Begin Again

Boys

"Sorry about last night," Raleigh walked up to the shop, early the next morning. "I was caught up with Ms.Muller. Blake- she took a car back for me to Cheyenne."

"Cheyenne? What car," Nolan quickly questioned.

"A car out by Pasture Road. Not far from your place actually. A man named Jaime Douglas," Raleigh shrugged. "I'm not sure why she would take so long."

"Why?"

"She's been gone for a week now."

"Excuse me?! And you didn't say anything," Ian snapped. Nolan turned his head, not sure how to react to the calm man, finally reaching his breaking point. "Look bud-!"

"Whoa," Nolan held his hand up. "Okay, and?"

"Maeve called Elena, saying Blake was fine. She went up to Chicago with her for a while."

"Oh? Really," Nolan raised his eyebrow.

"GUYS," Maeve nearly screamed, seeing both men standing at the front door to her job. "Oh- h-hey!"

"Blake, where is she," Ian asked.

"With me. She's actually on her way ba-."

"Maeve. Don't cover for her," Nolan shook his head. "Where is she?"

"Last I've heard of her, she was asking for an Albert Reynolds. She wanted to know where he worked. It sounded like she was running from something too." Ian in surprise, brought his head back, looking at the ladies working around Maeve, smile at the two strangers. "He worked in London Docks. My best guess is that she went to London."

"Thanks," Nolan exclaimed as he was the first to run. Ian waved as Maeve stood up, calling out protest but they didn't listen.

In London, Nolan and Ian stood at the docks asking for an Albert Reynolds. Problem was, no one had heard from him in two weeks.

"I'm gonna kill her," Nolan harmonized with another man. Except the man had said him, not her. Ian looked at the older man, smiling strangely. "Oh sorry."

"Sorry chap," the older man laughed. "By chance, you haven't seen a young man by the name Rowan Brantley?"

"I'm sorry, but no," Ian apologized. The man exhaled impatiently, looking back at his friend, running back with a sheet of paper.

"Kent, look at this," The middle aged man, showed a paper to him. "The perfect description of Rowan. Looks like those men were already into Rowan before he even started- oh, hello!"

"Hi," Nolan smiled politely. "By chance, you haven't seen this crazy redhead woman? About this tall, blue eyes? Has a dog?"

"YOU," an angry spaniard  man came pointing. "You! You know this woman?"

"I do, do you," Ian inquired.

"Oh, that woman! She trap me!"

"Why," Nolan grabbed his shoulders. "She wouldn't have done anything without a reason."

"She's crazy," the man yelled. "You need to put a leash on your pet!"

Ian grabbed the man by the coat, pulling him up a good six inches from the ground.

"Now you going to spill it or not," Ian gritted.

"She- she saw a young man-," the man stuttered. "He was in danger. Men put him in crate- loaded on boat!"

"What young man," Rylan immediately asked, standing by the tall man.

"A writer- that's what the men said," The man raised his hands. "She chased them to boat, after she trap me. I do not know who they are!"

"Yes! You do! Now who," Kent snapped. The Spaniard man gulped, staring at the four men. "You're gonna tell me who because me wife doesn't like me being out here. I just want to get home."

"An American man, named Bull. He work on boat Orion and his friend from Ireland. I don't know know his name."

"Thank you," Kent nodded. Ian let the man go, as he skidded away frightened from the counterattack. "You got that?"

"Looks like our two paired up," Rylan looked at the men.  Looked like the strangers had something in common, and they needed to work together. "Would you like to do this together? Help us find who we are looking for and we will help you find who looking for?"

Nolan, always skeptical, eyed Ian who nodded to the logic in the man's comment. It did seem like they were looking for the same people, well two people.

"Okay," Nolan shook the man's hand. "I'm Nolan Lawrence. This is Ian Rogers. We are looking for Blake Virginia Barnes."

"Rylan Kirk, Kent Campbell and we are looking for Rowan Brantley," Rylan admitted. "Well, now we know that they boarded the Orion, so that's our first lead."

"Yeah," Nolan replied uneasily. "Ian- can I speak to you?"

"Nolan, do we have any other choice? We don't know London, we don't know anything about here. If we want to find her, we need to stick with them."

Docks
"Well," Blake smirked. "You got it?"

"Oh, I got it alright," Rowan laughed with her. "Tonight. You ready?"

Blake pulled on her coat, smiling at him.

"A shipment," Wallace asked. "Another gold shipment from Mandidial? You sure about this?"

"Yes sir," Jaime nodded. "My source said it's liable."

"Okay then, we hit it tonight," Wallace pointed. "Tell Mr.Reynolds we will get one more shipment, and send him his package."

"Yes sir," Jaime ran off. Wallace smirked, leaning back against his seat.

"You got it," Jaime pointed to several men, loading the large crates on the semi trucks. Jaime had marked off two crates, leaving them on the dock itself. "That's the last of the shipment! Let's go!"

They stood around the two marked crates, patting the side. Jaime knew the redhead was in there and he wanted her now.

"Out," Jaime hit it. The crate top opened with no effort, as Blake stood up slowly, staring at all the men. "Well, well, Well. How are you doing sweetheart?"

"Look who it is," Bull smirked. "We are back in square one."

"Yeah, we are. Except now we know more than you think we do. I wouldn't be so sure of yourself boys. Cocky ones tend to fall harder, haven't you heard?"

"Oh, you so sure about that," Wallace asked.

"Alright! Hands up," other police officer's who had hidden themselves among the crates, sprung up. Rowan was one of them, with this cocky smirk on his smile. Meanwhile the police were handcuffing most of the men, Blake stood with her hands on her sides, seeing everyone else.

"Good job kid," one officer raised his thumb. Blake raised her chin in appreciation, glancing down at Duke who was already looking up at his master, wagging his fluffy tail.

"Good boy Duke," she smiled at him.

"H-HEY," an officer screamed as the sirens of a cop car wailing, coming straight for her. Frozen as a deer in the headlights, Blake stared at the headlights coming for her. Rowan was watching carefully in how she was literally frozen in the middle of the road, not even moving an inch. He could see her fingers move but her body was telling her something completely different. Shoving several officers aside, Rowan sprinted for her.

"BLAKE," Rowan screamed, ramming his shoulder into her torso, throwing them both out of harms way. Duke, was barking relentlessly at the car rushing down the street, gave it a chase. After landing, Blake gasped in surprise, looking up at the trees, feeling a strange weight over her.

"Rowan? You ain't as light as you seem," she breathed. Rowan gasped, pushing himself off of her, extending a hand out to her. She took it, letting him help her up, staring at the road where Duke was coming back from.

"You alright?"

"Y-Yeah, little shook but alright," Blake shivered, meeting Rowan's gaze. The warm eye lock made her smile, giving him one final reassuring nod. "Did you see who it was?"

"Wallace," the Chief pointed.