Frustrated.

That's how I felt.

My job was going great, I had a loving family, an amazing boyfriend but I was still frustrated.

I needed something.

I decided to watch a movie last night and take a deep dive into the fantasy world but guess what?

I watched Magic Mike XXL.

Frustrated.

That man did so many things to me I think my ovaries left me. Like they moved from my uterus to my esophagus because they couldn't handle it.

Now I'm googling Strip clubs in my area but none of them seem as promising as Chaning Tatum.

Do I really want to see some guy with a thong-"There's a letter left on the reception for you"

I jumped in my desk like a little school boy looking at bikini models in his home computer.

"Wha-um yeah just leave it there" I said, trying to compose myself.

"Like right here?" My assistant asked.

"Yup! Right there" I nodded discreetly trying to minimise the tab.

"On the floor?" She asked, unsure. One look from me and she understood that I'm probably just being plain ol' me. Leaving the letter on the floor she went out muttering something.

I sighed back in my chair. That's the most action I've got in the last three months. Almost a season went by since I did something fun.

"YELLO! Little Birde we are going for a ride!" Brian barged in with the gang...or should I say...The Phoenix.

"What ride?"

"Hey what's this?" Zach picked up the letter which I ran to take back.

"That's personal property." I snatched back the letter that didn't interest me until someone else had his hands on it.

"Cool view" Michael mumbled looking into the forest situated on the other side of the river.

"Steve stop touching my Marvel collection" I swatted his hands away.

"Damn you look hot" Arms snaked around my waist as his familiar musky scent formed a bubble around me.

"Hello stranger" A smile graced my lips. But soon my overimaginative mind pictured him flipping me over his shoulders and grinding on me as 'Pony' played in the background.

Stop it Brain!

"Who's going on a ride?" I asked him shaking my head to get rid of the image.

"You" He left open mouthed kissed on my exposed neck.

I turned around pushing Alex back slightly, "Seriously Alex" I inquired.

"That's the problem! You've been too serious lately." Steve smacked my head which earned him a punch to the shoulder in return.

They care so much for me, it's overwhelming! But all of them together in my office, moving things from their designated places is ticking me.

"Well we can't all have a crazy ex to keep us entertained!" I glared at Alex.

"Hey I never slept with her!" He squeaked.

"Wasn't that the problem?" Steve laughed.

"Yeah maybe you should've slept with her." I mumbled. Still angry, frustrated.

"You're funny, maybe you should join the circus." Alex wrapped his arms around me.

"Fine let's go be clowns! Out of my office now!" I tried to shove everyone out. It's difficult to move fully grown men who are child-like on the inside.

Alex was the last one out, helping me put things back to their place while the guys warmed up the car as they were planning on a long drive towards a camping sight.

Let me tell you, it's the company that matters more than the destiny. These guys were connected to each other on a soul-ular level.

I still had the letter tucked into my sling bag, even my laptop. But I forgot about all that until we stopped goofing around the camp fire and went to our tents, slightly tipsy might I add.

Oh please I can handle more!

If you weren't tipsy you wouldn't say that B.

I removed the letter from my bag and opened the seal to see a handwritten letter. What is this the late 90s?

It was by- The Chief?! Why would the Chief of the Service so secret send me a handwritten letter?! And to think I almost left it on the floor.

Skimming the details I found out that the Chief had private information that stated that one of our own was against us...he/she was a higher rank person, above me. He also mentioned that he cleared most of the board members and all that remained were my Boss and the General.

Wow that bítch is actually up to something!

I should have trusted my gut when it churned at the sight of her. But we couldn't be sure yet-

The letter shook from my hand as the voice jerked me into motion. I reached for my baby that I always carried with me in my new bag along with my laptop.

But before I could take it out shots rang near me, tearing through the tent as I crawled backwards covering myself with my laptop.

Son of a-

I got out from underneath the tent and ran behind a tree for cover as I scanned the area. Alex and Steve were atleast a mile away disposing our bottles in the bin while everyone else was God knows where.

Four suited men were rounding up my tent as if they knew I was inside, 6-no - 8 men turned the other tents inside out to find no one underneath.

Car tires rubbed against the sand as a bullet proof SUV parked across from me. And guess who stepped out of it? The General herself! She rounded up the men and told them to go into the forest, a.k.a. pointed them right at me. They separated into 4 teams taking different entry points to the forest, which meant if I ran into the forest I was bound to meet up atleast 2 teams, who were armed with snipers.

I just wanted to be a clown today, damnit. I panted.

Think Brain, think.

"Here kitty kitty!" She taunted.

"Come out now and no one will get hurt!" She cackled.

'She doesn't have anyone, she's trying to play you Ari' I thought to myself.

"Ah look what we found! A ray of sunshine! Come on now, kitties like to follow the laser don't they? I can assure you he has so many lasers pointed at him!" She called out.

"You fúcked up my glasses!" I heard Zach struggle against whatever they tied him with.

*Smack!* "Shut up" She slapped him. Making my fists clench up.

"I just want that letter honey, you give that to me and we can be on our way, no harm done." I almost snorted as she said that.

If she knew I had the letter, she also knew I that I read the contents of the letter. No way I'd survive this one.

But the letter was the only leverage I had. It could buy me some time, maybe allow others to get here... maybe even save Zach. Oh Zach.

"Fine." I yelled. Immediately all the lasers pointed around the tree that was camaflouge by the fence.

"I'm coming out, don't shoot just yet." I could've laughed at my own stupidity, but there was a choice between stupidity or death of my loved ones, and I'd take stupidity anyday.

"ARI" Zach screamed, struggling against two burly guys.

"You let him go, so we can settle this like adults. Two adults who know what's going to happen." I spoke calmly even though the letter clenched inside my fist was shaking.

"ARI I'M-" Zach started to say something, but I shushed him with one look. Pleading with my eyes to stop.

Where the fúck is Alex?

The General took a handgun from one of the guys and knocked Zach out from the blunt end. Then she pointed the gun at me. Clicking the safety off she said "Walk, no more games"

"It's you isn't it? You were the one who got me suspended." I walked slowly towards her.

"You gave Mia the information on where to pick me up" I was four steps ahead.

"You hired the guy to kill me." Halfway there.

"Why" It wasn't even a question. It was a statement. She knew it didn't matter if she answered me or not. It was going to end all the same.

"Mia was my daughter!" She pointed the gun to my head.

"She wasn't given a place at the academy because of you!" The academy? What is with this family!

That moment I heard a slight thump from the forest.

"You took everything from my daughter! And now you want to be the general too? I can't let that happen!" She widened her eyes.

"I've worked too hard on it! Harder than anyone could've! Not even you. You couldn't have done the things I did." She shakes her head.

"You see that laptop? It has all of my life's work! And now I have to destroy it, because of YOU!" She placed the gun under my chin. If she shot now I would surely look like a pack of minced meat.

What a way to go. I knew I was an overthinker, but never thought my brains would literally be blown out. I guess I'd be out of my mind.

Is this my brain's way of rejecting a traumatic experience by making puns? Ha. Sounds like me.

I sighed. I guess it's time.

"I don't think you should do that ma'am." I heard his rough voice. He was trying to contain his fear and anger at the same time.

"Stay right where you are son!" She pointed the gun at him. He visibly relaxed as soon as the gun was off me. What a dumb bítch.

"Did you just call me a dumb bítch?" Alex yelled.

Woops.

"What took you so long!?! I almost packed for my trip to hell." I scoffed.

"I-" "QUIET" She shot a bullet to my leg making me scream. Freakin' psychopath.

"You don't want to let the destroyer of your dreams and family die so easily, right ma'am?" Alex asked in a shaky voice.

Oh.

"Yeah I punched the life right out of your son! The least you could do is return the favour!" I mocked, my voice a little shaky seeing how unpredictable she was.

"Yeah. Yes. You are right! Guards! Put her in the van, we'll take her back too!" She grinned as she turned around.

In that moment Brian, Steve and Michael attacked the remaining guards as Zach woke up slightly dizzy. I saw a guard trying to shot Zach and I immediately rolled over, dropping the men at my side and dragging Zach backwards.

In doing so I accidentally put pressure on the leg that was shot at making me tumble to the ground.

The General finally got some sense into her, unfortunately for me, she grabbed her gun and held me at gunpoint AGAIN as Alex tried to shoot her.

"You click, I click." She panted.

I looked at the van stuffed to the brim with CPUs, laptops and drives. Then looked at Alex whose eyes flickered to me. I signalled him to the van but he got angrier and shook his head.

"Keeping me alive... isn't a priority."

There. I said it. Repeating the same words he once told me. Those were the good times.

"It's the ONLY priority." Alex said firmly, his hands shaking as he lowered the gun.

Right that moment Michael swooshed in from somewhere and pinned the General down! Alex ran to me and hugged me close. I could feel his heartbeat through his chest, surprisingly it synced with mine.

"I-" I tried to speak but found my mouth covered with his. He kissed me through and through. We parted only because we needed to breathe.

"You are the only priority Ariana." He said looking straight into my eyes.

He had to say my full name too? Good Lord.

"I still think you should've slept with her." I joked making him laugh out loud. It freaked out Brian who pointed his gun at us, which made me giggle like a little kid.

Guns and Giggles, that's my life and I wouldn't change a thing!

"I think this is enough camping for the whole year." Michael said, packing up the broken gear as sirens rang around us.

The Chief's helicopter landed on a building nearby.

"Definitely" Brian said shaking his head as he put the gun back on safety.

"OHMYFGOD IT'S THE CHIEF" I squealed into Alex' shirt and then composed myself.

"Ms. Ariana"

"Chief"

"So you got my letter..." Chief nodded.

"Almost DIED because of that letter-" Alex ranted off but I nudged him to stay quiet.

"Why me?" I asked the Chief.

"We needed to test loyalties, seeing as the events turned out...and this was also an interview, we have a place to fill after all." He gave a hint of smile.

"A TEST? YOU CALL THIS A T-"

"ALEX!" I nudged him again as he was still holding me in his arms.

"I'm fine." He muttered angrily, burying his nose in my neck.

"You and your team will be taken care of, I'll make sure of it." He signalled his assistant to do something and she went away. A dude came to me to check my wound, luckily it was just a flesh wound and he dressed it up.

"Congratulations Ms. Ariana" he nodded one last time and left in his helicopter, looking like the best cameo of my life.

"Let's go Ari" Alex kissed my neck possessively seeing how taken I was with the Chief.

He's hot okay!

We got in the car, Michael had already packed our stuff with Zach, so we left right then. Alex carried me to the car claiming his right as a concerned boyfriend.

My hand still in his sitting at the backseat Alex whispered in my ear "I have a surprise for you."

"Mmhmm" I smiled "Do I have to walk through a candle lit way one the beach? Cause I'm not up for that after today..." I weaved my fingers through his.

"You know that's too cheesy even for me." He laughed and brought me closer to his chest.

"This is something.... you'll enjoy very much." He kissed my ear which made me hold back a moan.

"Get a room I don't want cúm stains on my brand new Rover." Michael scowled.

Zach snorted next to me, "I don't want cúm stains on me either."

"Ew Zach!" I laughed.

I can't wait to see what's in store for tonight!

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