Damien's POV

I am now running down the dimly lit hallway with Ariana in the old archive of the building when I realised that we weren't armed and ready at all.

"Ariana, we don't have our satchels with us"

"So what? We have the contacts with us so we can see in the dark, that's enough, I don't want your crazy ex to come and kill me"

"Ariana, do you know in my satchel, there's a flash drive with vital information on all the elite agents in the country?"

That's when she turned and looked at me with a very angry look and whisper-screamed;

"Are you out of your mind or something? Couldn't you keep it with you in your pocket or something? I thought you came to get a job as a detective? What kind of detective are you if you can't keep a very vital piece of information, knowing that that information could jeopardise the safety of Istoria and her citizens?! Do you want to compromise my future job?"

"Firstly, I actually have a plan to get that satchel and then get out of here. Secondly, my satchel is under..."

"Let me guess, SAFE protocol, and why'd you need the satchel or is the whole satchel full of vital information?"

"Yes, it's under the SAFE protocol and also we aren't armed, remember? Knowing the Santiagos, they've probably set a 100 guards in place and at least a dozen in this facility, so we need that satchel and probably yours too"

"Fiiine, since I've been here before a lot of times and judging by the amount of dust and light in here, I'm guessing we're in Sector 12"

"Okay, and you know this sector well?"

"Please, I know this place like the back of my hand"

"Okay, so where to?"

"Well, we go left from here"

"And you're sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, now let's get moving"

We moved on and entered a lighter hallway.

"Oh, so you know your stuff huh? Judging by the light, I can sense we are close to the exit"

"Yes, I do. Didn't I tell you?"

"Fine, I'll admit that" I said as I was about to turn but she pulled me back and whispered;

"Hey, watch your step, didn't you see those 2 very muscular guards? Honestly, at this point I don't think you are observant"

I eyed her and we waited until those guards left before we proceeded to the exit just 3 metres away but then 2 guards came and blocked our way, we were certainly spotted.

"Damien, what ever you do, don't let them get away to alert all the others" Ariana whispered

"Okay, I'll take the female, you take the male"

"Sounds good"

Then I silently crept up to the guard on the left and wanted knock her out using my elbow but she turned around quickly and held my elbow. She threw a punch and I dodged in time just to see her fist where my head was a second ago.

'Close one'

I quickly went to the side and grabbed anything I could find and I picked an... ERASER!!! Of all the things on that table. Now the woman was coming for me and she used her body weight to bring the table down. I was so close to being squashed had I not dodged that. Then I smelt something strange. I stood up just to see her swinging blindly. I used the opportunity to knock her out.

I recomposed myself and saw Ariana closing a valve of some kind on a cylinder. I then read out the inscription.

"Tear gas!!! How did you get that so quickly? Also how did you knock him out that quick" I then saw a white handkerchief soaked with a liquid on his mouth. "You know what? Don't answer that."

"Okay. It was on this guard's holster"

"But you're wearing heels"

"Not anymore" she said as she retracted them. "I have connections, remember."

"Fine, so we should probably get out now"

"Yes, and I also found out where the satchels are"

"Oh, how did you do that?"

"The tablet with this guard, It has security footage and our satchels are just... in that cabinet" She said pointing at the cabinet beside me.

I opened it to find both our satchels.

"Thank goodness, and the flash drive's still there"

"That's a relief. Wait! Gimme that thing"

She collected it from me and put it in a machine in her satchel, she then gave it back.

"What did you do to it?"

"Nothing important. Just something for security measures"

"Okay, now let's get out of here"

"Wait!" She went to the guard she knocked out and took the tablet and radio from him. She gestured for me to take the other radio. She then started pulling off the female guards uniform and gestured for me to do the same.

"We have to blend in, from what you told me, it looks like these people are very resourceful. Also, you can remove your contacts"

I removed my contact and wore the guards uniform but it was too big.

Ariana came and pressed a button on my arm, the suit then shrunk to my size.

"How did you do that?"

"I have connections, how many times do I have to tell you that? Besides, I know the person who made these"

"Who did?"

She became silent for a while before straightening up.

"It's not needed to know. Now, let's get out before these people wake up" She told me.

She went out the door and gestured for me to keep up. (Something's wrong).

"Honestly it's nice to be outside again, so where to now?" She said, forgetting everything that happened inside.

"Up that hill, you see those rovers there?"

"Yes, but that place is really dangerous. That's where The Red River is"

"Red River? Never heard of it."

"Well, it's really dangerous. Don't you think we should go get appropriate help from the right people?"

"Ariana, all the agents are busy somewhere over five miles from here. We can't possibly get help now"

"But it's..."

Then the radio crackled and I heard Kylie's voice telling all guards on duty to retreat to Headquarters

"I guess that's where we're meeting and whether you like it or not, we have to go now"

"Fineee"

We made our way to the top of the hill where down below was the Red River in all its glory.

Kylie came and with a gesture all the guards present were forming an assembly. Ariana and I were shoved to the front with the Red River quarter a mile away. Then Kylie began her speech.

"Guards, glory is on its way on a platinum platter to us and we are so close to that glory but there's been an obstruction. You see Mr Bolton and Miss Diaz have decided to make a detour and tried to stop us but they've been apprehended so there's no need to worry but I want to put you all to the test. You see the aforementioned have escaped and we need to get them before they get out to destroy our plan and if they get out on your watch there will be consequences.

One of the guards gulped and Kylie asked; "Who did that?"

The guard turned himself in and came to the front of the assembly.

"So it's you, isn't it?" She went to him and started toying with the zipper of his uniform. "Well you shouldn't be scared honey, okay?"

He nodded and turned on his heel to go, she took her pistol from her holster and before the guy could turn back, she shot him point blank in the head.

"That's why you don't wimp out on me, okay people?" She said to the guards with a wide smile.

They all responded whole-heartedly and she continued her speech;

"And so I want you to arrest the two in the front to prove your loyalty" She said pointing at me and Ariana with a straight face. All the guards were positioned to catch us when Ariana grabbed my hand and took off running.

"What's that for?" I asked with a confused face 

"Now's not the time, so pick up the pace"

"But we are headed straight for the Red River a mile down"

"Well, how do you want to die? By water or by the hands of your crazy ex?"

"I think I prefer water"

"Good because we're going in now" She said as we both jumped down the cliff.