A/N: Thank you to IrishSaints and wolfchick11 for reviewing and to you for reading! It seems like everyone likes "Even In Heaven" more, but I still love this story, so I think I'll continue it. I love Connor too much! haha Happy reading! xx IFHD

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Chapter 17: Reconnaissance

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"Save"

By: The Rocket Summer

I'm not feeling touch,
I'm not making that much,
And I guess I am blessed,
But sometimes it's just hard to see it, or such.

I'm stuck here alone in the traffic lines,
While couples in love in the H-O-V fly by,
I don't get it,
I'm not asking for much,
But everybody wants to just have something.

So I'll be picking me up,
Breaking me down,
I was lost, was I found?
I wanna feel everything.
When everything feels wrong with me.
Take a look,
Embrace myself.
Everybody wants to make it count.

Save me,
Cause I can never float.
Sinking
Amaze me,
And I would be there holding on for life.

Sit in there,
And gasp it in.
Time to strap apartment.
The walls are blank.
It's like they're talking to me.
I put a picture on the wall.
I took a chance, I took a fall.
She took it fast and gracefully.
I was blind and now I see.

And I could tell,
From the picture I could feel,
I was sinking,
Throw me out,
Bring me back to life.
The colours,
That my eyes had never seen.
Well I can see it now.

Save me.

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Sean immediately blanched upon hearing what Lourdes had said. "Hostage?" he hissed, stalking to her side in wide strides. She merely gave him a nod, handing over to him the piece of paper. As Sean read what it said, he became immediately enraged, almost crumpling the paper in his hand. "Fuckin' bastard! Craig must've lured them out somehow without gettin' 'em suspicious and the guards up in arms."

The letter read,

Dear Agent Lourdes Villamor,

If you want to see your agents again, then read this and understand it well.

Meet me at the warehouse in front of Pier 25 at the Boston Harbour this Monday at 21:00. Don't be late. Only you and you alone should be there. If you notify the police about this, I will kill your agents immediately. You can be sure of that.

More will be explained when we meet.

Best regards, boss.

Special Agent Craig Malley

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"It's a trap, Lourdes. Ye gotta know that."

As Murphy finished reading the letter, he threw the piece of paper on the coffee table in disgust, sitting back on his chair. As quickly as they had left the MacManus home, Lourdes and Sean returned, carrying the weight of the new revelation upon their shoulders. Under their protocol, they knew exactly what to do in these hostage situations. Though, they knew that things were done differently here in Boston. Moreover, the Saints did things differently here in Boston.

They were their best allies now.

"Murphy's right." Agreed Sean wholeheartedly, his face as hard as stone as he clasped his hands in front of him. "They'll kill ye for knowing what ye know."

"Then why didn't they ask for Sean?" Connor broke his stoic silence. Crossing his arms and legs, he leaned back upon the door frame, overlooking the group in the living room, lost in thought. He pointed out, "They saw him at Sin Bin last night. They must know that he knows information, too."

"Ye have somethin' they want, Lourdes." Il Duce suggested, folding his hands together as he turned to face her fully. "And they will kill yer agents without a second thought unless ye give it to them. If yer agent Malley is part of the Unionists, then I am certain that this will happen. This is how they operate. They will leave none alive until they get exactly what they want."

"What could I possibly have that they want?" Lourdes cried out exasperatedly, running her fingers through her hair in simultaneous frustration and confusion. "I know about their operations, I know who they are. If they're so afraid about my exposing them, why don't they just kill me? Why take my agents, who know nothing of what's going on, as hostages? This makes no sense!"

"Lourdes is right. This doesn't make any sense." It was then that Murphy stood, giving his head a shake. "This Agent Malley of yers is a pissoff. We should just take care of him before ye meet with him. That'll make things much easier, aye?"

"We don't know how many of them there are." Connor pointed out, walking to his brother's side. "If we make a hit on any of them, those agents are as good as dead. They'll think that Lourdes went to the police and ratted them out."

"The Saints can't make this hit right now." The men turned their attention to Lourdes, who stood from her chair. Keep strong, she told herself, taking deep breaths. She proclaimed as steadily as she could muster, "I have to go."

"Fuck's sake!" Connor cursed to himself in frustration, walking out of the room.

Murphy made a move to follow him, but changed his mind at the very last second. Instead, he gave his attention to Lourdes, who seemed startled by Connor's outburst and sudden disappearance. "We ain't gonna let ye do this alone, ye know that, aye?" Before Lourdes could protest, Murphy placed an index finger upon her lips. "For now, we'll let Sean and Da figure out what we can do. But as for ye," a mischievous smirk pulled on his lips, eyes gleaming, as he began to walk towards the basement, "I gotta show ye somethin'."

Without another word, Lourdes followed Murphy down the narrow steps, spiraling down to the basement of Il Duce's home. Holding the railings in the dark, she carefully took one step at a time, while she heard Murphy rightly jogging down the stairs in front of her. As he reached the bottom, he flicked the lights on, making it much easier for Lourdes to find her way down the steps. Finally reaching the bottom of the staircase, she stood beside Murphy, who simply looked in front of him in pride. Following his gaze, Lourdes let out a low whistle, surveying what was in front of her.

It was comparable to an Irish armory.

Lining the walls were various kinds of weapons, placed on display all around them. As Lourdes observed the weapons, she recognized most of them: AT-4 rocket launcher, an RPG, an HK PSG-1, a couple of FN FALs, a Remington 700…and, to her wonder, some rope. There had to be at least a couple of hundred guns and knives stocked into this one basement, a sight she had only seen in Ireland in government armories.

"My Da likes guns." Murphy explained simply with a shrug of his shoulders. "And Connor likes rope."

"I can see that." Lourdes breathed out, taking careful steps throughout the basement, still in awe at what she was seeing in front of her.

"Here." Tapping her shoulder, Murphy held out an empty bag for her. "Ye'll need this."

"What?" Confusedly, Lourdes took the bag from Murphy's grasp as he turned, busily organizing a set of guns on a table. "What will I need this for?"

"These." Scooping the guns in his arms, Murphy waddled to her side, trying to keep the weapons in balance. "If yer gonna meet this Agent Malley o' yers, ye gotta be prepared. Like I said, I think it's a trap." As he emptied his hands of the weapons, he gave her cheek a light tap. "Might as well have the protection with ye."

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"Lourdes, don't do this."

Connor stood at the doorway, firsts clenched as he rested his arms to his side. Lourdes didn't reply to this as she prepared her weapons, strapping guns inside of her boots. Without looking up at him, she stated, "I don't want any of you near the harbour, you hear me?"

Completely losing his patience, Connor pursued her as she walked sternly by him, face filled with resolve. Snatching her arm in upset, he turned her around so wildly to face him that her hair swirled around her maniacally. "Would you fuckin' listen to me?" he rightly boomed, his grip upon her arms tightening, though careful not to hurt her. "Can't ye see that he just wants to drag ye out in the open?" He gave her an abrupt shake for good measure, making sure she was aware of what he was saying. "He's goin' tomurder ye, Lourdes, not only for what ye know, but for revenge. He's keepin' Isolde and Braden hostage to get ye to show yerself. How do ye know he won't kill 'em, anyway? Or if they're already dead?"

"I can't take that chance, Connor, can't you understand that?" Lourdes cried in frustration, trying to remove herself from Connor's tight grip. "They're my agents, my responsibility…my friends. I can't just sit here and do nothing!"

"And ye can't just knowingly walk into a suicidal situation like this!" Finally loosening his hold on her, he pulled himself away. "Yer life is something ye shouldn't gamble with, alright? Ye don't know what Malley's plannin'!"

"What other choice do I have?" She replied quietly. Without waiting for an answer, Lourdes tried to walk out of the basement once more.

"I'm not letting you go." Connor commanded, though a hint of begging was clear in his tone. He tugged at her arm once more as he walked in front of the staircase to block her path. "Don't go. There has to be some other way to do this."

"Connor, get out of my way!" She snapped in a low tone, as if trying to keep her temper in check. Her chest rose and fell as she heavily breathed in and out. "I'll only do more harm than good if I don't go. I will not be responsible for the deaths of my agents."

Connor tightened his jaw, hands now on either side of Lourdes' face. "Listen to reason, will ye? None of ye are gonna get out alive if ye go on yer own!"

When she made another move to leave, he roughly grabbed her shoulders, pushing her to the stone wall, pinning her there. She gasped at this sudden exhibition of aggression, holding his wrists as he kept his hands upon her shoulders.

"Get your hands off of me!" She screamed, her voice trembling as she continued to struggle with him.

"Foolish girl!" he spat, bringing his face closer to hers, his eyes inflamed with anger. "Can't ye see that I don't want yer fuckin' ass killed?"

Connor shook Lourdes once more, pinning her upon the wall more forcefully this time. Even though she gripped the front of his shirt in order to jerk away from him, he held her steady, blazing eyes locked to hers. In a swift motion, Lourdes raised her arm. Before either of them could blink, her palm roughly collided with Connor's face. His head snapped to the side, and he immediately pressed his hand upon his stinging cheek. Heavily breathing, Lourdes blinked repeatedly as if registering what she had just done, recoiling from Connor in the process.

"I…I'm sorry." She squeaked weakly, swallowing. She clenched her burning hand, resting it upon her lips.

Connor said nothing, though his face was as hard as stone. He released her gently, holding his arms up in surrender. Then, turning on his heel, he began to head for the staircase.

"Connor?" Lourdes called out, following him in desperation. "Connor, wait."

"What?" He barely managed to say through tight lips, straightening his spine. He didn't turn to look at her.

Lourdes walked in front of him, and then looked up so that her eyes would meet his. Without a word, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in a tight embrace. He was only showing concern for her, and she knew that. At first, she felt his back stiffen at her unexpected action. But after a few moments, she felt his muscles relax, and he willingly returned her embrace. She buried her head upon his chest, feeling so remorseful for hitting him.

She gingerly began to trace the light stubble on his face, causing him to look down upon her. The coldness in his eyes was completely erased, only to be replaced by an inscrutable expression. Raising her chin ever so slowly, her tender lips met his, igniting a flame of desire within the both of them. The gentle, innocent kiss evolved into a more passionate, frantic one in only a few seconds, the two managing to catch their breaths for only a second at a time. The tips of Lourdes' fingers lingered upon Connor's jaw as he cupped her face in his hands.

Suddenly, he broke the kiss and buried his scorching lips upon her neck, pressing the length of his body upon hers. Their breaths became even more laboured, hands wildly roaming each other's bodies. Lourdes slipped her hands underneath Connor's shirt, feeling the pleasing bumps of his abdomen, as he continued his unbridled assault on her neck. He gave out a low groan as she felt higher, her hands gliding to his chest, then down to his abdomen once more. In retaliation, Connor reclaimed her lips and cupped her bottom, pressing her body even closer to his, crushing her, making her feel the desire that she had ignited within him. Lourdes let out a sigh, feeling her body becoming weak against Connor's hard exterior. Her fingers entwined with his spiky hair, as if for support, as she tilted her head back in pleasure.

"Oi? Guys?" Murphy's voice sounded from the top of the stairs, immediately breaking the trance that Lourdes and Connor were in. Pulling away from one another slowly, they listened as Murphy quickly jogged down the staircase. Connor, though, kept his arm upon the small of Lourdes' back, holding her closely as Murphy appeared. "Got some news for ye two."

"What is it?" Connor squinted his eyes in question, as did Lourdes.

"We have a plan."

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A/N: ...Finally! haha Mmm, Connor... xx IFHD