Rule #1: Never Date An A.C.E. [COMPLETED]

Chapter 23: Rule #17

Rule #17: If You're Being Targeted, Always Have Another Agent By Your Side 

"Now, Bella," Dylan said seriously, placing me beside him so he could look into my eyes. "There's no way that's possible."

"How is it not possible? You weren't there when the warehouse exploded! Dylan—" I paused and squeezed his hand, "If they're alive, then your father might be too."

He stood up abruptly, "He isn't, Isabella! Neither are your parents!"

"But Alex said—"

"It doesn't matter because they aren't alive, damn it!" he yelled at me and I stood up, glaring at him.

"Was there anything else mentioned, you guys?" I asked, while continuing to have a glaring contest with Dylan.

"No, nothing," Levi said.

"Fine. I'm going for a walk," I said, spinning on my heels and marching out the door. I paced angrily down the hallway, finding the stairs and taking them up to the roof. The stars were barely visible because of the city lights, but I stared up at them anyway. My breathing slowed, and I began to think rationally.

"My parents aren't alive," I mumbled to myself, crossing my arms in the cold wind. "Ace did everything tell could to find them."

"They are alive, kitten," Luca's voice comes from the shadow and I jumped, terrified I hadn't seen him. A cigarette was tucked in between his lips, and I tried to remember him smoking while I was held captive.

"They can't be," I said, backing away as Luca stepped closer. I peered over my shoulder at the massive drop to the ground as Luca smirked.

"You aren't as smart as I remember, kitten," he blew smoke from his mouth as he showed me a gun tucked into his pants. "Are we going to do this the easy way, or the hard way?"

"Is Lacey really alive?" I asked, as I searched for another way off the roof.

He smirked again, "Of course. She's great sex, you know."

"Disgusting," I muttered.

"Don't tell me you and AP haven't had sex yet," he chuckled and I tensed at Dylan's nickname. "He's a notorious fuckboy—literally."

"Shut up," I said through clenched teeth.

"It's sad really. He hasn't even tried?" He asked, putting out the cigarette under his boot. I stared back at him silently. "Must not like you very much."

"What happened to the easy or hard way?" I switched the conversation back, as I met Dylan's eyes behind Luca. Before Luca could turn, Dylan had slammed the butt of his gun into Luca's head, knocking him unconscious.

"You have to stop running off alone. Rule number seventeen, if you're being targeted, always have another agent by your side," Dylan chastised.

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever. He's been caught now, alright?"

"Sure."

"He said my parents were alive."

Dylan looked up from zip-tying Luca's hands together, "And you believed it?"

"He said it now and on the recording."

Dylan hauled Luca upright, slapping his face to wake him after removing his gun, "He's a mastermind criminal who abducted you. He's just trying to get into your head."

Luca groaned awake, and upon seeing Dylan's face, "Awe, your knight in shining armor saved you again, kitten."

Dylan handed me the gun before shaking Luca roughly, "Don't call her that."

"Why not? I think it's rather fitting," Luca smirked up at him, before turning to me. "You like it, don't you, kitten?"

"I do not," I said, crossing my arms.

Luca chuckled, "Kitten is a better nickname than AP."

Dylan flicked his eyes toward me, and I avoided them, remembering what Luca had said earlier.

"Look at that, AP, looks like your girlfriend doesn't know everything about you, yet," Luca laughed again, causing Dylan to punch him in the face. Luca's nose broke, causing blood to gush down his face and he just smirked. "It's wonderful I can give the happy couple some counseling."

"Let's go," Dylan said gruffly, pulling him into a standing position and walking him down the stairs, making sure I was following. I gripped the gun tightly in my hand as I followed behind them. Lacey was nowhere to be found, and I wondered if she had bounced.

"Lacey has left," Luca said, as if reading my mind. "She had some other business to attend to."

"How did she join you?" Dylan asked, as we stopped at the floor we were staying on.

"Offered her a high position, and she took it. Some revenge plot on kitten was her motive," he smirked, looking back over his shoulder at me. "Plus, she's hot as hell."

"Again, disgusting," I repeated.

"How many times did you fuck her, AP?" Luca taunted Dylan, who bristled. "Lacey is well rehearsed."

"Shut up, Deraleck," Dylan growled, throwing open the door to our hotel room. The other agents looked shocked to see Luca apprehended and in our living room.

"Ah, the gangs all here," Luca said, surveying the room and the people in it. "Bullseye, Scarlett, Warrior, Sparks, Diesel, AP, and kitten. We're just missing Skull, but you guys took care of him, didn't you Scarlett?"

Vanessa glared at him for bringing up Sheridan, "Screw you." I hadn't heard the others nicknames until now. I figured that Scarlett was Vanessa and Skull was Sheridan. Diesel was probably Boone, which left Warrior and Sparks for Flower and Levi. Sparks seemed like a techie name, so I thought it would be Levi's and Warrior for Flower, which was slightly surprising.

"What do we do now?" Boone asked, after securing Luca in a chair with more zip-ties. Everyone looked at each other, thinking the same thing but not saying it.

Luca got annoyed with waiting, "Just say you'll take me to Ace headquarters and have Sara interrogate me. Not that it will do anything."

"Director to you," Dylan snapped and Luca just chuckled.

"Right, AP, sorry."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sorry, it didn't allow me to have the total rule as the title. Said it was too long.