Hey guys, I hope you're all doing well! We are now in the second quarter of Unlocking the Key. This is a heads up that this fanfic will get darker from this point forward, with more mature content and more swearing (including F-bombs, with Alexei becoming more of a potty-mouth, although I am trying to keep the F-bombs to one or two per chapter). As a result, I am strongly considering changing the rating from T-rated to M-rated (more details to follow in the coming chapters and what that might mean for accessibility of this story). There will also be more heavy rock songs inspiring the chapters (similar to some of the songs I've shared earlier and some even heavier ones, as a heads up to those who aren't a huge fan of rock). But there will also be several more long chapters (like 5000+ words), which was lacking in the first quarter of Unlocking the Key! Read on for the first of several long chapters :)
Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much for the love and to everyone who reviewed!
Guest: It did indeed happen haha XD
Tessa Jane: Yes, the big moment has finally happened! I'm glad you thought it was worth the wait :)
Lililithia: Thank you, it's so nice to hear that you've been following my stories for a while (since I remember your name popping up on reviews for On the Run while it was being posted), I truly appreciate the reader loyalty! I'm glad you thought that scene was worth the wait and that I did it justice, since it was slightly difficult to put together and ensure I got Alexei's emotions right for such a critical moment.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.
The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally Take the Key and Lock Her Up but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone Rosie's boat stunt (whatever you want to call it).
Content warning: none to mild
This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains strong language and mentions of murder and death. Please read at your own discretion.
Chapter Ten: Tales Don't Tell Themselves
I instantly jumped off the railing, following Grace. If she was going to be stupid enough to jump off a bridge and kill herself, then I wasn't going to let her do it alone. However, mid-fall, I realized Grace's trajectory wasn't towards the water but rather, that boat that had been making its way under the bridge. Was this what her plan was?
However, I didn't have time to ponder that as Grace had landed on the roof of the boat and if I didn't adjust my course, I was going to land hard on the roof, or on her. I rolled myself into a ball, to lessen the impact. Unfortunately, I still hit the roof quite forcefully and was very quickly going to roll off and hit the deck even harder. I quickly unrolled myself, letting my legs dangle as I grabbed onto the edge of the roof for a brief moment, before letting go and dropping onto the deck.
As I landed, hoards of people scattered, creating a clear path for me. I wasn't sure if it was because I was an unwelcome sight on board or if they recognized me from international news reports. But despite the crowd, I only had eyes on one person.
"What was that?" I screamed, looking at Grace. I was two seconds from losing my shit and the fact that she was standing so calmly wasn't helping. Unfortunately, Grace wasn't the one who gave me answers.
"That was my plan. And it worked, I'll have you know. My plans always work." I glanced to my left, internally face-palming when I found none other than Rosie, a very mischievous glint in her eye.
"Okay, we're clear," Rosie said. How in the world…
"Rosie," I started, taking a deep breath to remain calm and failing, "what are you –"
"Well, hello, stranger," I spun to my right, towards another very familiar voice. "Enjoying Paris?" Noah looked very relaxed and casual, like this was a totally normal occurrence. For fuck's sake, had Grace summoned the whole of Adria in some ridiculous ploy to get out of Paris while threatening to kill herself in the process? I glared at her, demanding an explanation. However, she ignored me, turning to Noah.
"Did we get it?" Get what? Here I was, confused and pissed as hell, and she refused to give me answers or explain why she kissed me. Wow, rude.
Noah shrugged. "There's one way to know." He turned towards a set of stairs. Rosie and Grace were quick to follow. It looked like I didn't have much of a choice, not if I wanted answers. Sighing, I followed them down the narrow staircase.
What the hell were they talking about, getting 'it'? Were they trying to get some sort of evidence? If so, what kind? And why did they need it in the first place?
The stairs opened into a small café of no more than a couple tables and a sad-looking vending machine. One of the tables was occupied by someone with a laptop. Of course. If something technical was needed, Megan was bound to be involved. I should have known that she would somehow be roped into Grace's ridiculous plan.
"We were right," Grace said. Megan's attention was focused on her laptop. If she knew we were here, she didn't show it.
Noah glanced out the tiny slit-like windows lining the wall. "Grace, what are the odds they're going to follow us?"
"Very, very good," I growled. No doubt Princess Ann had her entire surveillance team tracking the Seine River, looking for any sign of us. Back on the bridge, she looked like she was on a mission and wouldn't stop until she got what she wanted. Although I wasn't sure exactly what that was, I imagined it involved Grace and it wasn't good. We had to get out of here, and fast, before they found us and I lost Grace again.
"Did you get it?" Grace asked, glancing anxiously at Megan, her voice unsteady. At first, it seemed like Megan had completely ignored her, her fingers flying across the keyboard. However, as she yanked a cord out of the headphone jack, I noticed the black earbuds she had in, blending in with her dark hair. A second later, audio rang out from the laptop speakers.
"Grace, do you think the royal family would try to harm you?" I hadn't been able to hear much of Princess Ann's conversation with Grace on the bridge but I knew it was bad. However, I hadn't realized just how bad it was until the next sentence blared from the speakers. "Get her."
"Man, I didn't think I'd ever see you again!" Noah exclaimed, running a hand through his hair. Noah, Rosie, and I were sitting in a set of four seats facing each other, aboard a train headed back to Adria. We had gotten off the boat and made it to Gare du Nord in one piece. Unfortunately, Grace's plan had involved us taking a train headed, well nowhere really. But ultimately back to Adria, the one place where I was sure to be captured if I ever returned. I had tried, very hard, to convince Grace to fly back to Mexico with me while the others took the train to Adria. However, Grace had mumbled something about how she needed to go back to Adria to find answers. Since I wasn't going to leave her alone again, not after nearly losing her, I begrudgingly agreed to go with them, but not before sending a quick text to Dominic to update him on the change of plans.
"So what happened on the bridge? I wasn't able to see most of it but it looked really exciting." Rosie looked at me with wide, curious eyes.
"It's a long story that I don't fully understand," I replied honestly. "You'd be better off asking Grace."
"She's got some explaining to do, alright," Noah growled. He was looking out the window but his brow was still furrowed, the scowl on his face evident. "First, she disappears, taking you with her, and essentially drops off the face of the earth. Then, she randomly contacts Megan out of nowhere and is roping us into this batshit crazy plan that didn't even sound like it was going to work –"
"But it did work," Rosie interrupted proudly, proving her point.
"Still," Noah argued, running a hand through his hair again. "What exactly was she trying to prove by doing this?" We all fell silent. No one could tell what Grace was doing or what was going through her mind; she was just that unpredictable.
The silence remained as a train attendant came by with a cart of complimentary drinks and snacks. I grabbed two bottles of water and an apple. I stuck one bottle in my duffel bag for later. I opened the other one and chugged half of it.
"Well, the only way to find out is to talk to Grace herself," I said, chewing my apple.
"Oh boy, not this again," Noah said, giving me an indignant look.
"You have a thing against tough conversations, don't you?"
"No, of course not," Noah stammered incredulously. Rosie and I just looked at each other.
"Well, you know that Grace sure as hell isn't going to bring this up on her own accord," I said.
"Besides, I want to know what Grace has been up to. Don't you?" Rosie asked, as she peeled her orange.
"Well, duh, of course I want answers! Half the time, Grace never cooperates and I don't get a decent explanation," Noah said, exasperated.
"If Tanner was here, you know what he'd say," I said, unable to keep the smirk off my face.
"As if I need the reminder," Noah said, rolling his eyes. "That guy literally has not shut up for the past seven weeks, wondering where the hell you've been ever since you and Grace dropped off the face of the Earth."
"I didn't know what was worse, Noah complaining about Grace being gone or Tanner complaining about Alexei being gone," Rosie deadpanned, as she stuffed a large orange slice in her mouth. Noah smacked her on the arm. I expected her to recoil in pain but she just looked at Noah.
"What, it's true," she said bluntly, around a mouthful of orange. I glanced around the rest of the train car. Megan was walking into one of the private pods at the front of the car. That must have been where Grace was hiding. Other than that, all the seats in our car were empty.
"Well, are we just going to sit here or what?" I asked. "This isn't going to get us answers from Grace."
"Fine, let's go before I regret this." Noah pushed himself up from his seat. He started down the aisle, Rosie at his heels. I stood up last, taking the backpack with me.
"Are we really not going to talk about this?" Megan's voice drifted from inside the pod as the three of us stood outside the slightly ajar door.
"Talk about what?" Rosie asked, walking right in like she owned the place. She slid into the long booth facing the window just inside the door. Noah lingered outside, eyes uncertain, saying nothing as he looked out the window, where darkness had fallen.
Grace was turned away from us, her hands wrapped around a cup of tea. She briefly looked up, meeting our eyes through the window. Suddenly, Noah's face hardened. His eyes snapped from the window to Grace.
"You disappeared, Grace," he said, stalking inside the pod. I followed him inside, closing the door behind me.
Grace looked down at her hands. "I know."
"Seven weeks," Noah said, his voice cracking. "Seven weeks! Do you know how long that is?"
"Yes. It's just longer than six weeks – not quite as long as eight," Grace replied numbly. Of course she was going to make this difficult for him.
Noah sat down at the other window seat, directly opposite Grace. I moved towards the wall just inside the door, leaning against it.
"Do you know how long it is when you have no idea if your best friend is dead or alive?"
"I'm sorry, Noah." Grace gave Noah a pleading look. "We couldn't tell anyone. We –"
"We?" Noah squinted suspiciously at Grace, furrowing his brow.
"Yes." Grace glanced at me, a knowing glint in her eyes. After all, there were so many things we had shared that the others didn't know about. Like that helicopter ride to the army hospital, the six weeks in the cabin surrounded by nothing but nature, and of course, the kiss atop Pont Alexandre III. "We."
Noah swore, pushing out of his seat. He stormed out of the pod, pacing up and down the aisle, running his hands hurriedly through his hair.
"Noah, we had to leave," Grace called out. "No. That's not quite true. Jamie and Alexei and I … we had to run." Her voice broke at the end, sending a pang of emotion through my heart. I knew it pained her to open up about what she had gone through. Noah must have known it too because he paused in his tracks, turning to face Grace.
"Why?" Noah asked. It was time for the big reveal, for her to explain why she had run and what she was going through. However, she was hesitating.
"He kinda has a point, Grace," Rosie said, shrugging her shoulders. "You disappear for weeks and then call Megan out of the blue and the next thing we know you're acting like James Bond and having secret meetings with princesses. Not to mention that none of the stuff that Ann said on that recording made any sense."
"It makes sense," I said, stepping in to support Grace. However, I was met with three confused faces. "I mean, it will make sense." She didn't have to tell this story alone. I had been by her side as it happened and would continue to be there for her every step of the way. However, this was her story, something that only she could tell. It would be wrong of me to step in and fill the others in on our adventures.
"Grace, what happened?" Megan asked. "I mean, one moment we were all at the bonfire and then you were gone. You never came back to the embassy. Your grandfather and Ms. Chancellor wouldn't even say your name. What happened that night?"
"The Night of a Thousand Amelias?" Grace asked, although it was really a rhetorical question. Megan nodded, as Grace turned back towards the window. She spoke without facing the rest of us, as if she didn't want to fully reveal the truth. "They stabbed Jamie."
"What?" Noah stalked back into the pod, to the seat across from Grace.
"That night. Outside the palace. Remember, you and Megan saw me, and we got separated somehow. It was so loud and crowded and … smoky. There was so much smoke. I hate the smell of smoke. I always have, ever since …" I looked at her, knowing how difficult it was for her to admit this. I didn't want her to lose her mind, trying to explain this to all of us. I was okay with not knowing the full story, if it meant her sanity remained somewhat intact and she didn't have a mental breakdown.
"I hate the smell of smoke," Grace reiterated. "But there I was. At the bonfire. And then I saw Jamie. But at first I didn't think that it was Jamie. I thought it was Spence. Or Spence's ghost." She laughed, as if realizing the irony of the whole situation and ridiculous it must have been. "See? Told you I was crazy."
"You're not crazy," Rosie said.
"Thanks," Grace said dismissively. Even after all this time, it still pained me that she thought of herself as that – crazy, deranged. The people who were after her were crazy, she was not. "Anyway, I saw someone who looked just like Spence, walking through the smoke and the firelight. You know how all the men were wearing masks and the women all had on those white dresses? It was …"
"Creepy," Rosie said. "It was incredibly creepy."
"Yeah. But I thought I was seeing Spence, and then when he got closer and took off his mask, I realized it was Jamie. And that's when it occurred to me that if I thought Jamie was Spence, then maybe –"
"Spence's killer thought Spence was Jamie," Megan added. It suddenly made sense, why Grace and Jamie were arguing at The Night of a Thousand Amelias.
Grace nodded. "Exactly." The weight of Grace's admission fell upon us like a dark silence, permeating throughout the entire pod.
"Grace …" Noah started, breaking the silence. That was all it took to unleash the truth, the words flowing out of her.
"They stabbed him. They stabbed Jamie. I mean, one minute I was trying to tell him that he looked like Spence and that maybe someone had confused the two of them – that maybe someone wanted him dead. And Jamie was looking at me like – he was looking at me like I was the world's most screwed-up little sister, and then …" Grace turned to look out the window, as if she couldn't bear to continue. I didn't blame her, not after everything she had been through. Suddenly, three pairs of eyes turned towards me. As the only other person who had been there, it was now my responsibility to fill in the blanks.
"Jamie's fine," I said.
"Jamie is not fine," Grace argued.
"Jamie is recovering. He will be fine." She hadn't been there in Mexico and thus, didn't know. But despite the rapid deterioration in Jamie's health on the way there, he was recovering. He was already starting to get better when I left and I had no doubt he was doing even better now.
"At first, I thought maybe he'd been shot. Except I didn't hear a shot. I didn't see anyone stab him, either, but … There was so much blood. Alexei found us then, and he helped me carry Jamie to the palace."
"You took your bleeding brother to the palace?" Noah asked, incredulous. I didn't blame him. That night was too crazy to believe.
Grace nodded. "Ann was our mom's friend. I'd just been to see her, to ask her if she knew what my mom was working on when she died."
"So you were with Ann and then a few minutes later someone tried to kill your brother?" Megan asked.
"Yes."
"And then you took your almost-dying brother back to the palace?"
"Yes!" Grace exclaimed. "It was dark and the streets were so crowded. I didn't know who'd hurt him. I didn't know what to do, so Alexei helped me carry him to the palace."
"How did you get out?" Rosie asked. "I mean, if the royal family wants you both dead and all."
"Dominic," Grace replied. "He told the guards that he was there to arrest Alexei, and then he dragged the three of us out of the palace and back to the embassy. Grandpa called in a favor from a general he knows and he sent a helicopter to get us. They flew us to an army hospital in Germany and rushed Jamie into surgery. He lived. Barely. And as soon as he could be moved, Dominic took the three of us on the run."
"Took you where?" Megan asked. Grace looked at me and I was instantly reminded of everything that had happened over the past seven weeks. We could have been anywhere, for all they knew, and in a way, we really had been all over the world. But that would forever be a memory shared by Grace and I alone.
"Everywhere," Grace said, shrugging. That was the best way of putting it. "We kept moving. But Jamie wasn't getting better. Jamie was never going to get better if they kept chasing us, so I …"
"So you what?" I couldn't keep the growl out of my voice as I eyed her but I had to hear her say it, to admit what she had done to endanger everyone, but especially herself.
Instead of backing down, Grace looked right at me, her eyes flaming and intense. "So I gave them someone else to chase."
Once again, the pod fell silent. Even though it had been a week, I still couldn't fathom why she thought it was an excellent idea to run, putting herself in copious amounts of danger. Even now, it still seemed like she thought that was a perfectly rational thing to do.
"Grace," Noah said, breaking the silence. "Why?"
I could see the wheels turning in her head. However, she just gave me a peculiar look. And in that moment, I knew her decision to run involved more than just herself and Jamie's recovery. It involved the entirety of Adrian history that had remained secret, for all intents and purposes. She hadn't run for herself. She had done it for the years of history that laid buried before her.
"How familiar are you all with the story of the lost princess of Adria?" I asked. It was a good thing Dominic had filled me in.
"You mean the baby?" Megan asked. "Amelia? The one who was killed in the coup?"
"She wasn't killed," I stated, getting right to the point.
"Awesome!" Rosie exclaimed. "I mean. It's true? Really? Because I've been calling that for weeks, haven't I? I mean, that has always been my own personal theory."
"No," Noah said, shaking his head. "That's crazy." This boy really was living under a rock. He really should have known by now that crazy was how Grace rolled.
"Yeah. It's true," Grace said. "A nurse smuggled Amelia out of the palace, and then the Society hid her among their own babies. Some Society member took her home that night and raised her. No one ever knew which baby girl she was. They just brought her home and kept her safe until she grew up and had a kid of her own. And then that kid had a kid. And so on and so on, and then my mom …" Grace took a deep breath, steeling herself to spill the truth, the secrets that the Society had worked so hard to keep hidden and that her mother had worked for her entire life to uncover. "My mom found out that she was one of those kids. My mom was Amelia's direct descendant. I am Amelia's descendant."
"So you're a …" Rosie started, a mischievous glint in her eye.
"Yes, Rosie. I'm a princess." Suddenly, Noah burst out laughing. Rosie quickly joined in, followed by a few giggles from Megan. I looked over at Grace and in an instant, we both burst out laughing at how absurd the whole situation was. What were the chances, that the girl I love was heir to the throne of one of the most powerful European countries? Especially in today's modern society, where princesses were all but a thing of the past. Grace was as far from princess-like as humanly possible. Yet, with her headstrong personality and wild nature, she fit the bill as a princess of the wilderness, running with the wind through her hair and not a care in the world.
"Do I need to bow?" Noah asked, in between gulps of air and raucous laughs. "I really think I should bow."
He rose from his seat, but Grace grabbed his hand, holding it in an iron grip. "If you get out of that seat, I'm going to kick you really, really hard."
"Fine. Your Highness." Just as suddenly as it started, the laughing stopped, the reality of the situation hitting us. With Grace's birthright came all the people who wanted her dead, so that Adria's secrets could remain hidden forever. By accepting her birthright, she had to accept that fact too.
"So the royal family tried to kill Jamie," Rosie stated, matter-of-factly as if it were the sole truth and nothing but the truth. "Right?"
Suddenly, all eyes were on Grace, waiting for her to confirm Rosie's theory. "I think so. I mean … probably. It's just …"
I slid into the seat beside her, putting my hand on her back as a comforting gesture. "What is it, Gracie?"
"The Society."
"What about them?" Megan asked, apprehensive.
"When I was with the Council of Elders, I thought they might help. They're the ones who saved Amelia after all. But they didn't want to help. In fact, they seemed to think that my existence – that Jamie's existence – might severely threaten the stability of Europe. And they are very committed to a stable Europe."
"So you think the Society might want you dead, too?" Noah asked, looking right at Grace.
"So, long story short, there are a whole lot of people who might want you dead," Rosie said cheerfully, summing up Grace's situation in one easy sentence. Yup, that sounded about right to me.
"What?" Grace said, turning towards Megan. I glanced over at her. She was deep in thought, putting the pieces together in her mind. But to what, I didn't know.
"That explains it," Megan whispered, so quietly I barely heard it.
"Explains what?" Grace asked.
"The embassy," Megan clarified. "That night, The Night of a Thousand Amelias … the embassy was crazy. No one would tell me why, but it was obvious something had happened. My mom wouldn't let me near the residence, but everything was insane. I've never seen the marines like that. It was like a war zone."
"What's it like now?" Grace looked like she didn't want to know. "How is it different?"
Megan shook her head. "I don't know. It just is. I mean, for one thing, Ms. Chancellor is never around. At least, I haven't seen her. I think she might be gone. Moved. Transferred or something. I don't know. And there are way more guards posted. My mom has been working like crazy. I tried to snoop around and figure out what's up, but they're using next-gen encryption, and protocols like I've never seen. I do know that your grandpa brought in a bunch of security experts to revamp the cameras and gates and fences and everything. The passage that opens up into the basement? That's long gone. They put up wire around the walls! Oh, and all the Adrian citizens who work at the embassy? They're gone."
"What do you mean, gone?"
"I mean fired. Or farmed out, given jobs at other embassies on the row. Replaced. No one gets in unless they're a US citizen who has been through all kinds of CIA background checks and/or is on a very short leash." Megan paused, taking a deep breath. It looked like things had rapidly changed for the worse at the American embassy, all thanks to the threat on Grace and Jamie's lives. Adria had always been a pretty relaxed country, even with its airport and embassy security. To know that the American embassy suddenly had to implement all these new security measures, like it was a war zone, was distressing to think about.
"The place you left, Grace? The building where your mom grew up and you spent your summers when you were little? It's not an embassy anymore," Megan said, looking right at Grace. "It's a fortress."
Grace's breathing quickened, the weight of Megan's words sinking in. She turned to look back out the window. I gently rubbed circles on her back, hoping it would help calm her down.
"So … someone is trying to kill me. And Jamie," Grace said, her back still towards us. "They want – no, they need – us dead. We're a threat. And as long as we live … as long as our entire bloodline lives, we will always be a threat."
"But, Grace …" Rosie stuttered, "Do you want to be a princess?"
Grace turned to look at Rosie. "No, Ro, I most certainly do not want to be a princess." That much I knew. Although it was her birthright, she didn't have to like it. Being a princess and ruler of Adria was the last thing Grace wanted.
"Well, maybe if you explain that to everyone," Rosie said. "Maybe if you just tell them, then maybe …"
"It doesn't work that way," Megan said bluntly.
"Yeah. They're never going to believe me," Grace said. However, Megan vehemently shook her head.
"No, Grace. You don't understand. Adrian law won't allow it." Megan leaned down, pulling her laptop out of nowhere. She placed it on the table, her fingers flying across the keyboard. After a few moments, she spun her laptop around.
"I'm talking about this." I leaned in closer to get a better look at an ancient-looking website, made on one of those old build-your-own-website platforms. I placed my fingers on the track pad, scrolling through a page detailing the history of the Adrian government.
"After the War of the Fortnight, all kinds of people still believed that Amelia was alive," Megan said. "Or maybe they just hoped she was. Anyway, it was a rumour for a long time."
"Okay," Noah said, looking extremely confused. I didn't blame him. I had no idea what Megan was getting at either.
"Think about it," Megan said. "The country had just been through a war. A bloody, bitter revolution. Adria was fractured and broken. And they needed to move on. They brokered the peace treaty under the condition that the dead king's brother would assume the throne but that there would also be a new parliament. Peace depended upon that. But there were still all these whispers – all these theories – that Amelia was alive, and as much as half the country wanted the war to be over, the other half didn't want Amelia's throne taken away from her if she was still alive – that if she really did survive, they owed it to her to keep her throne intact."
"So?" Rosie asked, clearly not having any of it. "Amelia never was put on the throne. And then, presumably, she died. Unless she became a vampire. Did she become a vampire?"
"No," Megan stated, clearly not wanting to deal with Rosie's ridiculous theories. "But they wrote the constitution as if someday she might come back, and" – Megan turned to face her laptop, clearing her throat to read from the screen – "'In the event that our lost Amelia should be found, she or her heirs shall return to the throne of the country that is rightfully theirs.'" Wow. What a statement to include in a constitution. Who was to say that the throne automatically belonged to Amelia and her descendants?
"Don't you see?" Megan said desperately. "If Amelia had returned – if her heirs return – then it all goes away. The prime minister. Parliament. Not to mention the current king. All gone. Amelia's heirs – that's you, Grace. That's Jamie – would reclaim the throne and then Adria would, by law, revert to the government it had before the coup." That sounded ridiculously archaic.
"That can't be right." Grace said, shaking her head. She leaned back further in her seat, disbelieving, wishing this was just a bad dream she could escape. "They wouldn't have written the constitution to a country like that. Not to pacify some crazy conspiracy theorists."
"But they weren't crazy, were they?" Noah asked.
"It's in the constitution," Grace said, sounding defeated, like everything was finally sinking in, making her realize the terrible reality she now found herself trapped in.
"I'm not saying the Society is right, Grace," Megan said. "But, according to this, Jamie doesn't have a choice."
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Apr. 21 and May 1 (depending on how studying for my upcoming licensing exam goes). This was a bit of a difficult chapter to edit (so I procrastinated and studied instead) so I hope it's still okay.
It looks like the cat is out the bag and the squad is all caught up. What do you think happens next?