Twenty-nine - A plan and a kiss

The four stared at the tied man like angry gangsters who were scheming ways to ensure he revealed to them what they wanted no matter what.

Well, Amir was more of the angry gangster. Sebastian was just getting ready to pour another bucket of water while Chloe and Nathaniel stood and waited, Chloe making sure to maintain a distance from him.

Without waiting for anyone, Sebastian woke the man up with another splash of water, huger than the last one, it had the man dripping like he had just been dumped into the ocean.

"It is time for you to wake up Tate," Sebastian said. Chloe scrunched her nose at his name. Tate. She really didn't bother to know his name, she didn't see the need.

"You!" The man who had been struggling to keep his eyes open at first almost flew back on the sight of Amir.

Sebastian moved a bit forward. "I can see you recognize Amir."

"I- I am not going to say anything," the man warned.

"And I can also see you know we want something from you."

"You can't get anything from me," Tate said with some kind of confidence causing Nathaniel to chuckle. Looking his way, Chloe wondered if he was going to get involved in the whole issue fully.

"Tate..." Sebastian slapped his left shoulder. "My man..." He slapped the other one causing the wet man to wince even more. With his huge body giving no room for any cunniness, Sebastian leaned forward, his hands on the arms of the wooden chair.

"You and I know so well that there are two ways to this thing. The easy and the hard. I know you are too stubborn to pick the easy way, so we are left with the hard way." Sebastian raked his eyes through him. "And I must say the hard way is halfway done. All we need now is some naked, current filled wire."

Chloe felt a shiver. Stealing a look at Amir with the hard face and Nathaniel with the blank face, she wondered if she was about to see the deadly side to the NAG brothers, if they have one.

"But Tate, fortunately for you, we are not like the likes of you who would do anything in the name of punishment or revenge." Chloe felt some kind of relief. "So, for that reason, we are letting you go."

"Wait, what?" Amir asked with Chloe's expression agreeing with his question. "Why would you let him go? We need information from him." Amir made to charge towards Sebastian who was already loosening Tate's bonds. But Nathaniel pulled him back.

"Amir... calm down."

"Don't freaking tell me to calm down! We should be getting something out of this blockhead not releasing him to do more shit!" Nathaniel nodded in agreement, still having a hold on Amir who was glaring at Tate like a hungry tiger watching its dinner.

Chloe just stood and watched.

"Off you go." Even Tate was surprised that he was being released. Slipping into the water that drenched him, he took another uncertain look at Sebastian who motioned to him to move as he watched him with his serious eyes.

"What the hell?" Amir forced himself out of Nathaniel's grip.

"Amir... I know this looks crazy, but I can assure you that this is a plan that will work."

"What plan?" Amir asked, his body a little calm.

"Well," Sebastian stole a look at Nathaniel before continuing. "Before now, Nathaniel and I devised a plan where we capture Tate then plant a chip in him." Chloe frowned. That could be one of the ways the Agency were stalking her.

"While he was unconscious, we planted the chip and according to plan, we let him go without much hassle."

Amir was more calm after Nathaniel's explanation. "Wait. Don't you think whoever it is that has sent him might happen to think to check for chips?" he asked.

"Well Amir, this is why I love technology. The chips we set in him are totally undetectable. Only I knows where I planted them."

"Them? There are more than a chip?"

"Yes. I planted two. One to trace his movements and the other to record conversations."

"Wow." Amir nodded his head in awe of the plan. As a thought seemed to drop into his head, he raised a finger up a little and said, "How come I didn't notice you planting the chips."

Sebastian chuckled. "Amir, you were busy being angry."

"Who wouldn't?"

Nathaniel reached for his friend's arm and gave it a gentle tug. "I am glad this is happening. We are finally going to find out who is behind all this."

"We?" Amir shook his hold off. "If my memory doesn't fail me, you were going to have me thrown in jail."

"No I wasn't," Nathaniel retorted gaining a sneer from Amir who was approaching Chloe.

"All my thanks goes to Chloe. I won't forget this, especially what you did today."

"You are welcome."

Amir returned her smile. "What now?" he turned to ask Sebastian.

"We wait."

"I guess we will do just that. But first, we need to rest. I need to sleep, tonight has been crazy enough." Chloe could not agree more and without waiting for anybody she made for the entrance.

"Where are you going?" Nathaniel asked.

"Where do you think?" Amir returned before Chloe could give a response. Without haste, he walked towards her, grabbed her by the hand and said, "Chloe, let's go. Your bed is calling you."

The tiredness in her popped out a little more and she said, "Well, my body is crying for my bed."

"More reason why we should get home." And nothing more was said.

~

Like Zombies, Chloe and Amir got out of the van.

For some reason, the ride had tired them even more.

They did not even hear Sebastian drive off or Nathaniel's footsteps as he followed them.

All that was on their mind was sleep.

Almost like automated beings, they both made thier way upstairs. But Chloe was immediately pulled back with a gentle tug by Nathaniel.

"Nathaniel?" her voice asked lazily.

Within two eye blinks, his hands had cupped her cheeks and his lips had found hers. Unlike the one at the club, he dragged this particular kiss with care, making sure to make her feel him at every corner of her mouth.

Chloe, whose hands found rest on his that were against her cheeks found herself having no idea what to do. So, she did not kiss him back. But then, she did not resist.

When he finally pulled back, his eyes looked into hers deeply and he drew her close to his chest with a single pull. A smirk covered his lips as he watched her almost cluelessly stare at him. His long fingers came up and traced the side of her face. "Goodnight Chloe," he gently said to her.

Chloe smiled like a baby. A sleepy baby. "Goodnight." Then she found her way upstairs where numerous calls had come in from the Agency. She ignored them and went on to sleep.

And that night, she dreamt a lot about Nathaniel.