Disclaimers: See Chapter 1...
Ailíse ran as fast as her legs would carry her, jumping over fallen branches until she reached a small stream on the other side of the woods. Leaning down to cup a drink in her hands, she heard the distant sounds of muffled voices.
"We have to find her or he'll have what's left of our stripes," Mainframe gripped, taking a seat on a fallen log. He lowered his rifle from his shoulder, laying it across in his boot. "We've been out here for hours," he groaned, stretching his neck across his shoulders.
"If we don't find her...sh..." Low Light raised his hand, signaling Mainframe to hush. Scanning the area, he reached for his field glasses. "We got company."
"You think it's her," Mainframe looked about quickly, taking in the perimeter.
A stag leapt from the brush near them, hurdling into the trees on the other side.
"You're losing it," Mainframe rolled his eyes to the sharp shooter.
"Maybe, I dunno," Low Light rested his boot on the fallen log beside Mainframe, opening his canteen for a drink. "This is like finding a needle in a hay stack," he grumbled, taking a swig of water before spitting in out onto the ground.
"What did you do that for?" Mainframe frowned, watching Low Light rubbing his hand over his face.
"Not drinking too much, have to keep focused," he snarled, scanning the line of trees before him.
"Have to keep focused? You'll be dehydrated before we find her...if we find her."
"Quiet...I need to hear," Low Light raised his hand.
"Oh wonderful...look what the cat dragged in," she muttered to herself, spotting the two men. She studied them as she climbed into a tree, attempting to conceal herself while establishing her bearings.
"Come on," Low Light grumbled, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. He extended a hand to Mainframe, pulling him up from the log.
"Where to?"
"We check the woods over there," Low Light pointed. "Follow me and keep your eyes open."
She remained hidden among the branches, waiting for them to pass beneath her. Training her ear on their words, she leaned in to listen.
"If we don't find her, Hawk will have all of our heads," Low Light muttered, kneeling to study a snapped twig on the ground.
"Yeah," Mainframe shuddered.
She bit her tongue, seething with anger. She scooted back along the branch she was hiding on, looking across to the open field the two men had just left. A thought occurred to her as she watched the pair interact. Eyeing a branch close by, she envisioned herself rotating down from it, knocking the Joes off balance. I can easily out run them...or I could remove them from the equation. She speculated, spotting the blond man's knapsack. An image of Low Light removing a rope from the sack came to her mind. She smirked, settling in to wait her next move.
"C'mon we've got to keep moving," Mainframe groaned, shifting his attention to the stag grazing near the stream. "You're tracking him," he nodded, stepping closer to Low Light.
"I dunno," Low Light scanned the trees. "Sh...quit jabbering will ya."
"It's a couple of damn chipmunks, for cryin' out loud," Mainframe groaned, pointing to a pair scampering down from the tree. He instinctively jumped as they ran across his boot, tripping into Low Light.
"Damn it Mainframe, watch where you're goin'," Low Light caught him, pushing him back.
Ailíse dropped to the lower branch, swinging herself up to land on the pair. Momentarily dazed and confused, Low Light instinctively reached for his rifle, only to have it kicked away from him by a tennis shoe.
"What the...?" He inwardly flinched, hearing a clip snapped into a berretta. He lifted his head up to see the tennis shoe firmly planted between Mainframe's shoulder blades.
"You there. Get up!" She snapped, taking aim as she leveled Mainframe's berretta on him. "I'm not going to repeat myself," she scowled, watching him slowly stand with his hands raised above his ears. "Good...now, tie him up and don't try my patience," she warned, twisting the toe of her shoe into Mainframe's shoulder blades.
"Whatever you say, lady," Low Light calmly nodded, kneeling to remove the rope from his bag. He glanced up to see her aiming the gun directly at him. "Now...tie him up," she stepped away from Mainframe, holding her aim steady.
"We didn't mean any harm," Low Light spoke softly, pulling Mainframe's arms back to tie them.
"You didn't mean any harm," she scoffed. "Tell me...how does it feel to be hunted?" She growled. "His legs," she waved the muzzle.
"We're not here to harm you," Mainframe bent his knees, shifting his feet over to Low Light.
"Really and where do YOU get off telling me that?"
"Look lady, we're..." Low Light sighed, looking up at her.
"Not another word," she growled, motioning for him to turn. "I heard you say your General was after me," she planted the muzzle in his back. "Why?"
"He just wants to talk," Mainframe spoke up. He scanned the area.
"Enough," she hissed, kicking her shoe between Low Light's heels. "Down on your knees....and don't try anything. I have grenadiers in the woods." She lied smoothly.
Low Light told himself as he followed her orders.
"Milady?" A stern voice called out to her.
"Turn around SLOWLY," she commanded, pressing the muzzle into Low Light's back.
Low Light trained his eyes on a grenadier approaching them with his weapon drawn.
"Connor?"
"Aye, milady. I was sent to bring you back to the cottage," Flint closed the distance between them in three short strides. "Looks like I arrived just in time." He scowled at Mainframe sneering up at him. "You're lucky we're WOC, Joe." He replied to the two men.
"What would COBRA be doing out here?" She added without thinking.
Flint suppressed a grin, reaching for her arm. "Let me handle them. You need to return to the cottage."
"NO!" She backed away from him, rubbing her arm as though his touch had scalded her.
"Begging your pardon, milady, but the others are searching for you."
"I can't go back," she murmured to herself before looking up at him.
"Why?" Flint closed the gap between them, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Ian's there," she turned away, avoiding his eyes and unable to see the satisfied grin beneath his mask.
"He's away on business," Flint placed his hand beneath her chin, turning her face back to his. "Let's get you back to the cottage." He leaned his head forward, slightly whispering to her. She hesitated. "It's not safe out here...there COULD be others," he growled towards Low Light and Mainframe. "We don't need attention drawn to you. I'll handle them."
"Attention?" She narrowed her eyes on him. "Why are you the only one out here? And, if you're so concerned about attention, why are you wearing your mask?"
"I was sent out to find you the minute I arrived," he rushed, feeling her shoulders tense beneath his hands. "The entire staff is worried sick about you."
"Connor?" She bit her lower lip, studying him a moment.
"Yes?"
"Don't harm them," she swallowed a lump in her throat, looking towards the two men. "I only wanted them scared off," she gathered her composure, pushing away from him.
He watched her walk a short distance ahead of them. "Come on," he nodded to Low Light, watching as he cut the ropes from Mainframe's feet. "Turn around Low Light...I've got to make this look real," he grumbled, loosely tying the sniper's hands behind his back before shoving the two forward.
*****
"Where are they?" She asked, looking up from the sofa where she sat with a book.
"I handed them over to Sean. He's taking them back to the Castle to sit with the other two," Flint replied, checking the windows.
"I thought the others were here," she tossed the book down to the coffee table. "Connor...where are the others?"
"Bridget and Maggie are making dinner," he shrugged his shoulders.
"Ian ordered one grenadier to stand guard after the attack on the Buchanans? That doesn't make any sense...neither does the fact that you're still wearing your mask. Why is that?" She scowled, standing to face him with her hands resting on her hips.
"It's my uniform, milady." He frowned, unsure why she would order him to remove it.
"Not buying it...remove the mask and start talking. NOW!" She glared back at him, crossing over to the window.
"I...ah..."
"The mask...NOW!" She reached up to remove it, only to have him stop her hand in his.
"I heard you the first time," he growled softly, lowering her hand. Tilting his head forward, he placed his hands to the sides of the mask as he slowly lifted it from his face. He paused a moment, feeling her hand on his wrist. "I can explain," he swallowed a lump forming in his throat as her eyes went wide.
"Oh my God...it's you..." She stammered. Flint watched helplessly as she grew pale, crumpling forward into his arms.
"Allie..."
******************************************************
WOC ~ Without COBRA
Ailíse ran as fast as her legs would carry her, jumping over fallen branches until she reached a small stream on the other side of the woods. Leaning down to cup a drink in her hands, she heard the distant sounds of muffled voices.
"We have to find her or he'll have what's left of our stripes," Mainframe gripped, taking a seat on a fallen log. He lowered his rifle from his shoulder, laying it across in his boot. "We've been out here for hours," he groaned, stretching his neck across his shoulders.
"If we don't find her...sh..." Low Light raised his hand, signaling Mainframe to hush. Scanning the area, he reached for his field glasses. "We got company."
"You think it's her," Mainframe looked about quickly, taking in the perimeter.
A stag leapt from the brush near them, hurdling into the trees on the other side.
"You're losing it," Mainframe rolled his eyes to the sharp shooter.
"Maybe, I dunno," Low Light rested his boot on the fallen log beside Mainframe, opening his canteen for a drink. "This is like finding a needle in a hay stack," he grumbled, taking a swig of water before spitting in out onto the ground.
"What did you do that for?" Mainframe frowned, watching Low Light rubbing his hand over his face.
"Not drinking too much, have to keep focused," he snarled, scanning the line of trees before him.
"Have to keep focused? You'll be dehydrated before we find her...if we find her."
"Quiet...I need to hear," Low Light raised his hand.
"Oh wonderful...look what the cat dragged in," she muttered to herself, spotting the two men. She studied them as she climbed into a tree, attempting to conceal herself while establishing her bearings.
"Come on," Low Light grumbled, slinging his rifle over his shoulder. He extended a hand to Mainframe, pulling him up from the log.
"Where to?"
"We check the woods over there," Low Light pointed. "Follow me and keep your eyes open."
She remained hidden among the branches, waiting for them to pass beneath her. Training her ear on their words, she leaned in to listen.
"If we don't find her, Hawk will have all of our heads," Low Light muttered, kneeling to study a snapped twig on the ground.
"Yeah," Mainframe shuddered.
She bit her tongue, seething with anger. She scooted back along the branch she was hiding on, looking across to the open field the two men had just left. A thought occurred to her as she watched the pair interact. Eyeing a branch close by, she envisioned herself rotating down from it, knocking the Joes off balance. I can easily out run them...or I could remove them from the equation. She speculated, spotting the blond man's knapsack. An image of Low Light removing a rope from the sack came to her mind. She smirked, settling in to wait her next move.
"C'mon we've got to keep moving," Mainframe groaned, shifting his attention to the stag grazing near the stream. "You're tracking him," he nodded, stepping closer to Low Light.
"I dunno," Low Light scanned the trees. "Sh...quit jabbering will ya."
"It's a couple of damn chipmunks, for cryin' out loud," Mainframe groaned, pointing to a pair scampering down from the tree. He instinctively jumped as they ran across his boot, tripping into Low Light.
"Damn it Mainframe, watch where you're goin'," Low Light caught him, pushing him back.
Ailíse dropped to the lower branch, swinging herself up to land on the pair. Momentarily dazed and confused, Low Light instinctively reached for his rifle, only to have it kicked away from him by a tennis shoe.
"What the...?" He inwardly flinched, hearing a clip snapped into a berretta. He lifted his head up to see the tennis shoe firmly planted between Mainframe's shoulder blades.
"You there. Get up!" She snapped, taking aim as she leveled Mainframe's berretta on him. "I'm not going to repeat myself," she scowled, watching him slowly stand with his hands raised above his ears. "Good...now, tie him up and don't try my patience," she warned, twisting the toe of her shoe into Mainframe's shoulder blades.
"Whatever you say, lady," Low Light calmly nodded, kneeling to remove the rope from his bag. He glanced up to see her aiming the gun directly at him. "Now...tie him up," she stepped away from Mainframe, holding her aim steady.
"We didn't mean any harm," Low Light spoke softly, pulling Mainframe's arms back to tie them.
"You didn't mean any harm," she scoffed. "Tell me...how does it feel to be hunted?" She growled. "His legs," she waved the muzzle.
"We're not here to harm you," Mainframe bent his knees, shifting his feet over to Low Light.
"Really and where do YOU get off telling me that?"
"Look lady, we're..." Low Light sighed, looking up at her.
"Not another word," she growled, motioning for him to turn. "I heard you say your General was after me," she planted the muzzle in his back. "Why?"
"He just wants to talk," Mainframe spoke up. He scanned the area.
"Enough," she hissed, kicking her shoe between Low Light's heels. "Down on your knees....and don't try anything. I have grenadiers in the woods." She lied smoothly.
Low Light told himself as he followed her orders.
"Milady?" A stern voice called out to her.
"Turn around SLOWLY," she commanded, pressing the muzzle into Low Light's back.
Low Light trained his eyes on a grenadier approaching them with his weapon drawn.
"Connor?"
"Aye, milady. I was sent to bring you back to the cottage," Flint closed the distance between them in three short strides. "Looks like I arrived just in time." He scowled at Mainframe sneering up at him. "You're lucky we're WOC, Joe." He replied to the two men.
"What would COBRA be doing out here?" She added without thinking.
Flint suppressed a grin, reaching for her arm. "Let me handle them. You need to return to the cottage."
"NO!" She backed away from him, rubbing her arm as though his touch had scalded her.
"Begging your pardon, milady, but the others are searching for you."
"I can't go back," she murmured to herself before looking up at him.
"Why?" Flint closed the gap between them, placing his hands on her shoulders.
"Ian's there," she turned away, avoiding his eyes and unable to see the satisfied grin beneath his mask.
"He's away on business," Flint placed his hand beneath her chin, turning her face back to his. "Let's get you back to the cottage." He leaned his head forward, slightly whispering to her. She hesitated. "It's not safe out here...there COULD be others," he growled towards Low Light and Mainframe. "We don't need attention drawn to you. I'll handle them."
"Attention?" She narrowed her eyes on him. "Why are you the only one out here? And, if you're so concerned about attention, why are you wearing your mask?"
"I was sent out to find you the minute I arrived," he rushed, feeling her shoulders tense beneath his hands. "The entire staff is worried sick about you."
"Connor?" She bit her lower lip, studying him a moment.
"Yes?"
"Don't harm them," she swallowed a lump in her throat, looking towards the two men. "I only wanted them scared off," she gathered her composure, pushing away from him.
He watched her walk a short distance ahead of them. "Come on," he nodded to Low Light, watching as he cut the ropes from Mainframe's feet. "Turn around Low Light...I've got to make this look real," he grumbled, loosely tying the sniper's hands behind his back before shoving the two forward.
*****
"Where are they?" She asked, looking up from the sofa where she sat with a book.
"I handed them over to Sean. He's taking them back to the Castle to sit with the other two," Flint replied, checking the windows.
"I thought the others were here," she tossed the book down to the coffee table. "Connor...where are the others?"
"Bridget and Maggie are making dinner," he shrugged his shoulders.
"Ian ordered one grenadier to stand guard after the attack on the Buchanans? That doesn't make any sense...neither does the fact that you're still wearing your mask. Why is that?" She scowled, standing to face him with her hands resting on her hips.
"It's my uniform, milady." He frowned, unsure why she would order him to remove it.
"Not buying it...remove the mask and start talking. NOW!" She glared back at him, crossing over to the window.
"I...ah..."
"The mask...NOW!" She reached up to remove it, only to have him stop her hand in his.
"I heard you the first time," he growled softly, lowering her hand. Tilting his head forward, he placed his hands to the sides of the mask as he slowly lifted it from his face. He paused a moment, feeling her hand on his wrist. "I can explain," he swallowed a lump forming in his throat as her eyes went wide.
"Oh my God...it's you..." She stammered. Flint watched helplessly as she grew pale, crumpling forward into his arms.
"Allie..."
******************************************************
WOC ~ Without COBRA
