"How on earth did this lock from the outside?" I exclaimed, ramming my full weight into the door, only to regret it a split second later. My eyes widened when I witnessed the knob twist itself. Before I could process the so-it-would-seem supernatural act, I witnessed the door flinging wide open. In my face.

I was saved by a hair due to my, I'd dare say, quick reflexes. Stumbling diagonal, I was able to grab ahold of the spinning chair in the control room just as the door cut through the space where my body had just been.

My balled-up fists came to the front as I spun around and made eye contact with the figure standing by the door's frame. A moment later, I felt dumb as I stood there lifelessly.

"Does Risa Kennedy mind lowering her knuckles from my face so I can take a good look at her in the eyes?"

Cody's staggering voice soon filled the small-spaced room while he examined me up and down with arched brows. I coughed and pounded my chest a few times as I cleared my head of far-fetched thoughts for one particular person earlier. I've been too quick to accuse people lately... let's stop, Risa.

"Risa wouldn't have any eyes if she had been a tad bit late moving out the way, Cody dear." I interjected through gritted teeth. I dropped my arms and despite almost losing my ability to see, I sighed in relief that it was just my best friend behind that door and not one of the infiltrators participating in the school break-in.

Cody smirked silently as he made sure I was untouched. His eyes traveled to the body laying luxuriously on the ground and I saw his body immediately tense up.

"I saw everything," I spoke up and his eyes shifted quietly back to me, his body still proceeding towards the unknown body on the ground suspiciously. "How'd you hold up? Are you hurt anywhere?"

The man walked forward and was stopped as he grabbed my arms and stood next to me, his eyes not diverting away from the stranger. "Why is there one of those in here with you?" He asked carefully as his head tilted over my shoulders.

I shook my head and glanced back before turning back to him. "He broke into the control room to hack the school's CCTV cameras. I happened to meet him in here and dealt with it how I saw best. Don't worry, he's been down for a while." My reassuring did convince him somewhat and the man finally allowed himself to look away.

He didn't inspect the dozens of screens behind me afterwards. Instead, his eyes were on me. "Why were you out of your classroom? Don't tell me your long-ass shitting problem hasn't been resolved since the last time?"

It took a while for me to remember what he was referring to, but once I recalled it, I slapped the man on the shoulders. "Touché," I crossed my arms and jutted my chin. He grabbed my chin and playfully pulled it close to his face for a moment before he brushed pass me.

I rolled my eyes and spun around to observe what the man was doing, arms still folded across my chest. "My dude, you never answered me," I pressed as Cody turned back to me with amused eyes.

"You asked something?" He cocked his head. I nudged the man on the arm to quit playing around.

"I'm fine," Cody replied, hands on his hips as he observed the blank screens on the computers, "They came in through my class's window so I led them out in the hallways and fought them there. Thought I heard someone shuffling in this hallway and I came around the corner to find Casey boy walking out. He didn't see me," Cody shrugged his shoulders, "But I thought the room behind him was suspicious so I checked it out. Turns out it was just you."

"What do you mean it was just me?" My lips thinned as I eyed him with a frown.

"As in, I'm glad it was you, dummy."
His sly smile resurfaced as he ruffled my hair. The two of us exited the control room and we began down the hallway. After a few steps in apparently the wrong direction, Cody held me back.

"What?" I turned to face him, "We have to get back to class."

The man shook his head. "Forget it. They're going to dismiss the whole school home anyway. There's no way class would continue after the break-in. We're going to the parking lot."

My eyes lit up. "Sweet, time to go home."

"No, time to work."

My face scrunched up as we turned a corner and the intercom came on to announce everyone's dismissal. I ignored the bellowing voice and kept my eyes on Cody. "What do you mean 'work?'" I reemphasized his statement with a weird face, "What work do we have? You've done enough."

"Have you forgotten the incident yesterday downtown?" He raised his eyebrows. We reached outside and began pacing ourselves to the parking lot. Why we were speed-walking, I had no idea.

"No, I haven't," I retorted, "But that's none of our place. We've done our share of the work. Now it's the law's turn. Where are you trying to get at?"

"I have to know why Kenya was chased last night," Cody's expression darkened slightly, "She's a student from our school. Then today happened. Something's not adding up. There has to be an interrogation going on right now at the station. If I hurry, I might miss only a few details."

I grabbed his arm just before he opened his car door and turned him around to face me. "Cody, no," I shook my head, "That's enough. You can't get in there and you know it. There's only one other group of people that has free-will with government cases and you're not one of them."

That's when he sighed under his breath and gently slid my hand off of him. Taken aback, I retreated quietly and watched him. "You're either in it with me or you're out," the man tried again with soft eyes, "Don't try to convince me otherwise, Risa. I have a feeling I'm supposed to be caught up in stuff like this."

I didn't know what to do. I didn't know what to say to him, or say against him. Because truthfully, I'd like to come too. That was all I thought about today. But I couldn't come, at least not with him.

"Pass," I forced myself to say as a lump formed in my throat, "I'm going home."

He looked at me with concern in his eyes as he rethought what just happened. "Risa, are you okay?"

"Why'd you even ask that? Of course I am, I'm just tired. Go on." I patted his car as if it was a signal for him to be on his way. Taking a few steps back, I saw the man slowly slide into the front seat of his car, his eyes still on me, as I turned on my heels and headed to my vehicle.

▂▂▂▂▂

My engines came on and I connected my phone to the car. After a while, Pierce's voice filled the inside as I put him on speaker through the screen. As soon as the man spoke up, I felt my brows twitching irritably.

"Focus in school, you jumbo sticky hand that someone tossed away from the arcade. I said no."

"Are you calling me clingy when you're passing out everywhere like an asthmatic grandpa that hogs roller coasters despite almost reaching his deathbed?" I huffed, quickly turning off my engine. I knew this was going to be a long talk. Might as well not waste gas. "And you didn't even wait to hear what I was going to say."

"Commander, is everything alright? Should we put the interrogation on hold for a while and resume on a different date?" came an officer on the other end.

I heard him cough awkwardly when he realized that he was, unfortunately, in a professional setting. "... No, that's fine. You officers go ahead and continue. I'm excusing myself for a bit. See if you can get them to confess anything else while I'm out."

"As you wish."

I waited a bit until I heard the shuffling on his end had ceased in addition to the sound of a door closing lightly. He was probably in the hallway right now, leaning against a wall as he sighed at his misfortune. Well, sucked to be him.

I smirked as I snuggled into my car seat and folded my arms across my chest. "I got you in trouble," I teased.

"It can go both ways if you're interested," the man negated, "interfering with or hindering T6's business can get you fined and in jail."

I lazily played with my hand as I opened and closed it to resemble his babbling mouth, scrunching up my face to mock him behind the screen. Even though I couldn't see him, he had a fine way with hitting all of my nerves.

"Is this what you gave me your phone number for? To jail me?" I scoffed as I tossed my phone into the air and caught it, repeating the process as I waited for his reply.

He was silent. I was sure he was waiting for the other officers out in the main room to look away or quiet down before he directed his attention back to the call.

"I gave it to you for emergencies." Pierce's tone abruptly changed. I realized he had turned off his voice changer, most likely because he was currently alone. "Otherwise, don't contact it," he continued, "you're training me to become unresponsive to your calls if you're really messing around."

"Mirror Mirror on the wall, who's the greatest party-pooper of 'em all? Oh, would you look at that— it's you."

"Thanks Evil Queen, you're wasting my phone bill. I'm hanging up."

I gradually quieted down as I let the jokes subside. Pierce noticed the silence on my end and it turned out he didn't hang up the call after all, despite his bluffing.

"You have... a visitor." I said at last.

Pierce shifted on the other end. "I knew you had something for me. Who is it?"

"Cody. He's on his way to the police station."

"Are y'all not in school? Fill me in, what happened?"

"There was a break-in here just half an hour ago," I explained as I turned my head to look back at my school's building. Authorities were busy inside and out. The police would arrive any minute. "I don't know why and I don't know who's involved. They didn't leave any traces on them or behind them. The lights cut off in my building. You could barely make out a finger in the hallways."

"A break-in in school? Isn't that just your local perpetrators then?"

"See, that's what I thought," I shook my head, "But then when you look at the bigger picture, something still doesn't add up. I mean, wouldn't a break-in in school usually have the prowlers spread out in all the buildings? Or at least not in the same hallway. Yet Cody fought a whole mob near his classroom."

"Cody fought?"

"Yeah, I watched him through the CCTV cameras. One of them got into the control room and I followed," I partially lied.

"They were in the same hallway as your friend's classroom?"

"Yes..?"

"Risa, it's kind of hard for me to understand when you're giving me snippets at a time. What else is there for me to know?"

"Not really anything else," I shrugged, "I don't know. It's nothing grand, just surprising. No one got hurt. Oh, Kenya's friend did help me secure some footage in the control room and I sent it to myself. We can look over it when you come back. Or I can do it alone later since I'm heading home."

"Are you talking about that boy Casey? What was he doing in there?"

"He just slipped in. He was in the bathroom and some of the attackers were in there discussing to leave the school since they couldn't find what they were looking for."

There was silence on the other end. I frowned slightly as I waited for the man to say something. I reported everything I knew. He might be over-analyzing it. I shouldn't have told him and just said I ditched school instead.

"Risa, let me ask you something." Pierce spoke up again.

"Yeah?"

"Have you been remembering to lock your doors?"

Huh?

I tilted my head in confusion. "Yeah, definitely. I locked the control room after I came in."

"Yeah? Then how did that boy just slip in?"

I froze.

"Also another point, if he was in the bathroom, how did he know where exactly Cody was fighting to secure that footage for you?"

Well, he saw Cody fighting behind me. But just then, I recalled something earlier that I should've remembered. The screen was blank when I turned around.

"Hey, did you die out on me?"

"Not quite, I'm pondering," I mumbled under my breath as I stroked my chin. "Pierce, I'll get back to you on that. I think there's something I need to look into."

"Then I'll leave it to you. And your friend shouldn't be able to come into the interrogation without my seal. He'll be back home in no time."

I sighed assertively and ran a hand through my hair. "Alright, how'd the investigation go on your end so far? Kenya's case?"

"Yeah, sunny, that's undisclosed."

I sat up promptly and placed my arms on my hips. "Pierce!"

He laughed. "Later. When I get home."

"Might as well camp there overnight then, see if I care."

"The Chief is calling for you," came a middle-aged woman's voice on his end, "They need you back in the session as soon as possible."

I could hear him switch on his voice changer silently as he replied back to the officer. "I'm coming."

His voice shifted lower and clearer as he placed the phone closer to him. "Go ahead and watch the footage at home. We can discuss later when we can regroup. Oh, and one last thing."

I waited.

"How are you from this morning?"

"Oh god, don't remind me. It's all fuzzy but if I could erase any error in my life, it would be that."

"You were pretty cute though."

I backed away from the screen with the most uncanny expression a human could muster. I could just see his sly smirk.

A faint voice in the background shouted, "Where is Beta?! They are asking for him!"

He sighed.

"Hang up," I seized my chance as I cleared my throat, "They're looking for you."

"You're flushing, aren't you?"

"I'm not," I denied.

He chuckled lightly. "Нашел ее слабость."

And the man hung up. Confused, yet deciding it wasn't worth my time to find out what he said since he already ended the call, I started the car and began pulling out of the parking lot.

▂▂▂▂▂

I've changed into a black t-shirt and red shorts. My hair was lazily twirled into a bun and it was secured with a pencil. I had my night glasses on with a cup of coffee still hot on the table. The lights on my apartment were all off except the light from my laptop, which was propped up on my knees as I laid on the couch. It was lightly drizzling outside.

After looking over the footage five times, and still finding nothing, I let my mind drift off eventually as I stared at my laptop.

You know... we haven't had a T6 meeting in a while. I scrunched up my nose and contemplated how long it actually has been. Usually, Beta called the meetings. But Pierce was busy in real life. Then, does that mean that the fake one hasn't received anymore assignments?

Or he was planning something?

Should I contact Pooh and continue that conversation we had..?

Just then, my eyes glossed over a tab that popped up. Frowning, I hovered over it with my cursor and cautiously pressed on it. A picture popped up.

I studied it curiously. The longer I studied it, the more relaxed I became. It was a beautiful picture. I saved it as my phone's background. When I looked at it again in my photo gallery, I realized the date the phone set for it was three years back.

"Huh," I commented to myself absentmindedly, "That's strange."

A sudden knock at the door sent me out of my deep thoughts and back to reality. I turned my head slowly to the front door and instinctively lowered the lid of my laptop. Hail?

Two more knocks came.

My eyes narrowed. The lid of my laptop closed fully with a soft click as I swiftly hid it underneath the couch. I found my house slippers and slipped my feet through before I made my way off the couch and towards the front door. I contemplated whether or not to turn on the lights or shout and ask who it was.

It was way too early for Pierce to have come back. Then... Cody?

I opened the door. My eyes widened as soon as I made out the toned figure of my school's hockey team player, Jeremy Tanner. Serena's boyfriend.

"Reese's," The man smirked, leaning against the doorway.

Aka, the drumstick that could never say my name right.

My brows twitched before I put on a forced smile. "Tanner," I laughed awkwardly, "what are you doing here?"

He tried coming in casually before I pushed on his chest with a slight frown. "What are you doing?" I searched his eyes bewilderedly, "I didn't say you could come in."

In response, he cupped my face and stroked it. The frown remained on my face as he somehow managed to make me freeze in my spot and get himself into my place. He closed the door behind him. Locked it, actually.

When I came to, I realized I was still standing in front of the front door when the man was now in my living room. Jeremy began looking around with quiet laughs, clicking of his mouth, and placed his hand on every object he could reach.

When he headed upstairs, I grabbed him back and forced him to the living room. "I don't think so." I let slip a dry laugh, accidentally pushing him a bit too hard onto the couch that he fell backwards.

He seemed to become attracted to my new attitude. The man sat up on the couch and reached out to grab my wrist, pulling me right in front of him. I was tense as I waited for an explanation.

"So, this is where you live." Jeremy cocked his head as he stared up at me from the couch, "It was worth it to follow you."

I kept a straight face with this disturbing newfound information. "Why are you here?"

"Didn't I already warn you, babe? If you don't call me, I would personally drive to your place. With the school dismissing everyone, I had no other plans. So I came to play."

Play.

I suddenly became aware of the fact that neither one of us had turned on the lights when we walked away from the front door.

"Go home," I stated firmly, pulling my wrist away as I massaged it with my other hand, "I'm busy."

The man scoffed and wrapped his arms around my midsection, pulling me in. A moment later he received a loud smack to his face. The boy flipped us so that I was now pushed onto the couch while he climbed on the seat cushion with one leg and hovered over my body, both arms on the backrest.

"Doing what?" He leaned in so that his breath touched my neck, "It's pitch-black in here and you're in suitable clothes. We can talk first, then have some fun."

Fun.

I oddly started dozing off into the dark as he shifted above me and grabbed my chin. The last thing I remembered was him gently pulling my face close to his face.

But the strange thing was, I felt my head lifting up too. To instinctively meet his lips.

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*please keep in mind how leigh acts. i will never go into detail for mature scenes. instead, i vaguely describe them. for those who are uncomfortable, i can't suggest anything other than to either scan through or stop reading altogether. (and back to the story)*
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She woke up to the most satisfying touch she's had in years. Years of being coped up in that headspace like some sort of prison. She felt free. She felt happy. She felt alive again.

Laughter rose out of her throat and echoed out into the dark as she felt a body over hers. She was in so much joy. Pure joy. So this was how it felt to have control of that woman's body at last. If she had known, she would've done it earlier.

She did try. That locket around her neck that wasn't hers looked absolutely vile when she woke up last time. Luckily, that woman hasn't found where she disposed it since last night.

The smile never escaped her face as she wrapped her arms around the body of the man atop her, who was kissing her passionately. She did him a favor by running her hand through his hair, scratching his head like a pet in need of attention.

This boy was craving for her. She could tell from the way he was touching her body. Not as good as her lover, but he was decent. She could have fun with him.

Oh, how long has it been? She was devastatingly excited. After this, she wanted to explore. Explore this new place. This new smell. This new setting. Then a thought hit her while she playfully bit the lad's lips. Where was her lover? It felt like a distant memory. That woman had been close to him recently. Why didn't he come find her?

Irritation filled her mind gradually as she passed her mood onto the boy. Her plain shirt was riding up her bare stomach until a portion of her bra was exposed, before she found it all... so boring.

Her lover could have done it all so much better. Execute the kisses like no other man. Touch her until she fell weak to her knees.

This lad was an amateur.

She pulled her shirt back down and sat straighter up with a distorted frown. He made her so irritable. He couldn't satisfy her. She pushed against his chest until he was off of her before she went for his shirt and tried to slip it off.

The boy was taken aback at her aggressive touch and he pushed her slightly away. She frowned. Maybe it was time she started talking.

"You think you can just touch me up," she scoffed playfully as her rough, accented tone filled the room, "And expect me to be a mannequin for you? Lad, how about I teach you a thing or two before taking advantage of my body?"

The boy seemed surprised at what she said. Has the boy never heard a person speak before? He's embarrassing.

The front door shot open and the lights violently switched on. She didn't even have enough time to react before another man came into the living room and froze at what he saw. Her eyes flickered as it adjusted to the now-lit room. She took him in confusedly and tried to remember who he was. This man was familiar. Very familiar.

A split second later, she felt the weight of the lad's body falling off of her and she began breathing better. She dusted herself off just as she looked up and saw the lad getting a good wack to the face with an umbrella. She gasped in delight as he knocked out to the ground beside her.

Her hands clapped and she grin as her eyes met with the new man she faintly remembered.

This one looked at her strangely, with a deep, silent frown. His eyes traveled down her body. Not in the way the lad had, but he did it with a different intention as if to make sure she was still all in one piece. His eyes went back to the unconscious boy before he looked back at her with a dark expression.

She smirked and leaned her weight into the couch with one arm as she propped her head onto her fist, observing him. Her outfit was an utter disgrace in the presence of this new hunk. It felt like it had been so long since she last saw him. She should have prepared a more fitting outfit for him. Next time, she'll remember to burn that woman's wardrobe.

"Now now, dreamboat over there," she cooed as she reverted back to her lady-like manners, "No need for that expression. Am I that repulsive, Pierce?" She finally got that stone face to talk as she recalled his name.

"What are you talking about?" He asked with a leveled tone.

She scanned around the place and nodded to herself as she made some mental notes. "Mind telling me where I am?" A smile formed on her lips as he walked closer to her.

"Get up," He demanded, "we need to talk."

She liked this one. He was a splitting replica of her lover. At least when he was rough with her.

"Talk?" She tilted her head with a sly grin, "You sure didn't have a lot to say to me the last time you saw me. Neither did..." she looked around the room with a sudden frown, "your team..."

"Where are they?" She frowned.

He seemed to have caught onto something and his expression darkened more than she could ever imagine. How could a man's facial features get so serious? She didn't like that.

She had to make him change that face. Remind him that they were at a fun place. With a beautiful beach, and a castle fit for him and her, if he wanted.

She came up with the only plausible explanation to why she was currently in this worn-down apartment.

"You sly man," her eyes widened in amusement, "You ditched your team and brought me here alone? That's alright with me. But take me back next morning, hm? My man is waiting for me."

He looked her in the eyes and a new emotion flashed through his eyes. She couldn't read it, however.

"Where is he?" The man asked with urgency.

"'Was,' love," she corrected him. She got on her knees on the couch and reached out for his tie, tugging on it to minimize the space between the both of them. With his face in closer view, she finally remembered the man, and the very important events that surrounded him and his people.

"Oh, Beta dear, you couldn't have forgotten Palma de Mallorca after all the pain you caused me, now could you?"

▂▂▂▂▂

Leigh: I feel so happy. I feel alive. There is no word to describe it. Maybe there is a symbol. Loves, you won't mind if I steal this sweet-looking thing? Of course not. :D How fun! :D :D :D :D :D