Arresting Eyes (On Hiatus)

Chapter 4

            Walking down the hallway made of shiny, light veined black stone, Casey had difficulty keeping a pleasant expression on her face. Not due to the fact that she had to act calm and confident, like she belonged in the hotel, but because she had to wrap her arm around Frost’s waist and let him do the same to her. Still, she was a professional, and she wasn’t about to allow her personal feelings to bleed through into her work.

            Frost slowed his pace as they approached the elevators, allowing two groups to get there ahead of them. As they squeezed in behind the three people in business suits, someone had already used their keycard to allow the elevator to reach the upper floors, making it just a matter of Casey reaching in front and hitting the number three button.

            As the elevator smoothly rose up, Casey shifted her weight, moving her legs closer together until she could feel the nylon straps of her sheaths against her bare legs. She let out an inaudible sigh and resettled her weight. Frost chose that moment to lean in close, his lips touching her hair as he whispered, “Don’t tense up. We’re almost to the room.”

            Casey waited until he’d pulled back to turn and look at him, her eyes safely hidden behind her sunglasses. She said nothing, only stared at him long enough that he knew how she felt about his unsolicited advice, then turned her attention back to the elevator’s doors. It was only a moment later that it pinged and the metal doors slid open to reveal the third floor’s hallway.

            Stepping out into the dark, modern hall, Casey only relaxed when she heard the elevator’s doors shut behind them. Frost released her waist, grabbing her hand after a quick glance around, and strode off straight ahead. His eyes slid over one door, then the next, his pace not slowing until they’d rounded a corner in the hall.

            Stopping suddenly, Frost nodded at the door just to the left of them, this one with the number three hundred and sixteen clearly marked on it. Again, he leaned in close and whispered, “You have a plan to get him to open the door?”

            She smiled and nodded, stepping away from him. Casey didn’t look at her supervisor, only hurried down to the next door, stepping close to it so only her face would be visible through the peephole. Then she knocked gently on the door and called out in a soft voice, “Room service.”

Casey could practically feel Frost’s glare on her back, but she heard movement inside the room. Papers rustled then stilled, and a moment later, she could hear footsteps padding closer. She reached up and pulled her sunglasses off, cradling them in her hand as she took a deep, steadying breath, locking her gaze on her feet to prevent any accidents. The last thing they wanted was to tip their target off to who exactly had come for him.

            She heard the person inside come to a halt in front of the door, standing there for a moment, before she heard the click of the lock being taken off the door. It swung open, revealing a clean-shaven man in his early thirties, still wearing the hotel’s bathrobe. Casey’s eyes swept past that, ignoring him saying, “I didn’t order-”, and locked onto the hacker’s green gaze.

            He froze. Holding her grey eyes wide and concentrating on not blinking, Casey strained her ears for the sound of Frost. Her record for not blinking was only three minutes, and if he didn’t come secure their target before she broke eye contact with him…

            The soft shush of shoes across the carpet announced Frost’s arrival. He said nothing, his own gaze going to the man’s hands. A moment later a cool wind that had nothing to do with air conditioning swept past them, raising goosebumps on Casey’s arms. She didn’t have to look to know that he’d started freezing the water in the air around the hacker’s arms, creating a kind ice handcuffs.

            As soon as he was finished, Frost shoved the man backwards. Casey broke her gaze, shoving the door closed behind her and locking it. Free of her eyes, the man was finally able to move and, predictably, he shouted, asking who the hell they were. She ignored him, trusting to the hotel’s soundproofing and Frost to keep them from being interrupted as she walked a quick circuit of the room. And the scuffling noises she could hear meant that their target wouldn’t be making noise for long.

            By the time she was sure the room was safe, that no one else was hiding in there, Frost had the hacker on the ground, unconscious, while he sat on top of him, freezing the man’s ankles together. “Call Touch in, Gorgon,” Frost said, looking up just long enough to speak before he went back to binding their target.

            Casey nodded and slipped her sunglasses back on. She walked over to him, reaching into his jacket pocket as he continued his work, pulling his cell phone out. It was a matter of seconds to flip through his contacts to find Touch’s number. Fingers tapping rapidly, she sent him a text, saying the room was good and he should come on up. Even on the company phones, it never paid to be too careful.

            Finished, she slipped the phone back into Frost’s pocket, her supervisor looking perfectly at ease as he straddled the man’s back, the hacker’s limbs immobilized in ice. As she straightened, her eyes fell to the table and what lay there in a neat line. Casey couldn’t help but shiver at the sight of the guns.

            Frost caught the movement and frowned. “You should go see the agency’s psychologist.”

            She glared at him. “I’ve seen half a dozen shrinks and none of them’s been able to do a damn thing. Now, will you just lay off? I’m fine.”

            He gave her a look and shook his head. “One day your fear’s going to get you into trouble, going to screw you over. I only hope you don’t end up dead because of it.”

            Casey sniffed and stalked over to the door to wait for Touch. Frost only thought he knew everything, and about her, he really knew nothing at all.