Forever Fighting | ✔️ | [previously Espionage: double-cross]

Chapter 68

James was overcome with anxiety. 

Even though it was clearly Mark's cries of pain, he was still rushing up the stairs mere moments after Ava had finished talking. He didn't miss Ava's irritated grumble or the more suggestive comments but decided that it was best to ignore them, at least for now.

He took the stairs three at a time, making leaps down the hallway and into the room her had watched Alex and Julie walk into earlier. Without knocking or waiting, he slammed open the door to find a tied up Mark lying on the floor with a straight faced duo staring at him, although there was a confident - and smug - twinkle in Alex's eye. Now relief slammed into him, pushing away all worry. 

Ava came up behind him then. "Jesus dude, was sprinting up here really necessary?"

James sent a glare her way and Alex laughed. "Aww, were you worried about me?" Her tone was mocking and if it was anyone else, he would have punched them, lightly, to shut them up. He was confused by the fact he couldn't even think about doing that to Alex. Damn confusing emotions.

There was a groan from the floor. "Can you two just stop? I'm so sick of all of this."

Alex snapped her head to the boy on the ground and in seconds her entire demeanour changed. Her muscles went taught with the riling anger inside of her, a glare that could freeze hell over in place of the taunting smirk. Mark didn't miss this change and even attempted curling in on himself. James scoffed. Like that would help.

Julie continued to sit back, face blank but James had gotten used to reading people and could see her amusement, showcased only by the slight tilt of her lips. She wasn't the only one finding this entertaining. Ava had literally gone downstairs to bring back a bowl of popcorn.

"Where the hell did you find popcorn?" His voice was a low, disbelieving murmur.

"SHHHHHH-SH-SH-SH-SHHHHHHHHH." James shrugged, back to being used to his sisters weird behaviour. He did, however, grab a handful of the sweet and salty snack before turning back to the movie, performance. Let's go with extremely entertaining interrogation.

Alex looked positively threatening, the expression on her face demanding retribution with that devastating curiosity and need to understand everything - a quality that James was quite as equally annoyed and amused by.

"Now, Mark, why don't you tell us all about your little plan, hmm?" Even though her tone left no suggestions other than a compulsory need to answer, Mark went and made things difficult.

"Nope, I'm okay thanks."

In a flash, Alex was kneeling beside him, hand locked around his throat though not hard enough to choke the breath out of him, not yet. It was there as a tangible threat, one that would make anyone crumble when paired with the terrifying expression on Alex's face.

"Maybe I didn't phrase that right." Her eyes took on a steely quality. While Mark's heart stopped in terror, James' skipped a beat, wondering how lucky he was to know such a strong person. "Tell me everything of I will break a finger every minute you keep your trap shut."

Coming out of his stupor, Mark glared up at Alex. "How will you do that when Potentia is already on their way?" There was a hint of gleeful malice in his voice. James just shook his head, disappointed. Mark had just told them what was about to happen, giving them vital time to escape. Then, not resisting, he carried on. "The best part is there are more of us, closer than you think." He looked at James then, saying something only he would understand. "Hunters never go far." It was a phrase that made James' blood run cold and his thought freeze on one terrifying motion.

Mark had known just what to say.

Julie stood up at the rival agency's name, grabbing bags and supplies, nodding to Ava to do the same.