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Alexis Taylor (Two reviews…and it's fine about the typos! It happens! :] )

ReillyScarecrowRocks

Alex's POV:

"Where-to-now?" Cammie asked, teeth chattering.

Zach glanced at his watch which I knew read close to two a.m. Natalya and Blender had been right behind us when we left the hotel and it took r twenty minutes to lose them, another forty minutes to make sure that they were really lost, and an hour to reorganize ourselves. With a sign, Zach glanced at the nearly blue Cammie then at me, "I know someplace we can go for a few hours."

"Let's go then," I said as I took off down the busy street.

When nobody followed, I glanced back to see what was holding them up. Zach had given Cammie his jacket and she was saying, "This brings back some memories."

"Hopefully only good ones."

"I try not to think about that part that came afterwards," She whispered looking down.

He nodded as he jogged to catch up with me, "You can't forget about it."

She didn't say anything just jogged past him and up to me. She looked pretty but in a lopsided way…the black wig had been ditched a while back and her face was covered his thick white makeup that was beginning to smear. She had ripped the dress so she could move faster and her legs were literally blue, and the little slipper-things she was wearing were still sloshing from the booze incident. "Hurry up, Zach, I'm turning blue here!"

Zach shot past us at an amazing speed and Cammie lit out after him with me following right behind. I caught a glimpse of green out of the corner of my eye but when I looked back it was gone. "Come on Alex!" Cammie shouted as she followed Zach around a corner. Isn't it strange how I always become the third wheel?

I sprinted to catch up with them, trying to ignore the feeling of unease that was settling in my gut. I'd tell them what I saw when we reached our destination I promised myself. If something didn't happen between now and then the foreboding thought wedged itself into my head without my permission, giving me that extra boost of energy to catch up with Cammie. I made a second promise to myself; I wasn't going to let anything or anyone stop us from getting back to the States.

"What is this place?" Cam asked in awe as Zach paused in front of what looked to be a church. It had a huge dome-shaped roof painted a dull aqua with three pointed steeples (also aqua), one in front and one on each side, all topped with bright gold crosses. The heavy oak door was the centerpiece of the brick colored building and the falling snow and the lights around the church gave it one of those happy glowing Christmas scenes.

"It's the Saint Sophia Cathedral, I have a friend inside who'll let us hang around for a couple hours," Zach said as he pulled back the heavy door to reveal an amazing foyer.

"Wow," I breathed. The ceiling was about eighteen feet high and a brightly lit chandelier welcomed us in and from what I could see, it was the only light on in the church. The walls had a striped paint kind of look…like it needed a new paint job. Religious murals lined the walls and there were long rows of pews also in dark oak wood. I could almost see the chill rising up from the stone floor it was so cold.

"This way," Zach said as he led us behind the altar and around through an almost invisible door that lay in an alcove to our left.

"Watch your step, it's steep," Zach said as he grabbed Cammie's hand and started down a set of stairs that seemed to appear out of thin air. And again I became the third wheel.

I felt something brush my arm, a hand. It took me a moment to realize it was Cammie trying to find my hand. For the first time in a while, I actually felt like I mattered to this mission…and it felt good.

But back to our short descent into the bowels of the church; the stairs were steep as Zach had said, but he neglected to mention the lack of light. There was exactly one little candle niche on the whole twenty-three stair trip, but from his speed, Zach knew the place very well. Once we got to the bottom of the stairs, we followed a smooth path in a spiral to an empty room.

"Is this it?" Cammie asked.

"Nope," Zach smirked, "but I'll bet you five bucks that you can't find the door to the next room in less than ten minutes."

"I am an expert at finding hidden passage ways and things in that family, be prepared to pay up Blackthorn Boy."

I snickered, as did Zach, but Cammie was already lost in her work. She looked at the round room from its center then began to run her hands along the walls. After nine minutes Zach called out, "Time's up."

"Not fair! I still have fifty-seven seconds!" Cammie whined.

He smirked.

She stomped on the floor.

The secret door opened.

She got five dollars richer.

"I win," She smirked back at Zach, "Alex, shall we lead the way?" she asked in a falsetto British accent.

"As you wish my lady," I ginned, playing along and holding out my arm in a gentlemanly manner. Just as she rested her arm on mine a voice echoed through the empty room, "Hello Zachary."

We both jumped a little and spun around to see a tall, handsome man with midnight black hair (But he wasn't Chinese, I guessed Russian from his accent) wearing a black vestment. Zach stepped past us and shot us that awful smirk of his, "Hello Father Ivan, it's good to see you."

"A shared sentiment I assure you. Would you and your friends like to come in? The temperature is much more pleasant and from the looks of things, the young miss is cold," he said with a perceptive smile, stepping back to let us pass.

"That would be wonderful, thank you Father," Cammie said as she pulled us through the doorway behind Zach.

The small room we entered was definitely warm and cozy. It was about eight feet by six feet with a fireplace on the far wall that took up the whole wall itself. There was a small cot, a table with two chairs, a bookcase, a stool near the fireplace, and a short wardrobe as well.

"What has brought you to Harbin my friends?" the Father asked as he motioned us to take a seat. Cammie was on the stool near the fireplace, Zach was sitting on the cot and I took one of the table chairs.

Zach began talking and told him everything. And I mean everything from the very beginning, including the part about Bex. First I wanted to know how he had known so much about the stuff he hadn't been around for and secondly I wanted to know who this guy was. Zach was smart; he wasn't going to let just anyone in on this little trip.

After he had finished, the priest was silent for a moment, "You say that all of your items that MI6 had given you are back at the airport where the plane landed…"

"Not everything," Cammie piped up from where she had been warming her hands, "I have the ipod and the tracker necklace." She pulled on a chain from beneath her dress to reveal the necklace.

"Where's the ipod?" I asked.

"In a location that I would have to do something a little drastic to get to; drastic as in undressing," she replied, "but don't worry, it's there."

I cleared my throat nervously, then something hit me, "I have these as well," I pulled out the gum and coins bomb that Smithers had given me, "These are bombs."

It seemed like everyone moved back slightly, but maybe I'm just paranoid. "I also have my phone," Zach said, pulling out an iPhone 4; snazzy.

The priest smiled, "Then all is not as bad as it seemed. I know what you shall do; tomorrow you will take the seven a.m. bus from here to Vladivostok and from there you will meet your contact at the appointed place. She will be contacted to know that you will be late. From there you will continue on your journey," He stood up, "I will go and find something more suitable clothing. Please eat and try make yourselves at home, I will not be long."

He touched a spot on the wall and another secret door opened into a dark hallway. Without another word, he was gone and the door was sliding shut, leaving us in an eight by six foot tomb…I suppose I'm a bit claustrophobic…I always think of Venice when I spend too much time in small rooms.

"Is anyone else starving?" Cammie asked as she hopped up from her stool and came to join me at the table.

"I ate at the party," I commented. Zach nodded in agreement as Cammie took a bit on one of the still warm bread slices on the table that I had somehow missed.

"That lady who was in charge was nasty," Cammie commented, "she said that if we even thought about eating any of the food she would have us all shot."

I snorted, "And you actually listened to her?"

"I was busy trying to stop an assignation attempt, I wasn't thinking about my stomach."

Zach had been strangely quiet and I glanced over at him, "What are you doing?"

He didn't even look up from his phone, "I'm looking up the bus and buying three tickets."

"What time will we got to Vladivostok?" I asked.

"It's a twelve hour ride, it's a 470 miles trip, but it could be even longer depending how long we have to wait at the border and we're going to need passports."

"I don't have a passport with me," Cammie said, "we haven't actually entered a country legally yet."

"Is it in your bag on the plane?" Zach asked looking worried in the bluish light of his phone.

"They're not going to find it," She replied with confident ease, "Will they find yours Alex?"

I thought for a moment. The last place I had put my passport was under the soul of the multi-purpose shoes in the built in compartment...they weren't going to find it, "Nope."

"Good," She nodded as she bit into her second slice of bread. We were all quiet for a moment but then Cam spoke up again, "So, who is he Zach? CIA? MI6?"

"Who?" Zach asked looking up to meet her eyes.

" 'Father' Ivan, he's not really a priest."

"He's a priest."

"You're lying to me."

"Nope."

"Yes you are."

"To you he's Father Ivan."

She glared at him, "I really hate it when you act like this."

"Like what?" Zach smirked.

"Like an-"

She was cut off by the sliding of the secret door and the return of Father Ivan, "I believe that these will do," He handed Zach a pair of jeans, a long sleeved shirt, a navy ski jacket, tennis shoes, and a little book that looked strangely like a passport. Next he dropped a pair of jeans, tennis shoes, a sweater, a red jacket, and a passport on my lap. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him give Cammie jeans, a hoddie, a t-shirt, a thinner black jacket, a pair of tennis shoes, and a passport. My passport name was Daniel Rose, aged 17, and I was a resident of Liverpool, England. The passport was nearly perfect except for the fact that it was lacking a photo.

"My name is Gavin Michaels, aged 17, an Indianapolis native," Zach read with a slight smile.

"I'm Taylor Moore, age 16 and I'm a resident of Glasgow, Scotland," Cammie read in an impeccable Scottish accent. I swore the priest smiled…a proud smile almost.

Zach's question brought me back to reality, "What about the pictures?"

The priest stepped over the wardrobe and pulled it open to reveal three priestly vestments and only very nice computer, "We will take the pictures, print them, then put them on the passports," he said as he pulled out one of those background things they use for passports, "Mr. Rose, you are first."

I stepped into the light of the camera and had just enough time to smile before the light flashed and Father called out, "Mr. Michaels, your turn."

Zach stepped forward and smirked for the camera. I was beginning to wonder if the guy was born smirking. Zach stepped back from the camera and Father Ivan motioned for Cammie, "Miss Moore?"

"Is there somewhere I can wash my face and fix my hair? I don't want to draw any unnecessary attention," Cammie smiled.

"You can go through that door," He pointed at the still open secret passageway, "and follow it to the end, there will be two doors, the one on the right is a restroom."

"Thank you," she smiled and disappeared down the hall.

"You may change. I will print out the pictures and attach them to the passports," Father Ivan smiled as he turned back to the computer.

We both changed in opposite corners and as fast as we could. I really did not want Cammie to come in while I was half dressed (and I know Zach was thinking the same thing). I had just dropped my tuxedo into a pile where Father had directed when Cammie reentered the room with an extra bounce in her step, her face clean, her hair been tamed, and holding the remnants of the dress.

"I'm ready," Cammie grinned.

Father Ivan turned from where he was bent over the passports and snapped Cammie's picture, "Very nice Miss Moore. I will be finished with these in a few moments."

With Father Ivan's attention focus elsewhere, the three of us lounged around the table. No one said anything for a few moments but Cammie sighed, "So tomorrow we're off to Vladivostok."

"Today really," I commented.

She nodded, "True."

"And…?" Zach asked, "What's the matter with Vladivostok?"

"Nothing. I was just wondering what else tomorrow would bring besides a bus ride," Cammie shrugged.

Nobody said anything, not that we needed to. We all had been wondering the same thing.

The end! For now at least! About the church, Saint Sophia Cathedral is located in Harbin. I made up about the hidden rooms and such…Google it if you want to know more! Review my lovies!

~Agent Striker