A/N: Wahey, a quick update!
Ok so this one is a MASSIVE Zammie AND ACTION. I feel like I'm straying a little far off plot so I'm going to make sure the next chapter is very related to the whole modelling aspect of the story, I've got some great ideas. Also if you've read my other stories you'll know I used a similar idea for this one so I'm really sorry if it's a bit repetitive but I promise the next chapter will be very original.
Just want to say Kaylee your ideas are amazing, you should deffo one hundred percent try writing a story I bet you could come up with some great ideas, I will defiantly take your ideas into account and this story is going to quite long I think because it's going really well so far so I might use your ideas later on if you don't mind of course. ;)
I'm actually really scared of posting this chapter because it's a bit dark and I know people like Zach and Cammie to be happy but I promiseeeee there is more happiness to come and I think this is the last dark and angsty chapter there will be in which Cammie and Zach get injured or hurt if you know what I mean! So yeah, lot of happiness to come basically.
Loving the reviews, if you have any plot ideas for me please do share them. Thanks again!
'So it's get in, get out' Bex said clearly as we sat in a circle on the floor of our room.
It had been a long day, I'd been allowed to miss lessons today so that basically meant I had more time to plan tonight's mission. When I'd finally been discharged from the hospital I'd gone straight up to our room to read through the paperwork Liz had already prepared for the mission, apparently it couldn't be done without memorising the paperwork. It was unbelievable how precise and planned Liz could be and I found myself reading about where I should be every second of the mission. It was easy to see which parts were influenced by Zach as I read that I would be at least ten feet away from the action at all times. By the time I was done editing it I was happy with the fact I now had a more involved role in the mission. Zach wasn't.
'I'm still not sure about Cammie being put on lookout' Zach mumbled.
'Oh Zach, she'll be with you, I thought that's what you wanted' Bex sighed.
'But it's one of the most dangerous bits!' Zach argued. 'Can't she stay and monitor outside with you Bex?'
'I am here you know' I said angrily. 'I'll be fine Zach'
Zach sighed but didn't push the subject any further as we confirmed our roles.
Me and Zach were to be lookout in the room that Liz and Jonas would use to hack into the laptop and delete the pictures. Bex, Macey and Grant were going to be lookout for the outside of the agency.
As I smelt the familiar mustiness of my favourite secret passageway the fear of what we were about to do finally sunk in and I gripped tighter onto Zach's hand.
'It's not too late to turn back now you know?' Zach murmured hopefully.
'You're not getting rid of me that easily' I replied calmly.
As soon as we were outside the agency I felt a shiver run down my spine, it was kind of like the place where it had all started, the place that had nearly ruined my life, but it was also the place where it would all end.
I pointed up at the window on the top floor where a light beamed bright. 'Looks like someone's still here'
'No, I think they just left the light on, I monitored all the staff emails and they're at a conference tonight' Liz replied firmly.
I tightened the equipment belt around my waist cursing the fact that Bex had forced me into the tightest black leggings she owned.
Bex, Macey and Grant began to disable the alarms and unlock the doors. Me, Zach, Liz and Jonas went over the plans again.
'So it's straight up to the room where the main laptop is, delete the photos, straight back out again?' I asked Liz, checking my memory wasn't letting me down.
'That's right' agreed Liz as we held our breathe, dreading the piercing cry of an alarm as Zach nudged open the door. We were met with silence.
As we trudged through the corridors varying our pace, our footsteps sounded too loud against the polished stone floor.
'Duck!' I cried out as a red alarm missed Liz's head by inches.
'Nice one' Stuttered Jonas who looked way out of his comfort zone.
Zach's hand seemed to find mine in the dark as we crawled along the floor, laying low as the red light scanned millimetres above our head. Luckily my coordination made up for the lack of Liz's and I was able to push and shove her safely past the lasers.
'Who would have thought a model agency would have such high security' Zach mumbled.
'Well I guess they have important documents here' Liz replied shrugging, her shoulder narrowly missing the laser as I shoved her out the way.
'Oopsie Daisy!' Liz's cheerful voice echoed around the room.
We finally got through main room and we were able to stand in the corridor's thanks to the lack of security.
'This is it' finally whispered Liz pointing at a door. We'd been climbing the stairs for over half an hour for fear of using the elevator. It also so happened that the computer was on the top floor.
My body swayed a little and I had to steady myself by grabbing onto Zach. My body was aching like hell, pulsing pain making me clutch at my broken ribs. I guess when the nurse had said to take it easy she would have excluded climbing twelve flights of stairs.
'Woah, Cammie, are you okay?' Zach steadied me.
'Just… Tired' I tried to say but it came out more of a hoarse croak. How embarrassing, we weren't even at the most difficult part of the mission yet and I was already tired.
'Maybe you and Zach should wait here' Liz said worriedly as I collapsed onto one of the steps.
'No, Zach you go I'll wait here' I stated.
'I can't leave you here Cam' I could see Zach was torn.
'Just go Zach' I said firmly 'No one's around, I'll just wait here for a bit and catch my breath'
'Okay well we're just down the hallway, okay? Room 124, just come when you're feeling a little better' said Liz as she and Jonas walked away.
With one last sorry backwards glance Zach followed behind them.
I leaned my head against the banister feeling the cold metal press against my temple. I took deep breaths feeling the stabbing pain turn into the usual painful numbing sensation that was normal for me now.
I took one last steadying breath before I stood up ready to go and find the others. That was until I heard the voices and I suddenly realised the meeting may not have been in another building.
'Well that meeting was a waste of my time, I can't wait to get down the pub tonight'
I didn't stop to listen, I ran down the way I'd seen the others go, cursing as I passed every single number imaginable except room 124.
I finally ran into Zach as I turned the corner, literally.
'Zach' I hissed hearing footsteps coming this way 'Mission aborted!'
Zach's eyes widened in alarm as we both ran into the room where Liz and Jonas were busy working on the computer.
'We've got rid of the picture's from the first shoot but we can't find the vogue pictures ANYWHERE' said Liz quickly as she saw me come in.
'It's fine Liz the vogue one's aren't as bad, we just need to GET OUT OF HERE' I cried. But it was too late. I had to do what a spy's worst nightmare is, hide.
Liz hurriedly switched off the computer and we all squashed ourselves under the desk, no surprise I ended up crushed next to Zach. I grabbed his hand tightly and my eyes widened in shock as I saw him bring out an audio recorder.
'You never know, they might say something that's of interest' murmured Zach but I didn't have time to reply as a door was thrown open.
'And they haven't even realised?'
'No, they think the job was only paying one hundred, that's an extra three hundred to us'
'You better hope to hell no one finds out about this otherwise we'll get put on that god awful scam agency list'
'Don't worry; the models are so dumb they'd accept five pounds for a job without asking any questions'
'Right, so what did we come in here for?'
Zach turned off the audio recorder beside me and I gasped as a loud beep signalled it. Zach had forgotten to turn off the sound.
'What the hell was that?'
But he didn't get an answer, well at least not from his friend.
'Now!' I cried as me and Zach kicked both the men to the ground, slapping on a napotine patch for good measure.
'Memory modification tea?' I asked.
'Here' Zach said pouring it into their mouths and then putting their limp bodies into a nearby cupboard.
'Now let's get out!' Liz said from across the room. The sound of footsteps coming from the corridor was enough for me and Zach to decide what to do next.
'Liz first' I said, getting out the abseiling rope from my equipment belt.
'What?' stammered Liz and Jonas in unison as they peered out the window.
'But… but, we're on the top floor' Liz cried.
'Lucky I brought the long rope then isn't it' I joked as I extended the rope out of the window.
I saw Liz putting on the same face she does when she's been set an extra credit assignment. It was pure determination.
'Let's go' Liz said. I safely harnessed Liz up and soon enough she was just a dot in my vision. I sighed a sigh of relief as I felt the gentle bump of her body hitting the floor and the rope loosened up. I couldn't be sure but I could of sworn somewhere in the dark I saw her smile. I think she'd actually enjoyed it.
'Next' I said motioning to Jonas as I brought the rope back up.
'Urm, is it safe?' Jonas stuttered.
I sighed with impatience as I heard footsteps coming even closer, my sharp ears predicting we had less than five minutes. Not to mention the fact that someone would have to stay in here because there wasn't enough of us to abseil everyone down.
'Jonas, I'm pretty sure Liz had the time of the life as she went down there, I'm sure you'll love it even more' I sighed again.
'Well, urm, I feel like I should say ladies' first?' Jonas muttered, trying in vain to get out of it.
'This is no time to be a gentleman' I said as I began to do up the harness, Jonas blushing deeply as I did it up around his legs.
'Have fun' I said sarcastically as Jonas was lowered to safety. I pulled up the harness again as soon as I felt the soft bump.
'You now' Zach demanded, as if it weren't a question.
'No' I said as if he'd asked it as a question.
'Cammie there's no time to argue about this' Zach insisted as he began to swiftly do up the harness around my legs.
'No Zach' my voice was breaking.
'Cammie do this for me' He said as the harness was tightened up.
Before I could protest he'd pushed me towards the window, but not fast enough, the footsteps were less than a minute away.
'Crap!' Gasped Zach.
I quickly took the chance to shrug off the harness and stuff it into the cupboard before pulling Zach under the desk again. His breath was warm against my skin, his eyes so intense as we stared wide eyed at each other.
It was then I realised the footsteps were quick, almost the sound someone makes when they're running, and there were two sets.
I strained my ears trying to hear the conversation.
'There's not even any bloody fire alarms going off'
'I know, absolutely ridiculous, it's lucky this didn't happen when there were more people here'
'Why are we even risking our lives doing this inspection when there's clearly no one left in here'
'Because it's our job'
'Well I'll be glad when this place burns down to the ground, maybe then we can actually get a job somewhere that pays us a proper wage'
I listened to the voices and footsteps fade away. I realised there was a fire, and I realised Bex must have disabled the fire alarms by accident. I sat in a daze but Zach was already up, he closed the door of the room to stop the toxic smoke that was now leaking into the room.
'Get the harness on now' Zach commanded.
'No, no way' I argued, my eyes filled with tears as I realised he was trying to get me out before him, he wanted me safe, he wanted me to go without him.
'What about the guys we knocked out, we can't leave them here to burn!' I cried.
'Cammie, they're bad people' Zach told me sternly.
'Cammie, just go now!' Zach was yelling at me now, it was scary. Tears leaked down my face.
'I'm not going' I yelled but Zach was already doing up the harness.
'I love you' he said as he pushed me out of the window.
I clawed at the wall trying to get back up, but the rope was now descending.
'No!' I screamed at the top of my lungs, not caring who was listening anymore. It wasn't long until I hit the floor.
Liz ran over, taking off the harness.
'No, no' I yelled at her hysterically. 'Zach's still in there, he's still in there!'
Liz pulled me into a hug, Macey and Bex coming over too. I cried on Liz's shoulder.
Smoke was now pouring out of the windows, the whole right side of the building was on fire. I could hear fire engine sirens, but they weren't near enough. No one was around.
It was then that my sharp eyes noticed a fire exit. I didn't think about it.
'No Cammie!' Bex's voice became a distant cry as I threw open the door, shutting it behind me and locking it. I couldn't let my friends follow me in.
The smoke had thankfully not reached the ground floor yet so I gladly breathed in as much fresh air as my lungs would take without bursting.
I ran towards the door to the stairs knowing that's where Zach would have tried to get out.
I didn't hesitate as I threw open the door, ignoring the sudden wave of smoke that hit me.
'Zach' I called out, immediately regretting it as toxic smoke filled my lungs.
I ran up the stairs, my eyes no more than a blurry haze as my mind filled with horrible images about what could have happened to Zach.
My heart stopped as I saw a body lying on the floor.
'Zach' I said, my voice no more than a crack. I shook him, his arm was at a strange angle and I realised he's probably passed out as he was running down the stairs, falling on his arm.
'Zach' I cried, my tears pouring onto his face.
'Cammie' he said, a small smile appearing on his lips.
'Zach, we need to get out now!' I cried as I pulled him up, struggling to support his weight.
I pulled him over to the tiny window and opened it, helping get his head outside. I watched in relief as Zach took deep gasps of fresh air.
'Your mom… your mom's there' he muttered faintly.
'She wants us to jump, they're holding some kind of blanket thing to catch us in'
I looked at the size of the window and then at Zach's large muscular arms and knew it was impossible.
'You can get out' croaked Zach.
'No' I said not waiting for a reply as I dragged him down the steps, holding him carefully so he wouldn't fall. I could really feel the smoke now invading my head.
'Cammie!' I heard the familiar voice of my best friend Bex.
'Bex, I'm here!' I yelled, but it came out more of a squeak. My arm was dead from supporting Zach who was now unconscious again. I couldn't stop myself from continually checking his pulse, only allowing myself to breathe when I felt the familiar thumping in his skin. I wondered how long my ribs could take the pressure before they practically exploded.
I sighed in relief as Bex came into view, taking the other side of Zach and releasing half of the pressure on my shoulder.
We dragged him down another flight of stairs and finally I could feel the fresh air coming from the open doors where my mother and Mr Solomon were standing. My mom ran straight up to me, dragging me out, staring at me anxiously as I coughed uncontrollably.
'Go… help… Zach' I managed to stutter.
'Mr Solomon's got him' she said helping me stand up. Soon the Fire Engines roars were right next to us and fire fighters ran in, some of them stopping to ask if they needed to call an ambulance for me and Zach, my mom continually explaining she was taking us now.
'Cammie, Zach's asking for you' Mr Solomon shouted over.
My mom helped me up and I staggered over to him, kneeling down and leaning over him. I grabbed his hand and saw him smile as he recognised my touch.
'Cammie are you okay?' Zach asked his voice was rough and hoarse.
'Of course I am, it's you that's not' I said worriedly.
'Don't worry about me, I'll be fine, I always am' He smiled again.
He must have sensed that I didn't believe him because he awkwardly tried to sit up, which he actually did successfully. He pulled me in towards him and he whispered in my ear 'Mission complete'.
