Agent Rogue: Renegade

Chapter 14

As requested, the car came early. The three of us spent the entire journey home anxiously waiting in the helicopter; Scotty tapped the dashboard and Derek paced up and down the cockpit, asking how long was left of the journey every few minutes. His phone remained pressed against his ear for the entirety of the journey, despite the lack of phone signal, as he tried to contact Jade over and over again. Never had I seen him so anxious.

I took his hand as he walked past my seat. "Derek, sit down," I said. He let his hand drop and looked at the screen; twelve unanswered calls to Rick, seven to Jade. He pressed the call button one more time and put the device to his ear.

"Maybe just one more..."

***

Most of the floors in the agency were empty so, as we reached the darkened roof, we ran down the stairs as fast as our legs would carry us. We took a breather as we entered the elevator, panting heavily -- particularly Scotty. He leaned forward, a hand on his back as he heaved.

"So... much... pain!"

"Quiet," I hushed.

He glared. "I will silence my cries of agony, then."

Hopping on the tube was a faster method to get to Rick's house rather than driving in London traffic. It was the middle of the night, yet taxis and buses were still running, ready to pick up the late-workers and party-goers. Derek had tried contacting both Jade and Rick ten times while on our way there with no luck, cursing every response from the answer machine. We reached the house within fifteen minutes and there was no movement from within it.

Derek reached for the handle. "It's so... still," he said. He pulled it down but the door wouldn't budge. He tried again and kept pulling the handle repeatedly, over and over again, panic building.

"I'll try," said Scotty.

"You're weaker than me!" Derek exclaimed.

"It might work!" Scotty shoved Derek to the side and reached for the handle, only for the door to swing open and a can of spray to fire on Scotty's eyeballs.

He screamed and clutched his face, taking a step back and almost toppling down the stone steps. Derek and I caught him by the arms, jaws dropping at the sight of Rick in a dark grey dressing gown, clutching a can of deodorant. 

"What the-? Derek!"

"Rick," Derek sighed. Scotty grunted as Derek let him go, falling into me. "Are you alright? Where's Jade?"

"I'd say he looks fine but I can't see anything!" Yelled Scotty.

"Who's this?" Asked Rick, frowning at the blinded Scotty.

"A... colleague," said Derek. "Is Jade okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" Groaned Jade. We looked past Rick and spotted her staggering down the stairs, wearing a pair of polka-dot pyjamas. "It's two in the morning why... why is Scotty on the floor?"

Derek didn't answer. He stormed forward and pulled Jade into a tight hug. She was far smaller than him, appearing very squashed as her face was pressed against his shoulder blade. She hugged back nonetheless.

"What was that for?" She said.

"We thought you were in danger," said Derek. "After what you told Amber--"

"You told him?" Said Jade, a tone of hurt in her voice.

"I had to," I replied. "There could have been a genuine threat to both of your lives."