Agent Rogue: Espionage

Chapter 13

I ran back to the ballroom, slowing down to a walk when I burst through the doors so not to attract attention. I tried waiting for words of assurance from Scotty or Collins, but none came, and the twisting anxiety in the pit of my stomach was too much to bare. I'd left my assigned post but, if they needed me, I would go.

          When I turned the corridor back towards the security room, my jaw dropped.

          A burly-looking man dragged a blonde-haired body by his feet.

          Collins.

          I switched on my bracelet just in case, and unfastened the pistol at my thigh.

          He did not hear the click of the safety being removed as I stormed forward passed the staff room and kitchens, gun pointed forwards. "I suggest you drop my friend."

          Not for a moment did I expect him to, but he did.

          He raised his hands either side of his face, Collins's limp legs slamming on the hard floor. "Your move, sweetheart."

          I frowned. Shooting would attract attention. The best course of action was to keep the gun aimed for his eyes while—

          I cried and thudded against the floor, pained with the force of a blunt object colliding with the back of my skull.
"You get her while I—"

          I rolled over and latched onto the torso of the crouched guard to dig my bracelet into his neck – adequate payback for the throbbing in my head.

          The guard clutching Collins cursed and ran for me while the other grappled in my grip. He squirmed enough to rein in his leg for a kick I rolled back from. Electricity pulsated through the bracelet as guard-number-two weighed up his options.

          He glanced behind me and I knew what to do.

          I jumped to my feet and swung my leg around in a roundhouse kick, knocking out the guard behind me. Before the second could grab me from behind, I smacked and grabbed him by the hair, stabbing him in the neck with a bolt of electricity sources at my wrist.

          Mindful of my heels, I stepped over the guards and rushed over to Collins, heart sinking at the sight of him.

          I checked his chest first, hearing a few shallow breaths. Red showed through the pale mop of hair on his head, and a bruise had already started to form on his right cheekbone. I could smell the blood.

          "Collins," I said. "Collins, come on." I shook his shoulders. He stirred, eyelids wrinkling, but he did not wake.

          "Collins, are you alright?" No answer, but he twitched. "Collins, I... I'm sorry." I slapped his cheek – it sparked him awake.
"Knight! You—" He rubbed his cheek. "Thank you."
"Don't mention it." I fell back on my feet and helped him up, noticing him wincing. "What happened?"
"They—" He groaned at a pain in his ribs. "They hounded us all at once – around ten of them. Scotty and I tried to hold them off but there were too many. They knew someone was here. We were too busy watching you, Barnes and Adam getting into position to notice them coming."
I sighed. "What about Scotty? Where is he?"

          He paled. "Collins," I said, deadly calm. "Where is Scotty?"

          I had never seen Collins so frightened to tell me something before. His arms retreated to cross over his torso, and his shoulders fell in silent apology.

          "They took him. Veronica's guards have him."

***

Combining clips from the security cameras with instructions overheard by Collins, we managed to narrow down Scotty's location to the loading bay towards the back of the right wing of the manor, deep into the corridor where staff, security, and storage were kept.