Clark Residence
Claren/Montreux, Montreux, Riviera-Pays-d'Enhaut District
Next Day 9 A.M
Cammie sat in bed, tapping her fingers on her thigh as she looked over the CIA file she'd been provided at the beginning of the mission. She tilted her head, eyes narrowing as she took in the information for what felt like the millionth time. Within the various pages provided were the pages Liz had given her with Samuel Carter James' information.
She heard Zach sigh behind her, shifting beside her. "You know the information in there isn't going to change right?" There was a teasing tone in his voice and Cammie couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. She settled her features before aiming an exasperated glare at him.
"I know. I just want to be prepared. Blackout mission and all that." She turned her gaze back at the files. Zach rested his head on the headboard of the bed, body turned to face her. He studied her before deciding he wasn't done teasing her just yet. He was aware she was still worried about the mission, especially given the messages they'd received since they'd been partnered. That on top of the raid they had planned on Carter James, he was aware of the tension that settled on her shoulders.
"Thought they'd taught you to retain mission details at Gallagher." A smirk was beginning to settle on his features before he yelped. Cammie had smacked the arm he'd been supporting himself with causing him to lose his balance and smack his head on the bed's headboard.
"Oops. My bad, Blackthorn Boy." She frowned, fake apologetic as she patted his head. He huffed before letting out a laugh. She shook her head, the tension noticeably gone at this point. He made a point to roll his eyes, a grin plastered on his face before the realization hit. Cammie, who had been waiting for it to settle in, smirked.
Indignant, he began to open his mouth but Cammie shot him a smug look, his look, and pointed at herself, "Spy."
He pursed his lips, determined to see this whole bit through even though he was a bit concerned how she'd found out about Blackthorn and if that somehow meant she also knew the school's real mission. He figured probably but he had a bit to get through first. "That has to be plagiarism. How'd you even know?"
She raised an eyebrow, a fleeting expression crossing her features before turning back to the files. "Know what exactly?" It wasn't lost on him that she was feigning ignorance.
"Joe?"
"I haven't plagiarized anything. You didn't trademark your one liner did you?"
She lifted her head, strands of blonde hair slipping from behind the ear she'd tucked them behind. He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Maybe I should,"
"On what grounds?"
He sighed, defeated. "Fair enough. Let's go back to the whole schooling thing though. How?"
She shot me a mischievous smile. "Like I said. Spy. But don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."
He huffed but allowed the subject to fall through. He knew that she knew and although Blackthorn wasn't an institution he was proud of belonging to, he was also aware of the changes implemented into its curriculum thanks to Joe Solomon and Jonas. He figured he'd always owe Joe for a lot of things. When he goes back home, he'd pay a visit to the man who showed him it was ok to forgive himself and better himself from what he'd been taught.
Zach hadn't noticed Cammie get up until she threw a pillow at his head. He frowned about to open his mouth and begin ranting about how rude that was when she shrugged and said, "Breakfast. Noah. Information." She nodded towards the door and spun around towards the bathroom, pausing before she passed the threshold and smiled, "You told me. In the car. Be careful of slips like that."
With that, she was gone and he was left in the comfort of the bed sheets and pillows. Zach racked his brain and she was right. He didn't usually slip like that, it hadn't even been intentional. Under any other circumstance, with any other partner, this never would've happened. But with her, she made it seem normal like they weren't even on a mission. She was easy to confide in and that was saying something, Zach thought. He doesn't trust easily and with Cammie trust came easy.
*
Zach found himself sat at the breakfast table, nodding very seriously at Noah when he wanted nothing more than to slap a napotine patch on his neck so he'd shut up.
"…so that's what brings me to this. This file arrived this morning." At this, Zach put his full attention on the man in front of him. Noah slid the file across to him and he locked eyes with Cammie. Her eyes gave nothing away and she simply nodded in acknowledgment towards the file.
Noah crossed his hands together and leaned forward. "There are vague details in there for a hit James wants carried out. In turn, he'll be willing to return the favor whenever you require it. That is, of course, if you choose to accept."
Zach turned the file in his hands and glanced up. Cammie leaned back into her seat, crossing her legs, hands resting on her knees. He had to give it to her. She looked every part the heiress she was playing. Noah gestured and Zach opened the file.
Years of training his facial expressions as well as spending his teenage years with a target on his back had taught him well. The information in front of him was something he'd seen a lot in this line of work, something he had been familiar with since childhood. Cammie leaned forward with interest but he knew she was also feeling the rush of adrenaline.
Zach looked up and smirked. "CIA agents? What'd he get involved in now?"
The file didn't divulge much but did point out the organization these targeted operatives were affiliated with and their artistry in their line of work. The inner workings talked about a deal, a nice sum of money for a hit on two specific operatives whose names would be divulged at the party Noah had mentioned if we accepted. Carter James was laying the groundwork for something, that much was obvious. Cammie noted that they needed to act quickly if things were progressing this smoothly on the R.O.F.'s side. She'd send a message to their team when they were able to leave Noah's presence.
Noah's lips spread into a slow smile, a hint of cold amusement present. "A connection of his wants some people dead. She's quite interesting."
Cammie leaned into him, eyes scanning the data, an eyebrow raised. "Interesting. There are no details on the need to travel abroad. Am I correct to assume they're in Switzerland?"
Zach followed her gaze and exhaled. He lifted his gaze to find Noah had leaned back and for the first time, he saw him as every bit the operative of the R.O.F. that Noah was. An operative under training, but an operative nonetheless. He noted the smugness in the blonde's face and it seemed for once Noah not only talked the part but looked it.
"Apparently the CIA scheduled a mission for these operatives in this country. Their whereabouts on exactly where are unknown. Troublesome, you see. The sooner we find them, the better, and rest assured you'll be the first to know. That is if you don't find them first."
Cammie nodded beside him and slid the file gently out of Zach's grip. "We'll accept this. The fact they've been given a mission so close to our base is concerning. A connection of his you said?"
"You needn't be worried about her," He waved his hand in the air dismissively. "It'll be a matter of time before she gets what's coming to her."
Cammie let a smirk grace her features before getting up. "It's time for an outing, don't you think darling?" She turned her gaze to Zach, smiling indulgently. He nodded and turned to look at Noah. He simply smiled and said, "Have a good day."
They watched Noah head out of the dining room and the couple turned and went upstairs to their bedroom. The walk to the room was met with silence, each of them having dozens of questions and no answers. Zach had one that was bothering him. Who was this 'she' they kept referring to and why would the R.O.F. indulge her requests when it seemed they were going to dispose of her anyway?
The bedroom door closed behind them, the file feeling heavy in Zach's grip. Cammie rushed over to her phone, intent on divulging the newly acquired information to their team when she froze. Burner or not, the information was sensitive, and with that person sending those messages it wasn't safe to send information in case it got compromised. It needed to be done in person.
She waved the phone and he got the hint. They grabbed their belongings and everything they needed before heading out for the day. Noah waited at the entrance and held the car keys out for Zach.
He grabbed them and turned to Noah. "Let us know if they find their whereabouts." The man simply nodded, looked at Cammie, and smiled before turning back inside.
Zach went over to the car's passenger side door and gestured for Cammie to step inside. Cammie caught his eye and snorted.
"So chivalry isn't dead, huh?"
He rolled his eyes, a smile lighting his features as he strolled to the driver's seat. He checked they had everything and they headed off to the safe house.
When they arrived, Jonas quickly bustled them inside, the others lounging in the sitting room. Macey waved lazily with Preston pressed on her side.
"Morning," Zach greeted, shaking his head at Grant who was quickly stuffing the remnant of his sandwich in his mouth. Bex looked to be struggling to choose whether to be fond or disgusted at his antics. Cammie held back a snort at the sight.
Macey's gaze followed the blonde and she narrowed her eyes. "You're tense. What happened?"
"Jesus, let her sit down first, Mace." Liz patted the spot on the couch next to her and Cammie smiled gratefully as she plopped down beside her. Jonas whistled as he patted his lap, a teasing smile playing on his lips. Zach grinned and flipped him the finger, sitting on the arm of the couch Jonas was sitting in.
"This mission just got more complicated," Cammie began, brushing her fingers through her hair.
"Well. It was about time this mission lived up to its classification." Bex murmured. Macey reached over Preston and flicked her arm. Bex shrugged, "Am I wrong?"
"Complicated how?" Preston glared at Macey and Bex, who stopped reaching over him to swat at one another.
Zach leaned into Jonas, who huffed in surprise before grumbling about him being heavy. Zach shot him an unimpressed look as he got comfortable before he began speaking. "Noah brought us a file over breakfast. Carter James has a mission for the Clarks. It appears to be more personal, a connection of his ordered a hit on two CIA agents."
"Wait what?"
"That's not even the worst part. They're sure that these two agents are in Switzerland."
Grant shook his head in disbelief. "I'm sorry. Are you saying they're aware of our presence here?"
Cammie shrugged. "We're not sure who they're hunting down. That information will be given in two days at the Party. For what it's worth, they're unsure of their exact location."
"Hold on. Wasn't there another file you were supposed to receive from Carter James?" Liz's brows furrowed together.
Cammie nodded. "That mission is an order from the R.O.F. but this one isn't. This was a hit placed by someone else."
Bex sighed. "No name?"
Zach shook his head. "Noah kept referring to a 'her'. But it seems they'll be getting rid of her soon."
Preston ran a hand through his hair, stressed. "So why comply with her requests? That doesn't make any sense."
"Both files and missions are being communicated through Carter James," Jonas reasoned. "He must see an overlap in both the hit and the organization's needs. That means one or both operatives are also being targeted by the organization."
"Great. Bloody amazing."
Jonas leaned his head on Zach, sighing. His head was spinning and he considered getting up to take an Advil. "Well. All the more reason to be careful tonight. We need those files now."
*
Samuel Carter James' House
Cologny, Cologny, Geneva, 1223, Switzerland
12:43 AM
"Fucking show off, Bex murmured as she peered out the van window, fastening her comms unit on.
In front of them lay a mansion, its greenery extending far over the horizon. It was every bit as impressive as it was imposing. Grant caught sight of the pearly white steps that led to the entrance of the house. Earlier that day, Jonas had managed to find the layout of the mansion. Now it was up to them to figure out where Carter James slept and where he kept the computer holding his files.
"Cocky bastard," Macey mused. "Not a single guard in sight."
Preston, who had been tasked with loading their arms, handed one to Zach who fastened it to a strap on his hip, concealing it under his coat.
Jonas would stay behind in the car, both aiding Liz from the outside and being tasked as their getaway driver in case the mission went south.
Liz had all her equipment set at the back of the van and Jonas took a seat next to her. "If he doesn't have guards then his defense system isn't something physical. There must be security measures inside. When you find them, I'll disable them."
Bex opened the van door and looked back at them. "Ready you two?"
Liz and Jonas shared a look before nodding. Liz stood up, squeezing Jonas's hand for moral support. Bex began putting her hair up into a ponytail, the wind blowing the black strands into her face. "Alright. Here's the plan. Grant and I will check the outside perimeter. Macey and Preston will go ahead and check the inside as the front lines. Cam, Liz, and Zach will follow behind them."
Everyone nodded and hummed in agreement. The four set to go inside waited until Bex and Grant slipped into the perimeters of the mansion. The two shared a glance and signaled the entrance was clear.
"I've disabled the security system. You should be able to pick the lock without tripping any alarms," Jonas said. They were all vaguely aware of the furious typing going on on his end.
Macey gestured for them to follow. Preston cocked his gun, the silencer on ready to fire just in case as Macey picked the lock. The goal was for them to enter and leave as quietly as possible, with a minimum or no casualties or injuries as possible. That, however, was never the case which was why it was important to be ready. Zach and Cammie were also armed with Liz in between them.
Macey and Preston headed inside first before being followed by the remaining operatives. The foyer was a large open space with a spiral staircase up ahead. Preston made eye contact with Zach and nodded towards the staircase. He nodded and the pair began making their way upstairs.
Cammie and Zach inspected the foyer and knew that if they went left, they'd find the kitchen and dining room. To their right was the living room, which left them no choice but to assume the computer was upstairs.
Liz's heart was hammering in her chest and she feared it was so loud, it'd give away their position. She clung onto Cammie's side as she pointed her gun at the general area she was inspecting.
Through her comms unit, Preston's voice sounded. "Chameleon, Shadow. Walk upstairs toward us. You'll come across two corridors."
"Chameleon, do you have makeup powder?"
Cammie and Zach exchanged a glance before signaling Liz to go in front of Zach and behind Cammie. "I do, Peacock. Do you need it? We're 2 meters away."
"Makeup? At a time like this."
Cammie heard Macey sigh from the other end of the line. "You boys really could benefit from us. Give it to me and then watch and learn."
Liz peaked over Cammie's shoulder as Macey readied the powder. She made eye contact with Zach and smirked before blowing the powder in the air.
Zach's eyes widened before shaking his head. "Huh. Lasers. Thief, do your thing."
"There you go," Jonas said as the laser flickered before disappearing. Macey and Cammie exchanged a glance before looking at both corridors.
Macey pursed her lips before letting them go with a pop. "Duchess. Is the perimeter clear?"
Bex's voice came through. "Clear for now. Twilight and I split up. He's at the left side of the mansion. We're about to meet up around the back entrance that faces the pool."
"I'll be there in two minutes, Duchess."
They seemed to be in the clear on the outside perimeter but there was the choice of choosing right or left and she would have to follow one of the two pairs.
"Chameleon, Shadow take the right with Bookworm. Mad Dog and I will take the left and check those rooms. Have the USB at the ready, Bookworm."
Liz nodded before turning to the right with Zach and Cammie. She stepped forward out of the doorway, hiding beside the wall so Cammie and Zach could inspect them. She felt the adrenaline pumping through her veins and was aware of her own breathing. The dark halls, the racing pulse, the sinking feeling that the security system was below average, that maybe this was too easy.
Two rooms out of ten. That was a tenth of a chance they'd find the right room between the five of them and Liz was aware she should probably stop calculating the odds and calm herself down.
Then she heard Macey softly cursing in her ear. "Stepped into the subject's room, third door on the right. He's asleep but proceed with caution. Mad Dog just checked the last two rooms?"
"Clear," came Preston's voice.
The three of them exchanged a glance and looked down the hall. Two rooms left. Zach moved in front of them and shot them a small triumphant smile.
"Peacock, Mad Dog. Head to the right wing, third door on the left."
Cammie moved forward towards the final door and cleared it. She signaled Liz to go inside behind and she turned the computer on. She inserted the USB and called on Jonas to crack the password.
They all heard Jonas begin typing with vigor and the screen in front of them flashed and they were in.
Preston and Macey slipped into the room, moving towards the three other operatives.
"Everything's cleared," Bex's voices assured them. "Just do your job, Bookworm and Thief. We'll be gone soon."
Liz was aware of Grant making a frustrated noise as she navigated the files. Jonas made his presence known to her as the files began transferring to the drive.
"Somethings not right. Duchess and I'll secure the perimeter again just in case."
Out of her peripheral, Liz saw how Zach's eyes widened a fraction and she knew what that meant. She'd seen that expression on him a dozen times before.
"Your intuition's never been wrong before. Figure it out fast. Lightning, anything on the house's security details?"
"I haven't found anything yet besides the security system on the doors and the hidden lasers. Considering he hid the lasers, I'll scan for hidden cameras too."
Liz chewed on her lip. Finding any hidden cameras would take a few more minutes especially if the user had made sure their network would be hard to find. He would need to scan the area and no one had reported spotting any which made it harder, apart from that Jonas was helping her and most of these damn files were encrypted.
Liz began working on the file decryption and slowly more and more files were being transferred to their drive. Realistically she knew it'd been a minute and not an hour when a voice began cursing in her ear followed by another followed by another.
"Got the hit at the same time, Lightning?" came Bex's voice and it was obvious she had begun sprinting.
"Shit. I'm sorry. He hid it well. You're on camera. I'm disabling them as we speak. Bookworm, how many minutes until the files transfer?!" Jonas asked, clearly frantic as evidenced by his tone and chaotic background noise.
Macey peered over Liz's shoulder, strapping the gun to her leg. Liz was used to working under pressure but they were in the subject's territory, they were at a disadvantage and they had been captured on video.
"A minute and a half. Delete the footage, Lightning. I've almost got the files. I'll eject the external hard drive and we'll be down."
"Oh? Is that so?"
They'd taken the necessary precautions, contact lenses, voice changers, and clothes that allowed them to move easily. They'd caught the cameras too late but perhaps cameras or not, it would've ended like this.
Preston reacted first and whirled around, gun pointed directly at the entrance of the office door, and there stood Samuel Carter James. The three other operatives had their guns pointed at him in an instant. He sneered at them and peered at Liz who tensed when she felt his gaze land on her.
"I believe you have something that belongs to me, darling," He gestured at the USB with his gun.
"40 seconds." She kept her back to him. She grew up with the two Gallagher Girls behind her. She was aware Bex and Grant were making their way into the mansion. She knew Preston and Zach would shoot before allowing him to reach her. She trusted them. She'd trusted the spies behind her with her life before so she kept her eyes trained on the screen, fingers on the keyboard, ready to get the hard drive.
"ETA of about five minutes," Grant reported, the sound of their footsteps echoing in her ear.
Jonas could be heard in the background of it all cursing and they all felt two subtle pulses. He'd activated their voice changers.
Carter James smirked and Macey figured she'd have taken him seriously had he been wearing anything else. He seemed to be wearing what looked like boxers and a t-shirt. She reminded herself quickly it would've been funny in any other context but the gun he was pointing at them was real. And frankly, they were lucky he didn't sleep nude.
Maybe that's why she ended up asking, "Dude, are you wearing shorts or boxers?"
His brown eyes sparkled with cold amusement, his smirk growing wider. "Shorts," And with that he lunged toward her. Macey dodged and Preston stepped towards him, landing a kick on his side causing Samuel to stumble.
Zach moved closer to Liz and she met his worried green eyes. She had the inexplicable urge to shake him, to ask him, and beg him to just- but it wasn't the time for that so she gave him a shaky smile instead and mouthed 'done' as she ejected the hard drive. She began standing up and she caught sight of Carter James getting the upper hand on Macey and sending her stumbling into Preston.
He started towards Cammie who stepped back and kicked the weapon out of his hand. He snorted, grabbing her and throwing her over his shoulder.
"I'm not your rag doll, you bastard!"
Liz looked up at Zach and saw him inhale sharply; the gun in his hand trained on Samuel but they both knew he couldn't shoot. There was no clear shot as Cammie struggled in his grip.
Bex's voice broke through the chaos. "ETA two minutes. We're inside!"
Preston and Macey were recovering from the fall they'd taken from stumbling into one another and began towards Cammie.
She managed to touch the ground but he had trapped her hands. Liz watched as Cammie quickly shifted her hips to one side, giving her an opening to give him an open handed slap to the groin.
He winced, the arm around her loosening which allowed her to bring her hand back up to her arms and raise her opposite elbow, spinning in his grasp, arms tight as she did so.
She brought herself out of his hold, bringing him towards the floor, and kicked him in the jaw, causing him to fall to the floor on his ass.
Macey couldn't help the small smile that tugged on her lips. Bless the training at the P barn at Gallagher. Her smile quickly faded as she saw him inching towards his weapon.
Zach, who was the closest to it, started towards it but it was too late. He knew an assassin like him was trained to quickly recover their weapon and there was no way it wasn't loaded.
He grabbed the gun and was quickly on his feet, engaging Zach in hand to hand combat. Liz was behind him, the USB in her hand and he knew he needed to shield her from him.
Liz began moving towards Macey and Preston and that's when he took aim. Brown eyes met Zach's emerald green and a sickening grin spread across Samuel's face. The moment Samuel knew Zach had seen where he'd aimed, he knew the CIA agent would be too late to fully stop him.
At that moment, Zach heard Preston calling out "Watch out!" and he could hear the blood rushing to his ears, loud and insistent as he attempted to curb Samuel's aim. Zach caught the satisfied look and then-
Samuel pulled the trigger and the sound of a bullet echoed through the air, a horrified scream piercing the room as they watched her begin to stumble backward.
That's when Bex and Grant reached them and watched as Cammie's body hit the floor, crimson red beginning to stain the floor.
"I'll end you," Zach snarled as he grabbed Samuel's arms, disarmed him, and knocked him unconscious. He was vaguely aware of the noise in his comms as he whirled around to find Macey cradling Cammie in her arms.
He fell to his knees beside them, aware his hand had landed in a pool of Cammie's blood. He looked down and he felt like he was suffocating.
He'd been around blood before. He'd watched this sort of thing happen before in all sorts of contexts and yet he felt so sick as he saw the blood seep onto her blonde hair.
He'd never been queasy around blood, that was a basic requirement to be a field agent, and yet.
And yet.
He heard Macey chanting 'No' over and over again as Liz keeled over murmuring "Not again. Cam, my God not again," as she pressed her tiny hands over the bullet wound.
He heard Grant calling Jonas to ready the emergency kit. He just watched, he felt so helpless, so frozen that he wanted to kick himself. He'd never felt so crazy and so desperate, his mouth felt dry, his heart hammering a million miles a minute as Bex rushed over.
She rushed over and pressed her hoodie to Cammie's wound. She could move so why couldn't he? Why couldn't he move and help instead of staring pleadingly at her?
"No. I- Stay awake. I can't…I won't-Gallagher Girl, I need you-" and he felt like he was choking, throat burning and he knew the signs. He wanted to cry.
I need you.
He couldn't explain it. He just needed her. Maybe she understood that. Maybe she needed him too. He was touching her, close to her, he could feel her warmth but he wanted to know. He needed to hear her voice and know.
And maybe she knew that too. He knew she was in pain. She's been struck in the fucking shoulder and yet she smiled at him in an attempt to reassure him.
He wanted to laugh and ask if it wasn't supposed to be the other way around.
"You've gone soft, Blackthorne Boy," Her eyelids fluttered.
Hearing her voice suddenly snapped him out of the frozen state he was in as he helped Bex apply pressure to her wound.
He found himself saying, "Make sure she doesn't lose a lot of blood. She might faint."
He felt Grant beside him and he was grateful. He found himself wanting to sag into his arms like they were at Blackthorne again, and just breathe but first he needed to make sure she'd be ok.
He felt Grant squeeze his shoulder, worried eyes trained on the two of them.
"Carry her. Preston's escorting Liz out already and we can't risk him waking up. We need to patch her up quickly."
Bex quickly tied the sleeves of the hoodie around Cammie's shoulder and nodded at Zach. He picked her up and he heard her murmur, "Zach…I…he'll be…stop her…"
Macey's eyes widened and Bex stared, "What'd she…?"
Zach looked at them and Cammie's eyes fluttered shut, her body going slack. Macey let in a sharp breath, alarmed. "She fainted! We need to get to the safe house quickly!"
They began running downstairs, and Zach sped up to where Jonas awaited them with a first aid kit.
They all took their place with Preston behind the wheel and Liz and Jonas patching Cammie up, and the drive back to the safehouse began.
*
"If only I'd noticed the cameras-" Grant began again as they all sat in front of the fireplace. Cammie was in stable condition and had been sleeping peacefully for the last hour.
"I could've woken him up when I entered his room," Macey interrupted, slumping onto Preston's side. He frowned, his gaze traveling toward the direction of the bedroom Cammie was in.
Liz sighed, clutching a mug of tea in her hands. "That's enough. It's nobody's fault but Samuel's. He shot her. He hurt her, we tried our best. We really did."
Liz glanced over at Zach and he knew better than to argue with her even though he wanted to. Maybe had he been faster. Maybe.
Grant sat down beside him and Zach gladly took the invitation and rested his head on his shoulder. Grant's arm came around him and ruffled his hair. "Sleep, Zach. She'll be just fine."
"But Liz said had-"
"Oh shut up. She's ok, you know she is. She's a fighter. Always has been, and always will be. You need to stop beating yourself up. You need to rest, Zach."
Zach was becoming increasingly aware of how tired he was but he also wanted to fight against it. What if Cammie needed him?
"It's ok, Zach," Grant murmured as he petted his hair. He let himself fully slump into his best friend's embrace. He trusted Grant, more than anyone in his life so he let himself be lulled by the sweet sound of sleep.
When he awoke, he did so to Liz's gentle shaking. Her warm expression relaxed him. She nodded towards Grant, who hadn't moved from his side since Zach had fallen asleep in his arms. He carefully removed himself from his them and tilted his head in askance.
She smiled, tiredly. Liz had volunteered to stay by Cammie's side, tending to her wound since she was the one with medical training.
She patted his shoulder, "She's asking for you."
She watched his eyes light up and she felt a pang of guilt. They needed to know but now wasn't the time. But then she wondered when would be the right time. Perhaps it was back when-or maybe…
How does one break such horrific news to someone? How do they even begin to explain-
"…Liz?"
She suddenly became aware he was calling her name. She smiled shakily, her body shivering involuntarily as Zach's expression began to morph into one of concern. "Let's go. I'll explain to you how she is."
The room Cammie was placed in was bright and spacious. Sunlight streamed in through the window, highlighting her blonde locks. Cammie's phone lay beside a lamp on the nightstand. Zach scanned her figure and noticed Liz had cleaned the blood out of her hair and propped her up with pillows. He briefly wondered if it still smelled of coconut before pushing the thought away and focusing on the fact that Cammie was awake and smiling at him.
"Morning," She mumbled sheepishly. She began to get up and Liz immediately rushed to her side, glaring and gently pushing her back down.
"Lay down!"
She grimaced and complied. Liz turned to Zach. "Like I was telling Cammie, she's lucky to be alive. Make sure she doesn't move and for the remainder of the mission, I beg you to either let Zach help or prevent damage to that area. Now, I'll go start breakfast and Cammie rest up till then ok?"
With that, she spun on her heel and left. Zach watched her go before turning to see blue eyes trained on him. He didn't say anything, he simply sat at the edge of the bed, placed his phone beside hers, and took her hand, eyes trailing up her arm at the bandaged shoulder. When he met her gaze again, her eyes were wide.
"I'm fine," She blurted. Her cheeks began to turn red and she gazed at their interlocked hands. "I'll be fine."
He smiled softly as he squeezed her hand. "I know." He caught her gaze and squeezed again. "I know, Gallagher Girl."
She smiled tentatively before squeezing back, her gaze downcast. "I'm sorry. I really am. And thank you for not letting me die and just…everything.
Zach tilted his head, his brows furrowing at her words. "You're my partner and beyond that you're my friend. I'll never let you die."
Green eyes met blue and they knew what they really meant, what they weren't quite ready to put into words yet.
I'll never let you go.
Then their phones pinged and the soft atmosphere that had been created shattered. They looked away from one another and at the phones that lay on the nightstand.
Zach grabbed his phone and Cammie peered beside him to read the message. Her throat felt dry all of a sudden despite Liz having spent the night attending to her every need including insisting she drink water to prevent dehydration from the blood loss.
Already shot, Cam? It's a bit too soon for that. Warning: there's danger ahead. Remember. I'm always watching.
Cammie sucked in a breath and locked eyes with Zach. "Cam?"
She shook her head slowly, eyes darting as she read the message over again. "We need to tell the others. We can't compromise ourselves any further."
He nodded and let her rest her head on his shoulder. He sighed, his phone feeling heavy in his hand. I'm always watching. That was both a threat and a promise. He bit the inside of his lip as he pondered a question that was beginning to fill him with dread.
What were the odds this person was the same person, the mysterious 'her', who placed a hit on two CIA operatives stationed in Switzerland?
Do forgive me for the long wait. The fall semester had me deep in it and it didn't help I was having a major case of writer's block. Writing this from what was originally the sixth chapter of the og fic I wrote was fun and a MASSIVE improvement. I'm lowkey proud of it. I've fleshed out how I want the story to play out so plotwise it won't be too different but it also won't be the same. When I wrote the original, I had a vague idea of the plot but never outlined how things were going to play out. This time, the story will be more cohesive with an actual plot and actual intentional foreshadowing rather than details seemingly coming out of nowhere. But what is Liz referring to with her thoughts of guilt at Samuel's mansion? And is Zach right in his thought process about the mysterious 'her'? What was in those files and how will Samuel retaliate?
The next chapter of A Dangerous Game is chapter 6: Person of Interest