Rising From The Flames

Chapter 10 - Tourist

Staring at the road intensely before her, Calvin clutched the steering wheel tighter planning out her next move. It was planned, everything out to a Tee, until Jen actually decided that he was coming along. 

They would be waiting for her, a quick unload out the back and her check-in at the front. 

"So now will you tell me what the plan is?" Jen looked over to her as she passed the car ahead of them. 

Almost as if it was a machine talking to him, Calvin kept her voice monotone and foot on the gas. "in one hour and 27 minutes we'll pull into the exit ramp of the hotel by the loading docks. There, two men, friends of Sanchez's cousin should be there to unload. 8 minutes after unload we check into the hotel, meet a woman name Kristinia on the 7th floor where we swap room keys. After that, we gear up and go take surveillance." 

Of course, the child in him had to poke at her. "You mean you didn't have that done already?"

"I've been here before." She spit venom while passing yet another car. "You're the tourist." 

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The life of the city was like many that Jake had seen before on previous missions. Cars, people, bikes, everything buzzed back and forth. It sometimes amazed him how anyone could function like this, let alone keep their cool with a mind set like his partner. 

She took a quick sharp left, and the one way street wasn't going in their favor. Just like everything though, Calvin had it all set out. 

The rail guard seemed to drop down on the upcoming cars just enough for her to slip into the dark ramp. They went round, and round, and round, and round until eventually, the soldier had taken an abrupt exit. Jake went with it, not questioning a thing she did. Instead, he watched the clock checking to make sure just how accurate her timing was. 

So far, everything was being executed by the second. 

Cal didn't cut the engine. Instead, right in front of a metal shudder she let it Idle and turned her lights on. 

For a good 20 seconds, they waited. 

Then- it slid open. 

The two men, just as she had said, jumped off of the ledge wearing bellhop uniforms. Cal popped the trunk and one by one every single bag of their supplies was unloaded. 

Jake watched the men go like a little kid at an aquarium. She didn't though, instead, she watched the clock on the dash. Two minutes was all they had, that's all she would give them. The less time they spent unloading, the less chance there was of them being seen. 

They were right on time though. The men slammed the trunk closed just as the clock moved forward. "how many times have you done this?" Jake looked at her as she rolled the car forward. 

Biting her lip, the woman shook her head. "enough." 

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"So what's our cover" Jake asked while grabbing their "normal" luggage from the back seat. 

"The Gibsons." they paced themselves across the streets, of course she was leading. 

Immediately his smile grew wide. "Oh, really?"

"You embarrass me- you die." 

"embarrass you?" he somewhat choked. "Now why in the world would I do that?"

the doors rotated in a circular motion around them welcoming them to the open lobby. Plants riddled every corner along with chairs and counters, the natural sunlight letting off a welcoming glow. Seeing his chance, Jake wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her close to him. 

"What the fuck are you doing?" her words were short. 

"Oh come on sweety-" he somewhat purred. "This is our Honeymoon isn't it?" 

"Don't think I won't kill you." 

"You wont." he countered. "You need me." 

His words cut so much deeper than he ever anticipated. 

Approaching the counter Calvin put on her fake smile allowing Jake to keep up the phony act of a loving couple. "Hello, how are you?" The woman greeted them. 

Jake answered first. "Great!" The happiness dripped from his tongue. "How about yourself?" 

"Good, thanks for asking. What can I help you with?"

"We have a room reserved under Gibson." 

"Alright, give me one second." She looked to her computer screen. Carefully, Calvin watched her hands type rapidly on the keyboard. 

Her attention was pulled away as Jake's hand slowly started to drift lower and lower. As soon as it got too low for her comfort, the soldier sent a firm elbow into his stomach. The man toppled over while gripping the counter before gathering himself. At this action, the receptionist gave him a questionable look. Then- she went back to what she was doing. 

"Yes, here you are. You're going to go around to your left here, take the elevators to the fourth floor from 416." She smiled kindly. "Thank you and enjoy your stay!"

"Oh we will!" Jen called back before being tugged away by Calvin herself. 

The two moved quickly, luckily nobody else going towards the elevator but them. 

Pressing the upwards arrow, Calvin waited impatiently. "You know, you don't have to be so rough." the guy tried to make light of the situation. 

Just then, the doors slid open letting off a ding. 

Something that had never happened to her before happened though. Calvin was locked right where she was; and even as Jake stepped past her giving her a slight nudge, he was forced to turn back to her to make sure she was coming. 

"Cal?" 

All she could see was red. The red glow of the light above them, the panicking and distressed face that he had given her the day they nearly lost her. 

Somewhere, deep beneath the healed scars of the gunshots, the wounds burned reminding her of what it felt like. 

Shit, you're shot. 

Jake's voice rang out as an echo around her. 

Suddenly, his hand was on hers and the joking look he held before was gone. 

Jake understood. He knew exactly what she was seeing. 

"Calley." he mumbled. "Come on." 

It took a moment, but gathering herself she swallowed the tension in the back of her neck and stepped inside the small box. "It was my fault you know." he tried keeping her talking. 

"No. It was just bad timing." 

The rest of the ride was silent, and before she knew it she was free of the confined area for a short moment. The doors slid open to the seventh floor completely skipping the 4th. There, waiting for her just as planned was a dark haired woman, eyes staring forward towards Calvin's Icey blue. 

Then, extending her hand the woman placed the new envelope of key cards into her hand and Calvin gave her the others. 

Then that was it, the swap was done, and they were on their way to the 14th floor. 

"How do you know so many people?" Jake asked now stepping back beside her. 

With a shake of the head, Calvin bit her lip once again. "I don't. A lot of people want him dead- I knew the ones that were willing to help."