BELLE arrives to work as usual milkshake in hand. Just as she sits on her desk AEGIS walks in and hands her a box
BELLE surprised
"What's this"
She sniffs the package
BELLE
"Doesn't smell like food...I don't want it."
she hands it back to AEGIS without looking inside
AEGIS
" Maybe I could be handing you the secret to life..."
BELLE scoffs
"How confused could the universe be to bestow such secrets on you"
AEGIS rolls his eyes and continues
"I realized I have been depleting your medical supplies so I restocked also, I apologize for the other night…and the other I will stop putting you in such uncomfortable positions"
BELLE
"What positions...come over anytime...the list is growing longer and longer"
He scoffs
BELLE
"By the way I have been curious, how do you explain to the other boys... you always show up to work with... dents" she points at his bruises
AEGIS
"They have all been to my cage fights..."
BELLE
"Makes sense..."
Just as he is about to leave
BELLE
"Wait...I have something for you.."
She opens her drawer and walks to AEGIS she then flips his jacket and puts a business card in his inner pocket and pats the pocket
"When you are ready...don't throw it awa..."
Just then MEMBER ONE from team TWO suddenly walks in with them standing close to each other and BELLE'S hands on AEGIS'S chest.
MEMBER ONE team TWO
"OOh..excuse me..." he tries to leave
AEGIS in a defensive voice
"Its not what it looks like..."
BELLE with hands firmly on AEGIS's chest
"Its exactly what it looks like.."
AEGIS tries to shake her off him
She holds onto his jacket firmly MEMBER ONE team TWO bows and leaves hurriedly
AEGIS sighs frustrated
"Why would you say that"
BELLE
"Why not...rumors spread along time ago...plus justifying just makes it worse..."
AEGIS
"Still people will think..."
BELLE
"Are you eying someone within this organization"
AEGIS in a defensive voice
"Not that its any business of yours...but no.."
BELLE
"Then why are you so concerned about what other people think...besides if this juicy rumor of you dating your superior makes their life a lot more exciting then why kill peoples source of joy..."
AEGIS shakes his head and leaves her office just to be caught by curious eyes and whispers along the hallway
'Why do I feel like am doing a walk of shame?'
He rushes to their office
ALLURE
"Why are you running?"
AEGIS
"No... reason just stretching"
Just then AUGER walks in and pats AEGIS on the back
AUGER
"stop lying...my man here was making out with a woman a few minutes ago...a woman in this building"
AEGIS
"A what!"
AUGER
"Was it a man then?"
HEAD now giving AUGER full attention
"Continue...is that kind of behavior even allowed in the office?"
AEGIS exhales in exhaustion
"What..."
HEAD hushes him and urges AUGER to continue
AUGER slightly amused
"I was just in TEAM Two's office and apparently my man here was busy..."
ALLURE to AEGIS
"I don't think the crow is going to be happy when the rumor reaches her"
AEGIS
"Okay...did they say who the woman is?"
AUGER
"No...that would put the woman in an uncomfortable position, we know such rumors hurt women the most...(In a whisper) but you can tell us...we wont tell anyone..."
HEAD
"Even if you don't tell us we will just check the woman being unfavorably targeted by the crow"
AEGIS
"You talk as if she is interested in me.."
HEAD
"You have no chance my guy...you are not the kind of guy who lands a woman like her... "
AEGIS
"What do you mean I have no chance"
AUGER
"Why do you ask...are you interested in her?...but you already have a girl"
HEAD
"She is too much woman for you...she..."
Just then BELLE walks in to hand the boys their next assignment she notices the strange atmosphere
BELLE
"Why are you suddenly quiet...were you talking about me"
AUGER
"Yes..."
HEAD gives him a look of "please don't tell her"
BELLE
"Even if you don't tell me I will find out soon and..."
AUGER speaking fast
"AEGIS is dating another woman and was just making out with her..."
HEAD looks disappointed
BELLE
"And why is that my problem..."
AUGER
"I thought you would be upset being the first rumor spread was between you and him..."
BELLE
"What do you mean...am excited for him, and who is this woman?"
AUGER
"We don't want to tell you...we don't want her to be a victim of your wrath..."
BELLE
"Why are you speaking as if AEGIS is a throne to be earned.."
AUGER
"I know my man isn't much...but..."
AEGIS interrupts
" seriously Am here..."
BELLE
"Its clear you don't know who the woman is...how any of you used to work in intelligence is questionable...also I already know who AEGIS was just making out with...it wasn't only MEMBER ONE from Team Two who saw them..."
ALLURE
"What!"
AUGER
"Are you going to tell us?"
BELLE in a stern voice
"Are we in an office or at a rumor mill? gear up...we are leaving for our next assignment and if you are too curious ask AEGIS am sure he will deny he was making out with anyone..."
AUGER pouts
BELLE Speaks to AEGIS amused
" And you...respect the office..."
She pats his Jacket amused and leaves the boys to gear up for the assignment.
AUGER
"Am sure that was a threat...be on the look out AEGIS ...but man are you going to tell us.."
AEGIS leaves and heads to the changing room while AUGER follows him begging
The boys gear up and head to the rooftop. BELLE finds them and JOHN waiting next to the helicopter.
she greets JOHN and pats the utility helicopter gently...
BELLE
"Hi Michael"
HEAD
"Michael?"
BELLE
"Am speaking to the machine...and yes I named him"
AUGER
"Why is he a man?"
BELLE
"Because am the one sitting in the co..."
JOHN interrupts her
"Time to go my foul mouthed pilot"
BELLE pouts and enters the cockpit she takes her seat delicately she adjusts her aviation head sets and pats the helicopter dashboard
"Michael am in charge today...don't go misbehaving...I know you are old and all.."
HEAD concerned
"Why? did something happen?"
BELLE
"Yes last time Michael almost fainted mid air but luckily he behaved..."
HEAD to JOHN now clearly shaken
"Why would you send us in something that might malfunction"
JOHN reassuring him
"If she were not the pilot, I wouldn't have risked it ,plus we are running low on funds purchasing a new one is really something...Don't worry there are parachutes on board"
BELLE straps and winks at her Uncle
"Tell them the truth"
JOHN
"OOh.."
AUGER very concerned
"What truth..."
BELLE starts the engine and JOHN walks away
JOHN shouts amidst the noise as he hurriedly walks away
"There's only one parachute !"
THE BOYS
"what!"
BELLE not giving them a chance to wrap their heads around he news immediately takes off
HEAD through his head set
"Is it true there's only one parachute on a malfunctioning helicopter?"
BELLE
"I removed it during servicing to be fair... if we die we all die...like men..." she chuckles as she slightly dips the plane scaring the boys slightly.
HEAD
"We.."
BELLE interrupts him
"Don't embarrass yourself...you know if this plane actually goes down they will retrieve the black box and I don't want the last memory your wife has of you... is you whinning...so be brave! ..and let me concentrate..."
The boys sigh and sit nervously as BELLE flies them to the pick up point.
The team picks up the CLIENT2-a middle aged cocky man from a secret location and drop him off at his home. Just as the client reaches his door, he looks behind AEGIS at BELLE. He walks past AEGIS towards BELLE with a determined look on his face
CLIENT whispers in her ears cockily
"Why don't you let the men go back and the two of us can have some fun?"
BELLE whispers back
"It depends...what is your definition of fun?"
CLIENT2 moves closer and realizes something is pricking him he looks down and tries to move back but she holds him...
BELLE
"Where are you going?...we were just about to have fun...this is my definition of fun"
She then lets go of him, he rushes away from her.
CLIENT2 shouts
"You should be kind to your clients...Who is your superior...I will report ..."
Just then the boys together drag the client further away from her
CLIENT2
"What are you doing!?..I will sue your company?"
They dump him at his door step
HEAD angrily
"She is our superior and you were out of line...women don't have to entertain your unsavory advances while at work"
CLIENT2
"I wasn't asking for anything out of he ordinary"
AUGER
"Then you should have asked me instead...
(he moves closer to him)
here whisper in my ears what you whispered in her ears..."
the looks down stubbornly but embarrassed
The boys leave and walk back towards BELLE
ALLURE
"He doesn't know we just saved his life.."
BELLE to HEAD
"You took that personally...I had it under control..."
HEAD
"A man should be able o protect a woman even when she has it under control...my wife complains about this all the time and I only have started to be aware of it because we have you on our team...."
BELLE
"Aaaw...am so touched...now I wished I left the parachute in Michael for you"
ALLURE
"Are you for real..."
BELLE
"When have I ever joked about such things?...lets head home..."
the Boys stubbornly hold their ground refusing to move
she walks into their midst
BELLE
"Move closer I have a safer suggestion..."
They stubbornly comply and gather around her
BELLE slightly amused
"Group hug!" as she spreads her arms
The boys disperse so fast
BELLE pouts...
"someone would think I flashed a grenade..." she smiles at AEGIS
AUGER notices the smile
"Does grenade have a secret meaning we don't know?"
BELLE
"Nothing escapes you?"
They start walking towards the helicopter
AUGER
" You know that I used to be a profiler... nothing should escape me " he pats AEGIS with a curious look on his face
AEGIS sighing
"Trust me you don't want to know"
AUGER
"If you know me well... now I really want to know... besides sometimes the information deemed less important holds the most importance"
HEAD in an exhausted tone
"for the sake of a peaceful ride ...please tell AUGER...this might be our last day on earth and I don't want to go down with AUGER nagging about something unimportant"
AEGIS sighing
"Its the word she uses to describe...(in a whisper.)"...jugs"..."
AUGER
"Jugs?"
AEGIS sighs again and touches his chest
ALLURE
"I don't understand..."
BELLE looking down her chest
"Jugs? these are more like cups...no soju glasses"
HEAD realizes
"oooh...ooh!...no..no!"
ALLURE
"What?"
BELLE to ALLURE
"Don't let the world steal the innocence from your soul... its the cute thing about you if you don't know...stay ignorant"
HEAD
"lets go..!"
BELLE to HEAD very amused
"Will you ever look at soju glass the same way again?...now imagine your wife holding a soju glass and you have a reaction...now imagine explaining to her...what me and you were discussing to rename grenades soju glasses..."
HEAD gags
"Please don't"
BELLE
"But you wanted to know...."
HEAD worked up
"AUGER one day your curiosity will kill us...for real"
AUGER still lost
"Maybe kill the rest of you who have deciphered the code...I still don't get it"
ALLURE
"Noo!"
AUGER
"Even you!...what circles do I run in how am I the only one...who..ooohh...ooh!oooh!...how...ooh most grenades are....
ALLURE
"Please no need to elaborate we all have imagined it..."
AUGER
"But some are big..."
HEAD clearly annoyed
"seriously?"
AUGER shuts his mouth and meekly boards
BELLE smiles and revs the engine and flies them back to the office. She lands on the helipad on top of their building and smiles as she hears sighs of relief from the Boys.
BELLE getting off the helicopter and patting Michael
"Good job Michael...thank you for hanging in there.."
BELLE to the Boys
"Should we celebrate not dying with some soju?..."
The boys hurriedly rush downstairs BELLE smiles as she walks back to her office and meets JOHN along the way.
JOHN
I have just met your team...what did you do to those men...they look shook"
BELLE
"How could they believe such an obvious lie..."she shakes her head unimpressed as she walks to her office.
The team signs off for the day and BELLE goes to the parking basement. Just as she is about to enter her car AEGIS approaches her and hands her a file without speaking.
BELLE
"Today you are just so full of gifts…what's this?...still doesn't look like food...cant you take a hint?"
AEGIS ignoring her remarks
"You deserve to know that much considering the help, you have been giving me..."
BELLE
"Okay…She then proceeds to open her car door"
AEGIS
"...Would ...you like to get a drink sometime..."
BELLE
"No!"
AEGIS slightly heart broken
"...ooh...okay.."
BELLE sighing
"I thought I told you not to catch any feelings...did you catch some?... Get yourself treated...one sided love is like a disease..it will kill you slowly...Don't look at me like that...I have seen how you look at me when you think am not looking"
AEGIS scoffs
"I just asked for a drink ...am I not allowed to look at you when we are together?..."
BELLE
"AEGIS are you sure you have no feelings for me?.."
AEGIS
"Never! none whatsoever!..."
BELLE
"You see!... your over justification tells me otherwise..."
He scoffs again
BELLE moves closer... he maintains his ground...she whispers
"If you are sure you have no feelings for me...kiss me.."
AEGIS jumping back
"What!!"
BELLE
"You see?"
AEGIS
"Of all the tests why ...sigh...would you pick something so...(Scoff)..well then if you have no feelings for me kiss me then..."
BELLE moves closer
"Sure"
Without hesitation holds his head in her hand...
AEGIS in a shaky voice
"What are you doing..."
BELLE
"Earlier today it was said we were making out...lets at least be accused of something we have done...close your eyes and open your mouth slightly"
He swiftly moves away from her completely red...
BELLE
"Where are you going?...now I will never prove to you..."
AEGIS fumbles
"I ...I...believe you..."
She gets into her car ready to leave in a warning voice
"Get over it!"
AEGIS
"Wait!..."
BELLE amused
"Well that was fast..."
She excitedly walks towards him in a daring tone
"okay lets get it on with...and make it intense..."
Amused she closes her eyes pecking her lips expecting AEGIS to chicken out... to her surprise he kisses her... intensely taking his time... she quickly pulls away
BELLE too stunned to speak...AEGIS moves closer again...
BELLE
"What you already proved it..."
AEGIS pleased with himself
"I think I need to do it a second time to confirm.."
scoff from BELLE who quickly gets into her car starts the engine and quickly drives off.
AEGIS a bit worried...
"What...wait...am…sigh…"
BELLE drives lost in her thoughts …Never in her days had someone ever taken her up on her bold dares, she shakes her head smiles and mutters under her breath...
'that bold rabid dog…!'
Finally she gets home and takes a shower ready to settle for the evening. She opens a cup of noodles and starts to eat away as she settles into a chair.
BELLE
'Let's see…'
She opens the file AEGIS gave him and sees newspaper clippings of missing children from various orphanages. She rushes to her room and retrieves a file of her own and compares. She then proceeds to sigh in disappointment.
BELLE
'Nothing new…I thought he had given me something new…'
She stores both files and settles on the couch finishing her noodles as she watches TV.
BELLE
'Only one link remains...Should I get him drunk? he lets his guard down when drunk. But…he seems to hold his liquor just as well as I do… noo…I will wear out my liver before I get something off him…'
Suddenly the doorbell interrupts her monologue again surprised she checks the peep hole…sighs and opens the door.
BELLE
"At this rate I should just tell you my lock password. what brings you here...You look fine…"
AEGIS Pulls a bottle of gin from behind him
"... I came to apologize... "
BELLE takes the alcohol from him
"...okay thanks...go home" and shuts the door on his face
'why would he apologize yet I dared him to do it... well ...I get free alcohol who am I to complain..."
The door bell rings again she opens and sighs exhausted
AEGIS
"do you accept my apology? What can I …"
BELLE interrupts him
" No!... You have some nerve showing up here without food!..."
Mimicking AEGIS
"I have come to apologize...."
He smiles to himself.
AEGIS
"Okay let me order some food…"
Still expecting her to invite him.
She gives him a murderous look, he takes several steps back.
BELLE
"order the food…wait outside...!
She locks the door to his face again as he stands there confused.
AEGIS
'I guess am only welcome inside when I'm about to die.'
Shortly after, BELLE comes out with two mugs and a heavy blanket for herself she beckons him to follow her to an outdoor sitting area.
BELLE
"what?...don't look at me like that...no blanket for you...remember the freezing sea?"
AEGIS
"I was drunk then...alcohol warms the blood you know…"
She holds up the gin bottle smiling...
BELLE
"well..."
She beckons him to sit next to her...tucking blanket under her in an exaggerated manner. She pours them drinks just as the delivery guy delivers the ordered fried chicken.
As soon as AEGIS pays and thanks the delivery guy BELLE hogs the food...looking at him threateningly.
AEGIS throws his arms up in defeat
AEGIS
…really!
BELLE Scoffs
"You want to share your apology with me?... are you apologizing to yourself or to me? you bring me alcohol you want to drink it...you buy apology food you want to eat it...seriously are you even sorry?"
she continues to chew on the chicken...gives him a piece and continues to hog the rest.
BELLE
"Why are you staring at me like that..."
He chuckles and continues to drink...
AEGIS moves closer to her...
BELLE moves further...Biting her teeth
"I swear to god if you try to kiss me...I will bite you!..."
AEGIS
"I know…"
He chuckles.
She scowls at him and moves further back the chair tips almost falling...he holds her back. She on the other hand is clutching onto the chicken bucket protectively...
AEGIS sips from his mug and chuckles again
AEGIS
"You are all bark and no bite…Relax…you have some sauce on you..."
trying to wipe her face
BELLE threateningly
" If that hand lands on my face you will leave here with nine fingers even eight!"...
She slaps his hand away and wipes her face as she side eyes him and continues to eat...
She then pauses
"There's one link am missing...."
AEGIS
"I know...I intentionally left it out of my file "
BELLE
"Why?"
AEGIS sighs
"I don't want you to pity me..."
BELLE scoffs
"why do you care whether I pity you or not..."
AEGIS in a low tone
"No man would like to be pitied by a beautiful woman..."
BELLE
"AEGIS I already told you compliments don't work on me..."
AEGIS
"well it doesn't matter whether you believe in compliments or not...it does not change the fact that you are beautiful?"
BELLE scoffs
"What do you want?"
AEGIS
"I..."
BELLE tightly hugs the chicken bucket
AEGIS scoffs
"You told me if I won the fight you would reveal some info about you..."
BELLE
"Do you remember when I said I will come to collect?...Well..."
AEGIS
"Really! that's not fair"
BELLE
"It cant be compared to saving your life multiple times can it?..."
AEGIS
"But..."
BELLE
"You wouldn't even be alive to attend that fight...think about that...here you are enjoying some alcohol...your spirit would have been wandering the earth now because of unfinished business..."
AEGIS
"Okay...you don't have to rub it in...How many collections do I owe you?
BELLE
"Four more to go"
AEGIS
"Four?!"
BELLE
"I Know its too little... I thought so too because no one can put a price to their life but infinity looked to unrealistic initially I settled for nine...like a cats life...but then I liked the number five more..."
AEGIS scoffs
BELLE in a warning voice
'You cant tell he boys you kissed me.."
AEGIS
"Why?...wait..are you embarassed of me..."
BELLE
"Why would I be embarassed of you..."
AEGIS
"Then what is it...you are afraid i might be deemed as a weakness and be used against you?
BELLE
"How...if you tell the boys my weakness is a kiss all I would get is lots of kisses..."
she shrugs bites a piece of chicken and continues
"Its a win win for me"
AEGIS genuinely annoyed
"What!. Don't go kissing anybody with those lips"
BELLE
"With those lips? What should I use then?"
AEGIS sighing
"you know what I mean"
BELLE in a serious tone
"First you should quit alcohol...yes your body holds it well but your mind doesn't you develop feelings...secondly if its true and I hope it isn't ...if its true that you have developed feeling for me...(Sigh) you have to find a way out...because AEGIS you cannot afford to have me as your weakness...I will take advantage of that and shred you to pieces..."
AEGIS
"Then help me.."
BELLE
"How?...you got yourself in you get yourself out...is it because of the thing I said the other night?
AEGIS
"What?"
BELLE
"No...other woman can date you with your PTSD...I was just joking you know me...sometimes I forget to filter my words...I know I must look like a safe option because am familiar with PTSD but am not the one for you..."
AEGIS
"It started way earlier"
BELLE chokes on her beer and releases the most exhausted sigh
"What... AEGIS how desperate are you...wait...I know what this is... mmmh..Stockholm syndrome...no no..no...the word for it is Trauma Bonding! ...you have developed feelings for your abuser..." she shakes her head and continues
"Make sure you see that specialist I recommended. Your issues are way deeper than I thought"
He scoffs...
BELLE rising up
"Go home...thanks for the drink and the company..."
she picks the chicken bucket, the mugs and the gin bottle and walks back inside....
AEGIS stands there for a while smiles to himself
whispers under his breath
AEGIS
'...and the food…'
Then gets back to his truck and drives off.