Revamped!


Chapter 8: The Kleptomaniac Part Five

PNG Quinjet - 1:52 AM

Merida walks back to where the team is. When she sees them, they're surprised to see her which Merida doesn't understand. Weren't they expecting her to return? Merida walks in cautiously, fearing she may be the reason but then returns to her normal way of walking when she realizes that she couldn't be. However, her friends' eyes never leave her and, instead of being suspicious, Merida becomes annoyed from the staring and no talking.

"What?" Merida asks abruptly.

"Agent Moore gave us Ivory's next target," Xavier replies, handing her the tablet with all the new information.

"You're surprised?" Merida asks, taking the tablet and scanning through the next mission file. "You shouldn't be."

"I could've sworn they would take us off this mission."

"Especially since I technically failed this mission twice on her standards," Angela adds. "She's my SO!"

"What did you say to her?" Daniel asks Merida.

Merida looks up from the tablet and turns it off before putting it back on the table. She places her hands on the holographic table, lightly gripping the sides as she rests her weight against it in the form of a somewhat push-up. Merida thinks back to the meeting she had only a few minutes ago, remembering her appalled reactions towards her unprofessional behaviour but unable to do anything about it because she, Agent Merida Barton, is too valuable for them to lose. That causes her to smile a little to herself from the corner of her mouth which her friends don't understand one bit.

"Are you going to tell us...?" Angela asks.

"Right," Merida replies, standing up straight again. She lost her attention for a moment as she got trapped in a pleasant memory. "I basically told Agent Moore that if she and the Council don't like our strategies, then they should get off their holographic asses and find Ivory themselves. They don't 'own' saving the world. They just feel powerful enough to boss around the heroes. We got the mission because why would they want to leave the comfort of their desks to get their hands dirty?"

They're all impressed with her, not even surprised at her strategy. Despite the years since high school, some or most parts of Merida have remained the same. Xavier's glad for her attitude, wondering how they still let her get off the hook with those words despite knowing she had them in her.

"I can't believe you told her that," Angela says. She can feel Agent Moore giving her an earful on Merida at the end of this.

"Yeah…" Merida mutters. "Add her to the list of agents who hate me."

"Leave it to you to save the day," Xavier says to her. Merida beams in pride. "Now, get us on a route to Sydney."

-o-

For once in his life, James is gracious to wake up. For the billionth time in his life, James is grateful that he was smart enough to get himself out of another problem a pretty girl has gotten him into. Speaking of pretty girls, his girlfriend is sitting on the edge of his bed, all suited up for a mission.

"What's going on?" James asks, sitting up in his bed although Angela orders him not to. He still goes through with it.

"We're going after Ivory," Angela responds. "You good enough to be in?"

"Yeah, of course. I'm all energized now. Just catch me up."

Angela's still hesitant on James's health since he was just poisoned by the girl they'll be chasing after, but James insists on knowing. Besides, they need him. She needs him. Angela pulls out the tablet to show him the information.

"Ivory's next target is the Great Pearl of Sydney," Angela tells him. "It's held in the Sydney Relics Centre which the labs were saying Ivory was photographing this morning while disguised as a common tourist. She's already stolen the world's most valuable treasures – minus the ring - and this pearl is the greatest of them all. Do you know what valuable information she can trade for those? Ivory will go back for the ring after this and we can't let her get away again. We've already failed this once as a team and it would be embarrassing for us to lose a second."

James nods, stretching his limbs a little, feeling new and rejuvenated despite almost dying moments ago. He looks at Angela and sees that she's calm and seemingly neutral towards recent events. Angela catches him staring and knows that this isn't his usual I'm staring because you're hot and I want to kiss you face.

"What is it?" Angela asks him.

"I thought you would be mad at me," he responds.

"It'd be insensitive of me to be angry at you since you were dying."

"Angela, you know I don't mean that."

"I know." She smiles a little. "James, you dated and kissed a lot of girls right in front of my eyes back when we were in high school yet not dating said girl. Even when we were together that wouldn't stop you from looking at others. I didn't say anything because I know you were committed and looking at other girls is just who you are as a person. If I wasn't mad at you then, why would I be now? We've been together for years. I know and love you better than that."

"Because another girl kissed me and we are dating!"

He didn't expect to yell. He expected Angela to yell back at him for his yelling but she still has her perky smile plastered on her face.

"Exactly," she states, "I'm mad at Ivory, not you. I'm mad at her for a lot of reasons but this one takes the cake."

James sighs out of relief. "You're amazing."

Angela smirks in his face. Now, James looks at her with his usual expression. He leans in to kiss her but she blocks him with her hand.

"If you're coming to fight, then suit up and smooch later," she says, getting up and leaving the room. "Xavier has a plan."

"Wait, Angela."

Angela stops at the doorway and turns to face him. "What?"

He grins. "You said years. How many years were we together?"

She doesn't hesitate. "Eight."

"Are you sure?"

"You're not."

She grins before heading out. James laughs to himself. He loves her so much.

-o-

Sydney Relics Centre - Sydney, Australia - 23:11 PM

Sydney is peaceful as the night sky rolls in. Waves rock back and forth in the ocean as the last set of the cars drive on home. Street lights illuminate the sky, helping the sky in providing light for the city. The museum stands tall and peaceful since it's well past its closing hours.

But that doesn't mean the museum is empty.

On the glass rooftop of Sydney Relics Centre, Ivory scales the building, flat on her stomach, using suction pads on her hands, feet, and knees to stick to the all-glass building. Once she makes it to the top, she stops, peering down into the inside of the museum below. She carves a circle in the glass ceiling and uses the suction cups on her hands to pop the piece off and put it off to the side. Ivory spins 90 degrees around on her stomach and slides her legs inside. While holding herself up, she pulls out a rope from her belt, secures it tightly on a pipe on the roof, and begins rappelling down.

Ivory's feet touch the ground and she begins running on her toes towards the safe. She spots the computer-generated security and quickly by-passes it. Ivory disarms it and being cranking open the safe. As the door opens, Ivory turns over her shoulder to check for any guards circling the corner.

None in sight.

Ivory turns back around, expecting to face the shining pearl but sees Angela and Xavier standing there in front of the pearl. Ivory doesn't move because her eyes are too focused on the two agents in her way. She recognizes both of them and even notices the similarities in their appearances. No wonder Xavier looked familiar in the ballroom.

"Twins, eh?" Ivory asks with a little grin creeping on the corner of her mouth. "Well, it's great seeing the two of you again but I'm afraid I can't stay to chat. I have a package to pick up."

"You mean this?" Angela asks, opening her arms to the precious pearl that sits on a box filled with red satin fabric.

"Actually, yes."

Ivory lunges forwards and Xavier grabs her from the back, wrapping his arm around her neck to cut her oxygen and knock her out. Ivory gasps for air, digging her nails into his arm. Instead, she pushes herself up and back to kick over Angela. Once Ivory's back on the ground, she tries to throw Xavier over her back but he's bigger than her. Instead, Ivory crouches over and pulls something from her belt.

"Xavier!" Angela exclaims.

Ivory stands back up with a knife in her hands. From the ground on her back, Angela thrusts her hips up, kicking the knife away. Ivory forces herself back into the wall, crashing Xavier into it. He loses his grip and she extends her arm, snatching the pearl. As she makes her escape, Angela grabs Ivory's ankle, sending her to the ground as well. The pearl escapes her hands, bouncing away, and Ivory scrambles for it.

With the pearl only fingertips away, Ivory almost snatches it again but pauses when she hears a gun cock. Her head turns a little and she sees Xavier pointing a gun at her. She snickers, having a hand hovering over her belt. Ivory slowly stands up with her back facing the twins and puts her hands above her head with bent elbows. Ivory turns around to face them in a surrendering motion but at the flick of her fingers, another knife appears and she chucks it at a painting on the wall, setting off its motion alarms.

The alarms begin blaring as red lights flash inside the museum, distorting their visions. Ivory manages to pick up the pearl and sprints back to her rope to begin climbing out. As that was going on, Xavier begins firing at Ivory. Angela picks up the knife Ivory used earlier and whips it, hoping it would either graze her or cut the rope.

Neither happens and Ivory makes her escape from the hole she carved earlier. Angela and Xavier stand right from where Ivory's rope is, looking up at the kleptomaniac making her exit.

"And what part of your plan was that?" Angela asks him, taking out a device to turn off the alarms.

"Part One," Xavier replies. "I didn't hear you complaining when it worked."

"The alarms weren't supposed to happen. When did your plan go as it was written down as?"

"In my dreams."


[Quick question, do you guys want daily updates? Since I have about 42 chapters of this story so far, I'm willing to do daily updates if you guys want. Or if you want alternating days then I could do that too. Just let me know]. [2020: I was so cute doing that].