《Temporary Alliance》Chapter 32 : Stolen
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I said I would update twice this week, so here it is. Enjoy :)
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I had the USB safely tucked into the waistband of my maxi skirt as we all made our way upstairs by elevator. As we arrived at the front lobby area, Estelle stood there with what looks to be like a mini army of agents. All four of us stood in front of them face to face, just a few feet away. Phoenix's employees and other agents started to gather around us with hostility towards the unknown group of people that entered.
"Agent Blades." She looked at Alexander haughtily then as her eyes landed on me, she sneered. "Vita."
I rolled my eyes and Estelle stepped forwards as if she wanted to return the punches I gave her yesterday.
She lifted a piece of paper straight towards both Alexander and I. "Warrant. You know what I'm here for." She mainly looked at Alexander while she talked, acting as if the rest of us didn't matter.
Alexander took the piece of paper to read it.
"Begged your father?" I raised an eyebrow as I leaned back into my wheelchair and crossed my arms across my chest.
She narrowed her eyes at me, but quickly went back to looking at Alexander and I did the same.
Alexander clenched his hands and paper crumpled under his tight fists as he lifted his eyes from the paper to glare icily at Estelle. I touched his fist and when he loosened his hold slightly, I took the piece of paper from his hands.
"Done looking?" Estelle looked so content that it pissed me off. "You guys can start searching," she called out loudly with a smug smile on her face and the people that she came with started to move.
"Wait," I shouted as I used the armrests of the wheelchair to stand up.
I walked closer to her until we were toe to toe, chest to chest.
"Do you know what is on that drive?" I questioned her with narrowed eyes and unrestrained hostility.
She sighed in annoyance as she met my gaze. "The information-"
"No," I interrupted her firmly. "It's not just information. Do you even know the value of life?"
She looked like she was clenching her teeth. "Hand. Me. The. USB." She growled out at me.
"You don't deserve the power you'll have over the precious lives on it. You definitely don't deserve whatever position you are in right now after what you told me yesterday. No soldier, nor the agents that passed away protecting the USB are worthless or useless." I stared at her fiercely as I continued to keep my hands to myself. "Actually, I take that back. Perhaps you are. Relying on your daddy to give you a title and begging him to clean after your carelessness."
"Take that back," She said as she reached underneath her blazer.
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"Why should I? Isn't it the truth, CIA Agent Kage?" I spat out in disgust.
"Search this place, now!" She shouted and everyone started to move.
It was chaos. Estelle's people started shoving through to start their search while Phoenix's employees tried to hold them back. Both sides were pushing and shoving, not yet escalating to the point where people were punching and kicking, but that may happen sooner rather than later at the rate this was going.
"Stop." Alexander raised his voice slightly and everyone froze, even me. "Vita."
I turned my neck to look at him and he simply nodded. Disbelief and betrayal were what I felt because I knew what that nod meant. He wanted me to give the USB to Estelle.
He knew what was on it, yet he wanted me to give it to this spoiled, entitled and careless person?
"No." I frowned at Alexander.
Alexander stepped forwards to stand next to me.
"Call everyone off, then she'll hand it over," he told Estelle and I froze in shock.
"Everyone, stop. Pull back," Estelle commanded and everyone she brought with her halted and started to step back towards the door. They weren't fighting Phoenix employees anymore, but looked ready to attack again if necessary.
Estelle looked towards me and reached her hand out towards me expectantly.
I didn't move an inch, instead, I continued to meet her gaze.
Suddenly, I felt a hand lightly touch the base of my back and I glanced at Alexander only to see him looking back at me.
"Vita, give it to her."
Alexander's hand moved to my hip and squeezed lightly. The deadly calmness in his eyes confused me. He was planning something, but I couldn't tell what.
"I don't have all day," Estelle sneered at both Alexander and I.
I pulled the USB out and held it in my fist. Reaching straight out towards her, I turned my hand palm side up and opened it, revealing the USB.
Estelle snatched it out of my hands and smirked before turning around. "I hope to never see you again, Vita Simmons." She huffed arrogantly and walked out. The people she brought with her followed her path straight out the door.
As the last of Estelle's people left, everyone else in Phoenix started to disperse as they saw no threat anymore
I turned to look at Alexander and just as I was about to start questioning him, he lifted me up into his arms and I widened my eyes in shock.
"We can't have a fight break out inside Phoenix," he explained softly as he quickly made his way towards where the cars were parked.
Victor sped up to catch up to us with Emmaline following closely behind.
"Before she makes it out onto the main roads, block off her car," Alexander ordered.
Victor and Emmaline quickly went towards separate cars as we went towards another one. Phoenix Headquarters was essentially in the middle of nowhere with one road in and one road out. You would have to drive at least 10 minutes at high speed to reach an actual highway.
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Alexander set me down and I rapidly climbed onto the passenger seat as he entered the driver's seat. We all ripped out of the parking garage. I still had one of Alexander's guns, so I held it tightly in my hands, ready to use if necessary.
Of the sea of black cars, I saw a dark red one at the very end of the line of cars on the one path road and I knew without a doubt that that car was Estelle's.
We were at most three hundred meters away from her car when the two black cars in front of her stopped. Estelle quickly swerved right to avoid the collision, but due to the slight ditch, her car flipped onto its side, skidding to a stop a few meters away from the road. At least eight people got out of the two cars. Half remained guarding their cars while the others went towards the dark red car.
I quickly grabbed Alexander's phone from his pocket and called for backup, requesting at least two teams.
As we got closer, the four standing guard started to fire at us and we quickly ducked as low as possible to avoid getting hit.
They must have gotten what they wanted since they went back into their cars and drove off.
Everything happened so fast that I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
I didn't have time to think.
"Stop," I asked him as we neared the red car. "Wait for backup, then go," I told Alexander as I quickly got off the car. He tossed me a quick look of concern for my safety, but as soon as I slammed the door shut, he didn't hesitate to quickly drive off after whoever attacked Estelle.
I quickly limped over towards Estelle's car, holding the gun steady in my hand, ready to attack. As I neared the car, I saw that she was climbing out. When I reached her car, she had successfully pulled herself out of the car and stood next to it.
I lifted the gun I held in my hands towards her skull.
I was done playing her games.
"Who took it?" I asked her with a vacant mask on my face, my voice empty of emotion.
Estelle turned around to face me and stiffened as she saw my gun pointing at her face.
"I don't know. It happened so fast," she sneered, but there was an odd look of guilt written across her face.
"What did you do?" I took another step closer, still stone cold impassive.
"I didn't do anything."
"Was this on purpose?"
"Of course not! I'm not crazy. Believe it or not, I'm on your side. I want the information on that USB somewhere safe just as you do." She almost sounded convincing, but the look in her eyes betrayed her. Estelle was trying to deliberately lie through her teeth.
"No, Estelle," I told her blankly. "Safe is not enough. I want it destroyed."
She quickly narrowed her eyes at me. "It's just nameless soldiers on that list, Simmons, why are you being so sensitive? We can easily lure Efren Carter in and capture him if we give him the USB. You must know how desperate he is for it."
My impassive mask cracked and I fired a bullet, turning just at the last second so it didn't go through her skull, but still passing closely by her head. She let out a high-pitched squeak.
The faces of my team members and Wolf's flashed across my mind. "Every life on that USB is valuable, Estelle."
She must have seen the fury in my gaze because she finally shut her mouth.
"Now, tell me. Did you tell someone the importance of the USB? Did you talk about classified information with someone that doesn't have clearance? Did you tell someone you shouldn't have that you would be here today?"
Estelle immediately stiffened and that's when I knew.
"Who the fu*k did you tell?" I yelled, unable to contain my emotions.
I clenched my jaw, handed my gun to Emmaline and then threw a punch at Estelle's face. She was able to dodge it, but I quickly grabbed her throat with both my hands, squeezing tightly.
"My ex-partner," she wheezed out.
"Who?" I asked again.
She didn't answer for a moment, but as she began to lose oxygen, I could see her resolve weaken.
"Rostov. K-Katrina Rostov."
*
I stood with Emmaline in front of a closed door.
"Is this really a good idea?" Emmaline questioned cautiously.
"I don't know," I said softly and sighed. "Can you stay out here?"
Emmaline furrowed her brows and answered with a soft, "okay."
I inhaled deeply and reached for the doorknob, twisting it open while stepping into the room.
Inside the room was a small single bed and on it was Nolan, Cadence's ten-year-old nephew, sleeping soundly. I walked in and closed the door behind me. Cadence stood up from the chair she was sitting on as soon as she saw me, with a questioning look.
"Hi," Cadence greeted hesitantly with regret flashing in her eyes.
I walked towards her and placed my laptop on top of the table in front of her. "Katrina Rostov. Do you know her?"
Cadence nodded, but her blue eyes looked weary of what I may ask.
I looked straight into her eyes and gave an order.
"Find her."
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Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!
Please vote, comment and share if you liked it :)
Until next time,
InvincibleBunny
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