Breccia stared into the bathroom mirror, struggling to corral her hair.
She could feel nerves gnawing at her insides.
I hope this goes well...
It felt as if all eyes were on her.
If it doesn't...
Sighing, she dug through her bag for the jewelry Maddie loaned her. Her gown, a very simple black, svelte material, clung too close to her body for comfort.
She supposed she looked good. She never did feel comfortable in frilly things.
"How do I look?" She asked Nibs, who was lounging next to the bathroom sink.
He yawned.
After pulling her hair into a simple, braided bun, she was in the process of collecting her things when she heard a knock at the door.
"Breccia?" Riker could be heard on the other side.
"Hang on." Breccia gave one more nervous exhale.
Poking her head out first, Breccia shuffled back into the main room, chucking her bag near the love seat.
Riker was in the process of adjusting one of his cuffs, having a one sided conversation with Arlia. He turned to speak with his Lab assistant and got a good look at her, stopping cold.
It took Breccia a moment to notice the awkward silence. "What?"
Riker glanced away. "Nothing..." He cleared his throat. "You...look good."
Breccia smiled. "You don't look too bad yourself." Checking the buttons on his sleeve, she could still feel a nervousness chewing her. "We've tested these..." She said, referring to the two small devices hidden in Riker's cuffs. "I don't know why I'm so paranoid."
Trying to assuage her concerns, Riker said: "I think we're all nervous. I wouldn't let it get to you."
"No..." She commented, remembering Dixon and his men would be lying in wait. "Something's wrong. I can feel it."
The finite comfort in Riker's tone must've been enough because he took notice of Breccia's shoulders lowering with his next sentence. "We're ready for anything that happens. Trust me, I made sure of it."
After a silent moment of reflection, Breccia was about to ask after Morice when she heard him near the door.
"Sorry." Morice apologized immediately when she let him in. "I was trying to get the van started-" Much like Riker, he saw Breccia and nearly choked on his sentence. "S-starting the van, the tire's still low-"
"What?"
Morice coughed. "Nothing...I'm just use to you wearing-"
"Pajama pants?" Breccia tugged on his ear. "Careful Romeo, you're too suave."
"You look better than me." Morice, unlike Riker, was going more causal. "And I'm not even a good looking body guard either. You save my ass more often than not." Lowering his voice to a whisper when he took notice of his boss a ways off, he murmured. "You talk to Riker about all this Dixon nonsense?"
His friend whispered back. "He's doing everything he can."
Morice didn't say much beyond that. It was another hour or so before they loaded into the van and headed to the outskirts of town.
The skies were a reflection of pastel pinks, melting into a starless black sky when they arrived.
The Gala was in a mansion, far larger than Breccia had ever seen. It had to have been at least three stories. Contrived mostly of bricks, the walkway was winding white marble with large columns to match. The windows were illuminated. The yard was decorated with many topiaries. Some were mundane, but others were in the shapes of miscellaneous Pokemon. Several grass Magikarps were growing in vines around the water fountains and an impressive Snorlax lounged near the flower garden.
"I know you don't like it." Riker was busy arguing with Arlia as they all hopped out. "But we don't have much of a choice." The Blaiziken didn't fight when she was put in her ball. "They won't let us have them inside."
"What? Our Pokemon?" Breccia retrieved her purse. It was the same material and color as her dress and it was empty save for a tube of lipstick.
"They take them at the door." Riker grumbled. "Considering what's going on, its a huge inconvenience."
"I'll just put them in my bag-"
"They'll check." Riker said, the three of them struggled to stay together while working their way through the crowed. "They pat everyone down." Instead of continuing towards the door, they verged off to a cluster of bushes where the other Executives congregated. "I thought we were ahead of schedule."
Kelly smirked, ruffling Riker's bangs. "You clean up well."
Breccia could see the agitation in Riker's eyes and was annoyed right along side him. "Is Dixon here?" She asked, changing subject.
Sanchez motioned behind them. "Back there."
The officers, a handful of them and their Growlithe, were huddled together. Obviously, they didn't want to give anything away and forwent their usual police uniforms. From the group, Breccia saw Laurent, who looked back and locked eyes with her.
She noticed, he also looked over to Riker, who broke away and headed to the pack of officers, meeting Laurent half way.
"There's extra security." Dixon was speaking out-loud, including his men with the others. "I have more stationed around back." Having not forgotten his spat with Breccia, he threw a snide comment her way. "I suppose you have your little invention ready?"
Breccia noticed the officer's unease when Nibs, who hadn't been put in his ball yet, perked up on her shoulder. "All of our men have them." She was in the process of checking Stotlar and Sanchez's cuff buttons when she was asked. "There should be one in your badge...that is if you're wearing the one I made for you."
Reaching up to give her Pokemon a pat, Breccia felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. There were two ladies, both young and in matching ball gowns. She didn't recognize them but they weren't paying much attention to her.
"Sorry to bother you." One, a red head, said. "But is he yours?" She pointed to Nibbles.
"Uh, yeah." Breccia was caught off guard by the question.
"He's so tiny and cute." The other girl, a blond, cooed. "Can we pet him?"
They clearly wanted to reach out to the Zubat, something Breccia wasn't sure of. "Unless you have food, he isn't fond of strangers-"
They didn't pay her any mind and took turns scratching Nibs under the chin. Instead of hissing, snapping or snarling, he appeared pleased, stretching his little head out to receive pets. The ladies got their fill, gushing about how small he was, before wandering off.
Breccia rolled his eyes. "Thanks for making me look like a liar." She kissed the top of Nib's head. "Are pretty ladies an exception?"
The crew, after more uncomfortable exchanges, started to move towards the entrance. Sanchez, Stotler and Kelly made it in first, with Riker and the other's lagging behind. "Hang on." Breccia stopped her two companions after putting Nibs in his ball. "We can at least try and get our Pokemon in." She reached a hand out. "Give me your balls."
Both men stared.
Riker muttered. "I don't know how I feel about this."
Breccia rolled her eyes. "Your Pokeballs." When they obeyed, she grabbed both, pulled out the front part of her dress and jammed them down into her bra. "There."
"What are you-"
"They won't touch me here. You want your Pokemon or not?"
Some of the police officers went in with Sanchez, Kelly and Stotler. Dixon and a couple others stayed outside, including Laurent, who broke away from the others and kept to himself.
As Breccia, Riker and Morice neared the entrance, as to be expected, one of the bouncers approached them. He was a gangly looking fellow, tall and rail thin. He also appeared rather nervous.
After checking Morice and Riker, he approached her, checked her purse, then, very nervously, tried patting her down.
His hands were on her for about two seconds before Morice, expectantly, stepped on.
"Okay buddy, she doesn't have anything on her, back off."
They entered into the main hall, a room that stretched a great number of feet with a rolling, mauve carpet following. Coned lights were lit on both sides with several locked doors between them. There was another hall that broke off in another direction, leading to the bathrooms. They took the detour, waiting for the others to meet them.
"Here." Breccia reached into her bra, retrieving the Pokeballs. "Be sure to hide them." When the guys seemed hesitant, she pursed her lips. "Seriously?" She wiped them with the skirt of her dress. "There. Stop acting like children."
The other executives found them, with Kelly noticing the exchange. "You got yours in too?" She pulled on bra strap, talking to Breccia. "Which one did you use."
"The right, it's smaller than the left."
Riker held a hand up. "Could we not, please?"
"Changing subject, are we all sticking together?" Stotler asked. "I figured we'd scatter but stay close by."
"Probably best." Riker said. "Try and look normal, keep your Transceivers on you." They all scattered with Breccia and Riker heading to the main ball room. On occasion, as they went, Breccia took notice of an officer or two, hiding in the crowed with a walkie on their belt. A part of her wanted to feel safe knowing they were near by, but it didn't help the anxiety.
"So...when do you think they'll show..." She whispered as they went through the last door into the main area. They music playing was light and whispy, performed by a small five piece band with two violinists and a pianist. It was crowded, and the conversations among the people covered the music.
"They should let us know." Riker commented, putting a hand around her waist and guiding her out of a large group.
Glancing behind her, Breccia realized they'd lost Morice.
"Is there a place to sit-" Her words were ignored when she was led from a group of empty chairs to the jammed dance floor. "What are you doing?"
"Keeping up the facade, put your hands on my shoulders."
Doing as she was told, Breccia broke out in a rash of goosebumps when Riker put his hands on her hips. Her discomfort must've been noticeable because Riker leaned in and whispered: "I won't try anything. I'm just surveying the room." He added: "Look behind me. What do you see?"
Breccia swallowed. "A couple doors, an officer or two."
"Good. That's what I planned."
"Planned?" His underling whispered this, their conversation hushed. From the outside, it looked like a couple sharing an intimate moment. (Hopefully no one would be wiser.)
"That officer, Laurent. He said Dixon seemed against staging any of his men at the side doors." Riker said. "They have a key, if anything happens, everyone should be able to get out." He pulled her closer, causing her nails to bite in further. "Don't be nervous."
"I'm not-"
"You're biting your lip ."
"Sorry." Breccia felt her Pokeball shift, praying Nibs wouldn't bust out. "I need a drink." She glanced behind her, seeing Stotler summon Riker over.
"Don't wander too far." Her superior ordered, letting her go.
When Breccia scurried off the dance floor, trying to move a little feeling back into her legs, she realized the 'needing a drink' was a lie to get a little space.
Nothing against Riker. Being with him wasn't the issue. It was the other dancers on the floor, constantly bumping into her and invading her personal space.
Another reason was her seeing Morice, standing off by himself near a group of chairs. He must've gotten behind when they went into the ball room. Regardless, he appeared bored and didn't take notice when she approached him.
"Don't look so excited." She commented, clenching onto her purse. "I saw you all by your lonesome."
"Not much for me to do." Morice smiled. "I didn't want to interrupt your dance party."
Breccia shook her head. "We were just putting on a front. Riker had to pull some strings."
"So it's easier to get out?"
"Just in case." They moved further into a back corner, near another hall way that wound around into a deeper portion of the mansion. "You going to pout in the back for the rest of the night?"
"I'm not pouting." Morice said. "There's not much for me to do, unless one of you dingbats get in trouble." He was lost in his own thoughts when Breccia reached out and took him by the hand, tugging him into the hallway. "You wanna tell me what you're doing?"
"We're dancing." The music could still be heard in the pin drop quiet hall. "You little jealous heart..."
"I'm not-"
Before Morice could defend himself, Breccia pressed a slender finger to his lips. "Are you saying you don't want to?" She chuckled at his frustration.
"I never said that."
Lacing her fingers behind his neck, Breccia leaned into her friend, waiting until he wrapped his arms around her. "Good. I was worried you wanted nothing to do with me." She rested her head on his shoulder, eyes closed while taking in the steadiness of his breath. The music from the outside was hushed from where they were, but she didn't seem to mind. For the first time since they arrived, her heart rate and her nerves were finally starting to even out.
She could hear his pulse, listening to it more than the music they were swaying to.
"You keep stepping on my foot." Morice complained.
Breccia giggled, her grip moving to her friend's shoulders. Unlike when she was on the dance floor, the closeness was calming. She didn't care that Morice was pulling her further into him, nor did she care when one of his hands moved from her hips, to the small of her back. "Tell me something I haven't heard tonight."
Much like Riker had, Morice whispered close to her ear, this time with actual intention instead of putting on a front. "You're beautiful."
A chill shot along Breccia's spine, worsening when he moved his lips from her ear and to where her neck and jaw bone met.
"You're a jerk." She muttered jokingly, clenching into him harder. "Stop leading me on. If you're going to do this, do it right."
"I've been trying." Taking her by the chin, he guided her lips close to his. "Now, hold still."