Hey guys! Happy Saturday! I finally got around to updating, I can't believe it's been sooo long. But...I got 100 reviews! You guys rock, which makes me feel awful for not being on top of things. But since you all are so great, I'm gonna post another chapter in just a couple hours! I can't thank you enough for loving my story so much! Enjoy! :D

Chapter Sixteen

My heart leapt to my throat. Sure, I was just watching shadows. But any girl knows her best friend, and I knew it was Bex; I knew. The reality that I could see her filled me with excitement, and fear.

Bex was clearly tired and defeated, that was all I was able to see before the figures moved away from the window. But I didn't move until the lights clicked off.

Turning to Zach, I found him watching the mansion with an intent gaze. His jaw line was stiff and I knew he was running through scenarios, assessing risks, being rational.

"Zach, we have to get her."

He gave me a look. "Cam, you know we can't right now, that would be stupid."

Inside, I knew Zach was right. But Bex was right here, right now!

"Zach if we wait, how much better a plan will we really have?"

"Cam, we have too. Liz will get us a floor plan of the mansion and we'll go in to get her, successfully."

"But Zach," I whined like a child.

"Shh Cam, you know I'm right. Why don't you sleep, I'll wake you up for your shift."

I wanted to argue, I really did. We were so close to Bex! She was alive! But I was insanely tired and my eyelids were very, very heavy.

"Okay," I nodded. Zach pulled a blanket out of the back and handed it to me. I took it and curled up. After a few minutes I was asleep.

Zach never did wake me up. In the early morning I woke up to it being almost dawn. The car was chilly as I drew the blanket tighter around my shoulders. For a moment, I wanted to go back to sleep. Back to the dark abyss where my best friend wasn't being held hostage by one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in the world.

But I somehow found the willpower to turn my head to face Zach.

He was awake, keeping vigil; still watching the grounds. His eyes were red and I knew he had stayed up all night.

"Zach, why didn't you wake me up for my shift?" I asked quietly, almost scared to disturb the peace of the early morning.

Zach smiled. "I didn't have the heart to wake you."

I scoffed and sat up. "I'm sure you did." I ran my hand through my rat's nest of hair. "Did you really stay up all night?'

"Well yeah." Zach admitted.

"Thanks, wow I could have gotten up."

"It's okay, you needed to sleep."

I smiled at him. "Okay so did you see anything last night?"

He shook his head. "One guy walked from the west barn into the house but that was it. I did notice that they have video cameras at the main entrances to the house."

I grimaced, "Great. Well let's go back to the hotel and regroup, right?"

Zach nodded. He dug around the console for the keys, I noticed both of our fortunes left over from last night. Zach put the car in reverse and slowly backed out to the dirt path that took us back to the main road.

The ride home, or to the hotel, was mostly silent. Neither of us had energy to make small talk.

Arriving back at our room, we were both happy to discover it hadn't been ransacked like last time. I tossed a backpack on the bed, and turned to Zach. He spoke first.

"I'm gonna get in the shower, then we can start planning." He ran a hand through his hair; I could tell he was exhausted.

Zach went into the bathroom and I grabbed my phone and my laptop I called Liz and worked on a plan using blueprints she had somehow gotten based off the configuration of the building. I was absolutely certain that we were going to get Bex, no matter what.

A while later Zach came out of the bathroom and I went in to shower.

"Zach," I began to say as I walked out, freshly showered and dressed. But the sight of Zach sound asleep on the bed made me stop.

I smiled and walked over to gently touch his hair. His broad chest rose and fell evenly. We were both alive. We were both here, after all this time.

A look of peace was on his face and I knew I couldn't wake him up. So I silently went back to work. I had circled the room that we had see Bex in. It was on the second floor and appeared to be a bedroom.

My plan was to have Zach enter the basement through a low window that was on the west side of the building. From the basement he would enter the heating system and use the air ducts to make his way to the second floor.

Meanwhile I would go up the ivy that climbed the south side of the mansion. From there I had two options; if a window on the second floor was open I could enter that way, or I would go up to the roof and enter through the widow's walk.

Zach and I would have to split up, but if one of us was compromised the other still had a chance. We would take Bex out by the roof exit.

I was just done planning our timetable when Zach stirred. Groaning, he rubbed his face and sat up. He looked at me, then his watch.

"How long was I out?"

I shrugged, "A couple hours."

Zach shook his head. "Wow. I'm sorry. We've got a lot to do; I don't have time to sleep."

I protested. "Yes you do Zach. I don't want you going into an op on zero hours of sleep. And don't worry I've got a plan."

"Really?" He asked and came over to my bed where I had drawings and notes.

I continued to tell him my idea. Zach was quiet, until I finished.

When I did he nodded, "Is there video cameras in the house you can access?"

I was totally taken aback, why hadn't I thought of that?

"I bet you're right…hold on let me try." I spent a few minutes but soon enough there was six camera angles pulled up. Two were of hallways, three were entrances and exits, and one, one was in a room. The room was probably meant to be a bedroom, but it was empty. No furniture, except a rug covered the floor. Two giant mirrors were on the red walls. And in the middle, there was a chair, with Bex, tied up.

"Oh my gosh," escaped my lips.

Zach glanced from the blueprints to the camera. "It's the same room, based on shadow lengths and the amount of light," he said logically.

I just nodded numbly, staring at the screen.

"Cam," Zach put his hand on my shoulder, and pressed the Esc key the feed wasn't on my screen. "Cammie, we need to focus."

Zach was right and I knew it. So I detached myself and pulled every piece of spy reasoning in me to the surface. Now was no time for error.

So I listened as Zach pointed to vents, I watched as he paced the room. I gathered my comms unit and put it in when Zach told me. I clipped tools to my belt and I went over our plans a final time. I did everything I was supposed to, as if this mission wasn't personal.

In the car I snapped out of it. Zach and I took the same back entrance, but we weren't staying in the car this time. Zach glanced at his watch, which was synchronized with mine.

"We have 12 minutes, starting now."

I nodded. We both quietly exited the car and went our separate ways.

I approached the side of the house and gently moved aside the bushes to cut the security camera. Then taking a quick breath I grabbed hold of the ivy that ran up the side of the house. Skillfully, I planted my feet in the foliage and began to climb. Reaching the second floor, I tried my first option, the window. Naturally it was locked so I had to keep climbing. Because the roof entrance would take longer I had to move faster. I easily made it to the roof though; I crept up the slant to the widow's walk. Why they had a widow's walk on a country mansion was beyond me.

The trapdoor was obviously not in frequent use so I had to jiggle it. When it opened it creaked, causing me to grimace. I descended into an attic, which was not filled with boxes of Grandma's stuff. The whole room was eerily empty. A window near the peak of the roof allowed moonlight to stream in. I used it to find the way down to the second floor. The stairs were in the corner.

I tried to be as silent as possible. But it was insanely hard on century old wooden stairs. But I reached the landing and leaned against the door to listen for noise in the hallway. My comms unit was still silent on Zach's end. I still had two minutes until I had to be in Bex's room.

Using the utmost caution I eased the door open and slipped into the hallway. I glanced both ways to find the house dark, except for a light shining from the underneath the door to Bex's room.

Adrenaline was pumping as I reached up to cover the security camera near the top of the door to the attic. Then I began to make my way down the hallway.

I was so close to Bex. She was right in that room. But I couldn't go in for 45 more seconds. That is until two strong arms grabbed me. One covered my mouth. The other held me as the man pulled me into the neighboring bedroom.

I tried to fight, but this guy was strong, and huge. He threw me down on the bed and ripped off my mask. I groaned and prayed Zach would hear me.

The burly man smiled in a way that made me sick. Pinning my arms above me he leaned in and nuzzled my neck. I squirmed but he just scoffed.

"What is a girl like you doing in my mansion?" he breathed.

I tried to kick him but he shifted so he was on top of me. I felt nausea rising within me. This was not happening. Both of the man's hands were on my shoulders and he squeezed so hard, I knew there would be bruises.

"You will give me what I want." He demanded, "And maybe you'll get out of here alive."

OoooOooo! So review! Please ;) I'd love to hear how my attempt at suspense was and what you want to see happen.

I know its a cliff hanger but I promise it won't be a long wait at all! Hint: Next chapter will totally make up for the lack of Zammie!

You guys are the best! Again thanks for your patience.