CHAPTER 20 - Stalking
He'd been lurking outside the damn apartment forever - that's what it seemed like. The alleyway reeked and it was seriously getting to him - he wondered if it was possible to rip your own sinuses out? Thoughts of the pain were fast becoming more appealing than the stench.
He stiffened when he saw some familiar teenagers come out the front door, duffel bags slung over their shoulders. From the intense, alert looks on their faces he almost expected them to attack him, but they just looked around and headed off up the street, not seeing him where he crouched behind a dumpster.
'Three of five,' he thought, wondering where the other two were, especially his target. He fingered one of the knives in his picket as the thought about Chang - damn brat - got him in trouble - got the Major in trouble - lying - whining - complaining...
He watched the other three Agents stalking away down the street, radiating the attitudes of 'don't mess with me, you can't handle it.' They might as well be wearing t-shirts with the words printed on them. He stroked the knife again, wishing his orders included taking care of these three. He didn't like the way they walked, so confident and assured. It made him want to hurt them, tear them down and leave them broken. He watched them, hating them, until long after they were out of sight.
When he brought his eyes back to the window he jumped, seeing two faces gazing down at him. He moved quickly back into the shadows, not sure if they had seen him or not. They didn't come rushing out to confront him, so he was surely safe. He stayed in the darkness and stench until the other three came back.
He still wanted to kill them.
They weren't in the building ten minutes before his target came out the front door and he went on full alert, a knife sliding sweetly into his hand. Chang stood there casually, leaning against the stoop, hands in his pockets and just watching the people go by.
Just as he was wondering if he should move forward and complete his mission, the door opened again and the braided boy came bounding out.
"Hey, 'Fei!" He called cheerfully, slinging an arm around the boy's shoulders. "Wanna go out and get some pizza?"
He could hear Chang replying, but his voice was too low for him to make out the words.
"Aw, 'Fei, that was last night! Nothing wrong with pizza every day!" He went bouncing on down the steps, dragging the smaller boy with him. "C'mon, 'Fei, where's the pizza place?"
The man waiting went tense, ready - that braided idiot was dragging his target across the street, straight to him!
*
Quatre was lurking just inside the door, watching his friends and the shadowy figure beyond them.
"Oh, gods, please don't let this be a bad idea..."
*
The man in the alley had his knife ready, set back in his palm, his arm in position to throw it and send it singing through the air - to embed itself in Chang's slender throat. He spared a moment to relish his excellent aim since he was going for such a pitifully small target, then his arm swooped forward...
...and was caught mid-throw, the knife jerked from his grasp.
"Such a bad idea..." The low growl just behind him made him shake inside but he pasted a ferocious scowl on his face and turned, trying to twist his arm free and go for another knife. He froze when he saw who was holding onto him.
The pilot with the messy brown hair - and the blue eyes like twin death lasers.
He was in trouble.
Another of the pilots stood with him, the one with auburn hair hanging in his face. He gazed solemnly at the once-again struggling man, his one visible emerald eye cool. He didn't say anything, but the would-be assassin would have preferred it if he did. That gaze was almost as deadly as the other guy's.
"Well, well."
The voice behind him was oddly cheerful - he tried to turn back around and Blue Eyes caught both of his arms, preventing the movement. He turned his head, and wished he hadn't. The blond boy had his hand on Chang's shoulder, keeping him from coming closer while he talked in a low voice. They weren't what worried him. The braided boy he'd quickly decided was a moron was gliding closer, his movements sleek and beautiful, the look in his eyes enough to turn his knees to water.
"Well, well..." He drawled the words out again. "If it isn't our friend Agent Osborne."
The only thought Osborne could get to go through his head was about his missing partner. Where in the hell was Agent Burks?!