Hello, esteemed fans. I've decided to make this chapter longer than the rest, because I noticed that my chapters have been getting kind of shorter recently.
"You're sure you know how to drive?" Natalie asked nervously as Zai jerked the Hummer out of the parking lot.
"Oh, please. If I answered 'no', what would you possibly do-AAAH!" Zai and Natalie screamed as he accidentally pressed his foot down on the accelerator instead of the brake.
"You're the most insane person I've ever met, even for a Cahill." Natalie gasped. Zai rolled his eyes again, easing the car into motion.
"What you may see as insanity, I may see as brilliance." Zai told her. "For example, I think you're insane for wearing hoop earrings while on the run from Vespers. Do you want them to get snagged on something? Or is there a hidden brilliance to your choices?"
"I think you're insane for wearing a trench coat." Natalie shot back. "When was the last time you saw a fourteen-year old wearing a trench coat?"
"When was the last time you saw a fourteen-year old driving a Hummer with somebody he should hate?" Zai countered. Natalie sat back in a huff.
"Let's just assume we're both insane." she said.
"Or brilliant." Zai added. "At least I am."
"Shut up." Natalie said, but she was grinning. Zai fixed his sunglasses over his face and turned onto a street, checking the rear-view mirror. The dark streets of Paris were alive with pedestrians and late workers.
"So you've spent alot of time in Paris?" Natalie asked.
"Not hardly." Zai replied, "Or hardly. The last time I was here, I was on a mission to obtain a vial from high-ranking Ekaterina officers."
"Did you succeed?" Natalie asked, anticipating the answer.
"That depends." Zai answered. It occurred to him that Natalie had led him to remember his mother and brother and sister, which would make him more vulnerable. Or, he reflected, she could just be being curious.
"I've been to Paris before, but not as much as you would think." Natalie told him. "Mum always kept me away from the Lucian stronghold here. She said it was too dangerous for a weakling such as myself."
"Well, I suppose you'll have to prove her wrong." Zai said, half-seriously. "Maybe this weakling can take care of itself."
"You think I'm a weakling?" Natalie asked indignantly. Zai flicked his hair.
"Let's see. I saved you in the plane over the Channel, I saved you in the Vesper ship from David, I saved you on the escape lifeboat, and I saved you from being sliced to ribbons by Cheyenne Wyoming." He looked at her. "You tell me."
"You're stretching it." Natalie mumbled, miffed. She thought Zai had changed. Well, I guess some people never change.
...
Nyla Zaviera pulled her braid into the back of her shirt and fitted a wig over her head. She would have to be leaving soon, and she needed to be absolutely ready first.
My hair is really my best feature, she contemplated regrettably as she applied fake eyebrows. I'd display it if I could. She continued her ensemble with a thin mustache patch and fake sideburns. She put on her padded tuxedo and bow tie, and finished her outfit with a few clouds of Ungaro iii.
Ugh... She looked at herself in the mirror. Why do I get the missions that either end up with me covered in blood or turn me into an admittedly attractive but gross and disturbing cross-dresser?
She swallowed avoice pill and headed for the door, tripping on her leather loafers.
"Ow." she muttered, her voice alarmingly deep.
"Whoa."she said, listening to the foreign voice boom through the air. "Highly unusual."
She walked out the door, vowing to speak as little as possible that evening.
...
Elizabeth reclined in the silky leather interior of her limousine, snapping open her comm screen.
"Are you in position, Waverley?" she asked.
"In position and waiting, Madame." came the reply. "The children are in an orange Hummer; shouldn't be too hard to spot."
"Don't overestimate them." She said. "Remember what your mission is."
"Affirmative. I won't fail. Well, I will fail. I will fail in succeeding, or succeed in faili-"
Elizabeth turned the comm screen off, then abruptly back on again.
"And don't forget to deliver the message." she added. Waverley nodded knowingly, and chuckled. Elizabeth scowled and shut off the comm screen again, then plastered a large red smile on her face. She must play the part.
...
"Why are you wearing sunglasses?" Natalie asked Zai as they drove through the dark Parisian alleys. She had insisted on taking a back route to avoid being seen by the Vespers.
"Because I want to." He answered without taking his eyes off the road.
"That's not answer. What are you hiding?"
"My eyes." Zai replied, still looking straight ahead. "As you might now, I am wanted by the entire Cahill population. If someone recognises me, this mission is over."
Natalie said nothing. They wound through the dark streets, Zai discreetly checking the rear-view mirror every couple hundred meters.
"How far are we from the stronghold?" he asked.
"Um..." Natalie took note of their surroundings. "That's strange. It's taking far longer than it should have. Something's not right."
"You have arrived." The GPS device's smooth voice intoned. Natalie stared at it.
"What's wrong with this thing? We're nowhere near the stronghold!" She furrowed her brow."Wait..." she looked the GPS device. "This is the wrong address we're going to! How did that happen?"
"...I guess I must've made a mistake when I entered the address you gave me." Zai said. I hope we're far enough away.
"It's nothing like the address I gave you! We're in a completely different section of the city!" She narrowed her eyes at Zai. He thought quickly.
"We're in the middle of a dark alley..." he mused. He widened his eyes. "The...Vespers must've planted the GPS device in the car! No matter what address you enter, it would lead you here!"
"You're right!" Natalie gasped. She switched on the light. "The Vesper are going to ambush us! Get out!"
Zai didn't argue, he swallowed his smirk as he floored the gas pedal. Too late, a black-clad figure appeared from the back doorway of an apartment building.
"Zai! Look out!" Natalie yelled. He slammed the brakes down, stopping mere inches from the agent.
"Let's see if you can make this the fifth time." She said. Zai grimaced.
"We'll see."
The Vesper pointed a gun at the windshield.
"Down!" Zai screamed. He and Natalie hit the floor as bullets tore through the glass. In an instant, they stopped as abruptly as they had started.
Zai and Natalie stayed pressed against the floor. Natalie's slipped her hand into her pocket and withdrew a small black ball. She then tapped Zai on the shoulder.
Reverse, she mouthed to him. He nodded and reached up to the stick to switch the car into reverse, then pushed down on the pedal with his hand. The Hummer jumped backward at the same moment as Natalie launched the black ball, sending it arcing through the air. It landed silently on the ground. Natalie shut her eyes as the ball burst in a small explosion, meant to knock out anyone in a five-foot radius.
"Nice shot." Zai acknowledged. Natalie smiled.
...
Waverley leaped backward as the car speedily reversed. She looked up and saw a small black ball arcing through the air; she put her hand out and caught it. She then tossed it high into the air above her, where it exploded in a small flash of light. The Hummer started toward her again, and she dropped onto the ground and pretended to moan.
...
Natalie and Zai rushed toward the prone figure, sprawled in the alley. Natalie grabbed the agent by the lapel and shook her.
"Who sent you?" she demanded. The agent opened her eyes groggily, and coughed.
"Where is my brother?" she screamed again. "ANSWER ME!"
"Your brother has moved on." she chuckled. "He has continued his life without you."
"That's not true!" Natalie shook her head angrily, hears streaming down her cheeks. "He would never do that!" She started sobbing, and Zai actually felt a little sorry for her.
"But he did, little girl. He stopped looking after seventy-two hours, and has continued on with his mission."
"As we are on ours." Zai said. "But to do so, we need Elizabeth. Where is she?"
Waverley did not respond. Natalie slapped her again. Zai reached out and wrapped his hands around her throat, applying slight pressure.
"Where. Is. She?" He asked through a clenched jaw. Waverley coughed again, and (fake) blood spattered her lip.
"Tell me." Zai pressed harder. Waverly's eyes widened.
"Okay...I'll tell...you..."
Zai released the pressure slightly. Waverley coughed and hacked for a moment, then raised her head.
"She is at...the Chez Castel, holding the...Annual Elizabeth Vesper-Hollingsworth & Antoinette...Ball."
"A ball?" Natalie asked. Waverley nodded weakly. Zai and Natalie looked at each other.
"Then we are going to that ball." Zai said. "Anything else?"
"Elizabeth...has a message for you." she said. Natalie and Zai leaned closer.
"She says...Beware our Raven, a weapon that strikes in the darkest of times, on the coldest of hours, in the most striking of places."
"Raven?" Zai echoed. "Tell us more! What is the Raven?" But before he got an answer, Waverley fell back to the ground, eyes rolled back.
"Let's get out of here." Natalie grabbed Zai's arm and they ran back to the car. They climbed in, both shaken by the agent's eerie warning.
"What did she mean by that?" Zai asked. Natalie shrugged.
"Whatever it is, we need to be ready first. To the Chez Castel?"
"To the Chez Castel." Zai agreed. "But we'll need a new car, I think."
"Yes. We will. And now you're only four up on me."
...
Meanwhile, on the ground, Waverley sent a message through her ear-speaker.
"Shadow, this is Waverley. The children are coming. I repeat: The children are coming. Over."
At the Chez Castel, a smoothly-dressed guest turned off the ear-speaker and smiled internally. The Hunt Was on.
...
I can't wait to show you what is coming! Read, rate, and review!