," I said to my surprise. Nate took my hand and squeezed it. I squeezed back and the chip burrowed into his skin, down the bone.
"Ow," he said, pulling back. "What was…"
"Oh, my gosh, I'm sorry," I said. "It was my bracelet, it catches sometimes. Are you okay?"
He rubbed his hand and smiled. "I'm fine. Ready to go to that movie?"
My plate was empty, and my stomach and heart was full.
I smiled back.
"Sure."
NOOOOOOOOO!!! THE JB'S LOST TEH GRAMMY!! AHH!! Not. Cool. Not. Fair!
Well hoped you enjoyed the long chapter..
*mya: How romantic is Nate. Its sooo wonderful...Alyssa worked uber hard on this sooo don't forget to leave a review!
