25Thanks to ScarletSam's PM, for without, I would not have posted this chapter for another week at least :)
Chapter Two: Husband and Wife
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"It's not happening," Lucas said forcefully. He slammed one of his palms onto Nigel's desk and stood up, his tall stature filling the room. He didn't bother to look back to see if Ava had one hand on the door handle, ready to bolt from the room.
Lucas wasn't a million miles away. Nigel, seeing that Ava looked very stricken by the door, invited her calmly to sit on a seat. Then he turned back to Lucas and said through gritted teeth, "So you want me to draft in a replacement? I'm not going to beg, Lucas. You and I both know you're at the top of the game. But if you're not up to the job, then that doesn't mean no-one else will be. Close the door on your way out."
Something close to panic welled up in Lucas as Nigel lifted the phone from its cradle. He couldn't, no he wouldn't, let this job go! The prospect of spending a week, in his deserted apartment coexisting withand only with his thoughts was not appealing. There were too many things he didn't want to think about, and the only thing that kept him occupied enough was his job.
How could he let that go?
Lucas sat back down in his seat, scowling deeply. To admit you were wrong was a task Lucas never particularly favored, but seemed vital to preserve his career. He looked hard into Nigel's eyes and read the shock in his electric blue irises.
"That's not what I meant," Lucas said quietly. "Of course I want to do this, Nigel. I just did not expect Brendon to be replaced by a…by a…."
Nobody.
Nigel and Ava didn't have to listen any further to fill in the blank. Nigel looked sharply at Lucas, who in turn was scrutinising his new partner with some kind of vindication. The source of all this bedlam lifted her chin a bit higher, but still failed to meet him headlong. Instead she eyed the chair beside Lucas with social awkwardness and a slight flush.
"Ava here has a 90 percent success rate," Nigel said sharply. "And for a person who only joined the force a year ago, that's a pretty darn good statistic, don't you think?"
Lucas forced his mouth to remain closed.
"In fact," Nigel continued. "That has broken the previous record held by our very own executive- You."
Now Lucas certainly didn't dare to open his mouth. Instead, he shot a begrudging look over his shoulder at the girl who had bested him (but only slightly, mind!) and scowled harder than ever.
Ava, on the other hand, was floating on cloud nine. And it was with this grace, she floated over to the chair she had avoided just minutes earlier, and made herself comfortable. Readily accepting the file Nigel silently held out to her, and thumbing through its contents.
After a brief while, Lucas followed her example. The tension was thick and heady in the air, but both respectively went about their tasks with minimum anger.
That was, until Nigel started speaking.
"The objective is simple," he began. "You both have to pose as husband and wife to infiltrate this underground organisation. Lucas, your specific role is to play the part of Peter Travis, a newly-wed groom enjoying his honeymoon with the love of his life. The fact, that Peter hates the US government and has military training, is just a bonus."
"Ava, you are to play his doting wife, Simone. You have no other eyes except for your man, and aim to live a long and happy life. But you will follow him to the grave, if you have too."
"Lucas, you know what to do. Get them on side, find out how big the entire thing is. When we bring them down, we need to get everyone. Ava, help Lucas to man the equipment we'll provide you. Aid him to success, and prove that we can trust you for future missions. Do you both understand?"
The room was deathly quiet. The air-conditioning blasted at full power in the background. The monotonous ticking of a clock drummed in their ears. Lucas felt a heavy sweat breaking out across his forehead- a discrete glance at Ava placed her in a similar position. She looked shell-shocked, her mouth opening one too many times but never actually managing to part with her words. Lucas understood the feeling- but recovered fast enough to control his emotion.
"Husband?" he quietly asked.
"W-Wife?" Ava stuttered, catching on.
Both were unsatisfied with the response they received.
Nigel knocked back the rest of the brandy, and slammed the glass back on the desk.
"It's perfectly legit. We have two FBI agents off the opposite sex working together, undercover. The martial couple ploy works a treat every time. Why would we deviate from a plan, that has provided such fruitful results in the past?" The raised eyebrow managed to keep Ava mute for a while, but her mind whirred furiously all the same. When she managed to come up with four suitable counter-arguments, she finally spoke.
"But what about brother or sister?" she pointed out. "Or two good friends, travelling the country together? (She ignored Lucas's incredulous scoff then) We could be cousins, co-workers, anything we want to be. Why husband- and- and-"
Lucas was gazing at her openly now, and Ava found the words harder to come by. There was something disconcerting about a man, whom you had happened to admire until just about half-an hour-ago, stare at you as if you were simply the most idiotic person to live.
"Wife?" Nigel injected in, saving Ava from any major embarrassment. She shot him a grateful look before remembering he was the reason, she was in this situation in the first place. Then she grimaced, not unlike the sneer currently perched on his protege's face.
"It's simple. This union seems to rouse the least suspicion in potential environments we send our agents too. Lucas, you are well aware of this statistic. Maybe you can soothe Ava's worries?"
Lucas didn't want to soothe Ava's worries. Hell, he didn't even want to pretend to like, let alone love, her. Love was a novel concept for him, something that made disillusioned little girls go to sleep at night, never knowing the stark bleak facts about life. Lucas thrived on stark bleak facts. It was what made his world go around; helping him solve more rapes, murders and crimes than he could dream off. Not love.
His mind was made up.
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"I'll do it."
I gawped at Lucas with something akin to panic. No...
No!
I still couldn't believe that Lucas hadn't kicked up more of a fuss. Hell, I had even wanted him too! If he had followed the script, and protested fiercely against me, then I would've been able to walk away from him and this case, and nobody would've blamed me. In any other circumstances, I would've snapped this up like a shot. I mean, who wouldn't? This was the big break I had been searching for, and now that it was being practically handed to me in a silver platter, I didn't want it?
What kind of warped up reality is that?
But the idea of working with Lucas Godsend, whom had showed nothing but hostility towards me so far, was my explanation.
I didn't want to work with the dude. Simple as that.
"But Ava darling...sometimes there comes a time, where you can't choose the people you work with...Then, you just have to grin and bear it. Remember, that's what distinguishes a good leader from a great one."
I cursed my mother for making an impromptu visit into my head, but I couldn't help but feel like a little girl again, gazing up at my mom, with two plaits and big doe eyes, drinking in every last word...
"Count me in, too."
Even if those words pained me; it was worthwhile to see a smidgen of respect enter Lucas's eyes. But like a freight train, it whistled past and was gone.
The glee in Nigel's face was contagious, as he thanked us again and again. I found myself grinning foolishly as Nigel shook my hand, and then Lucas's before handing him a pair of train tickets to Richmond, Viriginia at Eight PM sharp with a pitstop along the way. My grin wavered when Lucas uncaringly shoved them into the side pocket of his pants. He didn't seem like the type of person who mishandled important items- and thus provided the feeling that this little show was just for my benefit.
I didn't disappoint.
"Lucas, honey," I sugar-coated/maple-syruped/whatever. "Don't do that. You know it pisses me off."
For a split second, Lucas looked surprised. His green eyes sparking in disbelief. But then he twigged onto the heavily veiled contempt and shot me a mocking look.
"What?" I decided to play innocent, "I was only practising, sweetcakes. You look tense. Poor baby, do you want some aspirin?"
Would leaning over and rubbing his thigh, be overkill? I decided against it because a) Nigel was looking highly confused behind that desk of his b) Lucas looked ready to blow a gasket and c) I didn't actually want to touch him. Even if the first two somehow mysteriously resolved itself, the latter would definitely throw a spanner in the works.
(Without a shadow of a doubt)
Lucas stopped rubbing his forehead long enough, to enunciate his words to full effect. "Never. Ever. Call me. Sweetcakes. Again."
Oops.
Thank you to the 5 that reviewed. Awesome, all round :)
Next chapter : A train journey like no other...(aka HOGWARTS EXPRESS! no, not really... :)