Page 27 of Grit & Glamour

Chapter Fourteen

“Scarlett?” Caleb’s voice lures me gently from my sleep, but I try and resist, snuggling back underneath the covers. “Scar, get up,” he insists, and I feel a hand shaking my shoulder.

“Go away,” I grumble, batting my brothers hand away with my own. It takes me a few seconds, but then I bolt upright and pull Caleb into a quick hug.

“You’re okay!” I exclaim, still half asleep as I pull back. Only realising that was a stupid thing to say once I’ve said it. I throw off the covers, and look down at myself, still fully dressed other than my shoes. After what had happened with One, I wasn’t going to be taking any chances. And somehow, I’d convinced myself that if I stayed fully dressed, nothing else weird would happen between the two of us. It had somewhat worked, after the shower he’d stepped out, telling me not to leave under any circumstances. I’d stayed up as long as I could bear the boredom, but eventually sleep had lulled me into its clutches.

“Did you think I wasn’t going to be?” he asks, his brown eyes flooding with concern.

“No, of course not. I just had some weird dreams, what are you doing here?” I ask him quietly, my eyes flickering around the room and noticing that we’re alone.

“They’re all in the room next door, but they’re getting ready to leave. They found something, but I don’t know what.” He shrugs, clearly not too interested in what they’ve found, unfortunately I am.

“Wait here,” I direct him, before shoving my shoes back on, and darting out of the room. It only occurs to me once I step outside that I don’t know which room it is. Luckily for me, my brother doesn’t listen to my command and follows me out into the long, hotel corridor.

“It’s that one,” Caleb says, pointing at the door to the right of our room.

“Is it worth me trying to ask you to stay here again?” I ask him seriously. He shakes his head and shoots me a mischief-filled grin. I roll my eyes. “Fine, but stick close to me.” I knock on the door and wait.

Theo opens the door a moment later, giving me a slightly sheepish look. “Hey, Scar,” he greets awkwardly, blocking the door.

“What’s going on?” I demand. He licks his lips nervously, before looking between me and Caleb. He sighs. “They figured out a link.”

“A link?”

“Stop talking in the fucking doorway, come in or get out,” One barks from inside. Theo steps out of the way to let me and Caleb in.

“What’s going on?” I question as soon as Theo shuts the door after us. I’m surprised when Caleb walks straight in and sits down next to Two looking almost happy to see him again. What did he do to my brother?

“We found a link between us,” Two answers.

“What do you mean?” I ask, looking between the three of them, not caring who answers as long as someone does it quickly.

“Our ex-handler. He used to hook up most of our work for us, but there was an incident, and so we started doing everything ourselves,” Three explains.

“What does your handler have to do with me?”

“Ex-handler,” One mutters unhelpfully.

“He met with your mother, and we think they’re meeting again right now. So we need to go now and deal with this instead of wasting time. If it’s him that’s fucked us, we need to be careful because he won’t stop there.” Two stands up and starts pacing as he speaks, the movement unsettles Caleb who watches his back and forth intently.

“They’re meeting at this time?” I glance out of the window at the completely black, night sky. “When do we leave?” I ask.

“You’re not going anywhere, so don’t even try talking your way into it,” Theo announces.

“And you became the boss of me, when?” I question sarcastically, narrowing my eyes on my friend. He glares back silently.

“I have to agree with your friend. We’re going. Now. And you’re staying here with your brother and him.” One turns his attention to Two and Three. “I’ll meet you guys in the car, I need to grab something from the other room before we go.”

Before anyone can argue, he’s moving and out of the room in less than three seconds after he’s finished speaking. Two and Three share a glance, before heading towards the door themselves. Two pauses, before returning back to my brother. He pulls something out from his pocket and hands it to Caleb awkwardly. Is that an old Gameboy? Caleb’s face lights up as he switches it on, not even thinking to say thank you before playing. It’s not that he’s rude, he just forgets.

“Thank you,” I say to him quietly as he walks back past me. I don’t know what happened while Caleb was left in his care for the day, but whatever happened, Caleb liked Two. There are definitely better role models for Caleb to be around, but at least he isn’t traumatised.

“I need to speak to One before he leaves,” I announce, leaving Theo to sit with Caleb as I follow the twins out of the room. I watch them both disappear down the corridor as I knock on the door of the room I’m staying in. I just had to forget my key card inside. An idea comes to me as I’m waiting for him to answer. I bend down, slipping off my trainers and looking at them feeling puzzled, until I notice a small sticker on the inside of the heel. I tug and it comes free. I run my fingers over it, feeling something hard inside of the sticker.

Can a sticker really be used as a tracking device?

I hear movement behind the door and drop my shoes, shoving my feet back into them, just as One pulls the door open. “Hey,” I greet him awkwardly. He steps aside to let me in, and I try and rationalise the plan in my head as I shut the door behind me.

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