This is extremely short I know but I like to think of it as more of a filler chapter. Plus I have a sinus infection and a stomach bug right now on top of having to study for my midterms this week before the semester ends. In other words RL is trying to make me miserable. But I can promise that by next weekend there will be a nice long chapter with a little more action and romance than we've been seeing lately. Everyone stay safe this week and I'll work on the next chapter as quick as I can!
This City Is On Fire
Grabbing Emma's arm we quickly weave our way through the crowd and into the house, passing the thug by the door before we practically sprint out into the dark. The look that he gives us doesn't go unnoticed by right now I don't care because I have to get to Michael first before he loses his head over the glasses. Emma hasn't said a word since Gomez brought her back and I really want to ask if she's alright but she looks just as panicked as I am.
Other than the light coming from the backyard we're running blind so finding the car proves to be a little difficult and I can feel myself staring to lose my cool. After a moment Emma pulls her arm out of my grasp and takes Fi's car keys from me, obviously a little saner than I am right now and she walks a few steps ahead, letting out a tiny laugh when she finds the car and unlocks it before sliding into the driver's seat and giving me a pointed look.
"I'm driving. You need to calm down." Her voice is stern and I can't find a reason to argue with her so I drop into the passenger's seat and put my head in my hands. I can't even think straight.
"Crap, this is bad. This is really, really bad," I moan. Emma's eyes are sympathetic as she maneuvers out of the huge driveway. As we reach the end she stops and looks at me questioningly.
"Where do you wanna go? We can meet up with them somewhere nearby or we can head to the loft and let him catch up to us there so he has some time to cool off."
"Uh, just head to Mike's ok? I need the time to get our story together." Nodding and offering a comforting pat on the arm she pulls out and we start the drive back, an awkward silence filling the car as we realize how bad this is. Thankfully we're at least thirty minutes away from the loft so I have a little time to think before we have to face the others.
Even though it's not really anybody's fault I've worked as a spy long enough to know that when you're assigned you a job you do it and you do it right. And knowing Mike has been a spy for so long I know how obsessed he is with accuracy and the ability to do things quickly, and even though it seems over the top you start to expect that from everyone you work with too.
That being said I have enough knowledge and experience of working with Mike to know he's going to be pissed. Really pissed. And I think Emma knows this too because she's chewing on her bottom lip and giving me a look that screams "this is trouble."
"Don't worry about it," I tell her when I catch her looking at me, "it's not your fault, he's not going to say anything to you." Whether she finds comfort in that or not I don't know but soon her shoulders begin to relax and some of the panic leaves her face. If I can keep her calm than we should stand a pretty good chance of telling Mike our story before he bites our heads off. Of course, that is pretty wishful thinking on my part
…
We reach the loft in what seems like light year speed and even after we stop neither of us make an effort to move. Even though I know what her answer will be I consider telling Emma to go home and let me handle it myself, it was my mess after all. But quickly I push the thought aside when I hear the voices coming from the other side of the metal gate and I psych myself up as I step out of the car. I hear Emma's door slam shut too and feel her standing right behind me, a comforting hand on my arm as I walk into the new warzone we've created.
Now, I've seen Michael Westen mad before, but never like this. If looks could actually kill Emma and I would be puddles on the ground, not standing a chance. He's fuming. His face is red, the veins in his neck are bulging and I suddenly can't remember what I was going to say. Fi and Sam are at the top of the stairs with worried looks on their faces as they watch. Michael is the first one to step closer and into the light coming from the lamp overhead with arms folded across his chest as he swallows thickly.
"We were this close you guys. This close to wrapping this whole thing up and being done with it. All we needed was the tape to turn in when we called the cops and now unless we can actually get the cops there while the transfer is going on he's going to walk." Surprisingly Mike's voice is a lot calmer than I thought it would be but the pure fury in his eyes betrays all of that.
It's true that we could still go through with the plan and just have the cops show up early but the risk that we would be caught there at the same time was too great which is why we needed the tape. I sigh and take a few steps towards Mike, because I don't want him to think I'm afraid of him. He's an equal opponent but nothing for me to fear.
"Mike it was an accident, some drunken party boy knocked us over and the glasses fell in the water. Weren't you able to save anything from the tape?" I glance up at Sam because he knows a lot more about this stuff and when he shakes his head I mentally curse. Scrubbing my face with my hands I start throwing out suggestions.
"We still have the meeting at the dock. It's possible we can get something useful from that." Shaking his head Michael starts pacing, running a hand through his short hair.
"No, the guy you're meeting with is already a rat, he's not going to risk any more than he already has running his mouth to someone he doesn't know. "
"You know Michael," Fi speaks up for the first time since we arrived, slinking down the stairs and stopping in front of her boyfriend, "there may be another way to get what we need."
There's doubt in her eyes, which is the first thing that makes me skeptical about what she's going to suggest. The second is the look she's sending in our direction. But Michael, desperate for anything that will save our asses, looks interested.
"What is it Fi?" he encourages her to speak, leaning back against the railing with a quirked eyebrow.
"Well," Fi starts, "we know that we can't just send the two of you back in there and start asking for him to go over the plan again. That's just going to make him suspicious and get Jesse and Emma killed if something goes wrong. But, we know that Gomez has a soft spot for Jade. He was all over her tonight and I know no man in his right mind would turn down the opportunity to spend a little time with a girl he can't get off his mind."
No. No way, no how. It's an awful plan, the worst I've ever heard if I'm being honest. Fi is actually suggesting sending Emma in by herself with a killer. I may not like the fact that she has to go near him at all but every other time she's been with me and I've been able to keep my eye on her. This time she'd be going in alone and event he thought of her having police training isn't enough for me to agree to this.
Of course, that would mean I actually had a say in the matter.
"I'll do it." Suddenly, Emma surprises all of us when she speaks up, brushing her long hair out of her face and looking Michael dead in the eye. "And I don't need the pep talks. I know what I'm doing."
Looking back at me she adds, "This man as good as killed my best friend right in front of me. If you think I'm just going to sit on the sidelines and let him get away than you don't know me like you think you do."
Turning around she pushes past me and walks out, leaving me staring at the spot she was just occupying while Fi smiles victoriously before sauntering back up the stairs and into the loft. Casting a look back at Michael I swallow my anger and point at him.
"I know you just want this to be done Mike but if anything happens to her…" I can't even finish the sentence because the thought of the threat actually becoming a possible outcome is too much to think about. Instead I opt for walking out and clearing my mind, brushing past Emma and stomping across the pavement. Tomorrow's going to be another busy day.