Borderlines

Chapter Thirteen

Fawn glared up at Travis, as his glare stared back at hers. His jaw was tight and he looked angry.
"Is there a rule about not reading Alaska?" Fawn said to him tensely. Travis placed the book on the table, leaning over it.
"You're not just reading Fawn. What are you looking for?" He asked, but it sounded more like a demand. Fawn lifted her chin, debating on whether to tell him or not.
"I was looking for any information on Clay." She lied. Travis eyes glittered with suspicion.
"Why would Clay be in a book about Alaska?" Fawn was surprised he didn't ask about why she looking up information on Clay.
"I read something about him owning a mine in Section 8." Fawn would have told Garth about the discovery, but it didn't seem important, maybe it wouldn't be to Travis either.
"What?" He asked critically. Apparently not.
"Show me." He said, standing straight. Fawn looked back at him stubbornly.
"Why should I tell you?" Fawn narrowed her eyes.
"Because I hate Clay just as much as you do." Travis answered her. Fawn looked at him closely, but already knew he was telling the truth.
"Fine." She sighed and stood up. Walking over to where the book was, Fawn pulled it out the shelf. After finding the page with the information they needed, she handed the book to Travis. His green eyes scanned the pages carefully.
"This isn't right." He said, shaking his head. Fawn looked over the book.
"What do you mean?" She asked curiously.
"Clay doesn't own any mine in Section 8." Travis told her while he scanned the book for anymore information.
"Maybe he sold it then." Fawn said. It was a possibility, Clay didn't seem like a businessman.
"No one sells their mine in Section 8 unless it stopped working or they got into legal troubles with the government. Clay is not short on money and I know the mine that he owned still works." Fawn was confused. All this wasn't lining up with her.
"What are you suggesting then?" She asked Travis. He closed the book.
"I'm not suggesting, I am stating. Someone has taken information out of this book. The government owns almost all the mines in Alaska and there aren't any under Clay's name. This book doesn't explain how he lost his mine, which means someone's hiding something." Travis put the book back and ran a hand through his hair, Fawn rarely ever saw him do that. This must be a big problem.
"The Royal Archives..." He mumbled thoughtfully.
"What?" Fawn asked, making sure she heard him right.
"The Royal Archives would have the information." If the Palace Library had information about the officials, the archives was like that, except ten times better. The same book would be there, except the omitted information would still be in it. It would have recorded almost everything Clay had done in his lifetime, there was only one problem.
"Only the king and queen are allowed to view the archives." Fawn said down-heartedly.
"I know, that's why we are going to break in." Travis smiled, as if savoring the idea. Fawn stepped back, appalled at the notion.
"Are you crazy! That thing is guarded! Not to mention, we make one false move and it's death row for us both." Travis rolled his eyes, like her concerns meant nothing.
"Then we don't get caught, Fawn. You'd think there would be more brain in that pretty head of yours." Fawn didn't know whether to be offended or flattered at his comment.
"You are crazy. I may not like Clay, but I don't have a death wish."
"Then don't come." Travis said in a mocking tone.
"I'll go with or without your help." Fawn narrowed her eyes at the other overseer. He always managed to get under her skin and by his smirk, he enjoyed it.
"And just when are you planning on having this break in?" Fawn asked him. Travis glanced up at a clock mounted on the wall.
"Twenty minutes." He said. Fawn sighed, Travis was insane. She didn't even know how he could prepare a break-in in twenty minutes and she didn't want to. Fawn didn't like sneaking around, but curiosity gnawed at her insides. She let out a long sigh.
"Fine, I'll come with you, but only because I'm curious to see what you find." Travis smiled, which didn't make Fawn feel any better.
"Now you're thinking." He grabbed her hand, getting ready to tug her forward and out of the library. Fawn yanked her hand out of his. Travis gave her another mocking look.
"Oh I forgot, Garth has already claimed you." His tone was snobbish, targeted directly at his disliking for Garth.
"Even if Garth didn't like me, you wouldn't be anywhere close to having my affections." Fawn hissed back. Travis narrowed his eyes at her, obviously hurt by the comment, even if he had not meant to show it. He straightened and turned.
"We have work to do." He said back to her. Fawn followed him silently, letting him feel her anger. They walked upstairs to Travis's room, he invited Fawn in and she sat in a chair. His room was different from hers. He had a desk and balcony, but the settings of his room were more modern. The walls were a rich red color with black designs through them. He had a couch and a chair around a small table.  A vase of roses sat on his desk. She watched as he murmured things to someone else at the end of the phone. She wondered just how many connections he had in this castle. After finishing his conversation, he walked over to her.
"Alright, this is how this is going to go." Fawn leaned forward, listening closely.
"I have a couple of friends that are taking care of the cameras. We will be invisible to the security and they will have no idea we are there. Once we reach the main entrance there will be two guards standing in front of the door." Travis paused and went to his closet, he pulled something out. Fawn looked at it closely.
"Why on Earth do you have a taser!" She exclaimed.
"Protection mostly. Remember, most Easterners don't really like me." He handed it to Fawn.
"You tase the first one and I will knock out the second one. After that I will inject them with a small sleeping drug. It will last ten minutes, so we have to find that book quick and get out." Fawn didn't like how easy the plan sounded. They would be taking a lot of risks with a small hope that they would get the information they wanted.
"I have someone bringing up some disguises for us, once we are in them, we will head down to the archives." Fawn nodded. It was only a few minutes before there was a knock on the door. Travis opened it and took a black bag of something the guard. Closing the door, he locked it for good measure.
"What'd he give you?" Fawn asked. Travis sat the bag on his bed and unzipped it. He began laying the black clothes on his bed. They were basic guard ware. Black pants and a long sleeved black shirt, a vest, a black belt, and a mask/helmet. Travis handed her an outfit.
"These should fit you, you can get changed in the bathroom." He didn't look at her as he continued unpacking the clothes. Fawn walked into his bathroom, feeling a bit uncomfortable with changing in his room. She pulled the tight fitting pants and shirt on, zipping the vest over the shirt. It must be bulletproof. Buckling the belt on carefully, she noticed the various weapons on it. There was a club, but more importantly a pistol. Fawn swallowed. She didn't plan on using it.
"Is it safe to come out?" She asked Travis though the door.
"Yes." His answer was muffled by the door. Fawn stepped out and almost immediately accused Travis of lying. He was pulling the shirt over his bare chest, but Fawn saw the well muscled skin he hid.
"Are you staring?" Travis asked, looking up at her. Fawn immediately scowled.
"No." Travis smirked and stood up, buckling his vest.
"You ready for this?" Fawn pulled her helmet on and nodded.

~

Fawn had to keep her stride relaxed as she followed Travis. The helmets made it impossible for anyone to identify them, but Fawn was still on edge. She was just waiting for someone to stop them. Travis stopped by a door and scanned a card. They had come with the clothes. There was a small beep and a click before Travis unlocked the door. He motioned her in and she followed him down a corridor, they came to a hole in the floor with a ladder leading down to a basement. Travis went first followed by Fawn.
"I don't like this." Fawn said through her mask. Travis turned to her.
"It's too late to back out now." He said firmly. They walked down the hallway, passing guards along the way. Travis turned left and Fawn saw the doors up ahead with two guards, like Travis said. There were cameras everywhere.
"Stop." The guard on the left commanded them. Travis halted, Fawn beside him.
"We need to get into the archives." Travis said.
"By whose consent?" The guard asked as he reached for his walkie-talkie.
"Mine,." Travis said and without hesitation, slammed his elbow into the guard's stomach. Fawn turned to the other one, grabbing the taser clumsily. She fired it and the guard didn't move. Of course, if the vests were bulletproof how would a taser work? Fawn dropped the taser as the guard tackled her. She could hear Travis wrestling with the other one. Fawn struggled against the guard, but he was bigger and overpowered her easily. He wrapped his hands around her throat, squeezing down.
"Travis!" Fawn shouted out before her air supply got cut off. She heard some scrambling and saw Travis run toward her. He pulled out his gun, hitting the guard on the side of the head. The guard slumped to the side with a groan. Travis quickly injected the drug into his neck. He turned to Fawn, holding out a hand.
"You okay?" He asked as he pulled her off the floor. Fawn nodded. Travis began tapping in a pass code to get in the door.
"We have to hurry, we'll be lucky if no one heard you scream." Fawn cringed, regretting the action. Travis pushed the door open when it unlocked. He pushed Fawn ahead of him, closing and locking the door behind them. He pulled his helmet off, running a hand through his hair. There was a small bead of sweat gathered on his forehead.
"Let's find that book."