Ruby Redfort: try not to scream

Chapter 35- Girl Scouts Honour

Sabina Redfort had spent the last week bursting with excitement. Ruby had been rolling her eyes a lot. She had tried to stay at either Clancy's or Spectrum for most of the time to avoid hearing anymore about this party. Seeing Ruby's face when her mom talked about it made Hitch laugh hysterically.
"Ruby, we need to get you a dress," squeaked Sabina.
"Actually mom, I've got an outfit,"
Sabina's expression shifted.
"Ruby, you cannot wear that jumpsuit," said Sabina.
"No, not the jumpsuit, Hitch got me an outfit. I'll show you,"
Ruby ran upstairs and pulled out the gold dress. She rolled her eyes but brought it downstairs to her mother. Sabina's face lit up with happiness.
"Oh Ruby, that is beautiful. Hitch, you are one great house manager,"
"Thanks," said Hitch.
"Yep, he's some butler," Ruby grinned. Hitch smiled at her, understanding what Sabina couldn't. Hitch was no butler. He was a secret agent and a good one at that.
"This is going to be perfect. But what will Dan wear?" said Sabina.
"Hitch has that one covered too," said Dan, walking in from the kitchen. He held out the suit he had worn to the briefing. Sabina squealed again, clapping her hands. Dan sat down next to Ruby smiling. Hitch had left the room quietly to avoid any more talk about the ball. Sabina ran downstairs to find Brant, leaving Dan alone with Ruby.

"Look, I'm really sorry for what happened last week," he said, awkwardly.
"I know. Don't worry about it," smiled Ruby. "We're friends, right?"
"Always. So I heard that Spectrum has secured the building," he said, smiling.
"Yep, but I don't know if it will work. It may delay The Count but not stop him completely,"
"I thought that too, which means that it's extra important that we stay alert," said Dan.
Ruby nodded.
"I'm planning on bringing as many gadgets and weapons as possible without looking suspicious. The people on guard will know exactly who we are so we won't get checked like everyone else," she sighed.
"Ok well we have to be discrete so that no one else notices but I feel like you, me and Clancy should at least carry one weapon. Although he's not an agent, as your boyfriend, Clancy's a main target so he needs to be protected as well as possible,"
Ruby nodded, and sighed.
"We'll have to talk to LB and M about securing him and his family. If Ambassador Crew notices his son with a gun then we're in big trouble and our cover is blown. He's still got the tie clip from his dad's party and we have plenty of weapons in my room,"
"How are we going to pull this off?" sighed Dan.
"We're just going to have to wing it and see what happens. It worked the last few times,"
Dan smiled at her. Even now she was still brave. Ruby grinned at him.
"You'll be alright kid," said Dan, imitating Hitch.
"Don't call me kid," Ruby pulled an unimpressed expression.
"Why? Hitch does it," Dan shrugged.
"Yeah, well, Hitch is almost forty six and I'm only three months younger than you,"
Dan smiled. He was only doing it to wind her up.
"Wait, Hitch is almost forty six?" he looked shocked.
"Yep. I know he looks thirty but he's not,"
Hitch who was standing in the doorway smiled. He walked downstairs, to his apartment, and opened the hatch to Spectrum. As he entered the Green Room, he noticed the picture on his wall. There was Ruby Redfort and Bug, sitting by a campfire on Wolf Paw Mountain, sipping hot chocolate. A grin spread across the agents face as he saw fifteen year old Ruby, so calm and happy. Her sweet and pretty smile on her lips. Now, she was almost seventeen. She could drive and fly most aircrafts. She was at the end of junior year and one year away from graduating high school. He thought back to four years ago when he first met her. She was barely a teenager and her t-shirt was inside out. He grinned to himself.

Flashback:

Hitch: You're inside out
...
Ruby: Why would I trust you?
Hitch: I've got an honest face.
Ruby: A pretty one maybe but I wouldn't call pretending to be a butler honest.
...
Ruby: you're not dead!
...
Ruby: Hitch, you're some agent.
Hitch: Right back at you, kid.

Remembering her sarcastic remarks made Hitch chuckle slightly. She was one of a kind. He thought back to before he knew her. Art Hitchen Zachary had always worked alone. He rarely asked for help and yet now he felt like he could only work with Ruby. They were partners in fighting crime. Hitch was a man who had never opened up to anyone. He had always been closed off to others and reserved. But with her he felt like he could be himself. He didn't need to be Hitch, the agent. He could be Hitch, the guy who loved stargazing and camping in the hills. The guy who loved Mrs Digby's cooking and who loved hanging out with Ruby. She was like a little sister to him and although he was twenty nine years older, they still had so much in common.

He, Ruby, Dan, LB and M spent the next few hours finding ways to stay protected and keep everyone inside safe.
"If anyone spots The Count, we will all have earpieces in. Inform everyone of his location and then we will lure him out of the room and go upstairs. We need to keep the action as far away from the party as possible," said M, in her posh British accent. Ruby nodded.
"So who's the bait?" asked Hitch.
"Bait?" repeated M.
"Well if we have to lure The Count out of there then someone has to get him out,"
"I'll do it," said Ruby. "If anyone can get him out of there, I can," she sighed.
"What? No, kid, it's too dangerous," protested Hitch.
"Look Hitch, he wants me dead. If he's going to follow anyone, he'll follow me. Anyway, if it gets to the point where I have to fight him, I can call for backup and I can probably beat him,"
Hitch raised an eyebrow, as if to say: Really?
"Ok, I understand that I'm a scrawny kid and he's six foot three, but if I can almost match LB a.k.a the best fighter in Spectrum history then I can survive a few minutes with Dracula,"
LB sort of smirked.
"Is that a compliment? That's progress," said LB.
"Kid, I don't want you getting hurt again," said Hitch, putting a hand on Ruby's shoulder.
"Hitch, do you trust me?" Ruby stared at him, directly in the eye.
Hitch's face twitched. Ruby's firm gaze made him uncomfortable.
"With my life, kid," Hitch's voice sort of cracked as he spoke.
"Then have faith in me. I can do this, you just have to let me,"
LB admired the scene. A tall, handsome man trusting a young girl more than anyone else. There was something about the girls eyes, both slightly different shades of green with gold specks in the irises, that made her so easy to like and trust. Hitch sighed; Ruby was right.
"Alright kid, I believe in you just don't go and die on me. Ok?"
"Girl scouts honour," grinned Ruby. Hitch laughed slightly.
"You really trust this child not to die?" asked M.
LB turned to face the MI5 boss, a sour expression on her face.
"That 'child' just so happens to be the best agent Spectrum has seen since Bradley Baker and is the reason your young agent Zayn is still standing," she snapped. Ruby smirked slightly. LB had never stood up for her like that before. M looked slightly shocked.
"So you trust her?" asked M.
LB turned to Ruby and, for once, a sort of beautiful smile appeared upon her lips.
"I do,"