Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update. Let's continue with the undercover work!
Enjoy!
"Good evening." A young man, mostly likely an event worker, greeted Emily and Dorian. "Name and invitation?" He asked politely.
"James May and Marie Beck." Dorian answered as Emily fished out their invitation from her small purse.
The man scanned it, and nodded, waving them through a body scanner. Dorian went through first with no trouble. Emily was next. She handed her purse over to a security guard, who checked the contents. Emily stepped through the scanner. There was a beep. Emily stepped back and took out her earrings. She passed them to Dorian and stepped through the scanner again. Still, a beep.
The event worker at the door pulled up an image conjured by the scanner on his computer.
"Miss Beck, do you have synthetic limbs?" The man asked, looking at Emily.
"Yes." Emily bluntly answered.
The man deleted the image. "Please, enjoy your night." He smiled because he had to.
Emily nodded and she walked away with Dorian, taking back her purse and earrings. She put her earrings back in and slipped her purse under her arm.
"I need a drink." She sighed.
"We need to keep an eye on Turk Bellard." Dorian insisted.
"Drinks are how you mingle." She pulled Dorian towards the bar.
Emily leaned against the bar, squinting to look at the bottles lined up behind the bartender. "I'll have a Cosmopolitan, a wedge of grapefruit and peel of orange only." She ordered.
The bartender nodded.
"Well, hello." A man further down the bar spied Emily.
Emily looked down and smiled a little, brushing back a piece of hair.
Dorian leaned on the bar, far enough so the man could see him. "I'll have a gin and tonic if you don't mind."
The bartender nodded.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you weren't alone." The man apologized.
"It's quite all right." Emily smiled as her drink arrived. Dorian's came a moment later.
The man stepped forward as Dorian moved next to Emily.
"Turk Bellard." He introduced himself.
"James May." Dorian held out his hand. Turk shook it and then looked to Emily.
"Marie Beck." Emily smiled, gently holding out her hand.
Turk took it and kissed her knuckles.
Emily smiled and retracted her hand.
"Please forgive me, but I've never heard of you." Turk was slightly surprised.
"No worries." Dorian answered. "I founded GenTech, where we specialize in military applications to medical equipment, as well as concealable weapons."
Turk nodded. "Very necessary in today's world." He glanced down at a watch on his wrist. "If you'll excuse me." He smiled.
Emily nodded at his departure. She exhaled loudly, turning towards Dorian. "That wasn't terrible."
Dorian shrugged.
Then Turk stepped up to a microphone on a small platform at the front of the large venue. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll take your seats, we'll be able to start dinner and the expo." He smiled and waved at the crowd who gave a soft, endearing applause.
"Can you even eat?" Emily asked, getting really concerned.
Dorian froze a little. "I hope so."
Emily steeled her face, hiding her worry, as she and Dorian walked to their designated seats. They sat down, and two other couples joined them.
There was Gregory and Lisa Foreman, who had a chemical engineering company. And there was Mason and Leah Pierre, who had an international shipping company.
They held light conversation with them while they picked at their dinner, which was a tiny salad, a dollop of mashed potatoes, and ten bites of a delicate steak.
Within half an hour, Turk made another announcement. Plates were cleared, Emily's and Dorian's barely touched, although many others were like that.
"The expo will begin extremely shortly." Turk smiled.
Everyone eventually rose from their seats and a few tables were cleared. Displays were wheeled in with weapons on top of them.
"Take this time to walk around, and the dance floor will be opening up as well." Turk ended.
Many of the guests went to inspect the weapons but more went to the dance floor.
"We should dance." Emily turned to Dorian.
"Are you sure?"
Emily nodded.
Dorian led Emily to the dance floor and pulled her close. The slow music was just starting and the two took their positions.
Dorian started leading Emily, their dancing going well. Emily let go of Dorian's shoulder and reached behind her and lowered Dorian's hand on her back.
Dorian lifted an eyebrow at the extremeness of Emily's thoughts.
"Just. Act. Natural." Emily gently whispered. Whether it was for Dorian or herself, she didn't know.
The song neared an end and Dorian went for the spin and then the dip. All went well. Dorian pulled Emily upright.
Emily put her arms around Dorian and kissed him. Dorian had no choice but to kiss her back.
"What was that for?" Dorian whispered.
"We need to keep up our appearances, don't we?" Emily smiled.
"Right." Dorian agreed.
Then, people screamed. There was a burst of gunfire. Emily whipped around to see five men near the stage platform. They had gas masks on and three of them held gas grenades. One of them had a gun pointed in the air, which Emily assumed was the one who fired to gain everyone's attention. The last one had sidearms holstered to his thighs. He walked up to the microphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm afraid we're going to have to shut down this event. Thanks for coming!" He raised a hand and the three men with gas grenades threw them out into the crowd.
People screamed and ran for the exits as the gas dispersed.
Dorian turned to Emily. "The gas. It's an anesthetic."
"Call John. Get backup in here." Emily answered. She pulled Dorian closer and undid his bowtie. She held it up to her nose. Dorian's face was lit up blue as he called in for the help.
"We need to find Turk." Emily ordered.
Dorian nodded and the two split up.
Emily was feeling woozy but she continued. She elbowed her way through the fleeing people and found Turk cowering in the corner.
"Turk Bellard." Emily called out to him. He looked up at the sound of his name. "I'm Detective Emily Clark." She held out a hand. "I'm getting you out of here."
He gladly took her hand and the two went for the main exit. But what they saw was a mass of guests blocking the door, slowly falling asleep on one another. The five men were advancing through the room.
"To the bar. Get to the bar." Emily pulled Turk behind her. She pushed him down behind the bar, the bartender already slumped on the floor asleep.
"Hey, I'm not feeling so hot." Turk held his head, slowly closing his eyes.
"Stay with me." Emily urged. She keep her eyes on the bar's exit. She was getting sleepy herself, willing herself to stay awake. She threw the bowtie on the ground. It wasn't doing her any good. Dorian eventually appeared.
"Emily, the men are stealing the weapons." He explained.
Emily nodded, but she was confused. The gas was getting to her. She rested herself against the bar.
"Emily, stay awake." Dorian sounded nervous. Scared, even.
Emily slowly and tiredly hiked up her dress skirt. She traced a line up her leg. A seal broke and a panel opened up. Dorian's eyes widened in confusion. Emily reached into her leg and pulled out a gun.
"Use it wisely." She warned in a sleepy tone. She closed the panel.
Dorian took the small gun and stood.
"Stop them." She ordered.
Dorian nodded and braced himself. He ran out from behind the bar and fired once. He killed one of the men with the gas masks. That drew the attention of the four other men. He quickly moved behind tables and fired again and again. The other to gas mask men were dead.
The two with guns fired rapidly at Dorian, who continued to run, avoiding the stream of bullets. They stayed on the platform to avoid the gas, which covered the floor in a thick fog.
Dorian fired back when the men took their chances when reloading. He killed one of them, and nicked the other in the arm. Dorian kept firing but the gun was out of ammo.
Dorian tipped a table over to hide behind, thinking of what to do next. The firing resumed and Dorian spied one of the weapons from the expo. He readied himself and ran for it. He grabbed the large gun as he passed and slid behind another table, avoiding the gunman's fire as he went.
Dorian flicked the safety off and loaded the barrel. He rose from behind the table and fired.
The gunman was through back and landed on the floor. All noise stopped, save for the quiet hissing coming from the gas canisters. Dorian lowered the gun and stood.
The gunman, a member of the Schlechtes Leben, was dead, a gory and gaping hole where his chest was. The gas was finally started to dissipate, but the guests remained unconscious.
The doors to the two side entrances burst open, a full police tactical team streaming through. John was in the lead, all the officers wearing gas masks. John nodded at Dorian, and then continued to sweep the place.
John found Emily behind the bar. He rushed up to her as an MX took Turk Bellard to the loads of ambulances outside. Medical teams came in to assess the guests and assist them in any way.
"Emily!" John holstered his gun as he cradled her in his lap.
"That…" She quietly and slowly spoke. "That was way more… than two minutes." She smiled as she drifted off into sleep.
John laughed a little. He stroked her cheek. He hoisted her into his arms. He brought her outside to an ambulance and Dorian quickly came up behind him.
"John, I have to tell you something." Dorian's voice sounded urgent.
John set Emily down on a gurney and let the paramedics assess her. They put an oxygen mask on her and moved her into an ambulance. They left the doors open and John and Dorian stood close by.
"Yeah, what is it?" John answered, as he watched several other members of Schlechtes Leben being carted away, after the cyanide capsules were removed from their mouths, of course.
"It's about Emily." Dorian's eyes flicked over to her before looking back at John.
"Okay." John crossed his eyes, eyebrows furrowed in curiosity.
"She had a gun." Dorian started. "A gun in her leg."
"In… her leg." John was skeptical.
"Yes. A secret compartment in her leg." Dorian added.
John shook his head, smiling a little. "She'll never cease to amaze me."
"Aw, that's sweet." Emily said from the gurney, lifting the mask off her face.
John blushed a bit, trying to hid it.
"There's a gun in the other leg, too." Emily added, putting the mask back down and settling into the gurney, getting comfortable.
John laughed a little.
A car pulled up and Maldonado came out. She walked up to the trio.
"A job well done tonight." She complimented them.
Dorian nodded and Emily sat up a little.
"The leader of Schlechtes Leben is confirmed killed. High level members are in custody." Maldonado added.
Emily let out a sigh of relief, happiness.
Maldonado smiled. "I'm giving you all the weekend off, no chances of getting called in."
"Thank you." John answered for the group.
Maldonado nodded and left, attending to other duties.
"I need to go home." Emily sighed, pulling off the oxygen mask and hopping off the gurney. She got out of the ambulance, waving away the paramedics.
"I have your clothes in the car." John spoke up.
"Good." Emily followed John to the car, which was parked around the corner.
Dorian held out something for Emily. "Here." It was her purse.
"Thanks." Emily smiled.
They arrived at the car and Emily got in, changing her clothes in private. John had popped the trunk and started taking off all his tactical gear. He finished and closed the trunk.
"Just because I let you dance with Emily doesn't mean I approve." John commented.
Dorian rolled his eyes a little. "She kissed me in there, you know."
"What?!" John whipped his head around to look Dorian in the eyes.
Then, Emily honked the horn of the car. "Let's go! Give me the keys!" She laughed.
John couldn't stay angry at Dorian, knowing the kiss was just for cover. He brought the keys to Emily and got in the passenger seat. Dorian, of course, got in the back.
Emily started the car and sped off into the night, much to the dislike of John.
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