A/N - Aaaaaand action.
Beca raced home and placed her outfit (mask, blonde hair, black leather attire on) before once again leaving. Blacking out her number plates she drove across town to a small home. Parking the bike she subtly snuck through the back entrance. She slid the door open and closed it behind her, keeping low and crouched she moved into the house.
Feeling someone tap on her shoulder she turned and prepared herself, bringing a fist right around but Lily blocked it, her face impassive.
"Lily." Beca greeted curtly, "What am I doing here?"
"This is a small safe house of mine."
"Where is Amy?"
"Still gathering information."
"What? She was the one who called me-"
"Yes I told her to."
"What's going on?" Beca was annoyed she had to leave Chloe, wanting to spend the day with her.
"We've found something." Lily gestured that she follow her into the hidden downstairs area of the home, which was a lot larger than the home itself. Walking over to a large computer set up Lily sat down and booted up some files.
Beca remained standing and waited for Lily to inform her as to why she had been summoned out here.
"We've received word of a possible positive match on a face for a murder in Atlanta a year back. The possible match has come to light during this feed at the airport two days ago." Lily stated whilst she brought up one of the security airport camera's and a sketch someone has done of the male suspect.
"Where?"
"Here in Vegas."
Beca felt everything stop for a moment, though her mind raced. She stared at both the pictures, the airport feed couldn't give much due to him wearing sunnies and a baseball cap
Baseball cap… Wait he…. He looks like…
xx
"Sorry!" one young male wearing a baseball cap bumped into her shoulder, but continued on without looking back.
"That's… okay." Beca watched him walk away, her eyes narrowed in on him curiously but tore them away at the sight of the red head.
xx
No… this… this doesn't make any sense.
Lily eyed the woman whose eyes were distant yet glued to the computer screen.
"I need you to run a name, Nathan Linde." Beca had seen the man's nametag for only a brief second before he bumped into her.
Lily quickly ran it through the secure database and Beca's stomach dropped seeing the man's face come up, he did not look the same as who she had seen not an hour or so prior. The features she had seen from the 'Nathan Linde' would more correlate with the man seen at the airport.
"Give me an address." Beca sounded normal and calm, she was everything but, and anyone else would've been deceived by the façade, however Lily saw right through it.
"15 Bundle Street."
I need to be sure.
Lily stood from her chair and faced Beca, knowing the woman was not informing her of everything "geugeos-eun mueos-ibnikka? (What is it?)"
"I-… I need to go to this address. I've seen someone that looks close to the sketch provided yet his credentials stated his name was Nathan Linde…." Still this doesn't make an ounce of sense… "get me to that address."
Lily turned and threw the small device to Beca who quickly caught it and placed it in her ear. Running back upstairs and onto her bike, she revved the engine sand took off towards the address with help provided from her GPS, Lily.
"Lily?"
"Yes? … Take a left."
Beca followed the instructions, "What intel is Amy chasing up?"
"I'm not sure. It had something to do with your personal request. She will most likely ring in shortly."
Chloe?
"Okay patch me through when she does."
Pulling up to the backstreet adjacent to the home's address, Beca parked the bike and made her way in the shadows through another person's backyard. Jumping over the fence with ease she snuck up to the house. All lights were out except for the kitchen, however Beca could not see in for all the blinds and curtains were closed. Her ears caught the loud sounds of music playing from somewhere inside.
Carefully she made her way to one of the bedrooms and using a small tool Lily had given her was able to unlock the window, and climb through. Her feet touched the floor silently, crouching down low and she squinted her eyes through the dark. It looked to be the main bedroom she had slipped into, Beca moved to the open door and made her way into the hallway. The music was loud but not loud enough to be coming from a sound system, more a phone. Beca stopped and tried to hone her hearing to see if she could hear any movement over the music, anyone talking but there was only the loud metal type sound playing.
Crouching, Beca had her back to the wall, and pulling the hidden knife out of her boot she slid up the wall to stand. Inhaling her face scrunched from the familiar stench that invaded her nostrils. Walking out into the small kitchen her eyes took in the disarray of flipped chairs, a smashed plate with milk puddled around and what appeared to be cereal on the floor. That was only what she saw out of her peripherals, her eye-line was zoned in on the source of the foul smell and the late Nathan Linde. Despite the discoloring in his face Beca determined it was the real Nathan Linde.
"What have you found?"
"Nathan Linde." Beca stepped forward and saw two small bites in the mans' neck.
"By the tone of your voice I take it he is dead." Lily more stated then asked.
"Snake bite… by the looks of it." Beca's mind was reeling trying to piece it all together.
At the sound of a rattle Beca turned hastily finding the culprit had slithered to position itself behind her. The quick movements made the snake attempt an attack, with quick precision Beca had flung her knife through the air hitting the target in the head. The snake fell and curled lifelessly on the floor bellow her.
Beca eyed the snake trying to distinguish the kind.
"Looks to be a Mojave?... Lily something isn't adding up here. Whoever is posing as this 'Nathan' bumped right into me whilst I was backstage and kept walking. I'm fine therefore he hasn't injected me with anything, and that also means he's not here for me…"
He's not here for me. He has killed this man to get backstage and kill someone else. He's been hired… … Chloe? Chloe could be in danger.
"Then he has been contracted to kill someone at the show or he is trying to hide in plain sight to kill you."
"No-No-…." Beca was in mid thought but seeing car lights shine through the cracks in the far side drawn curtains, she picked up the dead snake along with her knife and climbed back out the window. She could hear people hopping out of a car and talking in concern for this 'Nathan'. Climbing back out and leaving the window slightly ajar, Beca made her way back to the bike. She drove for a while before stopping. Retracting the knife out of the snakes' head she threw it to the ground.
It would look too suspicious if the snake was to be found with a knife in its' head right near the dead man, yet he still did not call for help and died. Leaving the window open it would appear as if that's how the snake got in. As to why he didn't call? Well they are just going to have to sum up their own conclusions for that one.
"Backstage where Beca? Hello?" Lily asked again.
Beca wasn't really listening to Lily who had carried on to ask questions whilst she was escaping.
"The Planet Hollywood. Where Chloe Beale is performing." Beca charged her bike towards said place. "Where is Amy? Have you heard from her yet?"
"No."
Beca tried to collect her thoughts before she was interrupted at the home, "Lily he wouldn't be hiding in plain sight backstage for me. He has had multiple chances to kill me by now if he has been here for two days. Stacie is out of the equation because he is at Planet Hollywood not MGM. He's been hired to kill someone else, but who?"
"I've patched into the security feeds with the hotel. I'm looking but am yet to see him."
"He's wearing the baseball cap seen on the airport footage, last I saw him."
"Are you heading back there now?"
"Yes."
"Don't. Head home first. If he didn't notice it was you than it is more than likely the costume will give you away, which by the way you were told to discard of!"
"Not now Lily!"
She was right though, and Beca punched it towards home. Turning the corner her eyes met the blonde's and carefully Beca stepped off the bike.
"Gde ty byl Emi? (Where have you been Amy?)" Beca asked cautiously.
"Prikhodite poydem naverkh. (Come let's go upstairs.)" Amy replied.
Beca had no reason to doubt Amy. She was allowing the insane situation to cloud her mind and she pushed through the doubt haze, following the woman upstairs.
Amy had a thick folder and upon going upstairs placed it down on the table.
"What is that?"
"Everything on your request…. there is a lot of information on her. Easy to obtain. What's going on?" Amy only took in how much of a rush Beca seemed to be in.
"There is a hitman here in Vegas, more specifically at the Planet Hollywood Hotel. He fucking walked right into me!" Beca was angry with herself, quickly she went into the bedroom threw on some dark skinny jeans, put her special designed boots back on, along with a tank top and leather jacket.
"What?... ... shit." Amy hissed.
"What?" Beca came back out and looked to Amy.
"I think it is likely that your red head friend is the target."
All of Beca's fears that she had been thinking since an hour ago were spoken out loud.
"What makes you say that?"
"You or Stacie would have either been dead, in serious trouble or out of the country by now if he were after you. Oh and it wouldn't just be him that would be here if they knew you and Stacie were currently living here. No it's definitely a hit for someone else and if he is yet to make a move, the order must be for a public death or accidental cause. That's my bet anyway."
"Eto vasha stavka?! (That's your bet?!)" Beca felt herself get angry at the choice of words, she was worth more than a bet, and this was someone's life. A life that Beca cared for greatly. Why would someone place a hit on Chloe Beale?
"This… this is insane. We don't have time to talk about this. If what we think is likely, then I need to get back there!" Beca made her way back downstairs followed closely by Amy.
"Sorry friend, I meant no harm." Amy was surprised by the usual impassive woman's outburst.
"It is not your fault." Beca placed some of the equipment into the inner pockets of her leather jacket.
"She means a lot to you?" Amy asked but had a feeling she already knew the answer.
Beca exhaled and gave a short nod.
"What are you going to do Beca?" Amy carefully asked. This wasn't good at all, for all the effort they had gone through this could ruin everything.
Beca gazed at Amy for only a short moment then placed the helmet on, revving the bike to life she took off towards the hotel.
I'm going to get some answers.
Chloe checked her phone near every hour that passed and still no word from Beca. Sitting in her dressing room, make up artists made their way in to start. Showtime was 30 minutes away. Dressed in her first outfit for the night, make-up done she started to do some vocal warm ups.
Jessica came into the dressing room, "Hey girl! Are you ready?... What's wrong?"
"Nothing I'm fine and yeah I'm ready to go!" Chloe went to pass her friend but Jessica stepped in the way to stop her and closed the door.
"Okay, so I'll ask again now, what's wrong?"
Chloe huffed, "Noth-… nothing it's just," she exhaled calming herself down, "I haven't heard from Beca since she left and I'm about to start. She promised she would be here."
"What? I didn't even see her leave. That damned hobbit!" Jess went over and rubbed Chloe's forearms with her hands, "Sorry… best friend defence systems came online then. Look I'm sure she will be here. She might be stuck in traffic-"
"She drives a motorbike Jess. There isn't really an excuse… she didn't even tell me where she was going." Chloe went over to the mirror and checked her make up, looking down she saw her phone light up.
Beca: I'm just parking my bike. Incredibly sorry I'm late and if I don't get to see you before you go on. Know that I will be watching over you and you're going to do great!
Jess watched the sudden transformation of Chloe now calming down and even had a small smile on her face. Beca.
"You okay?" Jess hesitantly asked.
Chloe went to open her mouth but someone knocked loudly on the door and let themselves in.
"Chloe!" William had a clipboard in his hands and his own microphone around his head, "It's time my darling. We need you in place now!"
"Wha-…" Chloe looked to Jess, she had hoped to see Beca before going on, and regardless she forced a smile, "Yes, yes okay let's do this."
Jessica gave some encouraging words to her before all the dancers, band and backup singers crowded around Chloe to all give a bigger cheer for each other towards a great show. It was tradition.
Taking her spot on the platform, Chloe could hear the crowd, and waited to be risen into their view.
"Mam do you have a pas-" The security guard stopped talking when the small brunette flashed the card and went through.
Beca's eyes scanned every person she passed, not knowing how much time she had before the hitman would strike, every second counted. Everything would change now, no matter how this went down tonight, things would change.
Beca went over to a side view area and watched Chloe perform to the thousands in front. Despite the situation a small smile played at Beca's lips seeing the woman in her element and loving it, the smile soon faded knowing that if she didn't find this 'Nathan' this would be Chloe's last performance.
"Lily I'm in backstage."
"I know I have a tracker on you remember. Care to tell me what it is you think you are doing?"
Beca's eyes surveyed high and low.
"Have you found anything on the camera's?"
Lily let out a small sigh "Negative."
Shit. C'mon… c'mon where are you!?
"Beca… Amy and I have discussed it and maybe we should call in Specialist-"
"No. No not yet."
"What's the plan here Beca? Save the girl then what?"
"Haven't gotten that far yet. Saving Chloe is the big one first."
Beca's eyes finally zoned in on what appeared to be a small metallic device of which was connected to a large beam above. Walking and following the beam it was clear that it was holding various lights above the stage.
It's going to fall. How?
"I've got it. It's out of place, nothing else around the beam looks out of place."
"What is it?"
"My guess is that it may be a small explosive, but it will look as though the beam or light was faulty."
"Okay listen to me Beca ... …. Beca? Are you there?"
Beca's eyes locked onto the man in the baseball hat, whose eyes were watching the red head star move about on stage like a hawk. That told her who he was here for.
No… why?!
Beca noticed that his hand was in his pocket and deducted that he must be holding the remote. Beca submerged herself into the shadows and around the backstage area hoping to get up close to the man and disarm him. Pulling the hoodie up and over her head from her jacket, Beca was close.
Benji had positioned everything perfectly, including himself to stand just from side stage. Waiting for the perfect time as Chloe Beale made her way around the stage. There had been many moments where he could have already blown the beam, but felt proud with his efforts already. Benji allowed himself some small downtime to watch the multi-award winning woman perform for the first time, and of course, for the very last time.
He kept his hand hidden within the pocket, around the small device. One push to activate a very small charge that would bring the beam swinging down. There was no definitive compulsion for Benji to press the button, other than he was now growing bored. The thrill for his locked target and to finish the contract right within his palm became his notion. The moment was now.
Goodbye Miss Chloe Isabelle Beale.
Benji inwardly smirked.
Beca had been simultaneously watching the hitman, the beam and Chloe. She noted how young he appeared to be in stature and jawline from under the cap. Movement in his pocket alerted her. The boy's arm muscles could be seen to tense.
NO!
Beca ran straight past him and out onto the stage, she dodged those dancing, weaving in between the bodies and pushed those in danger into a different path. Beca could register some of the shocked faces of the dancers, crowd and also Chloe. The beam above sparked, hardly noticeable, and swung down rapidly.
Chloe didn't put up much of a fight as Beca's arms wrapped around her and tackled her out of the way. Beca didn't bring them to the ground however, instead ran them back off the stage. She could feel the swift change in the air from the beam that barely missed Beca's and Chloe's back behind them.
Chloe's microphone was cut off and security began to race towards them at backstage.
"Wha- what-?" It all happened so quickly Chloe was still in shock, her eyes scanned back to the stage grateful to see no one else was hurt. But the stage was soon out of view, she was still moving. Her eyes then glanced to the hooded figure that was leading her down the hallway.
Are they security? Who the?-… What! "What the fuck is going on?!" Chloe's voice was soft though she tended it to be strong.
Beca dodged security and knew they needed to get out of there Chloe was not safe. Pulling her into a room and closing the door before a bunch of security continued past them, scouring the area for the artist.
"They are trying to protect me." Chloe reasoned with the person. She wasn't sure as to why. Chloe could tell the small figure was a woman but the hood was too low to distinguish her face.
Beca went around the room and pulled a large jacket off a clothes rack, might have been one of the dancers along with a hat, throwing them to Chloe.
Chloe stood with the items in her hand, the confusion of the situation was overwhelming, So a beam came down and nearly hit me, it was an accident right? What.. What?! "Who are you? and what is going on?!" she demanded.
Beca stopped in her actions for a moment and kept her head low, gazing to the redhead.
Should I tell her? Fuck she'll want nothing to do with me afterwards and… I don't want that. She'll never understand… I'm not someone she should be near. But for now she needs me.
Beca was about to push her hoodie back but the door to the room swung open and she crouched low pulling a thin needle from her sleeve.
"Woah!" The large woman put her hands up harmlessly "Eto tol'ko mne moy drug. (It is just me my friend.)"
Beca realized it was Amy but was no longer a blonde, she donned a short black wig instead.
"My dolzhny poluchit' yeye otsyuda. (We need to get her out of here.)" Beca responded in haste.
"What the fuck is going on?!" Chloe tried the question again. Chloe bit her lip trying to bay the tears that began to surface at the frightening situation, "Plea-please don't hurt me."
Beca felt broken from seeing the woman so distraught. She locked eyes with Amy and the woman knew that Chloe was yet to know who she was and the seriousness of the situation.
"Miss Beale, I know this is a lot to take in but please listen to me when I say we are here to help you. You are the target of a hired hitman who tried to make an attempt on your life tonight. That was no accident. And that man is still here and we need to get you to safety." Amy informed her. The woman's voice was calm but authoritative.
Chloe's eyes were glued on the new woman but glanced over to the person who was still hooded, before going back to the black haired one.
"S-someone's trying to kill me?" he voice was shaky.
"Please we will tell you when we get you to safety." Amy urged, "Change into the jacket and hat and pull your hair back." She passed her a hair tie.
Chloe was shaking but did as she was told. She was already wearing long pants and took her heels off. There weren't any other shoes to steal so she would have to be barefoot for now.
"Let's go." Amy stood beside Chloe, "I know this is scary Miss Beale but we will do everything we can to keep you safe."
Beca gave a firm nod in agreement to that statement and checking the hallway, she held out her hand to Chloe. Chloe eyed it suspiciously then surprising herself and Beca she accepted the hand and allowed the hooded woman to take her down the hallway.
"I have a car for us downstairs. Is he still in the building?" Amy asked in hushed voice to those passing around them in panic.
"Da. No ya yemu in"yektsiyu preparata. (Yes. But I have injected him with a drug.)" Beca informed. When she had run past the hitman she had quickly stabbed him with a knock out drug. However due to the quickness and not being able to inject much, he would have a couple of hours – maybe – before he would pass out. Not good enough.
Beca stopped them at a fire exit door, her eyes scanned the chaos around them. Turning to Chloe to see she was still okay moreover, coherent, then she looked to Amy.
"Voz'mite yeye v mashinu. YA dumayu, ya znayu, gde killer mozhet byt'. (Take her to the car. I think I know where the hitman might be.)
Amy nodded, "Take this my friend." She passed her a few slick knives, which Beca slipped into the back of her jeans.
"Okay. Chloe I need you to come with me." Amy spoke.
Beca dropped her hand only to feel a hand on her shoulder, she kept her back turned.
"I-I don't know who you are b-but thank you for saving me." Chloe thanked.
Beca sighed and didn't respond, and she took off in a light jog towards the elevator.
Chloe watched her move with quickness until Amy pulled her out of her gaze and opened the door, ushering them through. They made their way down the stairwell into the underground parking.
Amy sighed in relief that security was yet to be crawling all over the parking area and opened the door for Chloe into a black SUV, closing it as she hopped in.
Chloe felt a buzz in the pocket of the jacket she was wearing and saw a text from MOM. It was one of the dancers phones'. An idea struck Chloe and she tried her luck in scrolling through to find Jess's number. Sure enough she found her name and clicked to call. Chloe needed to make sure her best friend had made it out okay.
"Steven?" Jess whispered.
"No it's Chloe."
"Oh my god Chloe! Where are you?! Are you okay?" Jess sounded like she was crying.
Chloe wiped her own tears that began to spill, "Y-yes, I-I'm okay… I'm being escorted out." She gazed out the window to see that some security was now talking to Amy who looked to have flashed some kind of badge to the men.
"I-… fuck I'm scared Chloe." Jess hissed and tried to control her crying.
"Wha-? Where are you?"
"I thought you might've gone back to your hotel room… b-but … someone else is here."
Chloe could barely understand what she was saying through the very hushed whispers. Chloe started to panic all over again. The other line became muffled, Jess was screaming but it abruptly ended.
"Jess?!"
"… …"
Chloe put a hand over her mouth to try and not sob, the worst scenarios going through her mind. Glancing over to see the black haired woman still talking to security Chloe checked the handle of the door, and found it was still unlocked.
A/N - Now we are in the thick of it.
This might be filled with some errors and mistakes. For that I apologise. I just posted new chapters for my other stories and wanted to continue the streak with this one :) especially before I really have to focus on my assessment.
Shout out to the anon on Tumblr who did the new cover photo for me. Very cool. It inspired me to smash this chapter out today.
Shout out to all of you who continue to leave reviews for me! Ya'll are awesome.