RobOverstreet: You're welcome! :)
avidreader: We'll get there, dear.
purplefurball: I ran out of ideas for this chapter, and your review helped me through this block. Thanks! Rem surely is an interesting addition.
NightmareWalker: I am very meticulous when it comes to picking the songs, so I'm really glad that the hardwork pays off. LOL. Rem is a blessing for me because she was never part of the original plan until somebody made some suggestions. She kind of filled some gap, like, for example 'who the fuck ever maintained that cabin?' Besides, Beca definitely needs to have an antithesis that quite resembles her own just so she can realize how annoying she could be sometimes (does this make sense?).
Guest (Mar 28): Did it because whatever he does and no matter how much of a jerk Beca could turn into, he just can't win the sympathy of most people.
BeChloeFan01: Who knows what's going on in that half-shaved head? LOL. BeChloe is still going to happen. Have faith!
asdfg: She can take them all single-handed. LOL.
GinNoSaji: When Beca said 'nothing', she totally meant the opposite, and Chloe knew that. So she had to say 'for real this time' which means, Chloe really had to mean nothing after that. That way, she would be useless to the enemies. Now about Rem, I don't know if it was a typo on your part, but she' doesn't work for Clarence. It's Benji. I hope this helps. And big thanks for reading and leaving a review! :)
DJBMitch: You'll get some answers this chapter. Those left unanswered, I'll remember to find a way to reveal them to everybody on later chapter/s especially the explanation on kissing them both. I know you hate him, but we'll get more of Ben.
madness2013, Guest (Mar 27): I can't promise anything.
Guest (Mar 27): All thanks to a certain blonde rebel.
Yan: Okay, frankly, I was weirded out with Beca disguised as Rem because I don't think she would ever do it actually, but at least you had a correct guess. Congrats! :)
Guest (Mar 27): And now that's my line! I've never met someone who listens to them until now. Paper Kites!
anon: Dude, no.
Natali1798: Love is really weird, isn't it? You got your heart broken for a million times and you still come back for more. Totally Chloe! But I love you too. :)
I'm a big Bechloe fan, but I honestly feel bad for him when you keep hating on Ben. LOL. And I may be have a hangover, so things may not make sense from this point forward.
CHAPTER ELEVEN: Disclose
Jesse plugged a tiny dongle into the laptop's USB port. The computer system read the device and soon, all the data and software that the IT expert needed for his work had started to load on the screen. Aubrey quietly watched in awe as the guy seated on the floor maneuvered them in such a proficient flow. Consumed, she wasn't aware that her hand was already slowly reaching to touch the dongle, only when the old Phoenix swatted her beloved hand away that she gained consciousness. He instantly realized the trouble he just got himself into and flashed a fucked up grin for escape. Thank goodness, the Posen heiress was too fascinated and dumbfounded to even throw a dirty look at him.
"What are you doing?" she asked with utmost interest.
"This," he pointed to the dongle, "is what I call codenamephoenix. It contains all the viable information that could lead us to locating the treasure, and it keeps it secured. Only an authorized person, that's me, could open this program."
"So this little thing is that important, huh?"
She was doing it again. She just couldn't resist the urge to reach for the device and touch it. Jesse, however, was sensitive enough to swat her hand away for the second time.
"I-I'm sorry," he held up his hands apprehensively. "J-Just… please don't touch it."
"What's Fat Amy up to?" she inquired instead of yelling at him contrary to what he had expected.
"She's scanning the cabin and transmitting the data to me."
So what about her? The Posen heiress leaned her back on the wall and crossed her arms on her chest stubbornly. Something told her she was starting to be useless in this mission. The horrible monster herself was being kind enough not to say it out loud, and a bonus friendly gesture of letting her join them in the cabin instead of staying back in Pandemonium with Skyler and Cynthia-Rose. Aubrey wanted to help, but they wouldn't let her do anything. She wasn't as fragile as Chloe!
"Hey," Stan sat next to her with a pistol on hand. "You want to help me clean this thing?"
Her face instantly lit up at the opportunity. At least someone else thought she was still worth something here. Maybe she owed it to the mystery blonde woman. Since then, the young Mitchell was beginning to pay more attention to her.
"There are a total of thirty keyholes in this cabin that the key could perfectly fit into," Fat Amy reported to the Head Phoenix according to the results flashing on her laptop. But that didn't mean all of them could open another door, of course. Beca sighed in dismay.
"Just say the word and I will go look for her," Stan told her, referring to Rem. Fine, at times, he was still thinking about that half-shaved blonde head highlighted with shades of rainbow. "She could help us, kiddo."
The notorious brunette deliberately ignored her brother's offer. No, not that stupid little piece of shit again. Beca already had enough of her crazy antics. They could and they would find the treasure even without the help of the so-called cheat code.
"She built this cabin," he added recalling her claims. "She could possibly just tell you which one is the right keyhole."
"Your brother's right… kiddo," Thud muttered ending in a low voice that was almost a whisper. Was he allowed to call his boss by the nickname?
"Deep down, you know she can help," Aubrey, surprisingly, supported the pleading in favor of the mystery blonde woman. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be taking her advice. You wouldn't be trying to use the key."
Before the mighty Phoenix could decide to give in and surrender to the majority's collective judgment, thankfully, a sound of gunfire was heard from outside, saving her from potential humiliation and maintained her level of toughness which had always been remarkably high. Thud checked on the security monitor to find some Syndics charging in around the vicinity. Puzzling though, none of them was actually able to reach the cabin when the entire group was not making any counter-attack against the enemies.
Stan prepared his pistol and held Aubrey close to him, bracing for the Syndics to come bursting through the door and fire their way. Thud, too, was all set with Fat Amy and Jesse stationed behind him for refuge. But the Head Phoenix didn't move an inch and simply stood in place. Something's not right here. The enemies should have reached them by this moment. Instead, the sound of gunfire was growing distant as if there was something leading the pack away from the rightful position until one loud bang went off apparently right from by the front porch. Beca finally decided to check it out followed closely by the others, and to their surprise, Chloe was standing outside holding up a gun and a man freshly collapsed on the ground. The mighty Phoenix rushed to her side with Thud and Stan in assistance as more Syndics came to view – the young heiress was too exposed at her location.
"W-What took you so long?" she asked the brunette, her voice was shaking along with her entire body.
"You're not supposed to be here!" Beca shot back, taking away the gun from the redhead and dragging her into the protection of the cabin where Aubrey greeted her best friend with a relieved hug. "Chloe, what are you doing out there? It's too dangerous!"
"I know… I-I didn't kill them, right?"
The Head Phoenix was taken aback at the inquiry. Chloe was using a gun, no doubt about it. Nonetheless, she went back outside to check on the bodies sprawled on the ground; there were no blood, only tiny dart missiles shot into every single victim. They were also breathing, certainly still alive. What the hell did the redheaded monster did to them?
Soon after the shootout had subsided and the Syndics were all but exterminated, a wrecked Dodge Viper came rolling down the road. Swiftly, it parked in between the black 1962 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder and an old van like a scene ripped out straight from GTA. Stan and Thud pointed their guns towards the car in pure vigilance when the door flung open and no other than Rem herself alighted. She appeared sophisticated more than ever, sporting a red sheer blouse paired with faux leather leggings and boots, strutting as if the walk towards the mighty Phoenix was a fashion runway; if only she wasn't holding a Mini-Uzi in one hand and a bloody human heart in the other.
"They're all dead," she tossed the heart to the brunette as if it was some baseball then ultimately killed off Chloe's victims. "Now no man's left to report back to the Head Syndic."
The other merely glared at her then turned around. If blondie was expecting a thank you, she would die waiting for it because it would never come out of the mighty Phoenix's mouth, especially not for her.
"Wait!" Chloe hurriedly ran to the duo and stood in between them. "She's a friend."
Beca looked up to see the look on her ex's face. Goddamn it, she was serious! She turned around, and that fucking smirk plastered on the blonde's lips was more than infuriating. The mighty Phoenix was losing this battle, and she hated losing, more so being beaten by this devil. Hence, she grabbed Chloe by the arm and dragged her away. This madness was going to stop this instance. However, the cheat code just wouldn't quit and jumped in the way.
"Hey! You're not allowed to do that!" she reprimanded Beca, breaking off the grip. "She's my bitch now, so she stays with me!"
What?
"That's right, Tink. Sealed with a kiss."
Startled, the brunette turned to Chloe who gave her a mouthful of stammers as a response, and so she turned back to the blonde with eyes sharpened by anger. What the fuck did this devil do to her most precious treasure?
"Leave," she demanded with much indignation weaved into the lone word.
"No," was the firm response, unyielding and irritatingly derisive.
Beca pointed a gun at her ready to shoot, but the receiver only reacted with a laugh.
"That's kind of a blowgun I gave her," she explained. "The darts can only paralyze someone for a period of time, not permanently kill. I figured it would suit Miss Goody-goody."
Paralysis wasn't the aim. Death was Beca's only wanted choice; somebody had to murder this hullabaloo as soon as possible. Therefore, the mighty Phoenix pulled the knife out of her pocket and thrust it towards the target who was quick enough to purposely yank the nearby redhead to pose as her most effective shield. Amazing how the brunette was able to restrain herself during that split second, the tip of the knife hanging just a couple of centimeters away from her ex's stomach.
"You really are good," the blonde commended the exceptional skill on self-control.
"R-Rem?" Chloe croaked. "W-What are you doing?"
"Oh you'll be fine, dear," assured her new friend, planting a beaming peck on the back of her hair.
Provoked by the loving motion she had just witnessed, Beca recomposed herself to launch yet another attack. Even with Chloe covering most of the target, the mighty Phoenix could still see a wide opening. Unfortunately, Rem had already anticipated the move. She grabbed Chloe's hands from behind and guided them to fight back the horrible monster. She was taller and her extremities were longer, so it was as easy as controlling a poor little marionette. Beca attacked, Rem moved and so did Chloe.
"Why so serious, Tink?"
The taunting wasn't really helping the cause. It was only adding more fuel into the burning flame. Beca shifted to the side for a broader range, but Rem promptly hauled Chloe over to maintain the shield. Maybe a little jab on the mighty Phoenix wouldn't hurt. The rest of the crew, meanwhile, watched in complete amusement; the notorious brunette had never been this challenged in a fight, let alone a simple hand-to-hand combat.
"Is this really how you treat your friends?" Rem questioned, blocking another set of punches from the quiet cricket. "We're here to help. You're welcome."
But Beca was no longer listening, too determined to finish off this source of craziness in all sorts. She hastily pitched her knife aiming for the hazel eye peering above the strands of red locks, blondie pushed her body over Chloe's back to duck them both and so the sharp weapon landed on the wooden post right next to Jesse, causing him that mini heart attack.
"Beca, stop!"
The poor little marionette finally found the courage to scream out, and almost in automatic, the horrible monster did as she was told, preventing her to dodge a jab. Wow, this key was more powerful than Rem had thought. The mighty Phoenix was her very own marionette.
"You don't have to kill everybody!" the redhead yelled at the brunette upon her release, breathing heavily, exhausted. "For once, could you just accept people's help? Fine, not from me. But Rem here can help you!"
Strange as it seemed, the Head Phoenix was listening, backing down, considering every single idea thrown her way. Heaving out a sigh, she turned to the blonde. "What do you want?"
"A place on your team," answered Rem; she's not going to let this limited offer pass.
"Okay."
That easy. No argument, no conditions.
"I'll show you Back to Basics," the cheat code promised. "But we'll have to come back some other time. Another team of Syndics surely must be on their way. We can't risk them discovering that you're alive."
"But we can't just leave the cabin in the open," Jesse protested.
She rolled her eyes like it's the most stupid thing ever. She walked towards the stairs and reached in for the hidden controls below. Bit by bit, the entire structure started to conceal itself, returning to its original state the way Beca and Cynthia-Rose had first found it. A minute or so had passed and it was disguised, again, as an ordinary cabin.
"Let's go?"
Left with no other choice, everybody started preparing to head out. Maybe old habits die hard because Beca froze in place and expected her lady boss to leave with her. Chloe, however, merely gave her a glance then followed Rem into their own service. Stay out of each other's lives, right? It was only proper that they would end up in different cages. Hence, the Head Phoenix hopped into her Ferrari and sped away, not bothering to wait for the rest of the team. Typical.
"Welcome to Team Pura!" Fat Amy excitedly rolled down her windows to chitchat while the others were settling in; she's beginning to be a big fan, seriously. "Nice car, by the way. So how could you afford a Viper, eh?"
"Stole it," was the casual response. Of course, she did.
"Follow my lead, crazy blonde," Thud instructed the third blonde in the group as they drove off.
Rem made a positive salute then threw a quick glance at her awfully silent passenger. "Say something, Chloe, or I'll kiss you… again."
"You did it on purpose, didn't you?" said the redhead. "You knew she would react that way."
"Let's just say I did some research, and you're the most popular result."
Chloe scoffed. "I'm nothing to her. I'd die and she probably wouldn't care."
"Oh no," the other strongly shook her head in disagreement. "You see, you're not allowed to die. All hell would break loose if you did. Your ex is a kaiju disguised in a fairy's body, alright? I wonder how you two ever happened. It's... weird. Besides, what I saw back there… it doesn't look like nothing to me."
The blonde threw another glance at the passenger to offer a playful wink. What a relief to know she was as good in cheering people up as stealing kisses.
"Just humor me though." Rem untangled the bandana wrapped around to cover the phoenix tattoo on her forearm and handed it over. "Put it on. It'll drive her nuts."
The young heiress stared at the material for a moment. It was never the best idea to madden the horrible monster, yet by experience, an annoyed Beca had always been hilarious. So why not go on with this prank? If something would have gone wrong, the new team member would surely come to the rescue anyway.
Little Maverick took a deep breath and wiped the beads of sweat formed on his forehead with his own slightly mucky sleeve. He gripped on the brush with both his small hands and pushed it back and forth against the dining floor to scrub off the unwanted mess. After a few more strokes and he had to stop again. This wasn't what he signed up for!
"So what did you do this time, kiddo?"
He breathed out another exhausted sigh before looking up to his volunteer partner. The future CEO of McDouglas group of companies had his business attire rolled up for such occasion – his executive position completely forgotten as he mopped the floor clean.
"I started a food fight," answered the kid with a frown.
Ben let out a chuckle. "Is it worth it?"
"No," Maverick shook his head, his curly hair adorably bouncing as he did. "But at least Hank would probably stop bullying me from now on after I showered him with spaghetti sauce."
"You're tough." It was a compliment. "I wish I could have been a brave little warrior too back when I was a kid."
"You were bullied too?"
"My older brother did all sorts of things to me. He tried to drown me in the pool once just to find out if I'd actually die. I wish I could have stood up to him like you did to Hank."
"Your brother sounds mean. Where is he now?"
Ben shrugged his shoulders. "Doing what he does best, I guess."
"Let's tell Becky," the kid proposed. "She will kick his sorry butt. She's like a superhero, you know."
"I'm sure she is…" the other's voice trailed off as the conversation drifted to a new topic. What was it with Beca that she seemed to have won everybody's hearts without even trying to? "You really like her, don't you?"
"Yeah… I had to give up Chloe for her, but we're friends… and she helps me with my Math."
"I can help you with that."
Maverick, however, responded with a snicker. It was not insulting in a way, but it only showed just how disadvantaged Ben was in the competition. The cricket wasn't even physically present to defend her title.
"Benjamin!"
Ronie's voice echoed all across the dining hall followed by the clacking noises made by her shoes as she hurried to the young businessman. Senior McDouglas wouldn't be happy to find out that his sole heir was doing some janitor's job in this forlorn home.
"What the H-E-double-L are you doing?" she snatched the mop from his grip and placed a hand on her hip. "Look at your clothes!"
"I'm fine," he wore a humbled grin. "I'm just helping out Jean Valjean here."
"Maverick," the Chief Directress turned to the kid kneeling on the wet floor. "I think you've learned your lessons here. Go tell the kitchen staff to fix all these."
Pleased with his dismissal, the detainee bolted out of the door, leaving the two adults behind.
"You shouldn't be doing this, for Christ's sake!" She fetched the expensive coat set on top of one of the dining tables for the visitor.
Ben chuckled at the special treatment he had been commonly experiencing – one of the many perks of belonging to a certain socio-economic status. The kitchen staff had already arrived to finish the job (properly), so he hung his coat over his shoulder and retrieved his socks and shoes from the floor before following Ronie out to the hallway.
"I'll show you to the quarters so you could freshen up."
"Thanks, Veronica."
"Now come along."
"Has Chloe arrived yet?" was his primary concern though.
"She's not coming in today."
"Oh," he sounded disappointed. "Uh… did she say why?"
Ronie briefly threw a rather suspicious look at him as they approached the stairs.
"Well," Ben started. "The weather's nice today. We could picnic with the kids."
"How romantic! Chloe's absence would surely be missed then."
"Would you know where she's gone?"
"She didn't tell you?"
The young man shook his head causing Ronie to pause from her tracks, slightly confused until she had managed to put the puzzle pieces together. Of course, Chloe wouldn't tell him.
"Maybe she doesn't want you to know."
There was something about that sentence.
"Beca," he muttered under his breath.
"You know what?" Ronie made another halt as they reach the main door to the quarters and spun around to face her daughter's rival. "I really think you two would be a perfect couple. You're a good man, Benjamin. I know Chloe likes you, very much, and she's trusted you even when the rest of us didn't. I've seen all your efforts, Beca would never be able to do them, so more than her or anyone… you truly deserve to have Chloe."
So what's keeping it from happening?
"We don't always get what we deserve, do we?" was the answer, a consolation bordered between the best and the worst – the fact that he deserved Chloe and the tragic twist that he would never have her.
"If I was somehow younger, I'd take her place, you know. Any girl would be lucky to have you."
Ben snickered at the effort. "Thanks, Veronica."
"Call me 'Ronie'," she put on a motherly smile. Sure, he had already gained the necessary amount of trust to earn the opportunity to call her by the nickname.
"Don't sing!" Chloe exclaimed as she pressed the phone against her ear, letting out a few giggles as well. "Just pick a book to read. They do enjoy a fully-animated story-telling. Don't murder them, you goofy!"
Too engrossed in the phone conversation, the young heiress failed to notice the arrival of the black Ferrari and the very quiet cricket sneaking into a considerable distance behind her, struggling to listen, secretly longing to touch her dearly just like the old times. A time like this, the urge to drop everything and just run away with the redheaded monster was at its strongest temptation.
"It's not-"
Chloe instantly froze when she turned around and came eye-to-eye with the one and only mighty Phoenix, the person cheerfully conversing at the other end of the line was momentarily forgotten. Damn it. Those eyes, those dark blue eyes – still spellbinding.
"I-I have to go," she told the guy patiently waiting for her response. "Uh… call you later?"
She hardly paid any attention to his closing remarks, tapped the end button and tucked the phone away into her pocket. The best thing to could have done in this situation was walk away and find solitude in her other friends gathered inside the cabin, but she was such a masochist to consciously choose to endure the pain of staring at that one person who loved to push her away.
"It's not safe to make phone calls," said the horrible monster. "Or let alone bring an electronic device."
That's it. Why did she always have to hint a start of an argument? Couldn't she just strike a normal conversation? Not everything had to be dealt in a battle of whatsoever.
"Fat Amy secured the line," was Chloe's defense as she headed for a way out which solely was that little space occupied by the notorious brunette. "Don't worry. I won't do anything to jeopardize your mission."
"It's him, isn't it?"
That sudden inquiry and the sense of jealousy weaved into it prompted the young heiress to stop, of all places as if done on purpose, right by the side of the Head Phoenix that she could clearly see the blank canvass in her peripheral view.
"Are you dating him now?" Beca proceeded with a new question.
"Do you care?" Chloe had to ask because it would be a big deal if she did.
"No," lied the other.
Hiding the amount of chagrin she felt, the redhead replied, "Then don't ask."
"Hey, former-slash-maybe-current-slash-possibly-future lovebirds!" Rem was standing at the cabin entrance with her arms folded upon her chest. "Are you two coming in or what?"
Without a word, both composed themselves to join the rest of them. They both walked, one trailing behind the other; they couldn't be on the same plane anymore, it was too suffocating. It wasn't helping at all that there was the strangest of them all whom had the best seat to witness them both got eaten by a giant quicksand of repressed emotions.
"So Back to Basics," the Head Phoenix reminded everyone about their main purpose here.
The cheat code presented her open palm and demanded, "Give me the key."
Beca didn't move. Instead, she returned an odd look. It was a very simple demand yet very difficult to fulfill. Nobody knew anything about this mystery blonde woman. She was like a meteor which one day just came crashing down into their lives. Handing her over the key would be like handing her over the treasure itself.
"The key."
"I don't trust you," was the blatant confession.
"You don't have to," the other shot back with a snicker. "I just have to do my job, that's all."
If this was emotional appeal, it frankly had no effect on the callous warrior.
"I trust her," her brother declared. Beca could roll her eyes – Stan and his very obvious crush on the girl. Nonetheless, the rest of the team, one by one, expressed their approval with her ex as the last say.
Losing to the decision of the majority, the Head Phoenix unwillingly fished the key out of her pocket and surrendered it to the cheat code. Perhaps, it was intentional on Rem's part when her hand clenched the key securely and displayed such a cunning smirk because Beca, for a moment there, thought the team had been betrayed. But then, blondie made a little bow to reassert her loyalty and servitude before walking over to the backdoor, the most obvious and so the least expected location of the right keyhole.
"To tell you the truth, you didn't have to go through all the items. That's what Benji wanted, but you shouldn't have. It's a lure, a trap. There's no such thing as a secret when it's out in the open."
"Don't let your eyes deceive you," Thud mumbled to himself. It was his mantra! How could he not see it coming?
The cheat code used the key and at the sound of a clank, the wooden ceiling slowly began sliding to the side. What should have been a view of the roof was obstructed by a large blackboard. On the blackboard, written in chalk instead of the usual computer codes, was the very blueprint of Benji's plans.
"There," Rem caught their attention once more. "That's Back to Basics."
NO gadgets, Benji! NO traces! Yeah, the use of chalk was relatively back to basics. Clarence, Luke, Phil, etc… everybody was included with their accurately defined roles to play in the game – it was like Benji had written history before it could even happen. Most remarkably of all the writings and illustrations was WELCOME, BECA! He knew. He definitely knew she would come. It's as if this blueprint was intentionally made for her to figure out.
Music was blasting through the air, and drinks were pouring in, unlimited. Everybody was in a party mood; they just took the biggest step - finding the blueprint itself and destroying its remains, too late for The Syndicate to discover the same information. It was only rational for this little celebration to happen. Who knew if there's going to be another time for this in the future? For some inexplicable reason though, Chloe just couldn't bring herself into the same mood. She was a wallflower surrounded by an oblivious crowd.
Even Jesse was having fun, currently playing League of Legends at the corner table as the young heiress passed by. Thud trailed behind Fat Amy, balancing five plates with his buff arms while Aubrey and Rem, two of the people Chloe had expected to be her company this evening, were playing beer pong with Stan and Cynthia-Rose and some other Phoenixes. Perhaps, it would be unfair to be such a poop in this time of festivity, so Chloe continued to walk further away from the party. She turned to a corner only to regret it when she found the Head Phoenix herself standing there all alone with her back leaned against the wall. The brunette didn't bother to throw her a glance despite of the evident fact that she was well-aware of her presence. Indifferently, she went on to play the sharp shuriken with her fingers.
Chloe was about to open her mouth to say something, for the same of being civil, when the door at the opposite side opened and Skyler came out with a half-empty bottle of Old No. 7 and two red cups in hand. Of course, Beca as it turned out wasn't really all by herself. Chloe was the only one.
"Oh, hi Chloe!" the taller brunette greeted chirpy.
The young heiress managed to produce a smile. All those times that had so far elapsed still weren't enough to get used to this personality in the physical appearance of Stacie Conrad.
"I hope you're having fun at the party."
Because feeling lonesome in a room full of people and finding your insensitive ex spending some exclusive time with another woman who had the face of a former fuck buddy were the pretentious definition of fun, Chloe eagerly nodded her head in response.
"But maybe I should get some fresh air for a while," she decided to add.
"I can ask some guards to accompany you on the surface if you want," offered the brunette.
"No, thanks," Chloe shook her head. "Uh… just let them enjoy the party. I think I can manage on my own anyway."
Skyler realized the cover-up and gave up with a small nod of understanding. The redhead forced one last smile and proceeded with her exit, waiting no more for the very quiet cricket to pitch in some words, even if they wouldn't make sense, to recognize her existence. In the end, the mighty Phoenix was still an expert in giving no shit about things and people.
"Would you look at that?" her babysitter teased. "You're not the only lonely one in this party after all. You two must have some very strong connection to be able to pull it off."
The notorious brunette suddenly threw the shuriken, landing on the opposite wall just a few inches away from a potential easy target. She never missed, Skyler essentially reminded herself. She then handed a red cup to the boss and poured some alcohol into it to serve its purpose.
"You're supposed to be celebrating," said the inferior Phoenix. "You've found the treasure map. It's only a matter of time before you find the treasure."
As usual, Beca didn't reply.
"You're a great leader, Beca. The Secret Society would have never managed to survive if it weren't for you. Maybe it can do away without the treasure. Don't you think we can all stop now?"
The mighty Phoenix took a drink and mumbled, "You don't get it."
"What?"
"I'm not in it to acquire some stupid wealth. I'm in it to save everyone. That's my job, and it will only end when Bumper and his Syndics end."
"No, you don't get it!" exclaimed the other happily as though she learnt a major loophole in the argument. "Look, I didn't know anything about you when you showed up in my house. Up to this date, I still have no idea why, but you did save my life. And now you're trying to save twelve million lives more. Don't you think it's time to save whatever is left of yours? You probably don't get it, but perhaps, you do need some saving too, Beca."
Unappreciated, the advice was deliberately thrown out of the window.
"Fine, give me that!" Skyler snatched the red cup away from her already glaring boss. "Newsflash: God also took a break, so why won't you?"
The Head Phoenix cocked an eyebrow at the bewildering stand of her babysitter.
"Go!"
"I am capable of slaughtering you."
"See? You definitely need to get some fresh air too. Don't hurt Chloe, okay?"
Skyler left her with a knowing look, finally joining the rest of the group in the lively party. Beca was suddenly fixed at the closed door and the muffled sound of house music until she realized that Skyler had a point. The fact that she looked exactly like Stacie was adding pressure into it. In surrender, the mighty Phoenix found herself heading towards the other direction, stepping into the elevator capsule that would take her up to the ground, to fresh air, to Chloe, to everything she needed.
"It's not really safe up here," she told the redhead seated over an unconventional lounge intended to be left unnoticed by passers-by.
Chloe looked up to see the last person she predicted to keep her company this fateful evening. "What are you doing here?"
Failing to come up with a plausible answer, Beca shrugged her shoulders awkwardly before deciding to take a seat on the lounge. Time ticked by and neither spoke a word nor further acknowledged the presence of one another. Oddly, the feeling was both familiar and not. Weird it was when it felt like it had been ages since they last shared this kind of moment, bizarre that in spite of it, there was a silent mutual agreement that it was still sanctuary - this with her and her. It's like unfortunate events built barriers between them, yet they still enchantingly found their way back to each other.
"Do you want to go someplace else?" the very quiet cricket, surprisingly, asked.
The redhead turned to look at her, confused more than anything. So what happened to staying out of each other's lives? What happened to labeling this entire relationship as nothing? Imaginably, all these questions and a hundred more of them were manifested into the pair of bright blue eyes and so as a reply, Beca delicately placed a hand on the angelic face and leaned in for a kiss.
Startled at first, Chloe eventually kissed her back. Every second spent seemed to have erased every single pain collected in the last months and most recent weeks. Magical how an entire being was focused in this inadvertent gesture.
"Why?" Chloe questioned in a faint whisper. She had enough of playing games if this was another attempt at toying her emotions.
The unpredictable one planted another kiss on her lips. "Because I normally suck at giving speeches."
"Okay," was all the other could really say at the moment along with few giggles.
So, Beca held up a hand which the young heiress gladly took – god, that tingling sensation radiating at the touch of friction; the selfish desire to wish it would never come to a close. One command on the Head's communication device and the classic Ferrari swiftly came to fetch them surely for a night to remember.
[She'll lie and steal, and cheat, and beg you from her knees
Make you think she means it this time
She'll tear a hole in you, the one you can't repair
But I still love her, I don't really care]
For the first time since it was fully-restored, the built-in stereo was finally put into use. The car was parked on top of a hill, the beautiful Atlanta skyline at eye level, and a landscape of millions of stars hanging up above. Really, it was a shocker that someone like a cold-blooded beast would ever be a patron of such a romantic spot.
[When we were young, oh, oh, we did enough
When it got cold, ooh, ooh, we bundled up
I can't be told, ah, ah, it can't be done]
No distractions made by a buzzing iPhone and no comfort from a tough-looking black leather jacket; Beca and Chloe sat on the hood with an entire feast of Taco Bell take-out set between them. This had to be the best picnic at midnight yet. Strange as it seemed, Fat Amy was absent to enjoy it. It was just two of them, defenseless yet safeguarded, living such cherished moment.
[It's better to feel pain, than nothing at all
The opposite of love's indifference
So pay attention now, I'm standing on your porch screaming out
And I won't leave until you come downstairs]
"What do you call a cow with epilepsy?"
"What?"
"Beef jerky."
Both cracked up like pair of idiots with Beca holding Chloe by the hand to prevent the redheaded monster from falling off the hood. Just in case.
"Okay, I got something!" she eagerly tucked on the Phoenix's hand to make sure she had all the attention. "Knock knock."
"Who's there?"
"Amish."
"Amish who?"
The joker merely put on a wide grin for quite some time. "I miss you too."
"And I thought I'm the corny one here." Chuckling nevertheless, the brunette gently pulled the other for another sweet and gentle and romantic smooch. "I won't try to stay out of your life anymore."
It had been one hell of a vicious cycle that made declarations like this from the mighty Phoenix seemed so surreal it would take more than courage and leap of faith to be convinced this time around, a consequence of that little story called The Boy Who Cried Wolf.
"If I'm going to be honest with you," said Beca, "you ought to know that I want to be with you. All the time, 24/7 in fact. Chloe, I want you to be mine again. Forever."
"Really?"
What was supposedly a Great Wall of Numbness nodded her head out of overwhelming emotions until a painful truth was hitting her on the chest, swallowing what little remained of hope for this burned out fire, causing a frown across her face.
"You'll always be that person I need but never deserve. I-"
"I love you," Chloe cut her off immediately. "That's all that matters. I love you, cricket."
She flashed a wild smile, it was unbelievable. Really, the horrible monster must have done something right to have her feelings be reciprocated like this and more. She didn't and would never deserve Chloe Beale. Life, however, was unfair to begin with. Some things just would never make sense some times, but that didn't mean it's wrong or incompatible. It's just one of those unsolvable mysteries.
"I love you," Beca told Chloe with a contented smile. It wasn't because she was having a break; it's something that would last long after that. "Just in case you're wondering. Not maybe or possibly. I am most certainly and irrevocably in love with you. Not still, just always."
Chloe was ecstatically paralyzed for a moment. Well, she hadn't heard those words for a very long time.
"I'm jealous of that stupid blonde," confessed the mighty Phoenix, pulling out her knife to cut the neatly folded bandana wrapped around Chloe's forearm. "Fucking cheat code."
The other couldn't help but laugh at the reaction. "She really knows how to get to you, huh?"
"She's evil." The suspected devil herself rolled her eyes. "And I guess now I know how it feels like to get hit by a train for a hundred times over, fall off from the very peak of the Burj Khalifa, have all your arms and legs chopped off… because that's how it feels like whenever I think about you with Benedict."
"Benjamin," corrected the redhead. Beca and her defense mechanism of modifying names. "I love you. We can start again, alright?"
Beca nodded her head and met the love of her life with a passionate kiss. Chloe tried to sneak out just for the sake of annoying the other, but the brunette was quick enough to keep her in place and deepened the kiss. The Taco Bell feast of boundary line was neglected; they'd worry about all the mess later. Come to think of it, they never had sex in a car before this.
"Becky!"
Maverick ran as fast as he could in order to catch up with his favorite friend. Fortunately, Chloe required her to stop and wait for the little man. He paused shortly to catch his breath then held up a hand to signal them to be kind enough to wait for it.
"We will have a soccer game this weekend at the open field," he exhaled. "Come watch me play."
"Are you good at it?" Beca asked with disdain earning a hard nudge from her girlfriend. "Fine, I'll be there."
"You're the best!" exclaimed the kid in great excitement with a tight hug around her legs; a few uncaring taps was all his friend could return. He shot a big grin at Chloe then dashed back to class; his teacher would totally freak out when she'd find out that he's gone again.
The pair finally walked out of the building when Ben McDouglas came in. A smile was already plastered on his lips especially for Chloe but it gradually disappeared at the sight of hands lovingly intertwined together. Clearly, it was game over for him. Nevertheless, he forced a pleasant smile at the brunette who obviously loathed him more that he could ever imagine.
"I'll wait for you in the car," Beca told Chloe before leaving them together. The guy needed to hear his doom.
"I see you two are back together," was all he could utter.
Chloe made a small nod and a repressed smile. How would you do it? How would you reject someone unrejectable? She heaved out a sigh then held his hands. She chuckled a little because she had nothing to say, shockingly. Hence, she looked up to meet his eyes, stared at them for a reasonable time – somehow, they made her feel… not lonely and more than alright during those down times – and tiptoed to give him a kiss on the cheek followed by a quick friendly hug. Selfish possibly, but that's all she could really offer to him, and so she walked away to meet her chosen destiny.
"I lied when I said I didn't want to replace her," he hurriedly spoke out in an attempt to make her stop and it did. "I love you, Chloe."
"You're a great friend, Ben."
One last look and Chloe was gone. She had left him forever. But it just couldn't be over for Ben yet. He shook his head in refusal, his eyes fixated on her trace while his hand retrieved his phone, desperately dialed a memorized number. A guy picked up at the other end, and Ben asked for his brother straightaway. Afterwards, the older McDouglas, the estranged one who went by his first and middle name after his father had disowned him, greeted with a sinister laugh.
"Long time no talk, dude."
"Bumper," Ben breathed out. This was his only chance. If he couldn't have Chloe, then no one else would. "Your Phoenix is alive. I know where you can find her."
Song: Stubborn Love - The Lumineers
This will help everybody visualize the "blueprint": Chalkboard-432596717
Disclaimer: I don't own Pitch Perfect.