Strong For Too Long Trilogy ✔️

18. Voyage à Paris

CHAPTER 18: Voyage à Paris

Pierce walks towards me specifically during class, "How was the mission?" He whispers, kneeling down towards me on the desk, just in front of my monitor.

I roll my lips in before pulling the USB out of my pocket and handing it to him, he smiles down at me, "Aaron worked well in allowing you to lead then?"

His question has me pausing. Yeah, Aaron allowed me to lead the group, probably because him and his group wasn't even at said mission because I kind of...didn't tell them. What I did say was that Pierce had cancelled the mission and we were no longer required to go?

That's when I subtly left them to their chattering and took a train out to London city central, I'd easily obtained the genetic material of the explosive devices and neutralised them with a few different combinations of compounds used to stop the detonation sequencing from occurring.

I merely nod, handing the small USB to him and he pays my back, before ruffling my hair and I flick his hands off, "You're doing very well, Olivine. I'm proud of you." He says, lowering his voice slightly.

I nod, awkwardly pointing back to my work and he chuckles, raising his arms, initiating that he's backing off and allowing me to work as he walks past to help the next student, diagonally position down the row from me.

A text from Samsara pops up in my notifications bar and I open it, just as she writes, "The boys are having a BBQ to celebrate the fact they didn't need to go on any missions. Can you please come!"

I sigh at her invitation, I was working harder than ever to achieve greatly in my strategic operation class whilst privately researching the secretive Board of trustees for the school. I'd found their location, now I just needed to pose as a general secretary at the building they're situated at.

Which happens to be in Paris.

I sigh, it'll take a three hour train and bus ride to my destination, and I booked a ticket for the last available ride, at nine-thirty this evening so, I can't really go to a freaking BBQ because I failed to mention to the group that the mission was never cancelled in the first place.

I high-tail out of class, the last one of this evening as I text Samsara how long the BBQ might be. She's quick to answer, "Around eleven, give or take."

I sigh, before jumping in my spot when two arms wrap around my middle, "Hello, Olivine." A husky voice says against my ear and I jump again, smacking the hands off me as I turn to the person of intrusion.

Branson holds his hands up in a surrender notion, he chuckles, "Damn, you look like you've had the fright of your life, sugarplum?" I wince at the opposed nickname as all the men seem to be behind him.

Including a stoic Aaron who only stares at me but, doesn't shed a lot of emotion, "Branson, guys." I acknowledge with a nod before asking,

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, where are you off to, shorty?" Branson says playfully. I dart my eyes to the bus, and point towards it as I subtly move away from his hands.

"Off home for the weekend, sorry, can't make it to the barbecue, but you guys have fun." I say over my shoulder, sarcastically, before Tobias blurs in front of me and I barrel into him. My eyes widening, I try to move around him, but he spreads his arms out wide.

"Where are you really going?" His voice is no longer so playful and his face loses its natural smirk, replacing it with a cold, almost dark expression.

I blink thrice, "What makes you think I'm not going home?" I ask, sounding balanced in my voice tone. No indifference whatsoever.

"Because, who would want to go back to one of the most lethal gangs of London Ohio?" Aaron says, I rip my arms out of Tobias' grip, a scowl for a easily on my face.