Alessio
I watch her profile. High cheeks, straight nose, puffy pink lips. The upper one slightly darker. She's beautiful and I can't help but think about the other pink parts of her body. Beautiful but poisonous, like a snake.
I deliberately chose one of my own hotels. If I can't be in my own country I will at least sleep in my own house. It bothers me that I can't call ahead for my plan, I have two phones on me but I can't use them when she's sitting a foot away from me. I already know how I'm going to force her to reveal her identity. Kate my ass. I know who she is, that's my overhand. I'm not sure if I'll have to kill her yet but I need to find a way to make sure that she won't talk and I'm not sure how to get there yet. I just know that I want to have my fun with sweet Naitee before her time runs out. I want her to admit that she's a fed even if I already know.
I don't miss the irony of the song that's playing. She doesn't know who I am but it fits in a weird way.
"How many channels do you have on this radio?" She clearly doesn't expect the question the way she jumps to my voice.
"Three, turn the wheel— news to the right, European music to right." She's obviously proud of that. The American fascination with Europe. Although it goes both ways. I turn it to the European channel anyway. Con te partirò d'Andrea Bocelli. Now I was really wondering if she was doing this intentionally. If I wasn't so sure that she has no possibility of knowing who I was I'd almost be worried. Not for me though, for my plans.
"When are we there?" I ask to break the silence.
"You're the one with the map." Her answer was clipped but polite. I can't help but wonder how angry I could get her.
"Hmm" I looked through the bright mid day light for a sign. "Were close to Greenville, can we stop for— snacks?"
"I'm sure there's a gas station or do you need something else?" Sarcasm, I'm not sure if I like her better polite or feisty.
"A gas station will be fine." She bites her lower lip and nods like a good girl.
"I'll pullover when I see one then" She answers just as politly.
"Good" I say, looking out the window so she can't see my smirk.
"Great" She answers. I look down at the map again. Resuming to profile her car with my eyes still on the map. I won't take a chance with her, the fact that a fed knows we're in the states could ruin everything. Even if she's just a low level one.
It takes a few minutes before a gas station finally appears on the edge of the road. There's only a few cars left on the road now, maybe I should drive the rest of the way. It'll be late when we arrive at my hotel. She pulls over and starts the blinker with a flick of her smooth left hand.
She parks without a problem, her hand lingers on the door for a second as she gets out.
"Luce?" Her voice pulls me back to reality. "You coming?" I nod, I can't lose myself like this. Not now. Her crazy dog growls at me and it makes me react quicker.
"S- Yes" Maledetto. I swear in my head. That was a little to close.
I push the car door open. Surprised by how smoothly it moves. Is she a car girl?I try to steal another look at her hands but the darkness is too steep. The neon lights in the window and above the door make my eyes burn.
Do they ever turn off? Naitee pulls the door open and the sound it makes is as obnoxious as the neon signs. The man behind the counter is scrawny, maybe 170 cm with red hair. I know he's not a threat from the look in his eyes before I know that I could easily beat him physically. Naitee moves toward the door with a "WC" on it. I watch her until the door is closed behind her.
"Your girlfriends hot man." The mans voice was just as scrawny as himself.
"She's not my girlfriend— man." The look of embarrassment on his face is clear and I don't bother to speak again. He will be to embarrassed to speak now anyway. I walk the few aisles picking up a few things. Water bottle, nuts, cigarettes. The normal healthy mix.
Naitee
When the door closes behind me I take my first normal breath of air in hours. I need to get some control of myself again. I had managed to bring my phone. My heart stopped beating when I saw the message,
Do not engage//Ross
Shit. Shit. Shit fucking ass.
I tear my hands through my hair. My hands shake. I feel the panic coming on.
I try to breath but it's like I can't get enough air in now anyways.
This can't happen now.
This won't happen now.
I push it down, remembering my training.
I type out an answer, watching the letters on the tiny screen.
To late for that, protocol 46 in motion//Kate
He'll understand the seriousness of the situation when I sign with Kate.
This would be so much easier to do if I could speak to him, but I don't want to risk it. I stare at myself in the dirty mirror, my hair rumpled and my skin looks way to glossy. I pull it into a ponytail, splashing water on my face. Remembering to flush the toilet before unlocking the door and stepping out.
Luce is standing a few feet away, watching me. The man should really be aware of how creepy he is, maybe being polite isn't a thing in Europe.
"Are you done?" He nods and I move toward the candy aisle, it's small but it has chocolate, that's basically all I need right now, that and a Coke.
The metal of the can is cool to the touch. As I place it on the counter he steps up next to me. "I'll pay." I look up at him, I have forgot how tall he was when he was sitting down. His legs are incredible.
"Sure" I step back, watching him as he pulls out a thick wallet from his suit pocket. He pulls out a fifty and puts it on the desk. I was almost expecting him to use one of those new metal cards.
The man behind the counter picks it up, eyeing it for a second. Luce's voice is different as he says, "Keep it." I stand frozen for a second before I grab my chocolate and Coke of the desk.
I don't wait for Luce to follow as I walk out. I walk to the trunk of my car pulling out the bag of food and bowl for Sai. I don't bother to close it as I move to open the back door. Sai jumps out excited, her tail swaying back and forth. I place the bowl on the ground, filling it with a appropriate amount of food. She attacks it and I pull out her water bottle. I hear him open the door and jerk my gaze up not liking that I lost sight of him. I need to be more aware of my surroundings.
"Do you want to walk her with me or not?" I don't know what's best. Leaving him alone in my car with my things or having him walk with me so he could kill me in some dark corner. I guess he will choose my sentence.
"I will stay." I'm both dissapointed and relieved.
"Okay, I'll be back in 10." I don't need to have a leash when I'm walking Sai. Not since her training ended. She sits at my feet until I start walking and her nails click against the hard concrete. I'm glad it's a rather cold day, the concrete gets unbearably hot sometimes.
"C'mon girl." We start walking down the side of the road. There's no sidewalk but there's barely any traffic so it doesn't really matter. The lack of sidewalks always annoys me, even if it's a big road.
As I'm walking back I can see him sitting on the passenger seat, front facing out with a— cigarette in his hand. The smoke rolls of his lips like sweet lies and I can't help the zing that goes through me. He's undeniably attractive, in that dark, dangerous way that makes mothers way too friendly and fathers faces darken.
He doesn't move as I come closer but somehow I know that this man I've only met today doesn't need to see me too know where I am.
I open the backseat door for Sai and she jumps up, her paws hitting the carpet covered seats.
"Do you want me to drive?" I close the door slowly, so I won't scare her.
"No it's good, it should only be an hour or so left." His eyes meet mine and I search them for the evil I know should be there. But I can't find any and I now know how monsters can hide in plain sight. Nobody can be a monster all the time.
"Fine." he huffs, puffing out more smoke. I close my car door and wait for him again. I can't help but ask myself why I'm so eager to get back in the cage with the lion. If he knew who I was he'd be so eager to kill me I wouldn't have time to blink. A rush of cold floods me as I'm reminded of how royally screwed I could be.
"You shouldn't smoke, you know. I heard it's bad for you." I put both hands on the steering wheel and lean back as I'm waiting on him.
"Really I didn't know." His answer is decidedly sarcastic but he closes his door. The smell of cigarette smoke is still thick in the air.
"Can you throw that out?" I say as I start to pull out of the gas station. "It's not good for Sai." She growls as if to agree with me. He huffs and then I feel his finger against my lips, pushing the cigarette in.
"Wha—u.. doing?" I manage to get out even with the cigarette now between my lips. I want too drop it but I know the burning edge of it would burn straight through my pants. With my hands on the wheel I'm stuck with it and after what feels like minutes I force down a breath. The smoke burns my throat and I immediately need to cough.
"Good girl." It's praise and scathing at the same time. His fingers grab the cigarette from my lips and I can't help the stream of curses that falls from my lips, hell I don't want to stop them.
"What the actual fuck do you think you're doing?" My voice is low, threatening and not very civilian. The urge to pick up my gun and handcuffs is extremely powerful right now. I want to strap him to his seat and shoot his offending hand. I'm usually a calm person but when I'm angry, I'm really angry.
"I'm just making sure that you're just as damaged as me." I scoff, my blood still boiling. Maybe I should push him out and run over him a few times.
"Throw that fucking thing out the door or you'll go with it." I chance a glare at him, he's smiling. That fucking jackass. "Seriously man if you hurt my dog I'll—"
"You'll what?" a glint of triumph flashes in his eyes before it disappears just as fast as it came.
"I'll make sure you never have children?" He only laughs.
"I don't think you're strong enough for that Caramella." I so want to expose myself right now. I have to focus on my mission. Focus on the mission Naitee, no Kate, focus on the mission Kate.
"Sure" I throw back.
We don't talk after that.