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Lark
I’m still feeling tingly in places that I shouldn’t be considering the situation when Marcus and I walk in on the others who are deep in a discussion. I’d get mad, but really, it’s my own fault, and partially the man’s next to me. They all go silent when Marcus clears his throat, and I meet Rex’s eyes to share a smile but go to Apollo in his chair instead of the couch with him. Rex doesn’t seem to mind, and Apollo’s face lights up with what I think is happy surprise.
“Nightingale,” he greets me.
“Apollo,” I mock back with the same serious tone. Disgruntlement flits over his features, but they smooth back out when I slip onto his lap. If they all want to do this thing, they’d better get used to my serious lack of boundaries when it suits me. He doesn’t seem to mind though and adjusts until we’re both comfortable with his arms wrapped loosely around me.
I trace the slightly raised veins under the tanned skin of his forearms with my fingertips as I address the others. “So, what’d we miss? Is it bad?” Marcus quirks a brow, and I remember his ‘one question at a time bit’. He gets the eye roll he deserves; he’d been the one to distract me in the first place.
Rex answers, and the others leave him to it. “Brent and A.D. Chappel have been working with Robert since the morning after the bust. Robert also found out that Emmett and I were undercover and was able to get enough information on the A.D. to coerce him. We still don’t know what that information is, but at this point, it’s not the biggest issue. That’s why my boss wouldn’t let you go after everyone else was released and kept insisting on ‘protocol’. From what I’ve gotten from mine and Emmett’s sources, A.D. Chappel was trying to make you have a breakdown and appear unstable enough to have a legitimate reason to keep you, under Robert’s orders, and that's why he wouldn't release you. His boss, the Director, is now aware and is planning to intercept Robert and pick the A.D. up on charges in about six hours.”
Rex pauses, and his forehead creases in concern. “I’m sorry I was a dick back there. We thought maybe the secretary was the leak in our office. Our informant didn’t know who it was, and I was afraid to draw more attention to you. I didn’t know you were already being targeted. The A.D.’s actions were odd, but we didn’t have much to go on at that point. Not until Brent just tied it all together for us.” I nod at him but spin my finger in a ‘go on’ motion. He’s already apologized enough. Sighing and still looking worried, he continues. “Robert has flipped out. The A.D. didn’t disclose your or Braeden’s full names or location, not at first anyway. You were listed as classified, and even he couldn’t get into that without just cause. And Apollo had your purse and Braeden’s wallet destroyed before anyone ever got into them as far as he’s aware.”
I glance back at Apollo, giving him a grateful smile. He returns it, and I lace my fingers with his. The others aren’t paying attention to us, but it doesn’t go unnoticed by my bestie who actually looks relieved, and I’m definitely going to try to remember to ask him about it later. After this mess is taken care of. “Okay, so Brent coordinated things then?” I ask to get the ball rolling again.
Emmett picks up this time though. “Essentially, yes. He leaked his location to Robert, and the A.D. gave a few other of the commonly used safe houses up to him as well. They were trying to push us into one of the more secluded ones, hoping they could hit us and draw you out when Rex and I were injured or worse. Robert is apparently obsessed with getting Apollo back, or he was. From Brent’s account, Apollo,” he gestures to the man behind me, “thinks Robert has plain snapped. It’s erratic behavior even for him. We’re not positive if he knows Apollo orchestrated it all, but maybe now, after he found out you took a pregnancy test and how nutty he is about kids… well, Apollo, maybe it would be best if you finished this part.”
Apollo takes up where Emmett left off. “Robert didn’t actually find anything at the house. You forgot that part.” He addresses Emmett before continuing. “Robert was able to have your bank records pulled and traced you to when you made the purchase and got footage that you’re the one that bought it. He got your address at the same time and was already on his way to get you. Brent couldn’t tell us that without giving himself up. Robert is done with me and convinced you’re carrying my child. I’m not sure he’s even sane enough to consider that it couldn’t be mine.”
All the revelations are giving me a damn headache. I gesture for them all to wait, so I can make sure I have it all clear. “Wait one sec. Okay, so Robert has gone off the deep end and at this point doesn’t really care who I’m knocked up by, even though we now know I’m not. But that wouldn’t matter to him anyway?” I turn to ask Apollo for clarification, and he nods. “So, I know the A.D. has been feeding him information because Robert has dirt on him. But why Brent?”
Marcus picks that one up. “He has his mom and sister. Brent has snuck calls to them several times before he got here, but hasn’t been able to get through to either one, and Robert claims he’s holding them as collateral until he has me, you, and Apollo back. Well, now just you and the rest of us dead, but that’s a more recent development since we all disappeared into hiding.”
I actually kinda feel bad for Brent. If it were Brade, I’d be in a panic. It doesn’t absolve him though. He should have asked for help; obviously his cousin cared about him enough to hide him.
“Alright, I think I’ve got enough to understand. What’s the plan now? I’m assuming you guys have one, right?”
Rex stands up to stretch and pace around as he lays out what they’re going to do in just a few hours. I try not to freak out that they could be hurt. It’s their job, Lark, I remind myself. But they’re going to be doing something much safer from now on. No more crazy shit. Not if I have any say in it.
"We're leaking the info, with the Director's assistance, that you have a follow-up appointment in the morning. The Director is going to have a team at the address Brent gave us to pick up Robert while another is going to be waiting at the clinic. Hopefully, most everyone will be rounded up that got missed at The Facility, and we can get back to normal. As for the A.D., we'll have a third team to follow him from his home to the office, and he'll be picked up there."
Rex seems confident, but it sounds entirely too easy for all of the stress and danger that have led up to this point. Plus, he didn't mention what any of the rest of us are going to be doing, and I feel like he's deliberately left that out.
"Where are you and everyone else going to be while all of this goes down?"
Rex hedges and rubs the back of his neck before imparting the news. "Emmett and I will be on-site at the clinic— as well as Marcus and Apollo. We're afraid if whoever he sends doesn't see them, that they'll spook before we can pick them up." He winces at my outright glare, and I turn to Braeden, the other odd person out.
He shakes his head. "Lovebird, you know it's the surest way. We'll hang back here and wait." I want to argue as helplessness swamps me. Not that I'd be any help but I'm afraid if they all leave my sight, something bad will happen.
Apollo rubs his free hand up my arm in soothing strokes while Rex finishes going over the rest of it.
"We're going to drop Brent off with a pair of agents that the Director picked himself so he won't be here or there in the way. If all goes according to plan, then we'll have to go in and debrief before we come back. Apollo and Marcus should be a formality as they've already been cleared and released once, but it could be a couple of days for me and Emmett. If that happens, we'll let you know. We don't want you to worry."
Of course, my anxiety is ramping up, and I'm suddenly extremely grateful that I can take my meds again. One day these things will chill out, but today is not the day.
I don't want you to go. I'm terrified, but making them worry about me while they're gone isn't going to help matters and may cause them harm. Instead of begging them to stay, I make them swear they'll come back. "Promise you won't screw around. None of you. Follow all the rules." I don't know which one to glare at first since none of them are good at that. Which has me wondering how Rex and Emmett got through whatever training they had to do. Giving up, I pull my fingers from Apollo's and cross my arms, waiting for their assurances.
Apollo only squeezes my shoulder while Marcus nods once sharply. Emmett tips an imaginary hat, and Rex tries to be evasive. "We'll do everything we can to mitigate any undue risk."
Brade groans. He knows just as well as I do that that was a line directly from someone's mouth that isn't in this room. "Oh, shut up, Rex. How about this..." I hop to my feet and retreat to stand next to my bestie. He's apparently smarter than the others anyway. "You do anything stupid, and our deal is off."
Rex pales while the others make noises that hint at their curiosity. It's confirmed when I glance around before settling my attention back on Rex.
"That's not fair." Even Emmett snorts at that rebuttal.
"Neither is showboating and getting yourself killed," I retort.
His shoulders sag, and he admits defeat. "Fine, but I'm still doing my job, and you can't expect any less than that."
He's not wrong, and I have to agree with him. "I wouldn't expect you to shirk your duties. I only want you safe, all of you." My voice softens as I make eye contact with each of them and they acknowledge with nods all around. This multiple partners thing is kinda awkward. Gonna have to figure it out.
