Agent Kelly Tomlinson

Six.

I woke up the next morning wide awake despite the lack of sleep I had gotten. The last time I looked at the clock it was 3 a.m and my alarm woke me up at 5 a.m. The sun was still hidden behind the London clouds, but it was starting to poke through, promising a semi sunny day.

I showered, letting the warm water wash away the nerves I had. I had a couple of things on my mind. I didn't know how Louis's bandmates were going to react, and how Louis would be about lying to them about who I really was. I hoped that this would all go smoothly so that no issues revolve around Louis and the friendship he has with his band.

I had a meeting with London's City Police so they were aware of who I was and they could fill me on their progress and update me with any new information they may receive. After that, it would be time to go to Louis's and officially start what would be the most important case of my life. Or so it felt like that anyway.

By the time I got out of the shower, there was a knock on my front door. Still wrapped in my towel, my feed patted against the tile floor. I checked the peephole and let out a sigh of relief when I saw the coffee in his hands.

I opened the door for Ryan. He smiled as a greeting, walking straight inside without me having to say anything. The fact that I was standing in front of him in nothing but a towel was nothing he or I even thought twice about. We've been together as partners and friends for way too long to even care about that kind of stuff. There were hardly any times we got embarrassed around each other.

Ryan and I were strictly friends and partners and nothing more. Not that we never thought about it. We had gone through a stage when I was sixteen and he had just turned eighteen where we had a rather...physical relationship. It happened a couple of times before we called the whole thing off, thinking it was better to just be on our own so that our work wasn't affected. Luckily, our friendship wasn't awkward after that. In a weird way, it brought us closer.

"Thank god," I said as he handed me the coffee. The aroma of French Vanilla wafted up my nose and I moaned in delight. "Thank you."

"Of course, partner. Today's the big day. Are you nervous?" Ryan hopped onto the countertop next to the fridge and sat with his legs slightly open. He sipped on his own cup.

"I'm nervous because this is my brother were talking about. I have feelings about this case that I never would have for any other mission. I want to say that it won't affect how I work, but I'm not sure if that's true."

Ryan shook his head dismissively, "Don't worry about that. You're great at what you do already and you're going to continue being great at what you do no matter whose involved. If anything, the thought of Louis being in danger should just drive you to find this guy even more."

"Yeah maybe," I replied, though I wasn't convinced it was going to be that easy.

"How did last night go? It was tense before I left."

"Really well actually," I nodded. Ryan's eyebrows rose in surprise. "We talked about our fight and tried to understand each other's point of view. Unfortunately it is what is is and we can't take back where our careers have taken us, but at least we knew where each of us were coming from. I was finally able to update him on the case. He's all set - just has to know how to act and hold onto a secret."

"I'm sure your father has made him a professional liar by the time he was five," Ryan scoffed. "You have nothing to worry about."

I rolled my eyes at the mention of my father and how he easily enforced some of job's mannerisms in his kids at such a young age. It sounded so messed up.

"We'll see," I said.

"You should probably get changed," Ryan glanced at his watch. "We need to leave in about fifteen minutes."