Chapter 64

Nick's Plan

"So… what are your plans for tomorrow?" Jeremy asked as he walked along the sidewalk, hand in hand with Chloe.

Chloe just rolled her eyes. "I gotta have dinner with my dad and mother. I don't see why. They hardly ever bothered with my other birthdays."

"Maybe they just want to fix things up?" Jeremy suggested. "I mean, you're an adult so it is kind of petty to keep grudges."

"I guess." Chloe shrugged. "I just have a feeling that it is going to be filled with awkward conversation. They don't exactly get along, and I don't have particular feelings for mother. I'll just be happy when it's over, to be perfectly honest." Chloe's eyes flitted over Jeremy for a moment before looking back to the road. "Not to mention that I'm having a birthday in this situation. It's not going to mean a thing."

"Don't say that." Jeremy frowned. "Birthday's always have meaning."

"Not really. What do you really celebrate? There isn't any meaning to celebrating the day you were born." Chloe glanced back to Jeremy but this time Jeremy caught to look.

"Is there something on my face?" Jeremy half-joked, rubbing his nose. "You keep looking at me funny."

"No… it's just…" Chloe wavered slightly, slowing her pace.

"Just what?" Jeremy cocked his head. "Is something wrong?"

"Yes." Chloe nodded. "David has been skipped. You're next, Jeremy."

"Next for what?" Jeremy asked with a small smile. "I have a guardian angel watching over me. I'm not going to die."

Confused, Chloe looked to Jeremy for an answer.

"You, silly." Jeremy's smile widened.

"I'm not any kind of guardian angel."

"Says you." Jeremy stopped and stood against the wall to let passers-by past. Chloe moved in next to him. "Every time I find myself in some bad situation, you are always there. Do you know how sure I was that I was going to die in that water? Then you come up out of nowhere." Jeremy shook his head. "I opened my eyes and I see you, the sun behind your head forming a halo. A message if I've ever seen any." Jeremy eyes turned down Chloe's stomach. "And we'll get our own little angel."

Chloe just nodded slightly.

"Are you sure it's just that I'm next that's bothering you?" Jeremy asked, pulling Chloe in closer. For a moment he thought Chloe was crying but then realised that rain was starting to pour. "Oh… great." Jeremy cast his gaze up at the darkened sky. "You would have thought we'd be given a break from all this rain."

Noticing no response, Jeremy looked to Chloe to see her staring absently at no particular point. "Chloe?" Still no response from the staring Chloe. "Hey, is something wrong?" Jeremy felt growing concern as Chloe didn't react at all. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Chloe."

"Huh…" Chloe blinked rapidly, turning her head left and right. She focused in on Jeremy. "Sorry, I missed that. What'd you say?"

"I said are you all right?" Jeremy's concern didn't disappear.

"Fine. Why?" Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Anyway, let's start moving. I'm freezing my-" Chloe took a step forward and stopped talking as the ground seemed to fall away out from under her. Acting quickly, Jeremy managed to grab her arms, stopping her from completely falling.

"You are not all right." Jeremy stated.

"I'm just… I must be tired." Chloe said although didn't sound too confident at that. "I don't feel sick…"

"Let's just get back. If you're tired you should get some sleep." Jeremy said firmly. "Let's go."

"Yeah." Chloe nodded, rubbing her forehead. "Yeah, let's go."

XXX

A chill running through his spine, Nick cast his gaze around the interior of the church. It was completely dark, only the dim light of the overcast sky invading the old features. It wasn't especially big, with only ten rows of pews separated by one aisle. At the end of the aisle was a single long step leading to an alter and then a cross. As he walked down the room, his steps echoed of the stone floor. Noticing a small stain at the base of the cross, Nick frowned and got closer.

Blood.

There was no doubt at that. Perhaps a couple of days old. Nick took a closer look at the cross and noticed some holes that suspiciously looked like nail holes, complete with dried blood around the hole.

"To whom do I owe the pleasure of the visit?"

At the sound of the voice Nick stood up slowly and turned around. Standing at the far end of the church was none other than Gerald Myers. Nick knew exactly what the man looked like from the description given by Fisk.

Keeping both hands firmly in sight of Myers, Nick walked forward before offering his hand. "Nicholas Casey." Nick greeted. "I have been wanting to meet you for quite some time, Gerald."

Myers grinned. "Oh my. This presents a problem. Not only does a stranger greet me by my first name, but this very same stranger is someone who is known to be working with one Gregory Fisk. Do you care to explain this… visit, Mr Casey… or Nicholas, if we are on a first term basis?"

"I am not working with Gregory Fisk." Nick said firmly. "Not anymore." Inside, Nick was hearing every single heartbeat. Coming face to face with the infamous Gerald Myers was, he admitted, scary. Myers was just an evil man. It was as simple as that. Nick had seen many shifty people, thieves, bad husbands, even a murderer, but never had one person felt simply as evil as Myers. Nick was surprised he had even been able to keep up the act for this very short time.

"Am I supposed to believe you with that simple statement?" Myers crossed his arms. "I apologize, Nicholas, but I would require proof. Otherwise you will not leave this building."

"I understand. I can offer information." Nick said without breaking his cover. "For example, both of the Valentines have dispersed much like you wanted them to. Joshua is nowhere to be seen and Lisa has gone as well. They are out of the equation."

"Once again, how will I believe this?" Myers sat down on the pew, looking at Nick with suspicion flashing in his eyes.

"You don't have to if you don't see it fit." Nick said before reaching under his collar and pulling out a small microphone before handing it to Myers. "Fisk wanted me to come here and get as much information as I could. You know, be undercover. All that did was provide me a chance to reach you. Fisk keeps watch on his people, as I'm sure you know." Nick shook his head. "Fisk doesn't seem to understand that this… Death, is wrong. I am a full supporter of your ways. I firmly believe that what you are doing is right." Nick managed to get a face of anger. "After all, if it wasn't for Death, Willingboro would not be destroyed. My partner would not be dead. I am a police officer and to see that many innocents killed… no, murdered, it strikes me hard. You do not kill innocents. You strive to defeat Death and that is something I can thoroughly get behind." Nick nodded. "Not only that, but I can act as a double-agent. Feed false information to Fisk, all these things. It is your choice. Maybe I can work with you, or maybe I leave this church cold and lifeless. It is up to you."

Myers stood up slowly, exuding such power despite his small frame that Nick had to fight not to start sweating. Only tall enough to reach Nick's neck, Nick still felt small and powerless. Myers stared for one minute, then two. Nick felt like his privacy was being invaded. Every part of him being analysed and judged. It came to a point where he firmly believed Myers wasn't fooled by the act when Myers smiled.

"It is good to see people come round to my side without need for persuasion." Myers turned around, his back facing Nick. Nick knew exactly what this was. A test. If anyone wanted to attack Myers, then now would be the perfect chance. But Myers probably had men watching. Nick couldn't act now. "This church is not the best place for conversation. Come with me to my apartment and we can talk business there. I do have to say, I live this offer of being a double-agent. Gregory always was too trusting."

XXX

"This is not a good plan, Gregory." Detrikov protested, his usually stoic face showing a combination of concern and anger. "Not a good plan, at all."

"Wrong, Vladimir." Fisk shook his head. "It is a simple plan. A plan that actually seems as if it may work. We were thinking too complicated. He could do this with ease."

"Nicholas Casey is an innocent, Gregory." Detrikov pointed out. "He isn't trained like you or me, he cannot handle Myers. Myers is too much of a threat. All that will happen is a new name crossed out."

Fisk frowned. "You seem awfully emotional about this situation Vladimir. It is not often you show emotion, and even less to question my orders. There must be an issue of great magnitude for this attitude, surely?"

"This is wrong." Detrikov growled. "I thought the whole point that you joined with Joshua and Lisa was to protect the survivors. Instead you are sending them on foolhardy missions."

"We will not know if it is foolhardy until is succeeds or fails."

"So it is a test? Vy prosto s pomoshch'yu etikh nevinnykh lyudey!"

"Indeed, it seems that emotions are running wild within you. What is the problem, Vladimir."

"The problem is, Gregory, is that you are losing sight of everything you are working for." Detrikov said firmly, actually causing Gregory to raise his eyebrows in surprise. "I have kept quiet because I am your friend, but it seems that the closer to Myers you get the more innocents you are risking. You never usually took risks. You researched, you planned, and then we executed the plan with success."

"I must admit, I am getting irritated with you Vladimir."

"And I with you, Gregory, if I am to be honest." Detrikov admitted. "This is hard for me to say, but if Nicholas Casey is hurt in anyway… then I'm not sure I'll be able to work with you. Perhaps it is wrong of me to say, but Casey is the wrong person for this job. The blood of innocents should not be spilt, not in any situation, otherwise we become like those we hunt."

Fisk was surprised that Detrikov was talking like this. Detrikov was usually quiet, giving suggestions but never arguing like this. Instead of continued the argument, Fisk just crossed his arms and turned away. "We will continue this after Nicholas' plan has been acted. For good or for bad."

A/N:- Thanks to Princezzshell101 for your review!

Next chapter is gonna be a fun one, I'll promise you that. Also, Lisa's chapter in 'The Chosen Five' should be out by the time this is submitted, so head on over to check that out.