Fifty-Two - A hug for Amir

"What on earth have you been up to Agent Pepper. I have been trying to reach you," Agent Connor who didn't bother with a greeting, asked.

Chloe almost smiled. "Agent Connor... I am asking you once again. Please... what have you learnt about my brother's disappearance so far?"

"Where is this coming from? I thought we talked about this already. It has not been easy to gather information so far. Be patient Chloe."

"Why do you people take pleasure in lying? Uh? An Agency like yours that is over-equipped... do you really expect me to believe you?"

"Where is all this suddenly coming from Chloe? Did something happen?"

"Does something have to happen? Not even a clue has been given to me. Why? Do you think I have all the time in the world to work for you guys?"

"Chloe-"

She cut him short. "The way things are now, I am even beginning to doubt the Agency's sincerity."

"Excuse me?" Chloe breathed out hard. She stopped the incoming questions she had bottled up since the discovery in the shed.

"I am sorry," she said almost quietly. Besides, she could not afford to give them any room for suspicion. She was going to deal with everything her way. "I have been so angered lately."

Agent Connor sighed. "Did you find something?"

"No. But I have been remembering someone... a lot. Please find him for me. He could be dead or alive. But please..."

"Chloe," his fatherly tone was back. "You and I know he was dead when you last saw him."

"Why then would a dead body dissapear? Who would have a use for such?" Chloe asked sternly. "I want answers and fast, because I think I am starting to lose it a bit."

"We are working on it. But Chloe, did something happen while you were captured?"

A small frown fell on her face. "Why?"

"Something seems to be missing."

"Missing from where?"

"Uh... you were not supposed to find out, but we planted a chip inside you."

A bitter chuckle came from her. "I guessed as much. You people just love doing things that makes me hate you even more."

"Chloe..."

"So where did you put the chip? Perhaps I can help you all look for it."

"You don't have to sound so insincere Agent Pepper. I will speak to the bosses and see that they accelerate the investigation you want answers from."

"That sounds okay. Is that all sir?"

"Are you certain you've not found anything?" he asked again. Chloe who had resolved to not tell him about Markings hidden agenda anymore chuckled again.

"If I have, I will certainly let you know."

"Good. Be careful Chloe."

"Thank you sir. Have a good day." A low grunt was Agent Connor's response. As she tossed the headphone onto the bathroom ground, Chloe's hands fisted.

Yes. They were the deceiver's. Well maybe not the entire Agency, but definitely Markings wouldn't be the only one wanting the brothers downfall. He certainly was working with other people. And they have used their powers and promise to lure her into a room of innocent people where she is supposed to find evidence to jail them.

As she made to open the bathroom door after turning off the running shower, a thought dropped.

Markings and his people perhaps knew about the underground den. Perhaps they also knew the truth about what was going on down there.

Her fists hardened. If only there were a way to drill Markings and get answers without risking a lot.

"Chloe," Amir called from the outer door. "Are you in?"

"Yes," she replied as she swung the bathroom door open and walked towards the entrance door. "Hi," came her greeting with a small smile.

"Are you busy?"

Running her hands through her uniform which she hadn't worn in a while, she said, "I was just about to clean the library."

"Oh." He walked further into the room, his cologne tickling her nose heavily. "You should consider leaving the job you know."

"Hmm, I don't know," she replied with an intent to tease in her voice. "I sort of like being paid."

"You don't have to work, we will still pay you."

"No..." She walked past him and reached for the duster she left lying by her bed. "I don't like that idea."

"But-"

"Amir..." She turned abruptly, her eyes trained on his. "I am certain you came for something else."

"Yes, I did." The air suddenly wore a different kind of emotion. His palms rubbing each other as they positioned around his lower abdomen, he drew a long breah before he said, "I want to apologize."

Chloe wore serious interest on her face instantly. "What for?"

His shoulders slumped a bit. "Because you decided to help me, you ended up being captured. And judging by the state we found you in, you certainly weren't treated nicely. So-"

"Amir, please you don't have to-"

"Don't tell me that." His brows knitted. "I have to apologize. Listen..." he sighed. "Apart from the guys, I have never had any other friends. Nobody in school wanted to be friends with the guy who..."

Seeing as his face was wearing a very sad look, Chloe quickly reached for his hands and held them comfortably. She was expecting him to evade the incomplete statement, but he didn't.

"Noo wanted to relate with the guy that killed his father." Chloe's hold suddenly loosened. But it didn't leave yet. She felt there was more to the sudden confession she just heard. "Because my mother left me days after, they all felt it was true and I was treated as an outsider."

His ducked head came up and Chloe's eyes met his teary ones and that made her heart ache. She wasn't seeing Amir as a grownup. His eyes wore the look of a young boy who had been hurt.

"But I didn't kill him. He-" Amir's eyes blinked furiously as though wanting to send back the tears. "He- he set himself on fire in front of me." Chloe's hold tightened once again. "No one believed me. Instead, because I survived after a rough escape, they concluded I was the one that did it. Even my mother..."

Chloe who could sense the topic was becoming quite unbearable for him made to talk but she was interrupted. "My point is... after a long while, I finally had another friend. True, we didn't start out fine, but the fact that you even wanted to help me just... it was just enough to make me glad."

"Amir..."

At that moment, his huge hands enveloped hers and his face wore a smile. "So, I have to apologize because I put a very good friend of mine in danger. And I have to do all I can to protect her from now on. Not only because she is my friend, but because I... like her."

Chloe's lips could not help but quiver as she struggled to form a reasonable response to his sudden sentence.

She tried to retract her hands from his hold, but he held her firmly. "The other day... I got high to tell you how I felt." Amir's lips tugged a bit and he took a step closer, startling her even more. "But right now... I am in my right senses and..."

One of his hold dissolved and went to the curve of her waist, Chloe watching with even more confusion.

"Chloe..." Due to his closeness, his eyes penetrated her with such great intensity. "I like you."

"Amir..." She finally found her words.

"But... I know you like someone else. So..." Amir's brows lifted a bit as his smile grew even bigger. "I will just continue to like you as a friend. And like I said, I will continue to protect you."

'How on earth could someone decide to implicate such good hearted men?' Chloe wondered.

And from what her ears just heard, if her mind was in full function, they were men with their own struggles. But someone finds pleasure in wanting to make them rot in jail?

No.

She wasn't going to let it happen. This time, she cemented the resolution. She was going to protect them all. She wasn't going to be the reason for their destruction anymore. Instead, she will save them even if it meant she wouldn't get to be with them all till the end.

Her eyes going to Amir's who was still studying her like it was the last time he would be seeing her, she knew the first steps she would take.

To Nathaniel, she would be a better lover and be the reason he laughs often.

To Gabriel, she would never mind reading thousands of books even if it meant staying up all night. Well, perhaps not exactly... but something around that thought.

And to Amir... she was going to hug him.

And that she did. As his head rested comfortably on hers, she whispered, "Don't worry, this friend won't be leaving you soon."

And she meant it with everything she had.