His pace was quick and his expression stoic as he made his way through the restaurant. Ushered through and up the staircase he met Kimmy who was being roughly patched up by a woman.

Allen exhaled, "Looks like things didn't go according to plan hm?"

Kimmy wore a scowl but tried to reel in her expression, "I'm still with you on this Allen. I will help you find them and kill them." Her voice strong with conviction but hissed as the woman was finishing her last stitch, "Josimhae! (Careful!)" Kimmy scolded.

Allen nodded, "I had one of my own hitmen who sent out a signal."

"Dead. I'm sorry Bumper." Kimmy informed him, using his code name in respect.

Allen exhaled and his expression became darker, as did his accompanying hitmen. All eyes turned to a triad member briskly entering the room, with a quick bow to them all he went of to Kimmy. Informing her in hushed whisper of the information he had just been told Kimmy's lips twitched into a smirk.

"What is it?" Allen impatiently asked.

Kimmy gave her triad brother a nod which sent him out of the room, and she eased herself off the table to stand, "We've spotted them."

"Beca?"

"Hmm?"

"Your scars aren't from motorbike accidents are they…"

Beca's expression dimmed, "No. But what I said was true, they were painful."

Chloe gazed over and saw the bruise/cut above Beca's eye. I hope that heals quickly for her and her leg. She couldn't help but sympathize.

"So doing the dirt bike sport, that was a lie." She stated more than asked.

"Yes. But the premise behind my words were in a way truthful."

What? "What does that mean Beca?"

"I told you it was something I didn't want to continue. At first I… I" Beca was trying to grasp on how to tell Chloe, "I was not given a conventional start in this world Chloe. I thought nothing more than; it was my task in life with how I was brought up."

Chloe recalled her words in the hotel when lying on the couch together, she was listening intently and trying to understand the enigma of Beca, "Your father?"

Beca gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, "Yes."

"You told me he had forced you to do 'the sport'."

"Something along those lines. As I stated, I was brought up with different values and beliefs. A whole other view."

"So was Stacie?"

"Yes."

Chloe sat there for a moment and let that sink in. Though the sinking in part wasn't helping much in trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. Doesn't sound good though… she was brought up to fight, knows a ridiculous amount of languages… Suddenly something twisted in her gut, something not sitting right.

Chloe licked her dry lips, "You said you knew that Hitman.. Benji."

Beca's heart rate began to pick up slightly, "I knew of him, yes."

Chloe's hand reached down to the side compartment of the door, "How Beca?"

"Chloe-"

"How Beca!?" she demanded, her hand clasped tight around the grip.

Beca exhaled, "I knew of him when I was younger. A chemist of sorts with a fascination in animal toxins."

"You… you're one of them aren't you?" her voice was shaky, her whole body was shaking.

Beca's eyes had been checking the rearview mirror constantly out of learnt habit, but distracted but Chloe's outburst she shook her head, "No."

"Is that your code name or something? Auryon?" Chloe carefully asked, not believing her. She remembered the name being called out back at the safe house.

"Chloe I-… you have to understand,"

"No Beca! Talk to me for once! I know we've only known each other for a short amount of time but we both feel… this… whatever this is towards each other."

"I want to be honest with you Chloe, but it's more difficult then that?"

"Difficult to just talk to me?... Auryon?"

Beca gripped the steering wheel tight, her heart sank, "Please don't call me that. It's for your safety Chloe."

"Safety? I've been thrown into this mad world-"

"I know you have!" Beca snapped loudly which made Chloe sit back in her seat and shut her mouth, her hands now resting in her lap, "I know you have Chloe and if I could change all of this for you, to turn back time I would! You don't deserve to be exposed to this dirty and violent part of the world. You are a bright, beautiful and caring soul. It breaks my heart to see you in this situation. For you to know me? The real me? Nothing good will come of that Chloe, because once we reach this safehouse we will probably never see each other again." He voice became softer in saying those last words.

Oh Beca… "What?" Chloe breathed. She would never see her again?, "What happens at the safe house?"

"They will not let me accompany you further once we reach the safe house."

"W-why?" The brunette didn't answer, her expression was hardened "… Beca I-… I'm scared okay? I just-… god I meet someone who I feel strongly towards in such a short time and all of this happens? It's like the floor has been pulled out from under me." Chloe fidgeted with her hands.

Beca wasn't sure if it was the right choice but she was compelled to comfort her. Taking her hand off the steering wheel she reached over, her fingers skimming over Chloe's hand which slowly turned over for her to take hold of. Their fingers entwining. Already Chloe felt considerably calmer, though her mind was still reeling She said no to being a hitman? But with Benji, the languages, fighting, it tells me that she used to be or is one … she can't be though she is protecting me. She has saved me more times than I can count already… I don't want to be apart from her.

"Chloe I don't blame you for being scared, but let me just say in the past 48 hours, you continue to surprise me."

Chloe was confused and turned to listen to her, their hands still entwined still sitting on her thigh.

"You have shown incredible strength and perseverance through all of this. Don't doubt yourself in being strong because you are. You're a fighter and have shown bravery at times." She gave a small grin to Chloe but then it faltered, "I don't want you to be tainted by all of this – by me." Beca sighed and the overwhelming urge to be honest and tell Chloe was sitting right on the tip of her tongue.

"I-… my father was a terrible man Chloe,"

Was?

"But my view of him when I was younger… I idolized him. I believed in him and craved for acceptance and for him to be proud of me… I was blinded by all of that. Stacie wasn't, well… nowhere near as much as I was and she got me out of that life, at a cost." Beca sighed and looked up to the rearview mirror.

"At a cost?... so-so you were?-" Chloe eyes widened as did her heart but in looking over to Beca the woman's eyes didn't leave the rearview mirror, "W-what is it?"

"We are being followed."

What?!

Beca untwined her hand with Chloe's and placed it back on the steering wheel.

"A-are you sure?" Chloe turned her head to carefully peek around the seat. Her eyes gazed around to see many cars, it was late afternoon and traffic wasn't all that light, "Which car?"

"Black range rover." Beca answered. Coming up to a set of traffic lights Beca turned the car and continued on down the street. Her eyes glanced up to the rearview mirror to see the range rover still following them. It was behind a couple of cars but from the way they were driving and had been following their exact lane changes/direction Beca knew.

"They're still following." Chloe worriedly spoke, her voice low in case they would hear her, which is highly unlikely.

"I know." Beca answered and turned the car again.

"W-what are we going to do?" Chloe snapped her eyes up to look at Beca. The woman's eyes locked straight ahead and at times glancing at the rearview mirror.

"We need to get off the roads." Beca's voice sounded a lot harder.

Chloe swallowed and felt her hear rate only incline, "Beca?"

Beca was brought out of her thoughts at the woman's voice, like a silent reprimand of what she was yet to tell her. How can she read me so easily?

"That's not the only car following us." Beca told her and again turned the car down a long stretch of busy road.

What?! There are more?!

Beca glanced over to make sure Chloe's seatbelt was still in place before she turned the car into a lane then back over into the far left lane. Both range rovers had mirrored the action except one of the cars broke off, disappearing down the next street.

Beca huffed, Trying to box us in.

Beca kept the car at a steady pace as they continued down the road. Seeing that the light ahead had just hit yellow she began to slow the car down.

Chloe barely had a moment to realize what was going on after Beca told her to "Hold on." Before the car shot ahead at quick speed and through the now turned red light. Chloe's right hand gripped the side door handle as they shot through the intersection and she turned to see the range rover that had been following them, had now been smashed into by another car.

"Holy shit. They really were following us." Chloe breathed and slumped her head back against the chair, thankful they were in the clear for now.

"We're not out of it yet. There is still another car around."

Chloe lifted her head off the seat, Shit forgot about that one.

"We can't stay in this car either. It's been marked now." Beca turned the car and went down a few back alleyways before pulling up into a small back area car park.

Beca quickly pulled the car into park, "We need to go. Come on." She unclicked her seatbelt and turned to grab her bag out of the back seat. Jumping out of the car she walked around the front and turned back to see Chloe still seat in the passenger seat.

Beca blinked at her, just as Chloe was doing. Beca held out her arms asking what she was doing.

Chloe shook her head of the worried/adrenaline haze and got out of the car, "Where are we going?" she closed the door.

Beca frowned and stepped towards her, "Away from here, come on." She urged and turned on her heel down the alleyway.

Chloe jogged a little to keep up with Beca and caught up to walk beside her. Chloe watched as the brunette's eyes glanced around the area rapidly, she found herself doing the same.

Beca's eyes widened at seeing a black range rover pass down the very end of the alleyway. Quickly she took Chloe by the arm and pulled her to the side, positioning themselves in small back area for employees. Some appeared to be on break having a smoke, eyeing the pair curiously.

"Did they see us?" Chloe breathed in horror at having seen the car as well.

"Not sure." Beca peered out to have a look.

Meanwhile Chloe gazed up from the rim of her cap and saw that a woman who had been talking to a man was looking at her with questioning eyes. Shit she might be noticing me.

Chloe took Beca by the arm who had quickly turned thinking she was in trouble. Instead Beca was shocked to find Chloe embracing her, the woman's head nestling down into the crook of her shoulder.

'Are you okay?' was on the tip of Beca's tongue however Chloe spoke first.

"The woman over there was staring, I think she might've been recognizing me." Chloe whispered. Her soft breath against her skin gave Beca the chills. Even her eyes fluttered a little, noticing that in fact Chloe was right and the woman had been looking at her.

Beca encircled her arms around Chloe and held her tightly, this made the woman give a small smile at having been caught staring and moved on with talking to her friend once more.

Beca ran her hand up and down Chloe's back reassuringly and comfortingly. She didn't want to let go, if anything she wanted to pull away a little and give Chloe a kiss. They stood this way for a little while, the alleyway lights and back door lights of businesses illuminating the area.

Chloe sighed, reveling in the warm feeling, one that had her heart immediately calmer. The cover and blanket of being safe washed over her. Which was startling having just listened to Beca in the car prior to them being followed.

Regardless Chloe pulled away a little and gazed into Beca's eyes, "Thank you."

Beca remained quiet, her eyes frozen into Chloe's.

"Thank you for saving me Beca. Back at the hotel."

Beca gave a small warm smile.

"And for keeping me safe… for protecting me." Chloe finished and bit her lip, her eyes glancing down at Beca's lips before she stepped back a little more. Their arms still held one another. Beca's fingers reached around to skim along Chloe's neck where the faint bruises still remained and it pained her to see.

"Always." Beca breathed, a huge statement, but true nonetheless.

The small distance that was once between them began to lessen. Naturally moving closer as the pull between them was ever current. However they were interrupted by one of the back doors slamming open with a woman storming out and a man following her, "Just leave me alone! I'm done with your shit!" she yelled as she continued to walk.

Beca glanced over to them as did Chloe.

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" He jogged up to her and grabbed her arm rather harshly to make her stop and spin around, the woman nearly falling over, "You will stop and look at me when I am talking to you!"

Beca's frown deepened and took a further step back from Chloe.

Chloe was also scowling at the gruff looking man, "Hey!" she walked towards them, "There is no need for you to grab her like that."

Beca stood closely behind Chloe, surprised again by her brazen approach.

The mans eyes snapped over to the red head not realizing they were alone, "This has nothing to do with you! Back off." He grabbed the woman's arm harder and began to drag them back inside.

The woman whimpered, "You're hurting me Jeff! Let go!"

"She said let go!" Chloe ran up to him.

Jeff had let go of the woman and spun to Chloe, his demeanor towering over hers. Immediately Chloe smelt the strong odor of alcohol hit her nostrils, and second-guessed her approach. His arm came up in a balled first right towards Chloe's face.

"NO JEFF!" the woman screamed and stepped forward to stop him.

Chloe watched as Jeff suddenly dropped over to the ground. Beca standing behind him from having delivered a swift kick to the back of his knee, she had grabbed the hand that threatened to touch Chloe and held his arm tightly outstretched behind him.

Beca's face was stoic trying to reel in her full anger not wanting to frighten Chloe. That didn't stop her from tugging his arm in the painful position. He gasped in pain and his other arm held his shoulder, not being able to move with Beca's leg stamped down on the back of his calf.

"You will not touch her. You will not touch any woman the way you just did and were about to." Beca's voice towered over the now quiet back alley.

Chloe watched Beca before her eyes turned to the woman and went over to check she was okay.

Not having received an answer Beca turned his arm a little making him groan out in pain, "Do I make myself clear?" she demanded.

"AH fffuck! Okay, OKAY!" he screamed.

Employees from other nearby business began to tune in and watch the event.

Beca noticed this and chastised herself for still being in this damn alleyway.

Beca leaned down closer to his ear, "I sure as hell don't want to see you ever again. So I state; If I ever hear that you treat women badly, even a whisper of something, I will find you and deal with you personally… Jeffery Laurence Ackley of 14 Burset Street, do you understand me?"

His eyes widened in fear of her statement, knowing his full name and address, "H-how?-OW! OW! Okay, okay yes. I'm sorry!"

"Don't tell me," Beca shifted him to see the woman standing with Chloe, both of them staring at them, "Tell her."

"I-I'm sorry Liz." He confessed.

Beca let go of his arm and moved around towards Liz, her hand holding a small black wallet.

"Jeff would like you to have a dinner on him." Beca stated as she handed over his wallet that she had swiped, "Isn't that right Jeffery, maybe she will let you join and you can discuss things in a mature manner."

"Y-yeah." Jeff breathed still kneeling on the ground massaging his arm that was tingling with pain still.

"T-thanks." Liz whispered to Chloe and Beca.

"Of course, will you be okay?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, yeah I'll be fine." She gave a reassuring smile.

Beca went over a few paces and picked her gym bag back up and swung it around her body, "Lets go." She told Chloe, holding out her hand.

Chloe glanced down at the hand and back at Beca who had now pulled her hoodie up, shadowing her face. Chloe accepted her hand and giving Liz a goodbye they left the alleyway.

Chloe kept her glance on Beca as she followed her lead. Her mind replaying the whole situation a minute ago, subconsciously smiling of Beca's actions towards that asshole.

Beca let out a small breathy laugh. This surprised Chloe and her smile only increased at the sound, "What?"

"You are a strong woman Chloe Beale, but if you continue to put yourself in peril like that I-…" Beca exhaled, I'm finding it more than difficult to not kill those that pose any harm to you!

"You could teach me a few things?" Chloe suggested, "So I can defend myself?"

They turned the corner as Beca carefully peered around, she tugged them into a group walking past using them for cover, her hand still holding Chloe's.

Beca glanced over to Chloe, their eyes locking, a small smile playing at her lips "I might just have to do that." Her thumb brushed over Chloe's skin.

Chloe felt her heart flutter at the motion on her hand, "You know I did take some defence classes… I thought I might be able to handle him but uh-… well he was taller then I thought. I was going to go with plan C."

Beca quirked an eyebrow in amusement, "Plan C?"

"Crotch shot." Chloe stated simply.

Beca's lips twitched up and her breathy laugh surfaced, of which made Chloe smile and join in laughing.

"You skipped to C though." Beca voiced, "What of plan B?"

Chloe smirked, "Plan B-eca came swooping in and kicked his ass before plan C could happen."

Beca scoffed, "Got what he deserved."

"I agree. Oh!-" Chloe had spun from being tugged from Beca's hand, the woman's arms wrapped around her shoulder, the embraced for a moment before she felt Beca begin to move them to continue walking, "Wha-?"

"Keep your head down and keep up with me." Beca whispered. Her eyes caught sight of the range rover, the same number plate which she had memorized, it was also accompanied by two others.

"Have they seen us?" Chloe whispered in panic, guessing that was what Beca was talking about.

"I don't think so… but they will be searching this entire area."

"Shit." Chloe breathed, her arm now wrapped around Beca's waist, again she felt a little safer.

Beca gave a small smile at their position, wishing it could always be like this – minus being hunted, that she would have to leave her, and that-… okay well the list goes on.

"You've put the gun on safety right? You will not use it unless circumstances are dire." Beca said in hush tone.

Oh fuck. The gun.

Chloe's eyes widened, her mind rewound, the last image of the weapon was sitting in the side door of the car, of where it would still be.

"Uhm-"

Beca's lips formed a tight line, "You left it in the car didn't you."

Chloe bit her lip, "… Yeah."

Beca rolled her eyes, "Shans (Unbelievable), of course you did."

Chloe felt like a kid being scolded, "You should have reminded me! I was still processing what the hell was going on when you parked the car."

"Oh you will not turn this on me. One wouldn't think it's that hard to remember the gun."

"May I remind you that I'm not a frequent gun user. When I get out of a car I usually check if I have my purse, phone, lipstick, sunglasses. Not 'Oh yeah!'" she smacks her forehead in mock for extra effect, "Better not forget the gun I always keep stashed in the side door pocket, would hate for the sun to rot the metal or whatever'."

Beca forced her smile to not surface, "Well we weren't going to a mall. You only had to look to the side, of which you would have getting out of the car, and pick up the gun."

Chloe huffed, "Look why don't we just go back-?"

"You're joking right. We can't go bac-"

"Okay well stop bickering about the damned gun when we can't do anything about it. I forgot it, end of discussion." She hissed.

"You're grumpy." Beca stated amusedly.

"I'm tired." Chloe answered exhaustedly. She was drained and even with the slight adrenaline coursing through her, she was yet to have any sleep since this start of being thrown down this rabbit hole. God I mean is she not tired as well?

Beca sympathized though she still found it amusing of their little argument. Kind of like a couple – well despite the topic… Her smile increased but faltered in the thought, a relationship we can never have.

Beca's eyes went to searching the area once more, her gaze then went to the open Starbucks. Two birds, one stone.

He had been tailing the car earlier but had come up empty handed. Having received a call about a violent dispute, a particular aspect catching his interest, Stroma made his way down the alleyway to see that the event had mostly cleared, "Everything okay here?" he asked, approached the woman described in the call.

"Y-yeah I'm okay." Liz stated, now having a smoke to calm her down.

"Is the gentlemen still around?" Stroma inquired.

Liz scoffed, "Never was one to begin with. No he went back inside to start his shift. I work down further over at the club."

"I see. You don't want to press any charges then?"

Liz shook her head, "No I don't think so."

"Okay well I'll have a talk to him, what's his name?" Stroma then took down all the details and gave more notice to the description of the pair who had intervened and helped her.

"You say she was a brunette, small in stature yet she took down Ackley?" Stroma had heard of Ackley before having priors in violent behaviour, and he was a rather muscly individual.

"Yeah, she was fast too. They were very sweet, well the redhead was, she spoke to me and calmed me down whilst her girlfriend stopped Jeff."

"What makes you say that was her girlfriend?"

"Uh well before we came out I think they were hooking up over there," she pointed over to a near wall, "They seemed like a couple, I don't really know though." Liz inhaled the smoke and blew it out.

"I see and-,"

"No shit though I think that woman, well I'm not one hundred percent sure, but she looked kind of like that singer."

Stroma's face hardened, "Singer?" he knew of who she may be talking about but wanted her to reach her own conclusion. Above them a small rumble of thunder sounded as the sky was lit up by lightening in the distance.

"Yeah uh- Chloe Beale. It's pretty dark out here but it looked like her."

"Right okay, did she say her name? Or the brunette's name for that matter?"

Liz shook her head, "No they went down that way though only a little while ago."

Stroma nodded, "Okay thank you. I will talk to Ackley-"

"I don't think that's necessary. The brunette kind of shook him up I think." Liz smiled, hoping that the brunette did indeed give Ackley a scare, by the look on his face before he left it certainly looked like she had.

"Okay, well thank you and stay safe." Stroma replied and handed over his card, "Please call if ever you have any problems okay?" he gave a reassuring smile.

"Yes, thank you-" the looked down at the card, "Detective Luke Stroma."

He set off after that down the alleyway in hopes that he may find Chloe Beale.

A/N - Nearly 200 followers? Hot damn, thank you :)

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