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Chapter Twenty-Eight
I ended up putting on the balaclava far before it was necessary just because my face was cold. I was in good physical shape, so the walk was tedious rather than tiring. Music blasted into my ears, which was probably stupid when walking through somewhere I didn't know in the pitch black, but I didn't care. I was armed with a paintball gun and something that sounded eerily similar to a police siren. I'd probably scare off someone who attacked me pretty quickly.
I could at least see the power plant in the distance now. I'd had a look at the aerial view and made an educated guess as to where they'd be planning their attack. I was assuming they had a similar MO to the chemical plant attack; they didn't want to destroy anything that would release anything into the atmosphere and they probably wouldn't have enough explosives for that, anyway.
Liliana had never been clear about where she'd got the explosives from in the first place, though. She maybe could have got an arsenal if he wanted to.
So, I'd decided their main target would be the reception area and cafeteria for the workers. It was near to the perimeter and it wouldn't put the environment in danger, but it would have an impact on the daily running of the plant.
It made sense, at least from what I knew about the trio.
I was in the trees at the moment. They were my cover and I was loathed to leave them at all unless I had to. I was completely anonymousâI'd ordered myself a plain black pair of jeans, a plain black jumper, and a new pair of trainers yesterday that wouldn't be associated with me. My hair was pinned back in a bun, so it couldn't be seen at all.
I might have been in the trees, but I had a perfect view of the plant. There was about three hundred metres between where the trees ended and where the fencing began. I could see the reception sign.
My biggest fear right now was that the trio had taken the exact same route as me and were about to walk straight past me. That would be a disaster. I'd have to just shoot them and run, and that wasn't going to stop their master plan.
But they'd have driven, at least somewhere close by, so I hoped they were taking a different route to the same place.
My headphones were securely in my pocket nowâI could hear every sound within earshot. There was an annoying owl nearby, but I tried to ignore it. I was listening for talking, or creaking branches, or something that would suggest life.
When a branch cracked, my head turned so fast I had to rub my neck afterwards. But I couldn't see anything. It was probably just a fox.
My gaze returned to the plant, and figures came into vision. I stared, frozen for a second. This was the moment of truth. Three figures in balaclavasâLiliana, Dean and Callum.
My paintball gun was heavy where it was strapped over my back and the siren weighed down my pocket. Ethan and I had gone to the edge of the grounds to try it out. We'd only been able to turn it on for a second before we'd panicked and switched it off again. This thing was loud.
I could only afford a couple of moments' of doubt. I stuck to the trees and pressed the siren on. I screwed up my face as it blared. This thing was leading any security guards straight to me if they emerged. I watched the trio start and turn around, staring right at me. I was behind a tree, though, and it was black. They couldn't see me. I was as close to the road as I could beâI hoped they'd think the siren was coming from there, even if there were no lights.
But when it came to fight or flight, they'd picked fight. Liliana continued to run forwards and I was forced to pull out my gun. She wasn't that far away, but I didn't know whether I could actually hit her or not. I tried, and got her in the arm. She faltered, her gaze coming towards me again. I didn't know whether she'd spotted me.
My heart pounded as she continued to run forward. I could see the bomb in her hand. She was going to be there in no time.
I took more shots, keeping them aimed at her chest as best as I could. She was only wearing a jumperâthey should have been hurting. My siren was still blaring.
I was so focused on Liliana that I almost missed the figure stepping out of the trees just a few metres down. He was aiming right at Liliana.
"If you don't stop, I'll shoot the bomb." It was Ethan, stood there aiming his gun right at the bomb in Liliana's hand. I barely caught what he'd said over the siren, he must have screamed it. I didn't know whether he could hit it or not, but I hoped the threat was enough.
I prayed none of them knew what his voice sounded like. I supposed there was no reason when he taught on the ballet side of things. Liliana came to a freeze and her gaze was glued to Ethan. Her hand dithered, but she wasn't close enough to the fence to drop it over yet. She had to choose.
Eventually, she raised her hands. Ethan motioned with his gun, telling her to get out of there. When Liliana turned to scamper away, I heard the alarm. It blared over my own siren, drowning it out, and lights flooded from the power plant.
My heart stopped, and then I was running. I snatched the siren from the ground and turned it offâmy finger prints were all over the thing if someone found it. Ethan and I joined in between where we'd each been hiding and took off at full pace. It would have been more romantic if we could have held hands, but it would have killed our speed too much.
We didn't say anything until it was pitch black, the lights from the plant left behind, and we couldn't see where we were going. We came to a standstill and the adrenaline pounded through me.
I ripped my balaclava off and barely made out Ethan's face in the darkness before kissing him.
My body was on a highâeverything about me was pumped up, and I wanted Ethan to know how much it meant that he'd come anyway. He'd risked all that and he'd been the one to make all the difference. He'd risked being identified.
I stood into his personal space, pushing my body completely against his, and kissing him as if my life depending on it. My heart was racing from everything that had just happened, and Ethan responded in kind. His hands clung onto me so hard it was painful, and I loved it. Soon both our trousers were undone, and there was no going back.
Afterwards, we stood still for a second, my body tingling and exhausted, as our chests rose against each other.
Ethan wrapped his arms around me and gave me another kiss on the lips. "We really need to get out of here. My car should be parked somewhere close by. I'll try and find it on the GPS."
He pulled out his phone after doing up his trousers, and I re-arranged my appearance by the light of my own phone. He showed me his display. Just a fifteen minute walk to get to where his car was parked.
Ethan slung an arm around my shoulder and we walked back with our sides bumping against each other. "Thank you. For being here. I would have been screwed without you."
"You should have known I'd have never let you go and do that on your own."
I smiled up at him, barely able to see his face from the flashlight that he was shining on the ground. "I guess I should. I still think it was stupid, but I appreciate it. I appreciate everything." My soppiness was shining through. "I think I'd have actually gone mad the past couple of months without you." I was a social personâbeing isolated and without friends would have killed me off. Ethan had really helped out with that.
"And you've made this job bearable for me. I thought I hated it, but you've made me realise the value of really helping someone."
We looked up at each other, and I felt the happy tears shining in my eyes. The adrenaline was wearing off, but my feelings for Ethan would never disappear. "I think I might love you," I told him, averting my eyes to watch where we were going.
He squeezed his arm around my shoulder. "I think I definitely love you."
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I can't believe this story has come so far! I'm at nearly #400 on the Romance lis