Spies

Chapter 4

Picture of Chara^

Dedicated to one of my first voters and commenters - @friskriel . Thank you for inspiring me and pushing me to continue the story.

I should have never let Gaia pick.

Out of all the bars and clubs she could have chosen, she chose The Marsh. This was the most exclusive club in Manchester. Even though the rest of the city has a more laid-back atmosphere, The Marsh enlivens the surrounding areas when the clock strikes twelve. The music can be heard from miles away and the lights blind people as far as they could be seen. There are special days and even seasons that the club will go all out for.

For example, tonight and every night this week,everything will encapsulate the theme of the Wonder Women. It happens for about 10 days every year in March celebrating the accomplishments of women in art, music, politics and film. It is usually an educational and inspiring event but the club decided that it should hold a 'Women Free After Ten' special for the entire week.

When we got in, the place was crowded with people. Cups and bottles were in hands in the air as people danced to the music. I quickly followed Gaia and Chara to the bar, trying to ignore the commotion around me.

I am not really a bar or club kinda person. After a hard day at work, I usually go home and curl up with a good book or movie along with my favourite comfort food and relax for the rest of the evening before going to bed. At the moment in this noisy crowded club with my claustrophobia, one can make an accurate guess that I am not having the best time.

"What are we drinking?" Chara spoke up once we found three stools close to each other at the bar. Gaia sat in the middle of Chara and I. We could still hear the music but it was not as loud. The bartender, a cute blonde guy, was serving another customer and gave us time to decide.

When he was finished, he turned to us, he smiled at us, gazing in awe at Chara and asked, "Night pretty ladies. What will you be having?"

"Give me something that will make me forget I have to work tomorrow," Gaia said, swaying to the music. I could already tell she did not want to leave sober.

"Ummm," I did not know what I wanted so I decided that I'll start off with something I am familiar with. "I'll take a West Coast Sunset."

"Oooooo. Fancy," Chara comments. "I'll start with one of those as well."

"Coming right up," he winks at Chara and then leaves.

"Awwwwwww," Gaia says, sipping her drink.

"What,"

"He obviously likes you," Gaia says, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Come on. Stop being childish," she says, smiling. Then, her face drops, still smiling but with a sad undertone. "I would not work anyhow."

"Why? He's cute, has a stable job, low key. What else could you ask for?" Gaia probes.

"Are you forgetting what you do for a living? What we all do for a living?" she says. In the few seconds we were silent, the bartender serves us our beverages and leaves, not before winking at Chara.

That was the downside to our job. Being an agent was a serious but fun job once you get used to it but you can't exactly have a normal life when a case can take you away from your loved ones for an indefinite amount of time, or even forever.

"This is not the time to be thinking about the depressing sides of our jobs anyhow," Chara changes the mood. "So, Callie," she starts, turning directly to me. "Who's your new partner?"

"Nope," I say after taking a sip of my drink. "Gaia need to tell me what's going on with Desi," I say, sipping my drink and smiling at her.

She blushes and looks down.

"Yup. I want the details too. You too have been sneaking around each other for months," Chara adds, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Well," she starts, smiling wide. I put my chin in my hands on the table, facing her, interested in what my friend was going to say. She giggled before she continued, "Desi and I are just friends-"

"Lies," Chara and I say at the same time.

"Friends don't smile and wink at each other like y'all did this morning," I smile. "Now, tell the truth."

"Fine. Fine. Fine. We've been talking for the last couple months,"

"Talking, you say," Chara quotes. "Mmkay then. I wish I had somebody to talk to."

Me too.

"Uggghhhhhh. I starting to like him, okay," she finally admits. "We've been seeing each other for the last couple of weeks and so far, it has been great."

"Awwwwwwwwwwwe," Chara and I gush.

"Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Whatever," she says, trying to cut the conversation. "Now," she starts, "who's your partner? I didn't see anyone with you when we were at the office."

Ugggghhhh. Gaia is going to overreact. I just know it.

"It's Alex. I don't know his last name or anything-"

She screams, interrupting me. Oh my God. "Alessandro Diakos? Sexy Alex? No way!" Chara actually spat out her drink.

"You know him?" I ask sarcastically.

"Know him? Girl," she sips her drink and continues. "He's the talk of the office." She proceeds to check on her fingers, "Who he slept with. Who wants to sleep with him. Who he is flirting with. All of it, girl."

Wow. Guess I need to

"He also never does actual work," Chara continues. "Seems to be his work ethic - look good, be arrogant as hell and take all the credit."

"But don't take our word for it, not like you actually do it anyways," Gaia say with a knowing smile. She knows I need to be sure of the information that I get. I never actually take everything for what others tell me. It is one of my qualities that made me a good agent.

"He can be whatever he wants to be," I comment, drinking the last few sips from my glass. "But he better not get me killed in the field."

"You're right. Otherwise, I'm getting fired and arrested for murder," Gaia says, already thinking of what she might do.

"Me too," Chara adds. "I'm starting to like you. You balance out the crazy my partner adds to my life," she chuckles, elbowing Gaia.

We all laugh and joke around, ordering drinks and having fun. Gaia, drunk out of her mind, continuously making Chara and me laugh with her silliness. Chara and I really bonded in the few hours I got to know her and I can see us being friends, which is hard for me since I have trust issues.

Designated as the driver since we all came with my car, I drank water for the rest of the night while the others tried different beverages and danced the night away. They partied while I stayed by the bar thinking about Alex.

Is he really like they say he is? I caught a few glances from people when he was at my desk but I thought nothing of it. Hopefully, I can form my own opinion as we work together.