Chapter 11
It takes almost ten minutes before Meliodas' finally picks a damn door.
I scowl at him as he picks it then pushes it open. "How do you know this is the right one?"
He throws a dubious look over his shoulder. "You think I'd just drag you in here without knowing where I was going?" He begins cautiously checking the room, searching for, unexpected guests I assume.
Yes, I mentally answer. Given how often the Sins seem to disappear at any given hour, I suppose it is highly possible that one of their trips included scoping out the Mayor's home. How exactly they managed to do it without getting caught is beyond me. Is the security in this place really so shitty?
"How'd you get past security?" I too begin searching without touching anything, even though I have no idea what I'm looking for. Something incriminating, I tell myself. That has to be why we're here.
"Ban and I've scoped this place out a number of times to get a schedule down." He replies as he pulls out a book and removes something from inside it, placing it in his pocket. "Something Ban is particularly skilled at. Sent King and Diane to a few of the parties too, before they officially got together. They made a really convincing couple. Blended in really well."
"Really?" I find it hard to believe given how King acts now.
"Sure. King's got the knowledge for mingling with the rich while Diane, well, she's a good looking woman and she knows it."
"You say that, but… I mean, with the way they act now? I can't imagine it was easy before they were together."
"It's a lot easier to pretend you have feelings than actually admitting to having them. Especially in their case," he removes another item from a plotted plant. There's a smile on his face as he looks at me over his shoulder for the first time since we entered the room. "You should really ask one of them how they met sometime." He laughs at his own private joke. Something about their story seems to be highly amusing to him.
It makes me extremely curious, but I push it aside and ask something else that's a bit more pertinent. "What are you doing?"
"Huh?" He pulls out something from underneath the windows edge, holding it out for me to look at.
An extremely small and highly advanced listening device rests in his hand. "A bug?" I stare at him dubiously. "You actually managed to bug this place?"
"Yep! King and Diane's handiwork, actually," he told me proudly. "Took them two trips to do but they managed to plant a couple."
"How?" I can't wrap my head around them being this skilled. "How were they able to get back here more than once?"
"The same way we did, I'd imagine," his eyes scan me up and down, a sly smirk on his features.
I glance away from him, trying to suppress the reminder of our heated kiss. "I really can't imagine King being able to pull something like that off. Diane, yes. King, definitely not."
He shakes his head as he sits down behind the desk, placing the old flashdrive into the computer there. "I told you, it's a lot easier to act on feelings under the ruse of a cover. That way you don't have to own up to them. Can say it was all for show." His green eyes bore into mine so intensely, I can't hold his gaze. "Let's just say King was really good at playing his part and Dianes' never had a problem with it before."
"What does that mean?" I furrow my brows.
Meliodas shrugged. "Ask her yourself if you really wanna know." He directs his attention back to the computer. "Damn," he curses under his breath. "This is gunna take a little longer than I want it to."
"How long?"
"Probably a couple of minutes," he answers and leans back in the chair - clattering away on the keyboard. "Thank god we had Gowther get this ready before hand or it'd be a lot longer."
Fantastic. My nerves are just about shot. We've been lucky so far, but that luck rarely lasts. My own curiosity is telling me to go look around the room. It wasn't everyday you found yourself in the mayor's office - I certainly never got the invitations. But, the cop in me knew that fingerprints can be pulled off of almost any surface… better to not tempt fate by leaving any.
With how alert I felt, I should have heard the door behind me opening. But I didn't. I didn't realize anything was wrong until I felt sharp, cold metal against my exposed back. I gasp silently, more surprised than scared, then roll my eyes.
Our luck just ran out.
I cleared my throat, making Meliodas glance up at me from behind the computer screen, confused, then understanding - staring hard at the person holding me at knife-point as my arms slowly raise from my sides in surrender.
I don't get a chance to raise them much further than shoulder height before a strong arm is wrapped around my body - trapping my arms at my chest, pulling me against them with the knife pressed to my throat. I could feel the blade scrape against my skin, feel it dig in. Just a little more pressure and he'd be slicing right through my jugular.
The man pushes us further into the office, using his foot to kick the door shut behind him. "What the fuck you doing in here?" I can't see my attacker, but his gruff voice tells me he isn't the same man that saw us leaving the party. Is he extra security? Or someone else entirely?
"Just looking into some things," Meliodas answers easily and slowly walks around the desk. "But, we're not looking for trouble."
"Stay right there!" The man demands, and the knife gets just a bit tighter. "How'd you get in here?"
"Had an invitation."
Meliodas glances to me every so often, and I can see the gears shifting in his head. He's trying to come up with a plan. His mind was running scenarios, trying to get us both out of here alive.
"Who's this, then?" The man hisses in my ear. His voice is dripping with want and desire; for me, for my blood, I wasn't sure. My hands grip his forearm tightly. "Your bitch?"
I suppress the growl that threatens to escape me at being captured and the idea that I would be considered anyone's bitch - let alone Meliodas'. Deep breathes, Elizabeth, I tell myself. Meliodas' expression is blank as his eyes meet my own for a split second longer. This glance had been different than the others. Filled with a new emotion, not just calculating. It was... angry...
"Let her go. She has nothing to do with this." He attempts to make another step towards me, his voice taking on a new tone. It's calm but demanding.
The man presses his knife harder into my throat and I can feel it start to slice into my skin. Was I just imagining the sensation of blood sliding down my chest? "Stop. Not another step or I'll cut her fucking throat!"
Fuck patience, I grit my teeth.
I throw my head back hard to smash his face, stunning him long enough to get a firm grip around his knife wielding hand. His grip is stronger than mine. I can tell by his muscle definition, but that won't help him here.
I push his hand and the knife away from me, using my grip and my hips, leaving a gap between us to swing back with a chop to the groin and then an elbow to his gut. The knife falls with a precise smack to his hand and I grin as I spin out of his grasp, rotating his arm. Using all of his weight and momentum to slam him into the nearest wall; I reach through the slit of my dress, pulling my firearm free from my thigh holster to press the barrel to the back of his head.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to sneak up on a lady?" I growl at him. My pulse is racing and my finger twitches on the trigger. Just give me a reason… I can't help but pray.
"Bitch!" He chokes out, having found his voice after my assault to his family jewels. "What are you?! A fucking narc?!"
My eyes widen. Narc… a narcotics cop… Meliodas' words from my first day at the bar flood me; "Pull that gun and your cover is blown…" He had been right. My training made me stand out. My gun only made it worse. If this man managed to get word out… all of the work I've done up till now would be wasted.
There is only one option for me here.
I get up, real close and personal with my would-be attacker, my eyes darting to Meliodas who watched me silently - waiting to see what I would do. "No." I purr in the most crazed way I possibly could, "I'm just a crime-boss's girlfriend."
I hate to admit how well I pull off the crazy lover…
Meliodas seems pleased with my performance too, as his brows shoot up, and that cocky grin makes its appearance once more. I had played right into the lie he'd been spewing since he first brought me to the bar.
Hate is too pedestrian. I loathe you, Meliodas. With every fiber of my being.
I could see the words forming in his mind before they could even reach his lips, and I hoped to whatever god was listening that he wouldn't say it.
"I am morbidly curious as to where you could have possibly hidden that and still managed to walk around comfortably."
He said it.
His smile only widened as I glared at him - grinding my teeth to refrain from snapping at him, hoping that my silent threat of death-by-multiple-gunshots to the head was reaching him regardless. The jackass even had the audacity to chuckle as he approached us. Meanwhile, I pull the man away from the wall, keeping an arm tight around his neck, and my gun sealed to his temple.
"As you can see, my girl here is something of a lethal weapon," he eyes me up and down. He seems almost… proud… or perhaps I was misreading that darker look he was suddenly giving me. "So, why don't you go ahead and tell me who you think I am?"
I can hear my own pulse again. The man standing in front of me and our intruder was different than the Meliodas I'd come to know over the last few days. Like he took pleasure in the torture of others. Like he craved bloodshed.
The man's eyes widen, fear apparent. He gulped audibly, I can feel his adam's apple move against my arm, and he says, "M-Meliodas. Leader of the Seven Deadly Sins."
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from saying anything incriminating. This is Meliodas' game now, I'm just a pawn for the moment. His crazy queen.
"What makes ya say that?" Meliodas tilts his head as he looks the man in the eyes. "I could be anyone, really. Why the leader of one of the most deadly gangs out there?"
At this, the man scoffs, apparently finding his balls. "We know you."
"We?"
"... your b-"
A punch to his face silences the man I'm holding captive. He goes limp in my hold. I drop him and the gun, scowling at the blonde and his sudden shift. "What the fuck did you do that for?"
Meliodas is silent for a moment, his hair hiding his eyes from me. He seems oddly tense and my normal bravado falters. Reassuring myself that the man on the floor isn't conscious, I place a hand on his shoulder. He stiffens. "Um, Meliodas?" I nibble my lip anxiously.
"We should get going," he responds, placing his hand over mine only to remove it from his shoulder. He hunches down and starts pulling the man before his mood shifts again and he gives me an overly bright grin. "Let's toss this guy out the window."
My jaw drops. "What?! You can't be serious."
"Sure I am. We're on the first floor, he'll be fine!" He tells me cheerily, already opening the window behind the desk.
"But-!"
"Elizabeth," he silences my protest. The gaze in his green eyes is no longer playful. His patience is wearing thin. "He can't be found in here. They'll know something's up. When he wakes up outside, he isn't going to risk coming back in. We'll be long gone by that time anyways."
"You don't know that," I try to argue softly, wary of him. "He could be working for the mayor."
"He isn't."
My mind is spinning with questions. But one look at those hard green eyes tells me no more questions would be tolerated. Not right now. I nod and Meliodas pushes the man out the window. Despite myself, I rush over next to him to make sure the stranger is okay.
"Bushes, perfect," Meliodas' cheery tone is back. "Almost forgot about those. They'll make good cover."
He spins on his heels and sits down behind the desk again. I glance at the man, barely visible from above, he'll be completely hidden from any other angle. I shut the window slowly. By the time I turn back to Meliodas, he's already sliding the flash drive back into his pocket, and pulling a cloth from his jacket's inner pocket to wipe the keyboard.
"Arlight. Let's go."
He goes to the door, looking out into the hall while I retrieve my gun from the floor. With my back to Meliodas, I heft my dress only high enough that I can hide my firearm in the holster wrap clinging to my thigh. When I turn around, Meliodas is still watching the hall. Miracles do happen, it seems.
We make our way back towards the main area of the party. Meliodas pulls me closer. Remembering how we left, I loop my arm through his and practically drape myself over him - but the strange twists I felt earlier in my stomach are not there this time. The same man who stopped us earlier turns and scowls at us as he takes in our disheveled appearance. Guess getting in a fight wasn't the worst thing. It seems to add to the ruse we had setup as the man makes no comment, glancing away uncomfortably.
To my surprise, Meliodas shifts direction, instead leading me right back to the dance floor. "What are you doing?" I ask under my breath.
"Be kinda suspicious if we just left right after sneaking away to," he smirks at me. "Ya know." He's acting the same as usual, but something is different. Off. It's almost like he's forcing himself. There's a hint of agitation in him that I can't quite place.
I scowl at him. "You really think they're paying that close attention to us?"
"Yes."
We dance for a few songs. Mingle with a few people and before I know it, we're back in the car, leaving the party. Everything had passed in a blur after our conversation. It felt good to be in the car once more. Not having to worry about prying eyes. We're about a block away from the Mayor's house when Meliodas stops the car. He blindfolds me once again and I say nothing against it. In fact, he doesn't even try to distract me during the drive. We sit in complete silence the entire drive back.
My mind wanders to the man who caught us. What was he going to say? And…
Why didn't Meliodas want me to hear it?
Luv: *twists her hands and arms while sliding feet along the floor while mumbling to herself.* Okay, so if I put my hands like this...
Dom: *Walks in the door, only to pause and stare completely confused* … Luv? What are you doing?
Luv: *turns to give Dom a bright smile* Morning Dom! *continues going back to what she was doing.* I'm airbending! Can't ya tell? *twirls around in a circle* Don't tell me you've never seen Avatar: The Last Airbender!
Dom: *tilts head to watch at an angle* Looks more like you're wrestling an invisible bear. *Looks excited* I WANNA WRESTLE THE INVISIBLE BEAR!
Luv: *jumps out of the way as Dom springs into action* Whoa, whoa!
Dom: FEAR ME BEAR! I SHALL SMITE YOU! *Starts rolling around like she is, in fact, wrestling an invisible mammal*
Luv: ... Well *scratches her cheek in thought* that answers my question of what kinda bender you would be… fire.. Definitely fire...
Dom: *Grunts while holding some invisible form in a half-nelson* Next time on Don't Trust Me: As it turns out, being a criminal is not nearly as cut-and-dry as Elizabeth expected. And when she thinks their mission was a success, *Flips over to body slam the invisible bear* IT ALL CHANGED WHEN THE FIRE NATION ATTACKED!
Luv: Uh… *cautiously approaches Dom, hunching down to whisper* ... wrong story.
Dom: *Thinks for a moment* Oh… I mean… *Looks at luv confused* Are you sure? Cause there was-
Luv: YES I'M SURE! *clears throat, embarrassed* Uh, so, where were we before the fire nation attacked… Whatever, that's enough for this week! See ya next time! *tries to shove Dom back out of the room*
Dom: *Looks back and tries to dig her heels in as she's forced out the door* But Luv! We haven't even told them about that wommmm mnn! *Voice becomes muffled as the door slams*