Argylle - The last chance

Chapter XX

Aidan blinked twice before his shoulders dropped and his gaze softened.
"I- I'm sorry. I didn't- I didn't want to sound rude," he stuttered, "It's just... you know, people talking bad about Mom and Dad... that's something I can't really bear."
She nodded. "It's okay," she said, "Everyone has a topic that is difficult for them," but before anyone could continue the conversation, she asked, "Do you have the IDs, so that we can start tomorrow?"
"Uhm- Oh, yes. Yes! I have them. Right here, Ruby Owens."
He threw one of the three IDs in his hands to Tam. She hadn't even noticed them before.
"My name is Jenson Shaw, and you're Kassidy Fletcher," he looked at his girlfriend. "I didn't choose the name, in my defence. Either it was Alfie, or his contact."
She shook her head. "Thank god we don't have to go undercover too often."
"I... I think I will go to my room for a bit," Tam suddenly mumbled and left without saying another word. She heard Aidan asking if he had done something wrong but when Rachel answered she had already entered the house.
But the words Aidan had said were still in her head and she couldn't think of anything else. Now, that he had made her think of her parents again, she noticed that she didn't really know that much about her par parent's life. She knew that they had been agents and that they had died, but that was about it. And now, thinking of it, she felt bad.
Also, her brother's monologue had somehow moved her a bit. Seeing him this emotional about something had been a new experience and she didn't know how to deal with the feelings that she was feeling now.
After some hours she went to bed without having had a dinner. She was exhausted from the sudden wave of emotions. Also, just the thought of having to sit in the same room with Aidan made her stomach grumble. So, she went to bed and when Rachel knocked at the door to check up on her she was already asleep.
On the next day she woke up far before her alarm clock, went downstairs and made herself a breakfast. Then she went to the living room, sat on the floor, and meditated for a while.
"Are you- what is- why- I don't even know what to ask," Aidan suddenly said, and it was only due to the fact that Tam had heard him coming downstairs that she didn't flinch. "What are you doing?"
"Meditating," she mumbled, without opening her eyes, "You know, there are people who find peace in silence."
"I find peace in silence too!" he argued, but then raised one finger, "No, you're right. I don't. I hate silence. Makes me feel uncomfortable," he walked away and to the kitchen, "Did you eat breakfast yet?"
"I did."
"Okay. So, you're ready for the day?"
"If you'd let me meditate, I would be ready."
"Oh, my bad. Sorry. Just... continue, as if I wasn't there. Shouldn't be too hard."
She sighed and tried to focus again. But suddenly she heard her brother dropping something, heard a cup break and just a heartbeat later he started to swear heavily.
"It's alright!" he shouted, "I just dropped a cup. No worries."
She sighed again and rose from the floor, but instead of going to him, she went to her room and got dressed. She didn't exactly know what to wear but believed that the mission would start in the evening, which is why she dressed casual for the day and only thought about what to wear in the evening. A black outfit would be appropriate, she thought and ended up choosing a black pair of jeans, a black top and a black leather jacket for the mission.
As she went back to the living room she could hear her brother and Rachel talking about the plan.
"Alright, so the club opens at eight," Rachel said, "So we shouldn't turn up before nine. It's suspicious to be the first in a Club."
"Great. Backstory? Do we have anything of that? Because I was thinking maybe we could be engaged."
"We would need rings, then," Tam entered the conversation, "Doesn't it make more sense to keep relations open so that we can decide spontaneously?"
"She's right," Rach stated, "we have more options if we can decide for the moment in the moment. The only thing is that we actually have to remember what we're saying. So that we don't mix up the stories."
"That shouldn't be that much of a problem," Aidan sighed.

In the evening, right after the sun went down, they drove to "The Club Mirage" and parked their car some blocks away.
"Okay, we go in. But, remember, we do know each other but we're not related at all. And we don't want to cause any trouble, we only want to get into the organization," Aidan said before they left the car.
"Alright, Jenson," Rachel said, winked and stepped out of the car.
"Oh, and Ruby?" he looked at his sister, "You don't talk when you don't have to, alright? The less you have to say, the better."
Tam shook her head, took a deep breath and followed the two spies. All day she hadn't been that nervouse but now she felt the uncomfortable feeling grow inside her. But she ignored it. She had far worse things to face right now.
Minutes later they stood in front of the club and walked towards one of the bouncers. He looked angry and was twice the sice of Aidan. But he didn't seem to care. He walked towards the stranger with a selfconfidence Tam could only wish for.
"Hey, man," he said, "You got space for the three of us?"
The bouncer looked at them, looked inside, at them again and then at his colegue. Then he nodded.
"Have fun," his voice sounded like thunder rumbling through the night.
"We will. Let's go girls," Aidan ordered and the three of them entered the club.
It was loud and sticky and Tam felt very uncomfortable. A lot of people were dancing, others were screaming at each other trying to have a conversation. And again others were standing around drinking alcohol.
"Let's get a drink, shall we?" Rachel shouted, and the siblings noddded. They walked to the bar, waited for one of the bartenders to look at them and before Tam could realize what was happening, the bartender ordered them to follow him.