Undercover (Boyxboy)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Harry

Chills went down my back as Ethan's urgent eyes encouraged me to speak. To say something - anything.

"W-what are we going to do?" Hugh shrilled, pacing the room frantically and ensuring he stayed well away from any doors or windows.

My eyes followed his pacing distractedly. I was gone weirdly numb. It felt like I was inside in a protective sound proof bubble while all of the chaos happened around me. But I knew my little bubble wouldn't last long.

"Harry! Talk to me!" Ethan demanded, shaking my shoulders. It felt weird to be touched by him after all these months. By the sounds of what he was saying earlier, we were over for good. I hadn't anticipated him laying a finger on me anytime soon.

"Harry!" Hugh shouted, coming to stand beside Ethan, poking me hard in the arm. My dazed eyes snapped to where he had poked me and once my eyes landed on his frantic ones, it seemed to break the spell I had been under.

My scrambled mind urgently tried to piece itself back together - I didn't know how they had found us, but they had. We had no time to lose - I needed to get a grip.

"We need to get into positions," I murmured. I looked at Ethan and knew that the more information I threw at him, the more likely he would hate me.

"How do you know about our positions? We only decided on them two months ago." He wasn't even shocked. It seemed nothing more I could say would shock him, at this stage. He was done with being surprised at my antics.

"Harvey and I discussed it weeks ago - we didn't leave a stone unturned. I didn't go into this mission half-arsed," I replied, my eyes saddening again. I couldn't help it - the sickness that went through me whenever I tried to explain myself to Ethan was fucking me up. I didn't want to look pathetic or weepy in front of him, but I physically couldn't help myself.

He took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay. So where's yours?"

"I'm with Hugh."

Hugh looked as confused as anything. "What are you talking about? What positions?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes, walking to Hugh. I hadn't noticed Ethan's hands had stayed on my shoulders until I moved and they fell off. I tried to catch Ethan's eye as a tiny bit of hope ignited in me, but he remained stubbornly unresponsive.

"Remember, Hugh? I told you this ages ago! Don't tell me you forgot!" I chastised. I was lying. I had never told Hugh about our positions.

The confusion didn't lift from his face but he pretended to suddenly remember. Always the people pleaser. "Oh! Yes! I remember. The two of us together - righty-oh. You lead the way, then!" Hugh smiled uncertainly. I could tell he was trying to mask how scared he was. And that was why I was doing this.

I started walking down the corridors I had known so well, turning at every corner until I got to the room I was looking for. It was located at the very back of the windiest corner - Harvey had it specially made for me. Ethan and Hugh followed close behind me.

It was disguised as a large portrait painting of the mansion taken from high in the sky. The only way to open it was to place my finger in the exact spot behind the 'frame'. It was a finger-print device. It opened automatically at my touch.

It was hidden incredibly and even to those who found the finger recognition would fail at opening it - only myself, Jennifer and Harvey could open it.

"After you!" I smiled broadly to Hugh, tears filling my eyes. I looked away quickly before he could see them. I could see him grin and nod, walking into the room ahead of me.