Ski Resort

Eve: Welcome back everyone! :D Cesca and I proudly present to you, chapter 2! :D YAY!

Cesca: *fist pump* What she said! x"D

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! :D We love you!

Chapter Two

. . .

"Good morning, Mare!" Hannah smiled as she bustled around the room, getting everything ready for their first skiing lesson.

"Morning, Hannah." Mary-Lynnette groggily rubbed her eyes and pushed herself up on her side. "How long have you been up?"

"About… two hours." Hannah looked at the clock.

"Why didn't you get me up?" Mary-Lynnette flopped on the bed again.

"Because, I know you aren't a morning person." Hannah laughed. "You aren't much of a person really."

"Shut up." Mary-Lynnette threw her pillow at her best friend and fell back down.

"I swear you're an alien. You love the stars so much it's almost unhealthy! And you sleep until eleven everyday. Your home planet must have hours like Earth, only off a little different."

"Okay, Hannah you caught me." Mary-Lynnette said sadly with the right amount of hopelessness. "I'm a government project, taken from my home planet of Narnia in the Hogwarts sector. You can't tell anyone! Please! There are agents crawling around this place to keep me in line. If they find out you know, they'll kill us both!"

Hannah burst into laughter. "You could be an actress, you know."

Mary-Lynnette got up, laughing as well. "I would prefer to be," She struck a ridiculous pose, "a model."

Hannah laughed louder. "C'mon get dressed. Our first skiing lesson is soon."

"Okay." Mare chuckled. "You think I have time for a shower?"

"Knowing you, no."

"Too bad, I'm taking one anyway." Mary-Lynnette grabbed some towels from the closet next to the bathroom.

"Have fun." Hannah said sarcastically and started putting her hair into a low ponytail.

Ten minutes later, Mary-Lynnette stepped out of the shower and within five more minutes the girls were making their way out into the cold, white stuff.

Coming from Oregon and Montana, both girls knew how to navigate in snow, but apparently not everyone knew how too.

"Oh! Thank you! I'm such a klutz on ice." A tiny blonde girl with large violet eyes gripped Mary-Lynnette for support.

"No problem." Mary-Lynnette helped her to the safety of the front steps.

"Thanks. Ugh, I don't want to be here anyway. My parent's are trying to get me together with his guy." She rolled her eyes. "I barely know him so this is supposed to be 'bonding' time. Whatever."

"I hate it when parent's interfere with relationships." Mary-Lynnette exclaimed, remember Jeremy from back home and how her mom was constantly trying to hook them up.

"Me too. Anyway, thanks again. Maybe I'll see you guys around." Iliana waved and retreated went into the warmth of the lodge.

This was probably the stupidest idea her parents had ever had. Iliana didn't find snow at all romantic. In fact, she thought it nothing more than an annoyance on the North Carolina roads once a year.

And skiing on snow wasn't any better. Iliana was not an athletic person. Well, if you counted her ballet lessons. But other than that she was hopeless at any and every sport. And from what she had seen and heard about Galen he was probably going to want to go sledding down the side of the mountain. Then what was she supposed to do? Look like a fool and land herself in a hospital bed? Have Galen go by himself and wait around indoors?

Ugh, stupid Galen. Stupid Galen's parent's money. Iliana dragged herself in her heavy boots to the front desk.

Her stuff had arrived an hour before she had and was already in her room.

At least I don't have to drag my stuff up to my room, Iliana grumbled. Damn, I sound like a spoiled priss.

"I wonder where Galen is." Iliana mused as she opened her door. "Gee, Iliana you don't know where Galen is, that's new."

Galen had a talent for disappearing. He could vanish overnight without a trace. And he did this quite often.

And it annoyed the hell out of Iliana.

Here she was, trying to get along with this guy who was probably going to end up marrying her (as an arranged marriage of course) and she would go over to his house and he'd be gone. No note, no texts, no call, no nothing.

And not even an explanation when he came back. The nerve of that boy.

"Well, Iliana, if he does it on this trip you'll just cut all ties. Because I am not doing this one more time." Iliana told herself.

James was getting impatient. How long did it take to get a conference room ready? There's barely anything in there anyway!

It was the second day of the agent's stay. Their first day had been considered a near success. If it hadn't been for that spat with Jez and Ash, it would've been a success.

James loved his cousins, but they were so dysfunctional it's not even amusing anymore.

"File in everyone." Thierry told his agents.

Finally.

Agents had this protocol where whoever is the last person to enter a room, they look in the room they came from to see who might've saw them. James, being the last person in the line, peered into the lobby. Nothing.

"We're all clear." He announced.

All the agents relaxed in their seats, except for Thierry who stood opposite the door.

James turned off the lights and Thierry started a Power Point presentation. The first image was of the edge of the forest.

"Who can tell me what's wrong with this picture?" Thierry asked.

All of his agents scanned the image, taking in every detail.

"Over between those two pines with the broken branches that looks like a 'v' there are foot prints." Quinn pointed out.

Rashel glanced sideways at Quinn, her expression shocked and impressed.

"Excellent." Thierry changed the slide to the exact same image with the several tracks of footprints circled in red. "Now one of the shoe sizes we found is 11 and a half, which would mean one of the males is approximately six-two to six-four in height. Hunter Redfern in six feet, three inches.

"Now, I realize this isn't much to go on, but remember agents, Hunter Redfern is known to have a cabin in these woods around this area."

"But sir," James straightened up in his seat. "Do you really think that Hunter would be stupid enough to go out? He's a wanted criminal all over the world."

"Not stupid," Ash snorted. "Arrogant."

"Like you have room to talk about arrogance." Delos told him.

"Hey, at least I haven't been busted for the illegal things I do." Ash retorted.

"Ash, don't joke like that." Thierry snapped.

"I'm being perfectly serious." Ash replied.

Thierry rolled his eyes. "I want this investigated. No- not investigated, I want somebody to keep a constant watch on this, at all times. Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir." The Agents said in unison.

"You will take it in hourly shifts of two. Ash and Quinn, how about you two go first?"

"Yes, sir." The boys grumbled.

"Now, if you see anything suspicious, you contact the rest of us ASAP and record it."

"Yes, sir."

Thierry stared sternly at all of his agents. "Good luck."

The agents all filed out of the room, each going their separate ways, except for Ash and Quinn who set off in the snow, looking for a hideout.

Ash sighed, pushing his hands in his pockets as they continued to trudge down the snowy path. Thank God they were wearing thick jackets.

"You should be more…alert than," Quinn paused and looked at Ash's laid-back stance, "that, you know."

"I know, I know," Ash muttered. "I just don't feel like it. Plus if we're standing here all tense that'll be suspicious."

Quinn shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"You didn't warn me."

"But I did."

They glared at each other before grinning and chuckling. Ah, best friends. They continued to walk casually towards the forest, trying to appear as if they were just two curious males going inside the forest—when they're actually two outstanding agents, investigating for a hideout.

The snow was soft as they walked deeper in the forest, their jaws clenched tightly. Anxiously.

"Come on, you idiot," Jez told Morgead, dragging him behind her.

"Don't call me an idiot, you idiot," Morgead snapped although he let Jez pull him. He wouldn't dare admit that he was letting Jez drag him. Never. "What, are we following your cousin again?"

"Is it obvious?" she asked sarcastically, following the two figures go down the forest.

"What the—where are we going?"

"The actual question is…where are they going?" Jez murmured to herself, squinting as she watched Ash and that dark-haired guy trudge in the forest—looking…interested.

Ash was never interested in forests. Or any natural thing for that matter. He had always been interested in cars and girls. And Jez could just tell that there won't be any cars or girls inside a damn forest.

So why was he looking so interested in a forest?

They disappeared in the forest. Jez grabbed Morgead's arm and dragged him towards the path the two idiots led them. She tried to follow silently. But with the snow being…well, snow and soft, her footsteps always end with soft thumps.

The trees were tall, the trunks were wide, and the roots were…scary. They were sticking up from the ground. Crooked and thick, the roots appeared as if they were out to grab you. Compared to the white snow, the trunks of the trees looked almost black and very, very dark. It was…eerily beautiful. And it…can also be used for traps.

The thought made her shiver.

"You cold?" Morgead asked quietly. He had the feeling that he should be quiet. Why wouldn't he be quiet? They were following those two figures for whoever's sake! That Ash-guy and that other guy. Hell, he doesn't even know why he's been dragged into this.

"No," she muttered. Jez gulped silently. Her hand slid from his arm to his warm hand, gripping it. Surprisingly, Morgead squeezed her hand as well. Jez gritted her teeth, frustrated.

Damn.

While she was looking at the strange-looking trees, she lost sight of the other two—

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Ah, shit.

Jez plastered a smile on her face as she turned around to face…this man.

Well, at least he's not Ash.

"Can't two teenagers have fun in the forest?"

"Get out."

"No." Jez gritted her teeth. No way in hell, heaven, or earth is she letting Ash get away from her that easily. "We're looking for some friends—"

"So you've got friends in here, too?" Then the man began muttering.

Jez glared. The man had the nerve to be rude to her. The man had dark brown hair; some were a dark gray now. His eyes were…cunning. The old man seems cunning. The old man was lean and had a strong appearance. He looked to be around his very late-thirties. And he was wearing those Blue tooth earpieces. The ones that agents use in movies…"Look, old man. Let me finish—"

He was already pushing them out of the forest. "Get out—"

"This is a free country—"

"I don't care. Get out."

Crunch.

Jez punched him in the jaw. The man stumbled back, rubbing his jaw.

The man glared, crouching in a stance. "Get the fuck out. Or else."

"Bitch, don't talk to me like that." Jez crouched in a stance as well. She may be a girl, but she had never been a damsel in distress. She glared, matching the man's defiant stare. Luckily, she brought a plastic knife with her. She got it from the resort while she and Morgead were "stabbing" each other in the cafeteria. She only hoped that this man had no weapon.

"Get out. This is your last chance, punk." The man spat at her. "Boss, problem at hand. Stubborn teenagers won't get off the territory."

Jez frowned, gritting her teeth, trying to not lash at this asshole. This motherfucker. "No. It's not like we'll disturb anyone. It's not like anyone is in here anyway." How come they saw her but not Ash and that other dude?

Maybe they were here at the right place, and at the right time.

But, unfortunately for Morgead and her, they were here at the wrong place, and at the wrong time.

"You asked for it." He pulled out a gun. A gun! Seriously, who carries a gun in forests? Unless there was actually something top secret here in this forest.

So much for her hopes about this old geezer not having a weapon. A stick would've been fine for him. But a gun. Her plastic knife has absolutely no chance against his handgun.

Morgead gritted his teeth, also crouching in a stance. He was almost itching to step in front of Jez. But he knew that Jez would just shove him away—and then that distraction will give this stranger the perfect time to shoot one of them.

He can't let that happen.

"Boss," the man muttered as he aimed his gun at Jez—nonchalantly, "Should I shoot them?" His gaze slid towards Morgead and then back to Jez. "No, the other one's a boy." The old man gritted his teeth. "Alright. Whatever you say, boss."

The old man sighed, switching his aim at Morgead instead. "If I were to be followed, I would've let you go," he said to Morgead. "But, unluckily, I'm not the one to be followed. The boss wants to keep this punk," he nodded his head towards Jez, "and wants me to eliminate you."

Jez and Morgead exchanged looks. Worried looks. Morgead…was about to die. To be murdered.

The man sighed again. "Well, let's get this over with." He was raised the gun and his forefinger was about to press on it. He smiled wickedly. Bloodlust was in his eyes. Morgead glared, his heart beating rapidly.

Oh God, I'm about to die, Morgead thought as he glanced at Jez. Jez was glaring at the man. Her hands were in fists, her silvery blue eyes in narrow slits as the man smiled wider, his forefinger putting pressure on the trigger when—

Bang. The gun was shot out the man's grip.

"Run!"

Jez didn't care who saved them. Nor did Morgead.

They exchanged quick glances before rushing towards the man. Morgead sent a hard blow on the man's stomach, making the man stumble backwards, towards the roots. And then Jez rushed behind Morgead, aiming for the man's face.

"Asshole," she muttered, hearing a loud crunch as the man's nose bled. Jez had the happiest feeling that she broke his nose. She was about to give him a kick in the balls when—

Snap.

Both Morgead and Jez staggered backwards, falling on the soft snow as they watched a huge net suddenly spring up from the ground, capturing the old man and holding him up.

A trap.

The troublemakers were examining the trap, the man was grunting but then…he just fainted. Maybe the damages they did were good enough to make him faint. Ha! Serves that bastard right.

"What the hell are you doing here, you idiots?"

The two glanced behind them and quickly got up to their feet. It was the dark-haired guy who was with Ash earlier.

"Going to have fun in the forest," Jez answered.

"And look how this so-called 'fun' almost got you," the dark-haired guy said.

They were silent.

"Don't try and follow us," he continued as he walked towards the man in the net. "It's a good thing Ash and I were only a few distances away. You two were lucky. If you do this again, you wouldn't be too lucky. Hell, you might not even be lucky."

The dark-haired boy reached up and sent a quick but hard punch up to the man's leg, trying to see if the man is really unconscious. When the man stayed unconscious, Quinn jumped up—really high, grabbing the branch where the net was set. He pulled out a knife as Jez and Morgead watched curiously.

"Go."

"What are you guys?"

"Jezebel."

"Ash."

"Great, you're here," the dark-haired boy said from the branch. "I need you to call…the others. Or at least some—" The dark-haired boy sent Ash a look that meant "backup" in agent language. "And tell your cousin to get back to the resort, will you? She's a stubborn girl. That I must say."

"Ash, this is not a financial things." Jez crossed her arms. "I'm—we're—not leaving until one of you explains to us what you are."

"It's a job, alright? A job we get paid for." Ash grabbed his cousin's arm and pulled on her. "Now come on—"

Jez jerked her arm from him. "No. Tell me what you are. Or else…" she paused, quickly thinking of something to say, "…we won't tell you what this man told us before he decided to kill Morgead and I."

A total lie.

But it appears as if their "job" is related to that asshole in the net. So why not use him as a tool to make Ash confess whatever the truth is?

"Quinn," Ash looked up at the branch—uncertainty crossing his features.

Quinn had a thoughtful look on his face as well. "Call the others. No, call T—our boss." He stopped himself from saying Thierry's name. Some people might hear…

Ash frowned and glanced at Jez and Morgead. "Stay here. Don't move." He jogged towards Quinn and they began to have a hushed conversation.

"If we can't get anything out of this man, I think we'll just use her." Quinn was sitting on the branch. "Hurry up and call for backup. We can't stay here for too long. I have a feeling that Hunter's going to send someone out for this little fucker."

"But…she's sly. She's a good liar. A natural bitchy actress." Ash had a feeling that Jez was…being Jez.

"Well, whatever. We'll figure something out. It's not like she'll blurt the secret out."

Ash gritted his teeth and grimly nodded. "Let's get Th—our boss to handle this."

"Go call—"

"OI! What the hell are you doing here?" A man suddenly appeared in the thicket of branches.

Jez and Morgead exchanged looks and began running out of the forest—as fast as they can what with the snow nearly a foot thick. Which wasn't as fast. But it was enough since the man was a bit too far from them.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.

Quinn swiftly pulled out his gun and shot the man's gun out of his hand from fifteen feet away. The man dropped his gun somewhere in the snow. He quickly jumped down from the branch and began running after Jez and Morgead as well. As he was running, he pushed his gun inside his thick jacket.

Ash glanced back and pulled out his own gun, shooting the man on the right arm. He figured that it was the man's dominant hand since Ash saw him holding his gun with his right hand. They would be safe. For now.

He forced himself to run faster, pushing his gun inside his jacket as well.

Once Ash reached the safe path of the resort, he saw that Quinn, Jez, and Morgead were panting and trying to regain their breathing just in front of the building.

"We didn't get the man," Ash panted. "Thanks to you." He glared at Jez.

"Hey, thanks to us, the man was actually in that net," Jez argued. She crossed her arms, her lips a bit chapped and dry because of the cold temperature.

"Thanks to me, the man didn't kill you two," Quinn muttered.

"Thanks to you two, we didn't find the hideout," Ash grumbled.

"There's no point in arguing, morons," Morgead glowered. He pushed his hands in his pockets. "We almost died in there. What the hell is it with you people and guns?"

They were all whispering, because they didn't want anyone to hear their conversation. It was safer this way. They were almost to the ski resort now. But, instead, they were outside the ski resort, trying to regain their breathing and fix their disheveled appearances.

"Let's get inside. We must discuss this with Thierry," Quinn ordered as he turned his back and began walking towards the ski resort.

Eric wiped his sweaty palms on his pants.

They were doing their case exercises. Actually, David, Eric, and this other trainee are finished with the "hunting-down-the-criminal" shit. Now, they're in the moot court—where they present the evidence they gathered from the "criminal" they captured.

David wiped a hand over his brow and focused on what Eric was saying.

"The criminal is guilty because his finger prints matched the ones on the M1911A1 pistol that we recovered during the first encounter we had with him. We went into the lab afterwards, checking for the fingerprints—and luckily enough, we found his identity." Eric took a deep breath and continued to explain their evidence and investigations.

An hour later, both guys exited the moot court with tired sighs.

"Great job, you two," Keller said with a very small hint of smile, her arms crossed as she leaned on the wall.

Eric rubbed his neck, smiling a bit coyly because finally, finally one of their superiors acknowledged the hard work they did.

"Thanks Keller." David grinned.

Keller nodded and her phone suddenly buzzed. She fished in her coat pocket and pulled out her Blackberry.

"I need to take this." Keller said, using the tone that meant "this is official shit, don't bother me".

She walked away into the shadows of the room by force of habit before answering her phone.

"What?" Keller hissed into the phone, her emotional control snapping for a second. It wasn't a loud outburst, but it was loud enough for Eric and David's carefully tuned ears to pick up.

When she came back, Keller looked tenser than they had ever seen her. Keller wasn't uptight, but she was just… on her guard all the time. But now, she looked like she was on offense, not defense.

"Come with me. I have an assignment for you." Keller told them.

Neither of them questioned her. It must be really important if they were getting a mission when they were still only rookies. Even if they did excellent on the case exercises.

"What's up?" Eric asked when they reached The Room.

The Room was designed like a police interrogation room. A table in the center (with the little hooks to attach handcuffs to and everything) a couple of metal chairs and a lamp hanging above it all. It was nicknamed The Room because it was 'the room' where all the agents were assigned their missions—if they happened to be at headquarters.

"You two are aware of the mission to capture Hunter Redfern?" Keller asked.

"Yes. The best agents are incognito in a ski resort up north, right?" David said.

Keller nodded. "Yes. Well apparently they've been discovered."

"By who?" Eric and David asked in unison. They've never been on a real mission, but they knew being discovered could lead to many horrible, horrible things.

Keller's lips pulled back in an ironic smirk. "That boys, is what you are going to find out."

DUN, DUN, DAHHHH!

Eve: Okay I'll stop being a spaz now. I hope you liked the chapter! Took us long enough right? My fault, my own most grievous fault. I'll stop quoting City of Bones now okay lol.

On a serious note, I would like to bring to your attention that tomorrow is the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone who was affected by the tragic event.

Okay seriousness over. NOW BACK TO YOU CESCA! :D

Cesca: *nods and bows head in prayer* ~after 2 minutes~ We're sorry it took long! We both have hectic schedules and we—yeah. So, uh, without further ado, we ask for a review…? A penny for your thoughts…? Er, yeah.

THANKS GUYS FOR REVIEWING/SUBSCRIBING/FAVING THIS STORY! :D We appreciate it a bunch! ^_^