Thanks for the Reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying the sequel so far!
I couldn't wait to post more, so here you go!
Chapter
2
Shimozukito Hotel
Tokyo, Japan
9:52 PM
Derek knew something was wrong with this mission. His gut instinct was almost never wrong. It wasn't just the fact that he was still a newbie when it came to field missions, or that his concern for Casey's well being was over-exaggerated, he knew something more was at stake with this mission and now his whole team was split up and Casey's communication had cut out.
"Derek, can you hear me?" Ben's voice sounded in his ear.
"Yeah." The former hockey player replied while ducking behind a parked car and peeking around the hood for the brute Japanese men in pursuit of him.
"I've lost Casey's connection. She's not answering and there was a commotion at the back of the hotel. Guests are hysteric, running around and screaming about gunshots being fired. Where are you?"
"At the moment, I'm hiding behind a green Toyota in the parking lot. Two of Kimiru's men are after me. I lost my gun while fighting them."
"How did you manage that?"
"I shot one of them before another knocked it out of my hand. Then they proceeded to pull out their real guns and I did the only thing I could, I ran."
"Ben, I'm headed towards the pool area where everyone seems to be running from." Karma's voice interrupted the conversation.
"Please tell me that you at least still have your weapon." Ben replied.
"Affirmative. It seems Casey managed to escape Kimiru's office by jumping out the window and landing in the pool."
"Is she insane?" Derek exclaimed. "She was thirteen stories up!"
"I'm also seeing blood along the edge of the pool. I think she was shot."
"Unless it was that guy she decided to risk her neck for."
"I can't be positive."
"Do you see anyone else in the area?"
"No. The pool has been completely deserted. Knowing Casey, she's probably on her way to you now."
"Yeah, well with this panic, the police are going to be here any minute, we need to get out of here now."
"Have you picked her up on any of the video feeds?"
"Negative. There's too much chaos. I can't get a clear view."
While listening to his teammates, Derek peered around the hood of the car once more and let out a breath of relief when he saw the giant forms of his pursuers turning back and heading a different way.
"Kimiru's men are falling back. I think they've been called somewhere else and I'm betting it has to do with Casey. I'm following them." He said as he stood up and cautiously began making his way around the parked cars to see where the men went.
"No, Derek. You're defenseless without your gun. Head back to the van."
"My girlfriend could be hurt. I'm not leaving her."
"I didn't say to leave her! What are you going to do if you find her? You have no way of protecting yourself, let alone Casey!"
"I need to know that she's okay and following these men is my only assurance."
"Derek, at least tell me where you are, so that I can back you up." Karma insisted.
Derek heard Ben let out a groan of impatience and he knew he'd be in trouble once they made it back to The Swan headquarters for disobeying orders, but there was no way he was letting what happened in Germany two years ago become a reoccurrence. Casey was his and nobody was taking her away, never again.
"I'm headed around the right backside of the hotel."
"I'm on my way, Derek; just hang in there and stay in the shadows."
"I think I just heard gunshots!" His heartbeat quickened at the deafening sound coming from around the building and he knew he couldn't wait for Karma to back him up. Casey was near and she needed help.
"Derek, don't do anything stupid! I'm on my way with the van now to pick you guys up." Ben hollered into his ear but Derek wasn't listening. He was only thinking about one thing. Casey.
(=)
9:59 PM
Bang! Casey ducked as another bullet flew past her head and her grip on the young Japanese man tightened while they continued running for their lives.
"I don't know how much more I can take." Taiki rasped out. "I'm losing too much blood. It's taking all my strength."
"Just a little further, Taiki. Hang in there." Casey breathed out.
The young man suddenly became limp in her arms and dropped to the ground, taking the young agent with him. He'd passed out.
"Taiki!" Casey shouted as she shook his form while kneeling over him. "Taiki, come on! We have to run!"
It was no use. He was out cold and there was no way she could carry him and dodge bullets at the same time. She was strong but definitely no Wonder Woman.
"Idō shinaide kudasai!" One of the four men in pursuit of them shouted in Japanese, telling her not to move as they aimed their 9mm's from ten feet away.
Suddenly there was a commotion from behind the men as a figure ran out into the open and drop kicked one of the men. He fell to the ground and his attacker picked up his discarded gun.
"Doroppu shimasu… uh… um…" The figure was stumbling for words in the Japanese language and Casey knew immediately who it was. "Weapons!" The voice of Derek finally yelled, obviously giving up on trying to speak Japanese. "Drop your weapons or I'll shoot!"
The men weren't backing down and Casey saw that one was getting ready to fire a shot at her boyfriend. She immediately pulled out her own gun and before he could pull the trigger, she'd shot a tranquilizer dart into his back and he went down with a thud!
Derek made his move then and lunged towards the other two. One fired off a round but he managed to dodge the bullet and smash his fist into the man's face, then twist the gun free from his hand and crash the butt of it against his temple.
The other man turned on Casey and went to shoot her but he unexpectedly dropped to the ground with a dart in his neck. Karma appeared from the shadows, dressed just like her, with a grin on her face.
"I guess I arrived just in time." The petite blonde said as she and Derek made their way towards her.
Derek pulled his girlfriend into his arms and held her close as he kissed her neck, "Are you hurt?" He asked while inspecting her body for any damage.
"I'm fine; however he is not." Casey replied while returning the embrace and then stepping back to gesture towards the passed out Japanese man she'd rescued from the hotel. "We need to get him some medical assistance now."
"Who is he?" Karma asked as she knelt down to inspect his injuries.
"His name is Taiki and apparently he has what we're looking for."
"How is that possible?"
"I don't know but it's obvious he's telling the truth, or else Kimiru wouldn't have put up such a fight to get him back."
"Speaking of Kimiru," Karma spoke warily. "Where is he?"
"Good question. We better get out of here before we find out." Derek said as he lifted the unconscious Taiki over his shoulders and started walking.
"Ben's waiting for us around the corner." Said Karma. "We don't have much time before the police arrive, so we need to hurry."
Casey felt a breeze lift up her hair and noticed a black helicopter fleeing the scene above; she had no doubts that Hitomi Kimiru was its passenger and that it wouldn't be the last they'd see of him.
(=)
Two Days Later
The Swan Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
8:24 AM
"You are suspended from any further field missions, Agent Venturi."
Casey heard the words come out of Olivia Inez's mouth but wasn't sure she'd heard correctly as the fiery, middle-aged redhead, who was their boss stood at the head of the mission table with her hands on her hips.
"Excuse me, Ma'am?" The young agent decided to speak up on behalf of her boyfriend who remained in his seat with a solemn expression.
"You heard me correctly. Agent Venturi disobeyed direct orders on more than one occasion in the last mission to Japan."
"If he hadn't come to my rescue, I'd be dead and whatever Taiki has would be back in Kimiru's hands."
"It's not just about him going after you without back-up, Agent MacDonald. Agent Venturi needs to learn to keep his emotions in check when on a mission. He also lost one of our new tranquilizer guns and those are not cheap."
"I understand, Ma'am, but he is still getting used to all of this. We all let our emotions get in the way sometimes. How do you expect him to learn anything if you suspend him?"
"His suspension will result in further training. Agent Venturi is obviously not ready for the field yet and I don't want to hear any more arguments about it. Is that clear?" She glared Casey's way and the young woman knew better not to test her commander any further.
"Yes."
"What about you, Agent Venturi; do you have anything to add?"
Derek looked up at his boss, doing his best to hold in the frustration he was feeling in that moment and replied through gritted teeth, "No, Ma'am."
"Splendid. You can report to the training level immediately."
"I can't even hear what you have to say about the rest of the mission?"
"It doesn't concern you anymore."
Casey could tell he was furious as Derek stood from his chair, sent a menacing glare Benjamin's way and stormed out of the room.
"Was that really necessary? You could've at least spoken to him in private about this. Not embarrass him in front of his friends and colleagues." Karma spoke up from where she sat across from Casey at the large glass table they were situated around. She noticed Ben place his hand in hers and whisper in her ear but it did nothing to calm the young blonde down.
"We are not here to make mistakes. That kind of thing may have been written off as a warning at R.E.D. but not here. We don't have time to baby rookies like Agent Venturi." Olivia spoke harshly and stared directly at Casey. "I am being honest when I say that the only reason we even allowed him into the program was because of you, Agent MacDonald."
"Why me?"
"You and I both know that you wouldn't have joined us unless he came too."
"Why were you so desperate to have me then?"
"Because we need you, Casey."
"So what does this mean? Were we just bargaining chips to get Casey aboard your team too?" Ben said, suddenly fuming as he gestured to him and his girlfriend.
"No. Your brain is remarkable, Agent Blake. We have definitely benefited having you around, and I also see great potential in Agent Hesston as well. The three of you make a remarkable team."
Casey had heard enough of this and stood to her feet, "But you don't see any potential in Derek?" She snapped angrily.
"I didn't say that, Agent MacDonald. Please take your seat."
"You said that the three of us make a remarkable team, but there's four of us. Derek may still have a lot to learn but he's not useless either!"
"I agree, which is why he needs more training. Agent Venturi was just starting out with R.E.D. when I made my proposal, which means he'd only had about eight months of training. The three of you trained for two years before going on field assignments, isn't that correct?"
"Yes, and technically so did Derek. We had to undergo further training when we started here. That was two years ago."
"When we're speaking technically, it was four years of training for the three of you and still only two for Agent Venturi. Not to mention your years of experience in the field. I never said that your boyfriend lacks potential. I've seen his work and it is impressive, but unlike the three of you, Agent Venturi lacks proficiency and discipline." Olivia's eyes softened a fraction as she looked at Casey. "His devotion to you is understandable, Agent MacDonald, but it can also lead to trouble if he doesn't learn to control it wisely."
Casey nodded her head because she knew what Olivia said was true. In all honesty, Derek still couldn't accept the fact that she's not some helpless teenage girl anymore with her face stuffed in her books. In his mind, he needed to be the man, the protector, not her.
"If Derek wants to make it in the spy world, he still has a lot to learn." Olivia said as she tore her eyes from the young agent and turned her attention to the holographic image that suddenly appeared on the table of Taiki asleep in a hospital bed. "If either of you would choose to discuss Agent Venturi's suspension further, you can see me in my office afterwards. Right now, we have a mission to continue with."
Casey glanced at her teammates and the three of them nodded, choosing to shove their concerns about Derek to the backs of their minds for the time being. Olivia was right.
"Good. The gentleman you see here is Mr. Taiki Kaito. He is twenty-one years of age and has one of the smartest young brains of our time."
"That kid?" Ben asked with a raised brow.
"Even smarter than you, Agent Blake. His parents mysteriously disappeared when he was three years of age, which led to him being raised in an orphanage in a small village in Japan. A university major who stumbled upon him while visiting the orphanage during a mission's trip when Taiki was thirteen soon discovered his talents. The man ended up adopting him and taking him home to live in the United States where Taiki continued to consume every subject known to man. In fact, The Swan had even offered him a job when he was eighteen, but he turned it down. About a year ago, Taiki's adoptive father was found dead, murdered, but the police were never able to find his killer, and Taiki just up and disappeared after that. No one has seen him until now."
"That's beyond messed up." Ben commented as they all stared at the young man sleeping in the hospital bed with a bandaged up face and arm.
"Yes, well to make matters worse, Taiki seems to have the exact information we were searching for. However, it's not just any file we can download into a USB drive…"
"It's in his head." Ben finished her sentence in astonishment.
"And you wanted me to leave him behind." Casey raised an accusing brow at her partner across the table.
"Well thank goodness you never listen to me anyway." He smirked back at her.
"So how do you plan to extract the information from him?" Karma asked with concern.
"We gain his trust, which Agent MacDonald has already begun to do."
"You really think it'll be that easy?" Casey asked with skepticism. "The kid's a genius. He's not just going to hand the information over to me."
"It's a start. We don't want to use any unnecessary force if we don't have to. The poor boy's been through enough as it is. All you have to do is talk to him, Agent MacDonald. You have a way of connecting with people and gaining their trust."
"How do you know he'll even want to see me?"
"He's already been asking for you."
(=)
The Swan Headquarters
Medical Wing
10:02 AM
Casey took in a deep breath as she entered the room that Taiki had been placed in, making sure to knock lightly on the door in case he was awake and indecent.
"Taiki?" She called when there was no answer. "Taiki, are you decent?"
The young agent let out a sigh and decided to just walk in the room. The kid was probably still asleep. He'd had a rough couple of days.
"No… No… Stop it!" Taiki suddenly cried out from where he struggled in his sleep on the hospital bed. He was having a bad dream.
"Taiki?" Casey cautiously approached him as he continued to wrestle against an imaginary assailant. "Taiki, wake up." She grabbed his wrists to stop him from moving and tried shaking him awake.
"They're coming!" He screamed unexpectedly and shot up from the bed, knocking the secret agent to the floor.
"Ow…" Casey winced as she rubbed the back of her head where it'd smacked against the table on the way down.
"Agent MacDonald?" Taiki's shaken form peered down at her with a worried expression. "I… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…"
"It's alright. I'm fine. A little bump on the head is nothing compared to the injuries I've sustained in the past." Casey said as she slowly stood to her feet and gave him a reassuring smile.
"When did you get here?"
"Not too long ago. I tried waking you… it seemed like you were having a bad dream."
"More like a memory." He breathed out as he sat back against the pillows.
Casey understood what he meant as she grabbed a chair from the corner and placed it next to his bed for her to sit.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked once seated.
"Not really." He shook his head and averted her gaze.
"I understand. I've been in kidnapping situations myself in the past. The worst part was definitely the memories that haunted me in my sleep."
"What did you do to stop them?" He asked with interest.
"I talked to my boyfriend about them, and my job also insisted that I see a therapist for a few months."
"Did the memories go away?"
"The memories will never officially leave, but after a while they didn't bother me as much as they used to. I realized that it was the past. The people that had hurt me were no longer a threat and that I was surrounded by loved ones that cared for me."
"Well the difference between you and I is that I'm not safe. The people out to get me are still a threat and I have no loved ones to stand by my side."
"You don't need to worry about Himito Kimiru. We have a tracker on him and know his every move. He's not getting anywhere near you, Taiki. You're safe here."
"Kimiru is no one." The young man scoffed. "He was just hired by the people who want me."
"And who is that?"
"They call themselves The Collective. They've been after my mind for years now but I've always managed to dissuade them."
"Well we've been after them for years. What exactly is it that they want from you?"
"I'm sure you've already been debriefed on my back story…?" He asked as he sat up and took a sip of the water next to his bed.
"Yes." Casey nodded.
"I don't have just any ordinary mind. I think something happened to me when I was a baby. I think it's why my parents disappeared and why my adopted father was killed. Whatever it is, they want it, and will do whatever it takes to have it."
"I won't let anything happen to you, Taiki. I promise."
The young man glanced around the room warily and then turned back to look at her.
"I know why you're here right now. They want that file that's in my head."
"I'm not just here because of that. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"I don't trust a lot of people… I've let my emotions betray me too much in the past, but for some reason you're different, Agent MacDonald."
"Call me Casey." She smiled warmly.
"Alright, Casey. I'll give your boss the file, but I need a favor first."
"What is it?"
He looked up at the ceiling across the room. "I know there's a miniscule camera up there and that your boss is watching right now." He said and spoke directly to it. "I'll give you the file; if you promise to have your people inspect my brain. I know something is wrong with it. I can feel it."
"That sounds fair enough."
"One more thing." He said as he turned back to her.
"Yes?"
"I want you to find the people responsible for ruining my life and take them down."
Please tell me your thoughts!
What do you think of Derek's suspension? Was it fair or not?
Do you like Taiki?
Any theories?
I love Reviews, so please leave them!
Have a Great day!