Just Like Life Chapter 12: Game On, Sister, an uc: undercover fanfic

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"Any sign of the 'Guest of Honor'?" Aja folded one arm across her stomach and propped the champagne glass against her lips to mask the movement of her lips moving. She was also trying to cover up her exposed stomach and camouflage her overly amplified cleavage. Ever since Monica had helped her get dressed, she'd been wriggling her shoulders and trying to subtly shift everything so it was more comfortable. All it'd succeeded in doing was making her more irritable and more uncomfortable.

"Keep it calm Cage." Frank growled in her ear. Her eyes flicked over to where he was standing. He seemed to be looking right at her. She held his eyes for a moment. Admittedly, he was damned good looking - and wicked in a tuxedo. When she first saw him tonight in it, she had to do a double take and refrain from licking her lips as she gave him the once over. Of course, she knew it was mutual - he'd given her a long and hard once over herself when she stepped out of the adjoining bedroom and into everyone's presence.

"I can't help it Donovan," she hissed behind her champagne flute. "I can't wait to get out of this outfit!" As she kept her eyes on his she rolled her shoulders again, trying to work out the growing ache of where her upper had been pulled up into an almost unnatural posture. Granted, she was standing straight and almost at a military-esque position, but it still hurt like hell.

'Give me all of five minutes to get you into the back of a taxi and I'll grant your wish!' Donovan shook his head to clear the thought. This was not the time to be thinking of such things. However, it was very difficult to keep his mind off of the silk dress she was in. Again he gave her an appraising look. She looked positively wicked in the pale gold silk corset and skirt. The color of the fabric made her eyes glow under the black eye makeup - eerily almost. "I know Cage. It does look a bit uncomfortable, but it's necessary."

"Necessary to who?!" came the irritated whisper.

Jake chuckled softly at the wrangling in his ear as he danced with Alex. Once in a while he caught sight of Aja as she leaned up against one of the columns and tried to look like she was enjoying herself. But, he and Alex knew better. She was nervous, bordering on scared, at the prospect of seeing Vadim for the first time in three years tonight. The whole trip from the hotel to here she kept chewing on a thumbnail, fidgeting with her dress or taking sharp cuts at any one of them.

"To you, Aja," Monica answered in all of their ears. "We had to put you into a designer outfit to keep up the illusion of your being a backer with high finances for Jake and Alex's business proposition. Consider yourself lucky - Alex never got to wear Mackie and we were definitely very lucky he could come help on such short notice."

"Monica's right," Alex chimed in. "You were designed into that dress. I couldn't even begin to pull it off the way you can. You look fine, stop fidgeting and for God's sake smile!"

"I can't breathe guys. This corset is cutting off my air supply. I feel like if I take a deep breath, it's going to either pop the laces on this or I'm going to pass out."

Monica's laughter filled her ear as she glared out over the crowd. As she waited for words to be spoken, a man approached her with a charming smile on his face. "Excuse me-"

"No." Aja's eyes were still locked on Frank across the room and she smirked.

"But-"

"No." She could see the man's confused expression. Normally she would have relished the opportunity, but right now she was too annoyed to be flirtatious.

"You don't-"

"No." When he finally gave up and left, she tore her eyes from Frank's and swept the room again. "Monica, you finished laughing yet? Want to tell me why I couldn't have worn a simple dress like Alex's?"

It was Frank who answered her. "The dress was designed with you in mind. What would happen if you have to take off running in pursuit? You're the fastest runner her - I've seen you in action. If you had worn a dress like Alex's, you'd have to be holding up the skirt as you ran and that would have left no place to grip a gun. With the skirt slit the way it is, it gives your feet and legs the freedom needed in a high speed foot chase."

"So you're saying this dress was engineered."

"Yes."

"And the thigh high boots?"

"Same thing. You can pull it off. You run on the ball of your feet. Hard as hell on the joints and your legs, but if - and I say this loosely - if you have to run, you're the best bet. Sorry Aja. It's part of the image you've got to project."

"Speaking of image to project," Jake interrupted. "We've got company."

Aja's eyes immediately flew around the room. It took two second to locate Vadim. She could feel her heart start to pound in her chest, but she quelled it down as best she could. He hadn't changed in the past three years, just become more evil looking - if that were possible. He also had another man with him, younger. This one looked familiar too… but she couldn't place him just yet. Confused, she kept watching him intently as he turned. "Oh God," she gasped.

Frank's eyes left their quarry and picked up Aja the second he heard her gasp in his ear. "Aja, what's wrong?" This wasn't the time for her to be having a relapse or even be paralyzed by her fear of Vadim. "Aja, answer me."

Jake and Alex stopped in their tracks. They'd been slowly drifting towards Vadim when they both heard Frank's voice and Aja's gasp. As Alex kept watch on their targets, Jake took a look back. He saw Aja standing stock still, her head tilted to the side slightly with a look on her face that was mixed confusion, anger, shock and… something else. She also looked like she was starting to move. It was almost magical as the crowd of people parted with each step she took.

Vadim turned when the man put a hand on his shoulder. "What is it now?" he spat irritably.

"We've got problems. Look." He pointed to the woman walking towards them in the gold silk dress. "I thought you said she was dead!" he hissed in Vadim's ear.

If it were possible, Vadim paled even more before a high color of red flushed his cheeks as his watery blue eyes locked onto scorching amber. Despite the shock of seeing her alive, he felt a hand shoving him towards to exit along with the voice hissing in his ear to go.

"We're losing him!" Alex barked. She patted Jake on the shoulder and sent him off towards the elevator. "Frank-"

"Alex, Jake, keep calm. If they both have spotted me," Aja said with an air of calm that felt like the Eye of the Storm, "Then chances are you two have been given up. Frank, follow Vadim. Be careful, he's a tricky bastard. I'll leave it up to Jake and Alex as to who goes with you. I'm going after the little bastard with him."

Frank did a double take as he heard her orders in his ear. He watched her move through the crowd easily. His sight caught Vadim and the man as they split up - one to the emergency stairs and the other to the elevator. "All right. Jake, give Aja backup. Alex, your closer to the elevator than I am - you're with me."

If she heard his orders at all, she didn't acknowledge them as she hit the exit door. Without a care for caution, she threw the door open with a loud bang and started her flight down the stairs with Jake right behind her. "Monica."

"Go ahead Aja."

"Call in Yokas and Boscorelli. They're headed for the lobby."

you can't deny what you see

we're living in a violent society

well my brother let me show you a better way

now get your game face on because it's time to play

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