A/N -
Since this story was almost 8,000 words long, have a part 2. I split the story in half.
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Conor's PoV -

     The next morning I watched as Shane and Abeke hailed a taxi. Shane slid a new ring onto Abeke's finger and held the taxi door open for her. I couldn't help myself from crying this time.

     Regardless I got myself ready for the day, I had a mission I had to concentrate on and I wouldn't let a handsome Stetriolian boy get in the way of that. I took the bus to an extravagant party that Zerif was hosting, outside I 'bumped' into a party goer when really I stole his invitation, after a quick apology I made my way inside. Shane and Abeke would be arriving at any moment. Everyone was dressed in fine attire and there was caviar and champagne everywhere. A man asked for my invitation and I pretended I couldn't find mine, well the one that I stole. He placed a hand on my shoulder, "I must ask you to come with me, sir, I'm sure we can get things worked out."

     I shoved his hand off and spoke to him in perfect Italian, "I am not a goat and I am not your sister so please get your hand off me."

     He shoved me into some tables and it's guests. A man I knew as Zerif walked over to us and gave a polite nod to the man who had just shoved me, the man took the signal and walked away. Zerif helped me to my feet. We walked together after that, he was showing me around, somehow I think he knew as much about me as I knew about him.

     Meanwhile I glanced out the window to see that Abeke and Shane had made it here. They gave a waitress their invitations and meet up with Abeke's uncle. The three talked with each other and Abeke's uncle didn't seem to approve of Shane very much, I could see Shane become tense with anger. He stormed away leaving Abeke and her uncle together. I led Zerif to where they stood, since he was the host of the part people would stop Zerif to talk or to thank him every so often. Finally, we made it to Abeke and her uncle and as expected Abeke's uncle did the same and stoped to talk to Zerif. Abeke's uncle introduced his niece to Zerif and the four of us stood there talking. Tellun knows where Shane went. Zerif and I left Abeke and her uncle and I said a polite goodbye to Zerif as he went to greet some other guests. Abeke was talking to some guy and I saw Shane tug her away from the Italian, rather jealously.

     We had a productive day of getting to know our enemies and we left for the hotel. I entered Abeke and Shane's room and found Abeke reading on the sofa. "Where's Shane?" I asked her.

"In the bathroom," she gestured and went back to her reading.

I knocked on the bathroom door, "What are you doing in there, been spending a lot of time in bathrooms lately I see," I commented through the door, that was were Shane had been earlier at Zerif's party, he had apparently went berserk on some poor Italian men that refused to let him use the sink.

"I'm actually trying to concentrate on our mission," he opened the bathroom door, inside everything was bathed in a red glowing light, he showed me a picture he had taken earlier at the party, "the red cracked lines in the photo is evidence of high radioactive materials, someone in this photograph has recently been exposed to large amounts of radiation, like from a super weapon that only a scientist can manage."

     With that I left my two 'friends' to themselves. I would find my own way to help our mission.

     Minutes later I found myself on the outside of a nuclear facility on the outskirts of Rome. There were a few security guards, a large fence, and a multitude of security cameras between me and the facility but nothing to be particularly worried about. Suddenly, the lights turned out. I immediately knew who was responsible, Shane, glancing over my shoulder I seen the Stetriolian boy trying to cut the fence's wires. I walked over to join him, "You know I work better alone," I stated with a smirk.

     "I work better alone too," Shane replied and kept cutting at the wires.

     "Whelp, I'm not leaving," I growled.

"I didn't expect you to," Shane smirked.

I pulled out a set a pliers I began helping Shane break through the fence. Finally, Shane grabbed a laser and finished off the fence in no time. "We won't tell anyone about this in the morning, right?" Shane asked, as always worrying about his reputation.

"I won't if you don't," I replied.

"Anyway, let's continue, we only have ten minutes before the power turns back on," Shane held the fence apart for me and I entered.

Shane followed not far behind me, "At least your a gentleman," I smiled and lifted his face so our eyes could meet.

I thought I seen a bit of a blush, "Let's just continue," our next job was to sneak into the facility via windows, "I'll take the top."

I snorted with laughter, "I'll take the bottom," with that we each scaled our windows and meet back up inside to search the building.

Shane's fingers just barely brushed mine, "Lets head up here," he pointed to the second level.

I didn't even argue as my skin still tingled at the brief contact. We crept down the dark hallways, every once in awhile having to sneak around some security guards. There was an employee at his locker putting on his helmet and safety gear. Shane snuck up behind him and slapped him hard across the back of the neck. The man froze, passed out yet still standing. "What did you do that for?" I asked.

"I thought he wore my father's watch, I was mistaken," Shane sighed and moments later the facility's power turned back on.

"Conor, look here," Shane stated as he rummaged through the employee's locker, inside was a secret button.

Shane pressed the button and immediately a secret door opened on the ground. "We wouldn't have found this without my father's watch?" Shane stated and together we desented the stairs into the secret passage.

     In the secret passage was a large vault. The vault was of central Euran origins and I knew how to crack this vault though it was quite difficult. I began my work. "What about the alarm?" Shane asked.

     "This is an early model," I smirked as the vault finally opened, "it doesn't have an alarm."

     Seconds later a loud alarm started to ring out all over the building, "Maybe I was wrong," I sighed.

     Heaven footsteps sounded from above on the next floor, we had to get out of here. With that we charged back up the steps, gunfire sounded around us and bullets flew inches from our heads. We ducked behind some lockers for protection. "What do we do now?!" I asked through heavy breaths.

     "We go swimming," Shane stated and with a smirk and a sprint he launched himself off the second story balcony.

     I sighed knowing this was probably a bad idea but I followed immediately after. I jumped and landed with a hard thunk. I sat up realizing we had both landed in a boat. "Hold on," was all Shane warned before he grabbed the controls to the speed boat, we flew from the dock at break neck speeds.

     Gunfire still showered around us and the exit doors were closing. "We're not gonna make it," I screamed.

     "Just hold on tight," Shane yelled back.

     That was good advice because seconds later Shane made a sharp turn and I was thrown out of the boat and into the dark waters below. I heard Shane yell something to me but since I couldn't hear what he said I decided I would swim to bank, after all I could escape without anyone seeing me since all the focus was on Shane.

     Once on shore I climbed into a nearby semi. I turned on some classy southern Euran music and found a nice bottle of wine and a glass, even though I was still to young to be drinking but whatever. I found some cheese and bread and watched Shane being chased around the harbor by gun wielding maniacs. After his boat caught on fire and exploded I started to feel bad and though maybe I should be doing something to help.

     I turned the key and ran the semi into the harbor, not far from where Shane's boat had sank. The truck sunk quickly and the water pressure busted the windows out. I swam out and found Shane, half drown, at the bottom of the harbor. I swam down to him and pulled us both above water. Shane immediately choked up some water and began to gasp in breaths of air. "Be quite," I gasped, "and follow me."

     With that we both swam back to shore. We decided it would be best to head back to our hotel and call it a night, we couldn't very well break into that vault with everyone on high alert. As we neared our hotel I noticed something peculiar, Zerif's car was parked right outside our hotel.

     Shane and I snuck inside, at the front desk stood Zerif, he looked to be asking to call a certain room. There was no answer. When Zerif turned the corner, Shane and I immediately made a run for it, we split up and Shane went to his and Abeke's room and I charged off to my own room. I quickly wetted down my hair and rapped a towel around my head to look as if I had just taken a shower. Moments later Zerif broke into my room, I stood in the living room looking as if I had just taken a bath, Zerif's face looked so confused and it was hard for me to keep from laughing out loud. With that Zerif left as silently as he had entered. I had a peaceful sleep after that.

     The next morning I woke and quickly dressed and went to Shane and Abeke's room to check in with them. Shane was yelling at me about something and I half heartedly yelled back, honestly I think we both liked fighting with each other a little too much. Abeke stepped into the room and immediately we both stoped our bickering, I turned back to the project, on my computer, I had been working on, checking the signals of all our gear. "Abeke, I have your tacking decided for you," I stated, she would need this for our next part of the mission.

     "Okay, would you help me with it?" She stood on an ottoman, yeah, the tracker was to go on her thigh and I wasn't going to do that.

     On a side note, Abeke didn't really seem like herself, I shrugged it off. "Be my guest," I motioned to Shane for him to help with Abeke's tracker device, "I'll be on the balcony," with that I walked away.

     I spied on them through the windows of the balcony. Shane awkward warmed his hands and helped slip Abeke's tracking device on, "You're shaking," he stated with concern.

     "I'm scared," was Abeke's reply.

     The tracking device was now in place, "I won't let nothing bad happen to you," Shane smiled, "I'll always be close by," then Shane leaned in and kissed Abeke who kissed him back.

     Once again my heart started to feel heavy and I felt like crying but I pulled myself together and went back inside, they quickly jumped apart after they noticed me. It felt good to interrupt them. "You ready?" I asked Abeke who nodded a reply.

     Moments later Shane and I were tracking Abeke who was driving with her uncle to have brunch at an estate. Shane spied on them from a van parked on a hill nearby the estate. And I followed not far behind Abeke and her uncle in a car of my own. Some guy approach Abeke and her uncle. "Your uncle thinks we should have a little talk," stated the newcomer.

     "I know my father is here and that he works for you," Abeke quickly replied knowingly.

     "And how is that?" the guy asked.

     "I think I need to make a tough phone call," stated Abeke's uncle who quickly excused himself and went inside.

     "How about you join us in two days time," the newcomer stated, "As of late your father's work has been lacking and I think your presence will give him the necessary motivation."

     "You leave my father to me," Abeke replied hotly.

     I didn't have time to listing to their whole conversation so I decided I would leave that to Shane. After the quick detour of spying on Abeke I made my way inside. I had an important meeting to attend, when I got to the designated room I found Zerif inside. He told me to help myself to a drink, which I did, I had grown quite a fancy to gin. Meanwhile, I glanced at Shane's tracker from an app on my phone, he was running very fast and away from the place he was designated to be. "So sorry to keep you waiting," Zerif stated as he hung up the phone, "You don't look like you slept much last night," Zerif cooed.

     "Funny you should say that," I placed my gin in a statues hand, "I don't think this gin is helping much either," it had tasted odd and I assumed it was poisoned but with what little I consumed I thought I would be fine, "If I were a suspicious man, I would say you put something in my drink."

     "It's much easier to trust a drink you fixed yourself," Zerif replied.

"How did you know I was going to drink the gin?" I asked.

"I didn't, I laced all the drinks, I don't like to leave much to chance, Mr. Conor," Zerif smirked.

How had she found out about me? "I though I was doing so well," I sighed.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, you were doing fantastic, however you couldn't control the loyalty of Abeke, she gave you up like an unwanted kitten," Zerif cooed with a smirk.

My mind immediately wondered to Shane, if Abeke had given us up, was he in trouble?! He had been running early when he was supposed to be spying which must mean his mission got cut short and now he was in danger. "She seemed so inocent," was all I replied.

"You're not the first guy to have fallen for the charm of a pretty young woman," Zerif twirled around in his swivel chair triumphantly.

I made my way to the couch and lay down, my head felt so groggy and I was worried not only for Shane but for myself now, maybe I was wrong about how much I had drank. I began to black out, "What are you doing?" Zerif asked as he sat across from me.

"Last time I was here I hurt my head and it must have festered up again," I half mumbled my words.

"Poor, Conor, that won't help you from getting hurt," Zerif stated but I couldn't see the smirk on his face, I had already blacked out.

I awoke to find myself locked into a chair with some sort of contraption hooked to my head and a single lightbulb swinging just over my head. Zerif was ranting about some old horror stories and relating them to my current situation but I was more worried about how the hell I was going to free myself. I assumed I would get electrocuted to death and one of Zerif's henchmen pressed a button but the machine only sparked and Zerif seemed aggravated, I guess things didn't work out the way Zerif wanted them to.

     Well maybe I was gloating to soon because with a flip of a switch electricity wrecked my brain, I tried not to scream but it hurt bad. "I hate I can't stay and break you myself but I'll give Abeke your regards," Zerif cooed and then walked out the door.

     Bit by bit and in between electrocution Zerif's henchmen told me the story of the last Great War and that they intended to have another quite soon. Another man entered the room after a particularly harsh electrocution. Zerif's henchmen was saying, "There are two types of torture, Conor, one to get information and one for its own sake, we have all the information we need," the man pressed the button again and I braced myself for the pain but nothing happened.

     "Hmmmm, this does get tricky with today's technology but luckily I'm in an old fashioned mood, let's start with the pliers," the henchman cooed.

     I sighed helpless, blood poured out my nose and pain wrecked my head, I couldn't handle much more. Then my eyes drifted to the man who had just entered, Shane! I recognized him immediately, I was safe now, "I never thought I'd say this but I'm actually quite pleased to see you," I gasped between breaths.

     Moments later Shane had tied down the henchman in the same chair I had been in and had freed me. Shane angrily pressed the button and electrocuted the henchman. "Tell me everything you know," Shane practically growled.

     "You don't have to torture me, I'll say everything willingly," the henchman replied with fear in his voice, "Abeke betrayed you."

     Shane pressed the button again and the henchman screamed. "Why did you do that, it's the truth?" The henchman gasped.

     "Just because it's the truth doesn't make it hurt any less," Shane growled and pressed the button again but the chair glitched out and didn't work, "I'll fix it," Shane sighed and immediately set to work.

     The henchman began spewing his knowledge again, "The War is already lost, they had one nuclear warhead already, they deliver it tomorrow morning at eight o'clock via submarine, between that time and now it's being held on Esadr island."

     I had heard enough, "Could you give us a moment, don't go anywhere," I half laughed as I dragged Shane into the hall with me.

     "What should we do?" I asked once in the hall.

     "We have to get to that island," Shane replied.

     "What should we do with him?" I asked, gesturing back inside the room.

     We both thought for a moment before we turned around and through the window seen the whole room on fire. "Well, we fixed the glitch," Shane smirked.

     "Damn, I left my jacket in there," I sighed and with that our decision was made and we left that awful place.

     We drove to the airport after that where Shane had one of his Secret Service buddies rent us a helicopter. Once on the chopper Shane and I both called our bosses, "We need to neutralize that nuclear warhead and you must retrieve that disk, it is the key to Erau winning this arms race, kill the Stetriolian if necessary," as my boss said this my heart skipped a beat, I wasn't sure I could kill Shane if I wanted to but I stated my agreement and hung up.

I had a feeling Shane's boss was saying much of the same things to him and I wondered I he felt the same way about killing me as I did about him, I didn't want to die at the hand of Shane. "We have fourteen hours to get the bomb neutralized before it leaves the island, there is also the problem of getting my agent off the island," the pilot spoke.

"Wait, so Abeke's your agent?" I asked.

"Yes, she's part of the underground Nilonian agency," the pilot replied with a sense of pride in his voice.

Apparently he had lost Abeke's father who he had used Shane and I to help find but not only that, he had lost Abeke too and needed our help once again to help find and save her. He was the one who had told Abeke to betray us. Well at least Abeke wasn't as bad as what I thought she was. "Well, obviously we're all very fond of Abeke and now we have a chance to save her," the pilot stated.

We boarded an aircraft carrier and once on board the pilot or rather Nilonian agent quickly explained how we would raid the island. We would attack by sea and in the midst of it all some Nilonian forces would sneak Shane and I onto the island and the rest was up to us.

Sure enough we made it to the island. Shane and I snuck into the laboratory portion of the island, inside a corpse was laying on the floor, "Looks like we found Abeke's father," I stated rather sarcasticly.

Meanwhile Shane was taking readings for radioactive material, "The bomb was here," Shane stated hurriedly.

We hurried on down the hall, shooting people when needed, I glanced at the security cameras and seen Abeke and one of Zerif's henchmen making their way, by Jeep, and with the warhead, to get off the island. Shane and I followed after via motorcycle.

One of Zerif's henchmen shot my tire and I flipped off it but Shane managed to flip their jeep. As I recovered, Shane helped Abeke out of the flipped Jeep but she was handcuffed to the console. He managed to get the handcuff undone but not before another of Zerif's henchmen knocked him in the back of the head with the butt of a gun. Abeke joined in the fight, this time on our side. I too joined in the fight only to get shot in the back immediately after. Shane quickly shot the man who had shot me and I fell to the ground groaning in pain, "Conor are you okay!" Shane shook my shoulders trying to keep me awake.

It felt good that he was concerned about me, "I'll be fine," I groaned.

The fight had ended with Zerif's henchmen dead, I wasn't the only one hurt Abeke was shaking in fear and pain. Shane helped her up next but I smiled in victory, Shane had helped me first, before Abeke!

We headed back to the port where the Nilonian agent would pick us up. "I got one small problem, wrong warhead," the Nilonian spoke.

We were taken to another aircraft carrier and we made our plan there. No military boats had left the island since last night but just hours ago a fishing boat by the name Stirolett, a ancient boat from Zerif's family used in the last Great War, had launched off and was presumably carrying the real nuclear warhead, unlike the nonnuclear one we had now. The disk, holding all of Abeke's father's instructions on building nuclear bombs was also on the boat and we had its location tagged. All that was left to do was to hit the launch button and the nonnuclear warhead would launch and destroy their boat and all the war criminals in it. As well as the disk, if the plan went smoothly, I wouldn't have to kill Shane and he wouldn't have to kill me. The Nilonian agent hit the launch button and we watched by drone as the ship, the nuclear warhead, Zerif, and the disk were all destroyed.

The out whole ship was rejoicing, Abeke hugged her fellow Nilonian agent and Shane hugged me. I relaxed in his arms and I felt safe, then I had an idea, I pulled a gun from my belt and pressed it to Shane's head, I clicked the safety off. Shane was starting at me wide eyed, "Kiss me or else," was all I commanded.

Shane smiled, "Gladly," with the I dropped the gun and Shane pressed our lips together, we stayed like that for a few precious moments.

When he pulled away I leaped on him again with a hug, "I love you," I cried out.

Shane held me and ran his fingers through my hair, "I love you too, Conor."