The above pic is Xander.

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He watched the screen. His target left the hotel and the man quickly ran up to her. "Well hello."

"Excuse me sir but I really do not have time for this. I must be on my way."

"Are you sure? Were you not aware of the after party." The man lied. He needed the man to keep her out of Solokov's sights just a little bit longer.

She looked around at the people coming out of the hotel. She did not look too convinced. "If there was a party then how come no one was not made aware by an announcement?"

As soon as she spoke, an answer popped in the man's mind. "It was supposed to be announced after everyone had collected their items. To be honest it is not really a party it is more of a ruffle but there are people still partying."

"I think I will past but thank-" Her hand flew to her head and the man seemed to actually feel concern for her. 

"Are you alright?"

 "I am fine but thank you." She did not look very good. Her face suddenly turned pale and she was swaying just a little bit . Her eyes were searching for something and his guess was that she was searching for an escape most likely in the form of a car. Her face lit up as her escape arrived and she ran towards it, ignoring the man.

As soon as the car disappeared from sight, the man pulled out a phone and dialed a number. Soon his own phone rang.

"Sir, I believe that we have found her." 

He picked up the phone as he lowered the end of his white shirt to meet the jeans he wore, squishing the phone between his shoulder and ear. "Good. Where?", he answered struggling to keep the excitement out of his voice. He knew that this will be the perfect man for the job to find her and take her to his boss as she now is his mission and he is confident that he would complete his mission.

"At...the...Plaza..." The man on the phone, spoke slowly which signaling that he was about to tell him bad news.  

"What is it?" He growled.

"Mr. Solokov has has her." The man stammered.

He curseed under his breath. "Do you not have any confidence in me? He can not be with her all the time. I bet his lackey is the one who is actually with her. He is not a problem."

"But sir, Solokov is a problem."

"Not when he is with her." He growled through clenched teeth, this man whether he be new or not needs to learn a lesson, to never doubt his superior. Breathing deeply as to not yell at the poor man, he closed the phone. As yelling would be useless, the man had done his job and now it was his turn to do his part.  Hurriedly he put his jacket on, not bothering to dry his hair, he quickly made his way out the door. This mission needed no time to waste as she needs no time to escape. She is now his prey and soon she would be trapped. He put his hand in the air as he spotted the yellow car heading towards him. The car heading towards him quickly came to a halt in front of him. Without wasting anymore time, he headed towards his destination. She is coming ever so closer in his sights and she is not going to escape. A smile slowly grew upon his face as his thoughts turned to her capture. What would he do when she finally was captured? He smiled at his answer. 

***Snow***

I felt a groan escape my lips as the sun hit me in the eyes, that was the only flaw with this room. Every morning when the sun comes up, the light always finds a way in to give me a early morning call. If only there was some way to avoid that. Knowing that laying in bed and trying to go back to sleep even by turning away from the light would not help me fall asleep, I decided to get up. Throwing the covers away from me, I swung my legs over the bedside and took a look at my closet. What outfit should I wear today? Let me see. I scanned through all the possibilities before finally picking the right ones. Pushing myself off the bed, I allowed my feet to feel the cold, hard ground before I proceeded towards the closet. Scanning the rows and rows of various colors of clothes that I did not even know were here. After all I only ever had two sets of clothes that I owned since the fire. Regardless of the mystery of who got the clothes. I felt for a plain fitting black long-sleeve shirt and dark blue jeans. Throwing them on the bed, I next looked in the closet for a scarf. The closet had everything from scarfs to shoes. Searching through the numerous choices of scarfs, I picked up a brown, grey and white animal print scarf and knee high black boots. Strangely as I looked at the desk in front of the bed and to the left of the closet, I noticed a matching purse that sat  just waiting to be used. I moved closer to the purse and opened it, curiously. It was empty except for a small folded-up white piece of paper. Curious, I took it out and unfolded it.  

   "Dear Snow,

I know that you probably have little to no clothes since the fire and now especially since you moved here. So I have taken the liberty to buy you some. Most of these were picked out by Maggie. That may be most of the pink clothes but the rest are from me. Enjoy and think of this as a gift from a friend. No thanks is needed.

-Your friend, Solokov

So he was the one responsible. I looked at the open closet once again, at the non-pink clothes and at the clothes I had picked out. It was strange actually thinking that he would have picked out such a cute outfit and how he even knew what size I am but that was probably all Maggie's fault. She probably found out when she was dressing me up yesterday for the auction. I shivered at the memory of the man after the auction. 

He still gave me the shivers. 

Not wanting to think about him, I turned my train of thought to the outfit and quickly put it on. Before I walked into the bathroom, my mind only thinking about ways to make me at least look presentable.

***Makar***

Ring, Ring. He quickly made it to the table and picked up the phone. He pushed the button to answer, he was immediately greeted with a rush of words in Russian that just as quickly as they were spoken, they just as quickly raced out of his ear. "Slower." He barked and the voice sighed before the man on the other end begin once again.

"I found her. She's not in good shape but they seem to be rushing her into a car. I followed the car and they are heading to a private airplane. Should I follow them because it does not look like they are coming back? Petrov's gang is at the hotel but they have lost track of them. I think they will make it."

A sigh of relief escaped his lips before he asked, "Is a tracker in place?" He waited a moment before he was given an answer. "Da." He smiled, she would be safe for the mean time. "Return to base. I will send another man on the mission." 

The sound of the car's engine and than the tires screeching on gravel, told him of the man's obedience. 

Ending the call, he quickly called another number and waited for an answer. "Da?"

In Russian he quickly told the man his instructions before he hung up. Confident of the man's abilities. He will find her no matter the cost? 

***Snow***

After helping myself to the food in the kitchen and making the bed, I put on some black gloves, a black beret and a long black coat that reached to my knees before I closed the door behind me, locking it with the key I had found in the jewelry box on the desk beside the closet. I walked down the hall-way and towards the elevator, hoping that he would not find me and that I would be allowed to exit the hotel with no trouble at all. Hitting the button for the first floor, the doors were about to close when a figure running down the hall-way made me stop it.

The figure was not Cole  or Cam so I allowed him to enter into the elevator. "Which floor?" 

"One." He answered. He was pretty handsome with wet, straight, shoulder-length black hair, grey eyes, tan skin and a body made for someone who worked out a lot and a small beard made him look to be in his twenties or early thirties. 

I pushed the button again and the doors soon closed again. "So where are you heading to?" I asked, not wanting this to be an awkward ride.

"To a cafe a few blocks away from here. You?"

"I have no idea. This is the first time that I have ever been out of this hotel."

He gave me a cursory glance before he asked, "Would you like to go to the cafe? Its small but it has some of the best drinks that I have ever tasted. I have been there at least five times and it never ceases to amaze me." 

I looked at him, he had an relaxing aurora around him that instantly put me at ease around him and if he tried anything I could always give him a quick kick to the place where the sun does not shine. "Sure? Do you have any other places that are good around here. This place is so big and I have no idea as to which places are worth visiting." 

  "Well Lady Liberty for one but that depends on what stuff you like? What are you here for anyway?" 

I should have seen this coming. "I am visiting some friends here. But despite the promise of fun during this trip they have been too busy to take me anywhere." 

"I am sorry."

"It's okay. I mean everything can not be the way that you want stuff to be right or else what fun would there be to life. Well I am up for anything all though I am not really a shopper. I would like to at least look at the malls." 

"Well do you have a phone because if you look up some malls on your phone. I am pretty sure it will show you exactly where to go." 

I cursed under my breath, Cole. "No, my friend thought it would be funny if they took my phone away from me because I was spending too much time on it. Which I was not." I did not care if I sounded like a teen. At least the story was believable. 

"Once again I am sorry but-" he pulled out his phone and typed a few things in it before he turned the screen towards me. "Here is the nearest mall. That would be the best place to go after the cafe. I have to go to a meeting after the cafe but if I did not have to I would bring you to there. You know New York is not a good place to be alone in. I suggest that you call one of your friends to get you or stay at the hotel until a friend can get you there."

"Thank you?" I waited a moment hoping that he would give me his name.

"Xander. Yours?"

What was the name I gave Maggie? Shoot. "Diane." Please let that be believable. 

He waited a moment before he nodded. "Well nice to meet you Diane." He shook my hand just as the elevators opened. Well that for once seemed like a short and long ride at the same time. 

But just as the elevators opened, I felt my eyes widen as Cole stood leaning against the wall. He looked handsome in a grey long-sleeve shirt, matching beanie and dark jeans his arms were crossed across his chest. His eyes were humorous until they moved to take in Xander. At once they became back to their old self, hard.  

I allowed my own eyes to glare at him. How did he know? Does he have cameras everywhere? Who am I kidding he probably does but then how did he get here so fast?

Xander looked between the two of us before he nervously spoke, "Well I have better leave nice to meet you, Diane. I hope to see you soon but by the way this situation has turned out, I assume that you will not be coming to the cafe."

"She will not." Cole growled and I glared at him harder. "She will not be going anywhere without a friend of her's by her side. I see you understand how dangerous New York can be especially for a woman by her self."

I can take care of myself you-wait he was listening in on our conversation. You-.

"Yes I understand." He looked at Cole than shook his head. "Once again, nice meeting you Diane." He said as he took his hat off, politely then put it back on before leaving the hotel. Unknown to both of them, he left with a smile on his face.

"I know that causing a scene is not something that guests like to see." 

I smiled, knowingly but my relief was short lived before he covered the distance between us and grabbed my arm. 

He spoke in a clipped voice, "You do not understand. Petrov has ties everywhere but some places less then others. Even though, he is still a danger as you saw..." He looked around before returning his gaze to me. His warm breath fanned across my face smelling of coffee. So he was a coffee drinker? Get your head in the game, Snow. "He wants revenge for being outsmarted by a girl, Snow. You of all people should know this. Do you want him to find you and make your life a living nightmare?" His voice actually sounded genuinely worried but I am not going to fall for it especially after that stunt he pulled off before I was whisked away here from Russia. 

I would never forget the hard, emotionless look in his eyes that he had looked at me with when he called me traitor. I would never forgive him for all this pain he put through my life, all in order so what he can get the second hard drive. If Petrov had not gotten to it yet? Although it was doubtful with how well it was hidden. Even I had no idea exactly where it was hidden, I was only given a piece of information as to where it was hidden. I felt tears threaten to fall down my face so I looked away. "Alright you win, take me back to my prison." I felt his gaze soften but dare not look at him.

"I will take you to the cafe that Xander was going to take you but if any sign of trouble shows up. We will leave at once. You understand."

This time I looked at him, in astonishment before I nodded. 

He allowed a small smile to reach his lips for he grabbed my hand and took a step towards the door waiting for me to reach him.

Understanding that he actually wanted me to walk beside him and to not drag me, I quickly took a step forward not wanting for him to change his mind. 

He smiled as he walked me outside.

I looked at him at my side, a warm feeling was spreading throughout my chest making me smile but I knew that it would not last long. In fact it bugged me just a little. If he did not trust me then why did he seem to actually be making an effort to? Was he slowly building trust towards me or was there some sort of motive behind him suddenly deciding to make an effort to trust me? Shaking my head of those thoughts. Of those nagging thoughts that threatened to ruin the somewhat beautiful scenery in front of me that was lit up with lights. Lights? Festive lights for Christmas. I could not believe that time was passing so fast. Just a moment ago it seemed like it was fall and now all of a sudden it was turning into winter. Was Christmas really so close? 

"It's beautiful is it not?" Cole's voice interrupted my thoughts. 

I looked at him, confused before his words came to me. "Oh, yes it is."

"Is there anything on your mind, Snow?" He asked, once again actually sounding genuinely worried. It hurt my heart. 

"Nothing much. I just can not believe Christmas is so close." 

"I know it shocked me too. I had to double check my phone before I actually even considered it...is there anything that you would like?" 

"Cole," I looked at him, my heart hurt. "Do not pretend like everything is normal because it is not. In your words sooner or later Petrov will find us and we are acting like, like a-" Couple? Is what made since. Especially with us holding hands and walking towards what a cafe. To everyone around us, it must seem as if we are a couple but if only they knew. "Friends. We have to be on our toes at all times ready for him at every second."

"What do you think that I have been doing? In fact you have been the one acting like everything is normal. Trying to sneak out of the hotel at every opportunity, making friends with everyone and even strangers. You have completely disregarded Petrov until now. Why is that?" 

I looked around at the people, we had stopped and they were giving us curious glances. "Cole let us continue. People are giving us weird glances."

"I do not care and I will not continue until you give me an answer. Are you trying to keep us, everyone, me, Cam and Maggie at a distance all because you are afraid of getting too close?" Seeing that he hit a sore spot, he continued.

I tried to free my hand but his grip was like vice. 

"Are you afraid because you have nobody to help you through this roller coaster called life and you do not want to get into more than you can chew."

By now people had stopped and I was becoming desperate to get him to stop. I was dying of embarrassment. How could he do this to me, in front of all of these people? That jerk. Tears threatened to come to my eyes but I fought them back. There was no way that he was going to win. Why not turn the question back on him? Put him in the spot-light for once. See how it was like to be shoved around. Get a taste of his own medicine."What about you? How come you are always so emotionless? Not allowing your feelings to show? Are you afraid that someone is going to see your feelings and use them as a weakness? Well news flash. Everyone has feelings and everyone dislikes it when their feelings are displayed like a play but they deal with it in their own way. Just because someone saw that you actually feel something does not mean that you should put walls up around you and act like everyone is the enemy. Feeling something is actually good, not bad as you seem to think." I growled as his eyes guess what became hard and unreachable. My heart hurt a little bit at his reaction but he was in for it. "What now are you hurt? Because you are doing just like I was talking about putting your walls up and hiding behind them." People were now in a circle around us, like other people's problems were the world's biggest opera. "And you people, what do you think that other people's problems are the world's biggest opera? Well news flash everyone has problems and just because someone else has a problem that you do not have. Does not mean that you can make it into a spectacle. Get along your way." 

The crowd begin to disperse and soon everything was back to normal. 

I turned to Cole, he was still there. 

His eyes had turned into something softer than stone but colder, ice. 

I had hit a sore spot but I did not feel victorious. Instead I felt light, like I had gotten something off my chest but also a little bit tired. "I assume we are not going to the cafe?"

In response, he tightened his hold on my hand before he begin to drag me down in the direction where the café should be. The whole entire trip there was no words shared between us. Nothing could change that especially when a man all of a sudden appeared out of the crowd and stopped in front of us.

His short, dark hair and smile on his face made him easily recognizable as someone, people usually went out of their way to avoid. His scarred face and twinkling eyes made me shiver but the feeling ended there as Cole moved in front of me, protectingly.

"Not now, Zane."

"Oh, but Mr. Solokov it is the perfect time." At his words, I felt my back itch like someone was watching us. I turned around to see the eyes of none other than Xander. 

He gave me a nod which I frowned at him in response before he pointed to something upwards.

I followed his gaze until I spotted it, a lone sniper. A sniper who was pointing a gun at Cole. I turned towards him to give him a grateful glance but he had disappeared. Not wanting to keep my mind on him, I turned to the problem at hand. "Cole."

Nothing. He was staring at the man called Zane, like he was trying to gauge what his plan was.

"Cole." I spoke, more urgently before I lowered my voice so that he could only hear. I was sure that he was listening as he lessened his grip on my hand just a tiny bit. "There's a sniper on the roof to your left. His sights are trained on you but if you move now you can avoid his bullet."

There was a moment of silence before finally an answer. "I know that is why I have been staying still as a door post but I will not move until the signal is given." He growled in an annoyed voice.

"Then you should know there type. They are quick and only shoot when given a signal. The signal bearer in this case, probably Mr. Zane here will only give the signal when he deems it right which in this case, is when one of us moves from our spots or one of us shows any sign of weakness. If we move now, we can dodge the bullet. If Mr. Zane is as good as he thinks he is, we can move towards our left where the building will serve as a barrier between the sniper and us. Mr. Zane here has either blocked all escapes so if we can somehow blend into the crowd we can escape him. But that is only if we move now when a certain group of people behind him decide to cross the street just as the gun shot rings creating havoc which we can use to our advantage now. So move Cole. Move." I growled in a low voice before I unexpectantly was boiled backwards just as Cole rolled forward. People screamed and I heard footsteps running. 

The loud crack of a shot made me shut my eyes tight before another gun shot rang and I confused, opened them again. Cole's figure stood in front of me, seemingly unhurt before a hand moved into my line of sight and I looked towards its owner. "Xander?"

"In the flesh. Nice to make your acquaintance once again, Ms. Diane." He said the name that I had given him in, a voice that made it obvious that he knew that Diane was not my real name.

"What about the sniper?" I looked towards where the sniper was, he was gone, out of sight.

"He was shot, dead by a friend."

So that was the second shot where did the first shot go. I looked at the ground, spotting a black smudge where the bullet had hit the cement and where Cole had been just a minute ago. "Zane?" I looked towards where Zane was.

Cole's figure still blocked my view.

Please tell me that we did not just kill a man in the middle of one of the busiest place in New York. Speaking of busy where was the people? I looked around they had all cleared out, there was not one person here, strange. Although the cars kept racing up and down the street "Cole?"  

Finally he turned to look at me. Zane was gone. "He ran." Was all he said before he grabbed my hand and begin heading towards the café when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Cole, this way. I have a vehicle waiting for your arrival."  Xander's voice rang clearly through the air.

"Cole, he is our best hope." I put in softly, not sure if he heard me or not but whether he did or not, he nodded and turned to look at Xander.

"Then lead the way."

Xander smiled before he begin to lead us in the direction that the vehicle was supposedly waiting.