Chapter 20: "I like his stubble!"
AN: So...It's been a while my friend. Really sorry about the wait! But here it is!
Happy Reading!
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Earlier in Chapter 17...
'Suddenly my anger was relieved once I looked at the slumping body of the pilot, and the pistol smoking in my hands.
"Sir?" Direct asked me again. That's when I realized I made a mistake.
I can't fly a helicopter.
"Do you know how to fly a helicopter?" I asked the Direct and I kicked the body of the pilot out of the open cockpit, taking his spot as Pilot and watched him fall from the 500 ft. fall and realizing that this would be a great height to crash from.'
(AN: Sorry guys, that was meant for this chapter, not last chapter ^_^)
Moriarty POV-
"Luckily," the Direct began, "I do! You know I used to be an aviator for the-"
"Yeah, I'm kind of descending to my death right now and we all know why we don't want that." I cut him short. It was true, I was slowly but surely descending towards where the pilot was falling.
"Oh right. Okay so hold onto the throttle, that will be your steering wheel. Right now, that is your most important instruction right now. Did you know that the throttle used to-"
"Still falling!" I interrupted once again. If we continue on like this, I'll end up in a burning pile of machinery. I'd rather not let it end like that.
"Right, right, sir. My apologies. I need you to slowly pull up-"
I did as he said and the entire helicopter lurched upwards.
"Aah! What the bloody hell was that!" I let go of the throttle and the plane went to descend quickly.
"Did you pull up slowly!? I told you to pull up on the throttle slowly, and did you listen? No! Now do as I say!" He yelled at me. As I did as I was told, I bickered back to him. I was not used to people raising their voices at me, because normally I would strangle them, but unfortunately I was not present at the time for me to do so.
"Hey! I'm still your boss, and I still am the most dangerous man in the universe." I pointed out, speaking loudly over the noise of the blades on the helicopter swirling over top of me. "Yelling at me's gonna just dig you a grave."'
The helicopter staggered a bit, going both up and down quickly.
"Point taken." The Direct spoke. "Alright, then, there are pedals. Do you have your foot on the petals? They change your gear and speed. If you stay at the same speed you're at now, there shouldn't be any other major problems that come up, you're very close to your target's plane. I'll send new coordinates to the GPS and continue what you're doing, and I'll be checking your chopper's stats."
"You know what? Flying a helicopter is actually fun!" I exclaimed and I switched hands on the throttle to help the cramped one that was turning white. As I did so, the helicopter suddenly, almost having a mind if it's own, swirled and spun upside down with me barely in the seat's restraints that kept me in the actual helicopter.
I screamed for my life and for the Direct but he wouldn't answer. All of a sudden, all the mountains in the scenery changed to nothing but blurred colors and lights. I felt myself grow sick as the chopper tilted and whirled and continued to spin. It seemed as if every attempt I made to fix my problem, just gradually made it worse. I grabbed hold of the throttle and steadied it once again for the last time. "Jesus Christ, let's not do that again." I muttered.
"What was that sir?" The Direct spoke and I never wanted to murder someone so hard. Where was he the entire time my life was in peril? It's not like he had anything better to do; he was outside the airport parking lot in a dark black van with a couple screens in his face along with the rest of the managing team.
I began to think of what I could do if I just turned the helicopter around and high-tailed my butt at the van back in Heathrow and fire at them with my copter guns. But I didn't have any on the helicopter. What a bust. I thought of a list of good ones I could accompany myself with besides a small pistol, but at that moment I was focusing on keeping myself alive.
"Oh nothing. I almost just killed myself on this stupid helicopter."
"Sorry Sir. I was taking a piss...hold on sir. I have something for you!"
"Is it the coordinates, maybe?" I snapped back.
"Right, right. Got it. Coordinates first."
Rolling my eyes, I maintained the same spot I was in. It was actually really beautiful outside of the helicopter. And I most likely would enjoy it way more if it weren't for the fact that I was fighting for the woman I love most dearly in the world, my only exception in life, the one thing that I ever wake up for.
My thoughts were interrupted by a light flashing on a screen in front of me, indicating the coordinates of the plane Sherlock was in had been set. I couldn't contain my grin.
But the grin that only lasted a few moments when a crappy quality sounding song came through my headset. I closed my eyes trying to contain my anger and counted my breaths, suddenly reopening them when I remembered I was still driving a helicopter.
"Ta-da! I got a new IPhone and now I can play my music-"
"Does it look like I care about your music when I'm on a very important mission right now! What is that song anyways...it's awful!" I complained, making a face.
"Oh...um...Stayin Alive? By the Bee-Gee's? Sir?" His voice grew smaller and smaller with each word. The music continued.
"Turn off the music! Why wouldn't that immediately register in your thick skull when I'm complaining about it in the first place!"
The music stopped in my headset and I felt relaxation hit me. Once it had, I realized it wasn't that bad of a song and it didn't deserve that bad of a reaction. But life goes on.
"Sir, Something's gone wrong at the-" static interrupted his urgent sound.
"What?" I snapped, continuing to fly the helicopter.
"They-fou-us. We're setting up camp-ba-Lond-." It didn't take long for the connection to drop. I maneuvered the chopper best I could with basic knowledge of which way steers where.
Deciding it was the best time to figure out how to work a helicopter, I pulled out my phone from my butt pocket with one hand still on the throttle, and while holding both, I set the wheel in the direction of the coordinates and tapped on the YouTube icon.
"Dang. I'm gonna use up all my 3G." I whined and curled my upper lip, abruptly looking up to make sure I wasn't dangerously close to a mountain I could hit. Typing in 'How To Fly Helicopter' there were surprisingly many videos on how to do so.
Along with some recommended videos on how to hide a dead body. (Whoops)
As I did so, I occasionally peeked up from my phone to check where I was going. It wasn't long until I realized I was right on the dot, yet I couldn't see it. I looked around the helicopter, even behind me and found no trace of the passenger plane.
I yelled in frustration. "Where the hell are you, Holmes!?" I hit the throttle in anger, and as it thrust backwards, it took the helicopter along with it. My throat grew hoarse from all the loud screaming I had done, so when I had tried to scream, it came out all crackly and made me sound like what I had sounded like in Secondary school.
Once I had the helicopter at a constant speed, I found it! I cried out in victory, and again, my voice cracked. Ignoring my vocal cord's state, I then realized I had no plan whatsoever, but follow the plane and snatch Sherlock Holmes at the next stop.
I had followed for quite some time, and I was able to see the sun completely set and as it almost reached dawn, a loud noise came from the helicopter.
"Oh...no..." I whispered.
I had run the airplane out of gas, and I then comprehended that I was gradually growing faster in my descent towards the hard mountainous ground. Thinking in only a split second, I grabbed a parachute that was in a large black backpack.
"Direct! I am officially out of gas, descending extremely fast towards ground at longitude 78, lattitude 34! Send help, I'm leaving the aircraft! Repeat, I am leaving the aircraft!" I shouted into the headset, and took it off. I was only 200 feet from ground and I knew if I didn't jump now, I'd surely crash.
I jumped to the landing skids, and took a deep breath. Taking a moment to breath, I came to sense that he won. Greta would know who I am when I'm not with me. I'd lose the love I loved the most and I thought,
maybe the parachute wasn't worth it anymore.
Greta POV-
-past-
"So Greta..." James practically skipped over towards me after I helped a young child and her mother find a specific book. I waved goodbye to the duo and then turned my attention towards the prancing pony coming my way.
"Yes James?" I mimicked his tone of voice, as he leaned against one of the bookcases. I eyed his arm that rested on the bookcase with a raised eyebrow. His gaze followed mine and he cleared his throat, replacing his hand inside his jeans.
"I was just wondering if after your shift today, you'd like to maybe have a real dinner with me before I go to London, you know."
HNG...(AN: I promise that's a real sound real people make)
"Wait...you mean the food we've already eaten's not real!?" I teased, with a pretend-shocked face. I was trying to stay cool.
Stay cool, Greta. Just stay calm...
"What? No! I mean like a date! Would you go on a real date with me?"
"Well I'd hope it to be real, otherwise that would just be weird!"
His face contorted.
"Of course it'd be real- can you just answer the question, you're kinda making me nervous, here." He squirmed in his stance. I laughed awkwardly as my heart beat into my throat.
"Yes, of course! I was wondering if you'd ask that!" I couldn't control my grin and it spread from ear to ear.
"That's..." James said as if he expected a 'no', and gave a breathless laugh. "Okay! Yeah, so I was thinking maybe we could go to some burger place I saw along the ride to the Hotel? It's right next to a baseball field and I was thinking we could go see the game today?"
"Oh my gosh, yes! Lawrence and I go to all of their games! I actually have a season-long pass and we can get in for free!" Everything I said seemed to come out way to over-excitedly but I was just too happy to act like a normal person.
"That's awesome! Alright! I'll pick you up here after your shift? Or wherever works for you. I'm fine with anything! Just let me know-"
"James." I interrupted. He snaps his focus back on me, rather than his feet. "Here is fine. I'll ask Maurice to let me change, and then I'll meet you here? Plan?"
James' smile widened, and I felt so did my heart. I tried so hard not to just start hyperventilating right then and there.
"Definitely a plan!"
"Great! Alright, I'll see you then!"
"Yes! Yes, yes, alright." He played it cool. I wondered if he was freaking out just as much as I was. I politely scooted past him, and walked towards Maurice who was working at the main desk. She shot her head up with a huge grin on her face, and gasped.
"Did he just now-?" She went to say but I shushed her, sneaking a glance at James who was watching us with an eyebrow raised and went to go walk up to the second floor. I grabbed Maurice's arm and we went outside the building.
I bit my lip as I closed the door to the outside, and turned back to Maurice with a quick 'whoosh'.
"So...?" She bounced in her seat. I nodded my head vigorously and the two of us, simultaneously, began to squeal and jump up and down like school girls.
"So did you say yes?" Maurice pursued. My grin turned to a look of annoyance.
"No, I asked him if he had a pet dinosaur instead- of course I said yes!" I screeched again, suddenly happy and fixed my overalls I was wearing.
"What are the details? When are you going? What are you wearing? Can we go shopping? What exactly are you doing? Are you guy's gonna kiss? Are you going to kiss a lot-?"
"Maurice! Maurice, stop!" I began to laugh. "I think you're more excited than I am!"
"You're not as excited as me?" Her expression changed to concern. I bit my lip and smiled.
"No, I guess I am just as excited as you are!" I felt my cheeks go hot, and my legs turned to jelly. Then, a sudden chill overcame me. I realized Maurice and I were standing in the middle of fall weather without any cover.
"Oh man, it's chilly out. Let's go inside and see more of James' beautiful face, huh?" Maurice teased, and grabbed a hold of my gray knit sweater sleeve.
"Well you don't have to go inside to see that, but sure let's go inside!" A voice popped out of nowhere. I jumped and bit as I turned to see James beaming down at me from the concrete steps of the book-store. Maurice began to laugh as he held the door open. The door closed behind us, James trailing around me, and I suddenly felt the heat spread everywhere.
"Ah~. This is better." I stated. James quit talking to Maurice and strolled up to me.
"Greta! I need your phone number, I guess I've talked to you so much in person I never needed it before!" He gave me a broad smile.
"Oh right! I guess so!" I turned around to the main desk and leaned over the edge of the desk to grab a small note-pad and pen when I felt a pair of eyes behind me. I snapped my head back with the pad and pen in hand, and caught James' eyes flicker back up to meet me, his back aligning from the tilted angle he was in, if you know what I mean.
I had to keep myself from giggling and revealing that I knew what he was doing and continued my business. I saw relief sweep over his face, and it grew harder and harder to contain myself. As I wrote down my digits, I felt small snorts escape my nose.
"What?" James questioned, almost like he was nervous. I shook my head, smiling from the corner's of my mouth.
"Nothing. Here you go. My number." I handed him the neon green paper, and his eyes lit up.
"Thank you, m'lady." He bowed, as he took it it in his hands. "Now if you excuse me, your highness, I have an engagement I need to get ready for."
I wanted to drop dead of excitement.
This perfect specimen had asked me, of all people in the world, of all of the fish in this sea, he asked me on a date.
It was as if a never-ending confetti rain-cloud followed me in every step. I wanted to shake wine bottles and open them in a fountain of fizz on each side of me, while shouting a victorious battle cry. As I did so, the heavens would open and grant me a 'your slightly appealing to an extremely attractive and handsome dude with out a fake attitude' sticker to put on the pocket of my overalls, and I would crowned with a diamond and gold studded MMA belt that also read 'You're not a loser in everyone's eyes'.
But none of that competed with the smile James gave me when he exited my work. I can honestly say I've never seen so much pure joy on someones face.
Well. I take that back.
Maurice was pretty darn excited as well. I thought she was going to kiss him.
Once he left, Maurice squealed again and ran towards me again.
"Give me all the details! You haven't told me anything about this date, yet!"
"Alright, alright! But you have to promise not to freak out-" I started but was interrupted.
"Freak out about what?" A lazy voice pondered behind me. Maurice and I turned around to see Calvin munching on one of my muffins. He caught up to where we were just talking to James.
"Greta got asked out on a date by James! I mean, I always knew since this morning but now I can let out all of my happiness." She began to do another one of her happy dances, stepping all around me with her head held high. I let out a small laugh.
Calvin's eyebrows furrowed close together into a scowl and he shook his shoulders. I took this opportunity to tease him.
"Ah, is someone being a grumpy gills because I'm actually liked by people, the complete opposite of what you are?"
He changed into a whole new 'I-don't-care-now-nothing-bothers-me' look.
"Well. He's not all that impressive so I don't understand what all the fuss is about. Is that so wrong?" He continued to bite into a muffin.
"Not impressive? That man has more literary knowledge than you're grandma will ever have, and he's the sweetest man I've ever met and he's pretty good-looking and he's-"
"Okay, okay! I get it, God!" He cursed.
"Is someone jealous now?" I teasingly fake pouted.
"No. Why would I be jealous of him!? He's so-"
"Better than you?" With my eyebrow raised, I advanced towards the very same cart and lead it towards a rack of books.
"No! That's not what I was going to say! He's an idiot!" He defended. My cart haltered and I whipped my head around to face him.
"Can't you say one nice thing? Ever?" I countered. Calvin smirked at me.
"One nice thing. There, satisfied?"
"Listen here, you little-"
Maurice interjected before things got ugly, and I thanked her silently.
"Greta meant one nice thing about her date tonight? You have said nothing but nasty things about him and frankly, I don't want someone who can't be nice to work here." She declared.
"Maurice, don't-" I began. She can't get rid of Calvin, he's my only help around here.
"Greta...I'm not going to fire him without giving him a chance. Besides..." Maurice trailed, giving Calvin a smirk of her own and slowly turning her attention towards him. "It should be menial for him to say something nice about James."
Calvin's face dropped.
"This job isn't that important to me." He ventured and grabbed his studded, leather jacket from the smoothie bar he was standing near and when to go leave when I stopped him by speaking.
"It's important to your grandma. You know, the one you're living with right now?"
Calvin turned around and headed straight towards the smoothie bar, threw off his jacket and slammed it down on the top of the counter.
"I like his stubble!" He shouted, and threw back on his jacket before exiting the building completely.
"Well. That was a little over-dramatic now, wasn't it." I said to Maurice. Suddenly, I heard the bells jingle once again and Calvin reentered.
"It was not!" He left again, the bells jangled for the last time. I shrugged my shoulders and lead the cart once again, pulling off the many books that was brought back. As I neared the 'How-To' section of the Library, a hand was placed on my shoulder. I looked to see who was holding me in place when I saw Maurice's twinkling eyes.
"Now that Calvin's gone, you can tell me the details!"
It took a half-hour to explain an event that only took over the course of five minutes. Maurice kept budding in with, 'What was your reaction?' and 'What was his reaction?' and 'Dear me, Greta!' and 'Oh! How precious!'. I had to keep myself from letting my patience grow thin because after all, this is Maurice I'm talking to.
Whenever I went grocery shopping with her, she'd always talk for at minimum, one hour before actually leaving. She could have never seen the person in the last fifteen years and bring up a conversation on their grandparent's meatballs.
After every conversation, they'd asked me some variation (whether it be put nicely or straightforward) of 'How do you put up with her?'. Maurice had always been there for me, since eighth grade, and when my parents died, she became my part-time mother, part-time boss.
It was after I finished the last detail that she decided to rush over to the door of the book shop and flipped the neon light that read 'OPEN' off, and switched the small hang-on to 'CLOSED'.
"Come, Greta!" She ordered. My eyebrows furrowed.
"Where we going?" I asked her. She looked at me like I was completely dumb and clueless.
"Uh, shopping?!"
I suddenly felt myself lurch forward when Maurice grabbed my hand and pulled me forward. I had just enough time to grab my small purse that laid on the main desk along with my 1,000 page hardcover copy of almost every small story Edgar Allen Poe ever wrote, before we were in the streets of Salt Lake City.
The busy people bustled around in lines and the smell of hazy pollution from the center of the town never seemed to reach here. Here, it smelled of mostly trees that were always planted along the edges of sidewalks and weird flowers.
"Honestly Maurice, we're going to a baseball game. I don't think shopping is necessary." She looked at me like I murdered her family as I fixed the book underneath my arm.
"Ex-cuse you! Shopping is always necessary. Plus, you said you guys were eating at a place in town, might as well be the best looking person in the eatery. But, if you really feel the way you do, then we'll make some changes to my plan." She began to walk away from me. I raised an eyebrow as she whipped her head back to face me. "Follow me, small one."
I caught up to her and I realized we began to walk towards the huge parking lot where her old car was parked, my extremely heavy book began to weigh down my arms.
"Important question!" Maurice blurted out as we round the corner to the small doors that lead to the indoor lot.
"Hit me."
"If you were to get kissed after this date, what would you do?"
I felt like she really did hit me.
What would I do? Would I really want to kiss a guy I didn't even know would come back to see me?
"Well. I guess I won't worry about it." I dismissed the question. Dissatisfied with my answer, Maurice frowned.
"But don't you want him to!?" She cried in shock.
"Not necessarily." I gave her a look, confused at why she was so opposed to my opposition. She shook her head and sighed.
"Alright. I guess it is your decision." She stood down. I thanked her as we got to the car. Maurice unlocked it with those handheld remote keys and the small Prius beep echoed throughout the empty parking lot.
We were about to get into the car when ( almost as if on cue) a man in a bloody clown mask ran up, a small gun in hand.
"Hey!" He shouted. "Give me all your money!"
I rolled my eyes at the 'scary man'.
"What a cliche thing to say..." I mumbled. He snapped his mask towards me.
"I don't care. Do as I say."
Maurice's hands shook as he put the gun to her head, not obeying him.
"Now, now son. There's no need to-"
"Shut up, old lady! Just give me everything you got!" He looked at me, like he expected me to do the same and I stared at him, annoyed, like I saw this everyday.
"Don't look at me! I'm broke right now."
Maurice stopped fumbling through her purse and looked up at me.
"Really?! Oh I am so sorry-" She began but was interrupted by the sound of a click of a gun cocking and the man shouting at her to ignore me. I wasn't going to intervene and just let the man go on with his day, who knows he may have needed it, but when he threatened Maurice, I lost it.
My mouth gradually grew into a shangry (shocked-angry) face.
"Okay, first of all, bitch, and second of all, there are better ways to handle your situation! Just like there are better ways to handle what you just did in my eyes. But this one's more fun." I interrupted myself by full-forcedly throwing my book at his face, and hitting him in the eyeball. The gun went off, and Maurice and I hit the ground as we looked behind us to see a hole in the now shattered window of Maurice's Prius.
I walked over to the man squirming on the ground.
"It was either this or I preach about Jesus to you for twenty-minutes. Fortunately for you, I chose the latter."
We would have been able to run into the car and drive over him if it weren't for Maurice. When she realized the corner of my book hit the man's eye, she rushed over to him and took him in the car.
My breath got caught in my throat and I scoffed.
"Maurice! Put that man down! He tried to kill you!"
"So what, Greta! You hit the man in the eye! Now help me get him in, he can't see!" She snapped and opened the door of the car with one hand straddled around the man. He was completely helpless in her arms and it seemed like he forgotten about his plan anyways.
I chuckled and followed her lead, as she place the man in my seat in the passenger side.
"Maurice! He tried to rob you! He's a thief!"
"Yeah, and you're a bully!" She replied. I began to walk over to the back seat.
"I saved your life." I mumbled, as I grumpily opened the car door and slammed it, crossing my arms across my chest after I buckled myself. This lady will be the death of me.
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AN: HELLLO ONCE AGAIN!
Sorry it took so long for this to come up with! ;) I'll try to get the next part out as soon as possible! Also, thank you for all the people who've added my story to their reading list and voted and commented! It means a lot to me, really! :0000000
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