RIPTIDE (Shadows book 1.1)

TRAITOR AND DIRECTON

Hurt me, I'll live. Hurt my family, I'll kill you with a smile on my face. ~Catori

He stretched a little as he got down from the plane. He looked around with a satisfied smirk. Finally he was here, in Brazil. Six months of careful planning and constantly looking over his shoulder has finally brought him here. 

"Erin." the female voice caught his attention. Catori and Awena stood there with huge smiles on their faces. He smiled at them as he started walking in their direction.

Catori clenched her fists as she watched him walking towards her with a smile on his face as if he hadn't just betrayed her in the worst way possible. She smiled, trying to keep her anger at bay. She glanced at Awena. Awena's  bottle green eyes held a murderous glint as she smiled at him. Catori smiled to herself. Erin was in for a treat. 

"How have you been?" Awena asked him through clenched teeth, the smile still intact on her face. 

"I'm good." Erin replied as he pulled Catori into a hug. 

"That'll change soon." Awena mumbled under her breath. Erin frowned. 

"I mean now that you are with your fiance, you are going to be happy." she explained when she looked at him. He smiled at her. Catori groaned in response. If Awena didn't keep her mouth shut, she was going to give them away and Direction will kill her for messing up the mission.

"Come on. Everyone at the base is waiting for you." Catori said as she pulled him along with her. Erin laughed out loud as he jogged to keep up with her. However he stopped short when something pricked him in the neck. His hand shot out towards the spot on instinct. He frowned when he saw a dart. He looked at Catori for explanation. Dizziness overtook his senses before she could respond to him.

"That went well." Awena smiled when a pair of arms cupped her waist gently, pulling her back into their embrace. The smile grew wider when the person nuzzled her neck.

"It did." she replied as she snuggled into him. He smiled in response, tightening his arms around her. "Let's get the moron to the base." he mumbled.

He lifted the said moron onto his shoulders and started walking. Catori and Awena followed him.

"What are you feeling?" Awena asked, glancing at her. 

Catori pondered over the question. Strangely, she felt anger and relief. He was her fiance, wasn't she supposed to feel something else? She didn't know. She didn't know when her relationship turned into a burden but it felt relieving to be away from him.

"Relief." she answered finally. Awena hummed in response. The rest of the journey was in silence. 

Hope woke up with a groan when her phone rang. Her sleepiness dispersed when her eyes landed on the called ID.

"Speak." she commanded as she answered the call.

"We have Erin in custody." the other person spoke. She hummed in response.

"This is bigger than him." the other person continued.

"I know. It's a lot bigger than that." she replied. "How's Catori?" 

"Strangely, she's actually taking this better than I expected." 

"That's good." she said as she rummaged through her drawers for her laptop. 

"I have to go. I'll keep you updated. Stay safe Riptide." the person warned.

"You too, Direction." she said as she cut the call.

"How'd it go?" Awena asked as she walked into his room with two cups of coffee in her hands. She offered one to him as she settled beside him.