Chapter 22: The Man with the Key
Note: O M G
Me: *is listening to Ridge's recap episode of his series and not really paying much attention*
Ridge: ...and then I'm going to be doing a kind of fan-fic story line with me and my mansion...
Me: *looks up*
Ridge: ...with kind of fem...Ridgedog, like, Valleycat or something.
Me: O_O
ON MY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY ON WATTPAD I FOUND OUT RIDGE IS GOING TO BE ACTING OUT A STORY IN HIS SERIES WITH VALLEYCAT.
HAPPY WATTPAD BIRTHDAY TO MEEEEEE <3
Liam's POV
I awaken from my first night at their base. It was shabby, worn down-it was literally just three rooms in an abandoned flat. In our room, what was left of the wallpaper that used to be blue was now just grey and yellow, and peeling off. The room stunk of smoke and fumes that made me choke when I inhaled too much, and the smell of sweat and rot was also overpowering.
But it was better than the streets.
Getting up from my bed, just a mattress on the floor, I stretch, yawning and wincing as fumes enter my mouth. Everyone in my particular room (Mitch, Jerome, Seto, Husky) was asleep, but I could hear mumbling in the room next to us, so I get up and leave our room to go to theirs.
The TV was on, and I frown as I watch it from the door. It was a news report, and upon closer listening, I realized that the crazy guy Tia was supposedly kidnapped by had now joined forces with her, and she was now his partner and was robbing stuff in London.
"Morning kid" Sky grunts, slapping me on the shoulder, and I move further into the room. Deadlox and Tyler look up at me as I watch the news, listening to Tia's history and Ridge's history.
"Is this news to you?" Deadlox joked, and I half smile, shaking my head.
"She's always been a bit crazy. Just wondering why she's in London..." I murmur.
"Want some?" Sky asks, shoving a small, orange stick into my face.
"What is it?" I ask curiously, accepting it.
"A Blaze Rod" Tyler smirks, and my eyes widen. Drugs.
"Go on, light it." Sky urges me, and I hesitate before accepting the lighter, lighting up the stick and pressing it to my mouth inhaling.
Immediately, my mind went slightly fuzzy and the room began to sway slightly, and I wince, coughing as I shake my head and hand it back to him. Sky's laugh booms around the room.
"Noob" Deadlox snickers before adding, "we were all like that, you'll get used to it."
Sky inhales it deeply, smirking at us. "So kid" he asks gruffly, plonking himself down on a mattress. "What's your plan?"
I hesitate. What was my plan? Tia was out of town, so that ruled out...
"I need to visit someone" I announce, standing up.
"Who?"
"Duncan...Tia lives with him. Well...she did, anyway" I shrug, glancing at the television screen again.
"I'll come with you then" Mitch grunts from the doorway.
"I can protect myself" I snap fiercely,and he raises an eyebrow, holding up a gun and pointing it right at my head.
"Doubt it" he chuckles, before sheathing it into his belt, and beckoning me over with his head.
"Come on then, let's go see what Mr. Science dude says" he grunts, and I nod, following him down the corridor. In the back of my mind, I wondered what Tia was doing now, and how she was with the crazy psycho killer.
Tia's POV
I was living the life of luxury.
It was only the second day, and Ridge and I had been exploring London (mostly invisible, since we were fugitives right now, so anything I wanted in the shops I could get) to the full. We went on the London Eye, which Ridge complained was boring because he could have just flown me up here, we went to Buckingham palace-literally, into it, we got to sit on the throne and everything, it was pretty sweet-and everywhere else in London that was awesome.
The small breeze whips at my hair as I tuck into a Donner Kebab Ridge had bought me. He had complained, saying he didn't want me eating "fast food garbage" but after a lot of protesting, he had caved in and bought one.
We were sat on a metal bench next to the River Thames, gazing at the tourists walking past. One time, someone actually sat on Ridge, who immediately shoved them off. They had looked round, bewildered, only to see an empty bench, before walking off briskly, checking behind them every few seconds.
The sun was warm on my face as it began to set, marking the end of our second day. Wiping a bit of chilli sauce off my lips, I pause, listening to the buzz of Ridge's phone going off. He whipped it out, checking it casually, a smirk twitching at his lips as he read the contents of it before he pocketed it just as quickly as he took it out.
"What's happening?" I mumble, my mouth full of food. He raises an eyebrow at me, and I roll my eyes, gulping meat down my throat.
"What's happening?" I repeat, and when he tilts his head curiously, I nod in the direction of his phone.
"Oh, yesterday Duncan, Simon, Lewis, Kim and Hannah tried to break in. Needless to say, Deamon scared them off" Ridge chuckled, showing me the text.
Hey darling, missing you <3 -Deamon was the text above the current one, and I struggle to hold back a smirk before going onto the next one.
So dwarf, waistcoat dude, science guy, blondie and mini red girl tried to break in, just like you said. We gave them a good seeing to. Hope you and Tia are enjoying your honeymoon, and no we didn't break anything x -Deamon.
"Wait, we?" I demand. Ridge blinks at me, before frowning and reading the text.
"Who else is there?" I ask, and he shakes his head, glancing back up at me.
"Let's find out" he mutters darkly, jabbing a few buttons on his phone before pushing it to his ear.
"Oh hello darling! I was waiting for you to call" came the purr on the other side of the phone, and I grin at Ridge who scowls.
"What do you mean 'we'?" Ridge snaps into the phone.
"I was getting bored so I thought I'd bring the son of your worst enemy down to keep me company whilst you're away" Deamon answers him on the other side, and I can almost feel him grinning.
"Cisco! What the hell is Cisco doing in my house? Get him out!" Ridge yells into the phone, startling nearby passerby's, so I pat Ridge on the arm, and point at them. He looks around and scowls again, lowering his tone when he speaks again.
"I mean it Deamon, if you-know-who finds out, I'm screwed" Ridge groans, and my ears prick up. This you-know-who guy who made Ridge scared? I wanted to see him!
"Relax, it's fine. Here, he wants to speak to you" Deamon chuckles, and another voice comes in from the other side.
"Hey Ridge, long time no see" it chuckles. It was quite a smooth voice, and somehow it felt...nicer than Deamon's or Ridge's. Whereas Ridge could have a nice tone, his usual voice was quite dark, and snappy, and Deamon's was loud and confident. This guy seemed...calm. Nice, almost.
"Get the fuck out of my house, you son of a bitch" Ridge seethes.
"Watch your language, dog, you're speaking to a Prince don't forget" the other voice spits out harshly, and I recoil automatically. Nevermind, I think hastily, he was definitely worse than the two combined.
There is a muffled noise, and then "Hey Ridge, it's me again...just want to break you two ladies up, we don't want your period towels getting into a twist."
"Deamon" Ridge drops his voice an octave, and I shiver-I hated his "I'm going to fucking kill you right now if you do not shut the hell up" voice.
"He's not going" Deamon answers, before adding, "he'll be gone by the time you get back, take a chill pill."
Ridge huffs, before muttering something and hanging up, shoving the phone into his pocket before pinching the bridge of his nose. He only did that when he was stressed out about something.
"Do you want to go back to the hotel?" I ask, not protesting when he puts his arm round my shoulder-the breeze was beginning to pick up and his coat made his arm into a satisfying pillow.
"Soon" he sighs, regaining control before smiling at me softly. "Finish your food, then we'll go to the coffee shop, get a coffee to go, then I'll get started on those papers."
I nod in silent agreement, going to pick up my discarded food tray only to find two pigeons had gotten there first.
"Damn, nevermind, let's go" I sigh, getting up.
"I can get you another one if you want" he offers, but I shake my head.
"I'm feeling kinda tired anyway" I admit sheepishly, and he quietly leans his head against mine as we walk away. As we reach the hotel, we part for a moment.
"You go get working on those paper's, and I'll bring the coffee up. What did you get last time?" I ask, becoming visible again.
"Uh, I just asked for what they reccomended" he shrugged, and I could see he was also tired, his head drooping slightly.
"Alright, you go up" I smile, giving his hand a squeeze, before frowning slightly. "You sure you want to work on those papers tonight? You look tired."
He smiles at me, kissing me softly on the forehead. "Thank you for your concern, but I should be fine." Turning on his heel, he heads into the hotel, and I stay still for a moment. I hadn't actually been alone long enough to process anything that was going on, and when it finally sinks in that we did it in the bedroom...
I felt like I'd been hit by a train. A Duncan-is-going-to-murder-me-and-probably-everyone-else-too train.
Choo choo, I think weakly in my head before entering the shop.
"Hello, what can I get you?" the person behind the counter smiles-clearly, she doesn't recognize me from the telly, which was reassuring.
"Uh...whatever you reccomend" I tell her, and she nods, getting the same cups me and Ridge used before, which was also reassuring.
When she had finished making them, she looked at me patiently, and I stared at her before snapping into reality.
"Oh...yeah...uh, how much?" I ask sheepishly.
"£82.50 altogether" she smiles, and I resist the urge to shout "FUCK OFF YOU ROBBING BASTARDS" but then I remember that technically I was also a robber now, so I fumble into my pocket.
"Damn...I left my money upstairs in the hotel" I wince, looking at her apologetically. "Mind if you keep these on the side? I'll be two-"
"It's okay, I'll pay" came a smooth, honey-like voice beside me, and I turn to see a man next to me, smartly dressed.
"Really?" I ask doubtfully, and he smiles at me.
"Yeah, why not" he shrugs, handing over the money, and ordering his own coffee.
"Thanks" I sigh, sipping my coffee with a smile.
"You're Valleycat aren't you? Or so they call you on the news" he smiles again.
"Yes" I say through gritted teeth, automatically stiffening.
He laughs, a smooth, bell-like sound. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hand you in. The world needs criminals, doesn't it?"
"I guess" I nod meekly, sipping my coffee awkwardly.
"So you're partners with Ridge, huh? I can't imagine what that's like" he chuckles, and I smirk at him.
"Hectic at the best of times, but I'm never bored" I assure him, and he laughs again.
"I can imagine. So you're actually partners with him then?" he raises an eyebrow. "I thought the whole Valleycat thing was a set up."
I was beginning to think he was some sort of an under cover reporter, but I didn't care much and it wasn't as if I was giving anything critical away.
"Until recently, yes. Actually, he didn't run it through me, he just kind of started calling me "partner" yesterday" I chuckle, and he rolls his eyes.
"Hmm, he is the impatient type" he agrees, receiving his coffee.
"Do you know him?" I ask, surprised.
"Oh yes. He knows me too, but he doesn't like me. Actually, he doesn't really like anyone does he? Apart from you..." he narrows his eyes curiously. "Wonder why that is."
"Trust me, if I knew, I'd stop doing whatever it is that makes him like me and I'd run for the hills" I snort, and his laughter booms around the room.
"I can see why he likes you. Sarcastic, funny, beautiful, and talented with a knife and a gun too" he grins, and I resist the urge to blush and simply raise an eyebrow at him.
"Well, I better be off. Thanks for talking to me" he smiles, walking me to the door and opening it for me.
"What's your name, by the way? I didn't get it" I ask him, turning round from heading back to the hotel.
He turns too. "My name?" he asks, the wind causing parts of his silver hair to blow across his reptilian green eyes.
"My name is Mexxy. I'll see you later."
Note: @Sherlock fans:
In a book full of criminals, the man with the key is king...
And honey, you should see Mexxy in a crown ;)
ALL HAIL THE GLORIOUSLY EVIL KING MEXXY <3
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