A few days later
Chloé felt someone wake her up, and then she hummed.
"Wake up, it's time to go," she heard Harmonie say, she tried to open her eyes but closed them again because of the light.
She grunted slightly, then rubbed her face on the mattress and opened her eyes slightly, just long enough for her eyes to adjust to the light.
"You didn't have to turn on the light," she said hoarsely, before closing her eyes again and yawning as she sat up.
"You need to get ready, we have to leave in an hour," Harmonie replied, ignoring her complaint.
"Okay," Chloe said as she got out of bed, picking up her phone and turning it on to see what time it was.
3:59 AM.
Her eyebrows raised, "Didn't you sleep?" she asked, throwing her phone on the bed after seeing that Harmonie was already dressed to leave.
"I did, but only for an hour. I just got back from Cassandra's."
"Adelaide didn't want to sleep?"
"Yes, you know she doesn't like us leaving. I'd take her with us, but she should stay with Cassandra, so she can be well taken care of by someone she feels comfortable with."
Chloé went into her walk-in closet to get some clothes, "And your relationship with Cassandra, has it improved? Have you talked or not?"
Harmonie joined her, "I'll never understand why you need so many clothes and accessories," she said, looking at all the clothes.
"Of course you don't. You, with only your sweatpants, hoodie, t-shirts, and sneakers or combat boots, can't understand. Me, I have to look stylish no matter what, my outfit is. Unfortunately, I even have the impression that you're influencing me with your overly normal style," Chloé said, murmuring the last sentence.
Harmonie smiled slightly, having heard everything, and said, "Whatever."
Then she added, "With Cassandra, we act like nothing's wrong, but as long as we don't open up about our demons, there will always be this bad blood between us."
"So why don't you tell her?" asked Chloe, looking at her and then continuing her search.
"I hope we have somewhere to change before we go up," she added quietly.
"We'll be in a hotel for one night, then we'll start climbing the next day," Harmonie said, then stood silently for a moment, watching Chloe do her thing.
Then she sighed and said, "It's not that I don't want to tell her anything, it's just..."
She paused, trying to find the right words, "The truth is, I know something's bothering her, and it has nothing to do with me leaving. Well, I hope not. And I know she's having a hard time with it. I don't want to barge in and start talking to her about my problems to the exclusion of hers, knowing that what I have to say will be a bit much for her. You know, she's a very sensitive person."
Harmonie rubbed the back of her head, then added, "But I'm going to tell her as soon as the training is over, it wouldn't do any good to wait for the right moment all the time, and I'm going to help her through the shock as best I can."
Chloe paused, "It's true, I hadn't thought about that, and the shock will be a bit much for her," she murmured, as the last three years had been very difficult for her emotionally, like an endless roller coaster.
"Has she ever asked you about your scars?" she asked, remembering how it all started.
Harmonie smiled, "Of course she did, but at the time I had no answer. I didn't even know where most of them came from. As for the new scars, I told her it was because of the training and that injuries were inevitable, so I wasn't really lying, but I wasn't completely telling the truth. And frankly, I know she knows I didn't tell her everything."
Chloe had finally found the clothes she wanted to wear, "This shirt needs ironing," she muttered.
"Here, I'll iron it for you and you can take your shower. By the way, have you told your assistant that you'll be away for the next few weeks? I've already asked Anna-Marie for a break from my activities, so that's fine with me. How about you?"
"She's having a hard time clearing my schedule, especially with the new game studio, so I need to take some time off during our trip to do some video conference meetings," she said before entering her bathroom.
"Hm," Harmonie hummed, then took her phone out of her jogger pocket and saw that she had a missed call from Hazel, then realized that her phone was in silent mode.
She called her, and as soon as the first ring went off, the phone was picked up.
"Hello sweetie," Hazel said.
"Hi Hazel, sorry, my phone is on silent. I didn't realize you were calling."
"Oh, don't worry, I guessed as much. By the way, Josh asked me if the yoga session helped you more?"
"I think it helped calm our nerves. And for me to relax completely."
"Hm... okay..." Harmonie sensed a hesitation in Hazel's voice.
"Tell me," she said simply, mentally preparing herself for what was to come.
"The results, I have them..."
"The results?" Harmonie interrupted.
"Yes, I asked for one more to check something out," Hazel replied.
"Oh, okay."
"That's why I said I have them, and I'm waiting for your permission to open the envelope."
Harmonie sighed and rubbed her ear, "Leave it until Saturday of next week when I'll be back to know the result. I really don't want to stick my head in it for now, especially if the result is positive."
"Oh, okay, but you know if it is, you have to tell her quickly," Hazel said.
"Yes, I know, but I need to be there because she'll need the support and not me being many miles away from her. And especially since it would be unfair not to be by her side if we've acted without her consent. So I'd rather not know anything like she does right now."
"Okay, I understand," Hazel sighed, understanding the situation.
...
The bathroom door opened, and Chloe saw Harmonie on the phone.
"Who are you talking to?" she asked, her eyes landing on her freshly ironed shirt.
"Hazel, she's asking about the yoga session," Harmonie said, turning her head to Chloe and she arched an eyebrow.
"You could at least put on your underwear," she said as she saw Chloe remove her towel in front of her without any embarrassment.
"Bitch, it's not like you've never seen me naked before," she replied, rolling her eyes and then picking up her panties and starting to put them on.
"And yes, I liked it, it eased my pain."
Harmonie ignored Chloe and said to Hazel, "You heard her answer, well, I'll leave you to it. Bye."
"Bye, Hazel," said Chloe, who was still getting dressed.
Harmonie turned to Chloe and sighed. Then she looked at her phone.
Chloé suddenly moved closer to Harmonie, putting her hand on her shoulder, trailing her fingers up her shoulder, then out to Harmonie's chin and lifting her head, so their eyes could meet.
A slightly seductive smile formed on Chloé's lips. Harmonie looked at her with dead eyes.
Then Chloé laughed slightly when she saw her expression.
"I wonder when you're going to admit that we slept together," she whispered.
"We really don't have time for this Chloe, we have to leave soon," Harmonie said, ignoring her and continuing to look at her phone.
Chloe's eyes fell on the phone for a moment, and she saw that Harmonie was playing a shooting game. Then she said, "You prefer your phone to me, what a shame. I won't give you the chance to sleep with me again."
"Stop being so stupid and get ready," Harmonie said, unable to hide the smile in her eyes.
"Bitch, is that a smile I see on your face?" said Chloe, tickling Harmonie's side.
Harmonie laughed, being very ticklish, "Stop..." Harmonie said as she pulled away from Chloe.
"Okay, I'll stop," Chloe said with a smile.
She and Harmonie were total improvisers, no matter what the situation, and she'd noticed that Harmonie looked upset after her call with Hazel, so she wanted to take her mind off things. And it worked.
'Victory,' Chloé thought as she started to get dressed.
...
In the entrance hall
Those who had to leave had their bags packed in front of them in the large entrance hall: Lucrecia, Gratia, Chloé, and Harmonie.
Lucrecia and Gratia were going over some details with Grace in their corner, and Harmonie and Chloé were talking to each other.
"I swear, I have to take some paracetamol, my head is killing me," Harmonie said, running her fingers over her temples.
Chloé looked at her cornrow braids and said, "Hazel didn't go easy on you..."
"Hm... she showed no mercy. I swear, that's why Mummy only likes that it is her who style Adelaide's and my hair."
"Mama indeed has magic hands," Then she looked at the suitcases and saw that, unlike the others, Harmonie was the only one who didn't have her briefcase as well as her travel bag, "Where's your briefcase?"
Harmonie looked at Chloé, "I put it in my traveling bag since I had room," she said with a shrug.
"You didn't forget your gloves, did you?"
Harmonie reached into the pocket of her hoodie and pulled out a pair of black combat gloves.
"I brought some more just in case; they're in the bag."
Chloe finally nodded, "Good."
"Baby!"
Both Harmonie and Chloe turned their heads at the same time.
They looked at Hazel, who had just walked into the hall, smiling. Hazel would never admit it, but she loved it when she called them that, and they turned their heads at the same time, even Adélaïde.
"Come give your aunt a hug," the beautiful dark-skinned woman had put on a sundress that hugged her curves perfectly. You could tell she was a well-built woman, but she had the right amount of muscles that didn't hinder her softness. She wore black sunglasses over her raven hair.
Harmonie and Chloé gave her a group hug and Hazel said, "I hope you didn't forget anything important.
Both girls nodded, then Hazel added, looking at Harmonie, "Your gloves?"
Harmonie showed her, her gloves, "Your medicines?"
"In our bags," Chloé replied.
Hazel nodded then said, "Okay, let's go, Marc and one of the drivers will drop you off in the underground parking lot of the organization building, buses will be waiting for you there."
"Your weapons?" asked Hazel, looking at Lucie and Tia who had joined them.
"In our briefcases," Lucie replied.
"Picnic?"
"Bags," said Tia.
The four girls each took their suitcases, except for Harmonie and their travel bags. When they left the house, two cars with tinted windows were waiting for them, with a bodyguard driving and another in the passenger seat.
Two employees took the girls' bags and put them in the trunks. Chloe and Gratia would be together and Harmonie with Lucrecia in the car.
The girls said goodbye to Grace, Hazel, and the maids who were with them and finally got into the cars.
Both vehicles drove around the fountain, the estate gate opened and they left the estate.
In the carriage
"I wonder if this trip is in partnership with the Academy," Chloé said suddenly.
"Me too, but I don't think it is the case," Gratia replied as she saw Chloe pick up her phone and call someone.
She put the call on speaker and on the first ring the phone was answered. Chloe asked her question from earlier.
"I don't think so," Lucrecia's voice suddenly said through the phone.
"This trip is organized by the organization, and it's going to take almost a month, and it starts before the school holidays. Maybe in a few weeks, the two of them will organize it together, but for now, it's just the members of our organization."
"Ah well, okay. Anyway, that's the problem of Hazel, Valerie, and the other two. On the other hand, are we going to do this as a team or not?" asked Chloe.
"I think we'll have to wait for the briefing when we get to the hotel, but I think that's probably the case unless they decide otherwise," Gratia said.
Then they heard Lucrecia ask Harmonie, "Your briefcase is in your bag when you know you should have it next to you, why?"
"I have my weapons with me," Harmonie replied simply, her head resting on her hand and her eyes fixed on the scenery.
"Oh, I almost forgot! Do you think we had to bring our uniforms?" asked Gratia and Harmonie turned her eyes back to the phone.
"No, we were just asked to prepare our clothes as if we were going on a trip, and not to forget our briefcases on the document they sent us, which I didn't read in its entirety, just this part," Harmonie replied.
8 minutes later
The cars all stopped in the underground garage. Some of the organization's employees gathered in front of the 2 large buses.
The four girls joined the crowd. They all had black travel bags and briefcases with them.
An instructor stood in front of all of them, sturdy, with a stern face and black fighting clothes.
He took the whistle around his neck and whistled, and everyone froze to look at him.
His deep voice, frightening to some, said, "Soldier! Line up!"
They all formed at the same time, forming a single line of people, straight and solid. He looked at them, hiding his satisfaction at their quick response.
He took out his clipboard and began calling out the groups, as each group member heard the name of their group, they left their formations to form another with their group.
Lucrecia and Chloe were in the same group, Harmonie was in hers with Gratia.
"Each captain has 5 minutes to tell me if you're complete or not. Dismissed."
Everyone took their bag, put it in the designated bag area of the bus, and joined their group leader...
"Well, let's get started," said Chloe, who was the leader of her group, "2?"
"Present," she heard and smiled, checking the box next to 2's first name on the clipboard the leaders had given her.
"3 ?"
"Here!"
...
"Okay, with me, it's 8, so complete," she said, ticking off her first name and then walking over to the instructor.
"Sir?" said Chloe, holding herself upright. The instructor turned back to her, one eyebrow raised to indicate that she should continue.
"We're complete, sir," Chloe said, her back straight and her gaze determined.
The inspector smiled, nodded, and picked up the clipboard.
...
"Red, you have to make the call," said one of the members of Harmonie's group.
"Seriously Ryan?" said Red with a grunt, took the clipboard handed to him, and started the call.
"3 ?"
"There!" He nodded and ticked.
...
"Well, all six of us are here, so we're complete. And with your two additions, we are eight." He walked over to the instructor with the clipboard.
The group saw the instructor look up at them and straightened up in place, their backs still straight and relaxed, but at least they were breathing.
Then Red came back a few minutes later, "Ryan, the teacher said you have to play your role as a leader.
He got no response and it wasn't surprising.
Harmonie, for her part, seemed lost in thought. Not at all interested in what was going on around her.
They heard a whistle, "On your buses and in pairs," the instructor said.
Chloé moved closer to Harmonie and the two of them paired up.
"Monsieur Diamond looks pumped."
"Hm?" Harmonie lifted her head to look at Chloé questioningly.
"The instructor is excited," Chloé replied, Harmonie turned her head to her instructor who was supervising the pair's bus ride, "you should start remembering the instructors' last names and not the nicknames you give them."
Harmonie ignored her comment and said, "He always looks pumped up.
They heard a door open and saw the other instructors arrive in their combat uniforms.
"Valérie isn't here," Harmonie said gently.
"She must be at the center by now, I haven't seen her since yesterday."
Harmonie nodded and when it was their turn, they boarded the bus, Harmonie taking the window side and Chloé the aisle side.
After everyone had boarded, one of the instructors began handing out bags containing a neck pillow, two blackout masks, and earplugs.
"Ma'am, how long exactly is this trip going to take?" Harmonie asked the instructor as she picked up her bag.
"About 6 hours non-stop, but since we have to make 3 stops every 2 hours to change drivers, we'll say approximately 8 hours to the hotel and then another 4 hours tomorrow to the starting point for the climb," the instructor replied after handing Chloe her bag and going to join the others.
"Ouch," Harmonie whispered, "Well, I guess I'll have to start sleeping."
"Didn't you take your meds?" Chloe asked Harmonie.
"Yes, I took them. Thirty minutes before I got here, but just in case, I'm going to get some sleep."
"No, wait, play with me first," Chloé said and Harmonie nodded.
She turned on the small screen in front of them, put on the headphones after plugging them into the screen, connected their two devices, and started a game together.
...
A few days earlier
In front of Sylvia's house
Then they hugged, and the man walked to the car, which happened to be a luxury sports car.
Chloe parked in front of the house got out, and wasted no time knocking on the door.
She heard footsteps and then the door opened, "Did you forget something..." Sylvia started, smiling, then when she saw Chloe her smile froze, "...something?"
Her smile faded, then an expression quickly crossed Sylvia's eyes, then disappeared, and a questioning look formed on her face.
"Chloe? What are you doing here?" she said with a smile.
Despite Sylvia's quick reaction, Chloe, who was used to hanging out with a very observant person, had some of Harmonie's quirks, so she didn't miss anything, no change escaped her, and she had a little idea what the expression was instead.
"I need to talk to you. Can I come in?" she asked, smiling slightly. Sylvia watched her silently, then stepped aside and let her in.
She couldn't know what was on her mind because Chloe hid her emotions very well with her smile.
…