FRAMED - Cowboy Bebop fanfiction

Session 6

"Ok, the club is just around the corner," Quinn gave direction through her mic while she watched Spike navigate the packed, city streets.

"Yeah I can hear it," he replied upon rounding the corner and stepping into a darkened alleyway.

"Video quality just dropped, where are you?" Quinn panicked slightly as the tablet display cut out. She didn't know why she was so worried. It's not like Spike hadn't done something like this before, in fact what he was doing was a thousand times safer than anything he usually did. He was a seasoned bounty hunter after all.

"Dark alleyway," Spike reassured, but his location was hardly reassuring.

"Oh wonderful," Quinn laughed nervously as she listened to Spike quietly navigate his way through the dark.

Jet and Faye were both on standby. They stayed within earshot of the living room, but only Quinn had an earpiece. They waited on her orders, but since the mission was so simple, there wasn't any need for them to be out on the field. The duo busied themselves with a card game in the next room over, and despite Quinn being all alone for this, she actually liked the one on one time she was having with Spike. 

"Entering the club," Spike whispered as his video quickly came back into view.

"Ok, you're looking for a short, heavier girl with medium length, red hair," Quinn commanded as she surveyed the video surveillance playing through the tablet.

"Oh I see her!" Quinn announced happily, and by the looks of it, Spike saw her too. Quinn watched as he slowly began approaching her table near the back of the club. It was dark inside, and a live band played on stage. As Mack's face became more and more visible, Quinn felt her heart begin to race.  It was almost sickening seeing her face again considering how long they'd been apart. Of course in 9 months her physical appearance didn't change, but as she watched Spike ask if the empty seat at the table was taken, the tone in her voice shook Quinn to the core.

"Uh no, care to join me?" Mack replied confidently sending chills down Quinn's spine. Never in her life had she seen Mack act so boldly around a stranger, let alone an attractive male.

"My names Spike."

"I'm Mackenna, but everyone just calls me Mack."

Quinn hated listening to their introductions and she couldn't help but feel terribly upset. Spike was a ludicrously  smooth talker, and Quinn despised watching Mack eat it all up. Quinn wished she was there instead, but she new that wasn't possible.

"Ask her what she does for a living and make sure to avoid  looking at her necklace," Quinn pushed as she listened to Spike easily grab Mack's full attention. The entire situation quickly became nauseating to listen to, and Quinn was in no mood to lose her lunch. She just wanted to get this night over with.

Faye and Jet were lost in their own worlds while Quinn continued to feed spike instructions. Of course Spike was smooth, but he had to owe it to Quinn for the conversation starters. Every time there was a lull in speech Quinn would swoop in with some sort of idea.

Mack was loving every second of conversation and as Quinn watched her lean in closer to the table, she could tell that their plan was absolutely working.

As the night continued, Spike and Mack shared a few drinks together until the life began to drain out of the once bustling jazz club.

Spike had been talking to her for a little over an hour and when Mack suddenly invited him over to her place, he had no choice but to accept her offer.

"Ok this is perfect," Quinn stated excitedly, but something about it just didn't sit right with her. Was she jealous? Of course not, why would she be? This entire thing was merely an act, and besides, the chances of Mack seeing Spike again after this was close to zero.