Ties and Spies 2 (Gallagher Girls)

Chapter 13 - Found

Dempsey ran his hands through his hair for what felt like the millionth time as he looked for Macey. He regretted what he had said to her and now it was gnawing at him.

Truth was, Dempsey didn't really hate Macey or anything, he just didn't like her snarky comments.

"She probably hates me though," He muttered to himself.

Suddenly, Dempsey stopped in the hallway as if by some unexplainable force. He had been glancing at the walls as he was looking and had noticed a pattern with the paintings, they were all Victorian era, except the one he had just passed. This painting looked fairly modern and pretty new. Dempsey looked down the hallway to make sure it was empty and then started feeling around the painting. On the right side of it, underneath the frame, Dempsey's finger hit a small latch and and the wall slid open revealing a doorway.

"Didn't know this happened in real life."

Dempsey wondered whether he should walk in or not. Would it lead him to Macey or just get him more lost?

The doorway led to a pair of stairs that he tried to walk down as quietly as he could. The stairs eventually led to a dark, dusty room that seemed mostly empty except for what looked like a cell.

"Is this a freaking dungeon?" Dempsey's jaw dropped a little.

"Mhhhmmm," Dempsey heard a muffled voice coming for the far corner of the room that he couldn't see.

"Who's there?" He asked into the air.

"Nhhhhmmm," The voice said.

Dempsey followed the direction of the voice and eventually his eyes focused on a tied up Macey sitting in a chair with duct tape over her mouth

"Are you okay?!" Dempsey rushed over, ripping the duct tape off.

"OWWW Dempsey!" Macey squealed.

"Sorry, sorry." Dempsey suppressed a laugh.

"Shut up and untie me," Macey sneered at him.

"Tied up and still bossy. Just the way I like it," Dempsey smirked as he worked on the thick rope tying her hands together.

"Oh you wish."

"What the hell happened to you?"

"Hurry up, we have to hide."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"He's coming back."

"Who? Who's coming back?"

"Dempsey, HURRY UP!"

Dempsey finished untying the rope and Macey quickly got up pulling him through a nearby door and slamming it shut.

"Are these knives?" Dempsey said, his eyes searching the dark closet.

"This is some sort of sick torture room," Macey breathed.

Dempsey took in her peppermint breath mixed with cherry perfume and decided he liked it.

"Who tied you up?" He asked, wishing it wasn't so dark in the small closet.

"The man I was dancing with earlier. His name is Adalberto and he's the one that's been killing everyone. He wants these paintings and stuff so he can sell them for major dough and---" Macey stopped as soon as she heard footsteps entering the room.

"And what?" Dempsey whispered.

Macey immediately clasped her hand over his mouth and refrained from slitting his throat with one of the knives available.

"Where the hell is she?" She heard Adalberto yell to one of his minions.

"I don't kn-know," The other man stuttered.

"How could she have untied herself!" He was basically screaming.

Macey felt Dempsey's steady breath against her hand and for some reason it was calming her down.

"We have to go find her...NOW!" Adalberto roared.

And seconds later the two kids listened as their footsteps left the room.

"Macey, what is going on?" Dempsey asked, prying her fingers from his mouth.

"That man. He knows. He knows we're trying to find Julia. He knows our faces. He knows."

"Macey calm down, it'll be fine," Dempsey reassured her, noticing her shaking hands.

"I've dealt with bad guys before, Dempsey. This is different. He had me tied down and threatened to kill me and I had no doubt in my mind that he would," Macey started to choke on her words.

Dempsey pulled her into his chest and stroked her soft hair and she let out small sobs.

He had never pegged her as the vulnerable and scared type. She always seemed so composed and knew how to throw an insult. Her crying against his chest like this, this wasn't her. Or at least it wasn't who he thought she was.

"I'm so tired," Macey said softly, "Tired of Hale, tired of Kat, tired of my life being in danger, tired of doctors, and tired of you."

"Tired of doctors?"

"While we had the two weeks off, I visited a doctor because I had been feeling more tired and weaker than usual. He diagnosed me with anemia and said that one of the most common symptoms has fatigue and weariness. He couldn't prescribe any pills to me since he wasn't my real doctor, and in all honesty, I really just wanted to ignore the problem. Now I just feel like I'm tired all the time and I'm tired of being tired! It makes me grumpy and irritable because I feel so stressed."

"Sounds like you've got quite the debacle."

Macey pushed herself off of Dempsey's chest and wiped her face.

"Yeah, it's no big deal, I don't know why I'm telling you."

"No, Macey that is a big deal, you shouldn't feel like that."

"Let's just go, Dempsey."

"Crap I totally forgot I was supposed to meet the crew at midnight"

"Of course you did, Dempsey."

Dempsey grabbed Macey's hand and slowly opened the door of the closet. When he looked around and saw no one, he led Macey up the stairs to the doorway he had entered through.

"The wall slid open?" Macey asked in disbelief as he led her through it.

"Yeah. There was a latch on the right side of the painting. Kinda cool huh?"

"Kinda."

"Where are we meeting them?" Macey asked, prying her hand from Dempsey's.

Dempsey blushed and shoved his hands in his pockets, not realizing he had been holding on so tight.

"By the entrance," Dempsey pointed, "And look down, we can't have this Adalberto guy seeing you."

Macey followed Dempsey while staring at the ground till she heard a familiar voice.

"Macey? Where were you?" Zach's deep voice asked.

Macey looked up into each of her crew's concerned faces. Even Kat looked concerned.

"I'll explain it all when we get back, but we have to leave now," Macey said quietly.

"Well there's our ride," Hale said, gesturing to the limo that had just pulled up.

Everyone quickly rushed over and started piling in. Zach stood by the door and waited for everyone to get in before he did.

As soon as Zach tried to enter the limo, a large hand grabbed the back of the collar of his shirt.

"Excuse me sir, but I think you have something that belongs to me."