Britten

CHAPTER 23

It was eight o'clock when they got to the casino and almost ten when they got done making their rounds. Britten looked so depressed and Orion knew there was nothing he could do for her. He watched as she sat at the computer slowly pecking at the keys.

He wanted to fix everything. He wanted to see her smiling, laughing, enjoying life. He wanted her to know that it was okay to be herself with no consequences. He wanted her to know that there was a better life out there for her.

There was a knock on the door and Britten looked over at James standing in the doorway. She waved him in. He went over to the desk and looked around before he laid a broach on her desk. "In case you change your mind."

She picked it up and looked at it. It was a silver peacock with blue and green jewels in it. She smiled and looked up at James. "It's pretty." He gave a small smile. "Worked on it last night."

"Camera and mic?"

He nodded. "In case you find a way to help." She nodded and sat it on the desk. "Thanks James," she said and went back to pecking keys on the computer. He stared for a long moment then looked at Orion.

Orion slightly shrugged his shoulders. James left and texted Holly that he had given the broach to Britten. He also told him how she was acting and that he wasn't sure if she was going to be able to do this, that he was worried.

It was the same thing Manny had told Holly yesterday. Everyone was beginning to wonder if this was going to happen or if they were going to have to go a different rout. Giovanni was making things difficult for her. It wasn't something they were anticipating, but they were still glad she was trying.

Orion looked at his watch then got up. "I need to run an errand." Britten looked up at him and gave him questioning eyes. "I'll be back." She nodded but kept staring at him as he grabbed his coat. She was wondering what was up.

Orion hadn't told her about what Giovanni needed him to do. He figured it would be one less thing for her to worry about. "I'll be back," he said again and she gave him a small smile. He went over to the desk where the cameras outside couldn't see him and kissed her forehead.

She watched as he left then sighed. She didn't want him to leave. Even though she hadn't been talking to him she still loved that he was there with her. She felt safer with him around. She wasn't sure how she got so close to him in such a short amount of time but she liked it. She liked feeling safe.

Orion headed for the address Giovanni had given him. He called Ronin to let him know he was headed there and Ronin said that Casey was already set up to watch his back that he was perched up on a roof close by.

When Orion was almost there Giovanni called him and told him that plans had changed and told him to go to a different address. "I can trust you right?"

"Yeah, no problem." Giovanni hung up and Orion immediately called Ronin.

"He changed the address on me," he said and gave them the new address and told them he was almost there. They told him they would rush and to drive slower if he could. He turned down a side road and stopped to plug the new address in his phone to make sure he got to the right spot. A van pulled up behind him and Orion just stared in his rearview mirror.

He didn't see anyone get out, it just sat there. The next thing he knew his side window got bashed in. Before he could react a stun gun came at him and shocked him. He went to swing at the guy with the stun gun but they shocked him again and he passed out.