*Chapter 30*

I zipped up my burgendy sweatshirt jacket and pulled the black beanie over my head, stuffing the face mask in my pocket.

"Ready to go?" Zaron nonchalantly leaned against the wall, already in his green cargo pants and white t-shirt under his grey hoodie.

"In a second," I said while I got out my red Converse shoes where I wrapped the lace around my ankle before tying them since they happen to be too long for some reason. It was early in the morning right now and it was still an unknown feeling preparing for the upcoming in the young dawn light.

Anyway, I quickly pushed that thought aside, seeing as we didn't have much time left and I was still looking for my phone. I raised the blanket, hoping to find it under it, but no, it wasn't there.

It's always like that. The moment I'm in a hurry, I always happen to be missing something. "What is it? What're you looking for?" Zaron crossed his arms at me.

"My phone," I muttered, glancing around the room.

"On the table," he pointed at it, turned around, ready to head out to the car. My pretty disorganized self picked the phone up and sprinted after him, after closing the door behind me and getting in the car.

We sped up a bit since we were running a bit late and for whatever reason that was, Zaron insisted on arriving before anyone else did. I, on the other side, had other problems. According to our plan, I was carrying a lot of responsibility on me for the very first time and Zaron wasn't there to have my back this time. And of course I didn't want to mess up.

"Stop worrying," Zaron suddenly said like he knew what was going through my mind. He pulled over in that moment and opened the door. I didn't even notice that we had already arrived. "You're just thinking too much," he added.

"How can I not?" I mumbled after getting out, glancing around the place. It felt like we were in the middle of nowhere "Just one mistake and everything is over," I sighed and rested my head against Zaron's chest.

"That's how it works." He laid his hand on my back for comfort but I still felt uneasy. "Hey, look up." He put his fingers under my chin and gently forced me to look at him. "I know you'll be fine, don't worry."

I waved it away and turned my back at him to spin around. "I know I will, I'm worried about whether I will do well though." Once I heard a car approaching us, I stopped and followed its direction with my eyes. "Look it's Loki," I grinned and skipped in front of their car to make him pull over.

Instead, his car slightly hit me, causing me to trip and drop to the ground. "Ow," I whined.

"What the hell! Quentin!" Zaron, Loki and his passengers which were Collin and Pixie jumped out the car as if something drastic happened. "Damn, what's gotten into you?" Zaron shrieked.

"Huh? Nothing," I stood up and brushed my bum clean. "You better watch where you're driving Loki," I warned him.

"What? But you were the one who jumped in front of his car," Collin defended him.

"No I didn't. The car moved onto me," I shook my head like it was completely obvious.

"B-but-" Pixie put a hand on Collin's shoulder to calm him down and remember that it made no sense arguing with me.

"And here I am thinking that he got a little serious," Zaron mumbled.

"I'm always serious," I remarked when the last car pulled over and Memphis followed by Jane got out the car.

"Since everyone is there now, we might as well start," Zaron said. "You guys know the plan?" Everyone nodded. "Good nothing has changed, we'll stick to it. We are all on our own. The only team that moves together are Pixie and Quentin. The highest priority is for them to deactivate the bomb. So this time, there ain't anyone to back us up. If this whole case takes longer than fourty-five minutes, we'll be doomed, got that?"

"Yes," everyone besides me agreed. But that was just because I was busy checking him out and biting on my lips.

"And you stop that," he then said to me.

"What, I didn't do anything." I crossed my arms.

"No, your eyes are just begging me to fuck you right now," he rolled his eyes at me. I chuckled at that and turned to Pixie who handed us our communication stuff.

"Why the fuck are we doing this at five in the morning," Collin groaned.

"Because, we are not in a regular gang quarter, you idiot. This is Don-Raler. Their security increases during the night time, because that's when most people try to attack," Memphis explained. Collin slightly blushed for not knowing.

"Okay then why is it him-," he pointed at me. "-that gets to go with Pixie?"

"Cause I'm damn amazing and you aren't." I smirked and stuck my tongue out at him.

"You guys are ready? Our ways will part now," Zaron assured once everyone turned their earpieces on.

"C'mon Quentin we have to go," Pixie hurried me over but Zaron stopped me last minute and pulled me closer to him, pressing a long kiss on my lips.

"Take care of yourself, you hear me?" His eyes were written with worry when he stroked my cheek and said that. I just smiled at him and had to let go to catch up to Pixie who was already a little ahead of me.

I know, I wouldn't disappoint him, I made sure to promise that myself. That's why I quickly glanced back and made a funny grimace with a piece sign that converted his previous expression to an amused one before turning back.

Pixie and I were alone now, approaching the residence. "You have the plan for the bomb in your head?" He made sure as we hid in a dark place.

"Probably," I shrugged while analysing the area in which there only a few people standing around the buildings.

"Probably? Are you kidding?" I shushed him up once he raised his voice, so he calmed down. "So, when are we moving?" I didn't have an answer to his question which is why I remained silence and paid further attention to the guards.

If it weren't a lot of people for the fact that it was a highly rated gang. But then again, it's 5 in the morning and this was just one of their few headquarters.

'Take the chance as soon as your guards don't pay attention. This time it's not about coordination more like communication, so keep track.' We heard from Zaron.

"Guess we should go now," I put on my face mask, covering my nose and mouth while Pixie put his gloves on.

It was just a few minutes where we glanced at the guards and waited until they left for something. That's when we both jumped up and head to the small building that was a bit farther apart from the big one.

I didn't notice a guard passing by when Pixie pulled me over, hiding behind a tree. I don't know what was with the guard but it took like forever for him to leave and give us free access to head further.

"Shit, we only lost time," he cursed glancing at his watch. "C'mon we need to hurry!" We couldn't sprint to the building since that drew too much attention but going was not in our time range.

So we had to find the right pace inbetween. I spotted the guards from before, wanting to return. Which is why I grabbed Pixie's arm and hurried over in the last second and opened the door that lead us in.

Tree pairs of eyes landed on us immediately. Oh damn, didn't see that coming. But my partner seemed to be prepared and grabbed a gun, shooting everyone of them down before anything worse could happen.

"Pixie! We shouldn't kill anyone," was the only thing I cared at the moment.

"I didn't, I just used anastethizing injection darts. So, we got thirty minutes, till it loses it effects." I gulped and glanced around seeing not one but three bombs, coupled and strung together to a monitor and other machines.

"There are actually three," I stated and approached one of them while Pixie went to the other.

"This is worse then I thought," he sighed. 'Guys, there are actually three bombs in here, it could take a while longer than planned.' He let everyone know.

We have to be quick we already lost twenty minutes of our time, just to get here. Pixie was already focussing on one bomb and brought out a small case where he got his utensils out and started dismantling every pieces one after another.

"Wait!" I stopped him. "The capsule first. It should be right here," I turned it to the side and spotted a small button that could be only pressed with a pointed object. But Pixie didn't seem to have one.

"Where are we going to find something that fits in here now?" He sighed.

"What's with my earring?" I suggested.

"Not long enough." I bit my lips at it.

"And this?" I stuck my tongue out. He was ready to let out a disapproving comment until he glanced at it for a few seconds and changed his mind.

"That could actually work." I grinned and took the piercing out, whiping it clean before trying to use it to press the button.

Luckily, it worked and opened, revealing a black blue capsule that I took out and admired for a second. "I know it's pretty but keep going, do the others," he made me snap back and repeat the steps on the other two while Pixie dismantled everything and cut the cables. I on the other side searched through every cupboard looking for something.

"What is it? Let's leave," he waved me over. I, in that moment, found what I was looking for and grinned at the small packs of capsules. "They had more?"

"That's what I assumed after seeing that they had more than just one bomb, it was logical that they should have more than just three capsules as well."

'Pixie, Quentin, how far are you? It's getting worse in here' Jane was panting through the speaker.

'Just as much as here' Memphis said.

'There are guards everywhere I look.' Collin groaned.

Pixie and I looked at each other. Time was still running. 'Yeah we're done, is the entrance free to leave?' I wanted to know.

'No, there are more guards than at the beginning. It's like they noticed us' Jane responded since she, together with Collin, were responsible to make sure we could leave without issues. 'Where the fuck are you Zaron, Loki?' She complained. So much about keeping track, I sighed.

If it went as we planned then Zaron and Loki should be the ones to distract the guards for a majority of ten minutes, creating a time space for us to leave. But it was silence on their side, keeping us waiting.

'I'm ready, but I can't make contact with Zaron' Finally, Loki's voice appeared. And even though I wanted to admire hearing his voice for the first time, his message didn't let me.

"What are we suppose to do?" I rubbed my temple. Trying to come up with an idea. According to our plan Loki was suppose to distract the guards for about five minutes, followed by Zaron that should give us another five minutes.

But what should we do when Loki gave us the five minutes. Not only is it not enough for us to leave, no, Zaron's stuck here somewhere. My heart was beating of the thought of something happening to Zaron.

Then a hand appeared on my shoulder. I snapped back and glanced to the side. "Don't worry, it'll be fine. It always works out somehow," he calmed me down.

I sighed, took a deep breath and sorted out my thoughts. "Yes, you're right." I bit my lips. "And I already have a plan. But that doesn't include Zaron in it. So, I don't know what we should do about it."

"Quentin, look," he started. "I may not like you, but I have faith in you. So does everyone else. Whatever decision you make, no one's gonna judge you for it."

I look at him for a split second where I settled for my decision. 'Okay, I have a plan, everyone. It is risky but the only thing we can do so far with a good chance for us. So I need you to listen.

Pixie and I are both still stuck here and so I guess everyone else is, too. So we'll have to change our plan a bit. Instead of Zaron we'll use Jane to give us the time to disappear. That means we'll set her as attention point as soon as she starts shooting. In that short amount of time you guys need to leave. It won't be a lot of time but more than we can use out of Loki alone. He will come in handy when Jane has to leave which means after Jane is located Loki will set up his red herring and give her time and also for all of us to leave within at least three minutes.'

It was silence for a minute and even Pixie was looking at me with a speechless face.

'But wait what is with Zaron?' Jane wondered and I bet that every one was. Though I couldn't answer because even I didn't have one to that.

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