NOVA
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30/04/2003
Alto, New Mexico
Silverwing Base
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"Albuquerque. He's in Albuquerque," Vincent sighs.

I immediately tense up, goosebumps sprouting on the back of my neck as a breath hitches deep in my throat.

Fucking Albuquerque? The bastard may as well have waltzed right up to goddamn base. It feels as though he's just around the corner.

"How do we know for certain?" Leo leans forward, keeping a discreet comforting hand on my knee under the desk.

"Shields, you may want to step outside," Vincent sighs, opening his laptop.

I shake my head, "it's alright. I want to see whatever it is,"

He nods firmly, tapping at his keyboard before spinning the laptop around to our direction.

It's a grainy video, and Nicholas has his devilish grin right up in the camera. There's what looks like a large amount of open floor space, some sort of commotion happening behind him.

"I know you're looking for me, and we're right under your fucking noses. 173 Avenida Lane, Grande Heights, Albuquerque."

He snickers, then the camera falls black as the clip ends. Leo, Yamato and I all stare at the screen in silence.

"Has anybody checked what that address is?" Yamato finally whispers, Vincent hums.

"Old hotel,"

"The bastards challenging us," Leo seethes.

"There's a chance he isn't telling the truth," I shrug, "he could easily be trying to throw us off track,"

Vincent shakes his head, shutting down my theory as he pulls out a printed sheet. It's a photograph of a lobby, crimson carpet splayed across the floor. He rewinds the footage to the beginning, the psychotic face jumping out of the screen again.

"Look at the background," he gestures to the screen, "and then look at this,"

My eyes dart back and forth between the paused video and the picture in front of me. It doesn't look like he is lying, they match up perfectly.

"That was taken in the lobby in 1999, before the owners got too old and had to abandon the business for retirement," he explains.

"What hotel is it?"

"'The Hotel Isabel'," he shrugs.

"Well, what the fuck are we waiting for?" Leo stands up, "we know his exact location, let's get it over with."

Normally I'm one for a strategised, thought out plan. However, I'm with Leo on this. I just want Nicholas dead under any circumstances.

"It's not that simple, Hendrix," Vincent sighs, "he said 'we're' right under your noses, implying he's got company. Also, we've got no sort of blueprint as of yet,"

"Didn't we know that he had company already? He shot up that gas station in Lubbock and it looked as though he was with somebody in the footage," I shrug.

"Regardless, we need to think about this. We don't have any safe houses in or near Albuquerque, meaning we'd have to head straight from here and into action,"

He does have a point.

"How the fuck did he send this video across?" Leo tenses up.

"Sent it to North, who forwarded it to me and Kingston,"

"I guess the bastard's still got the address from when we were in the Philippines," I groan.

"I thought North changed it?" Yamato tilts his head.

"He created a new one for our intel, but he's still got access to the previous,"

I lean back in my seat, deep in thought about the best way to go about this. He's got damn good ways of luring us in, which causes no doubt in my mind that he's already strategised a plan of action for when we arrive.

We just need to outsmart him.

"Can we obtain a floor plan of the hotel? Any ideas of the previous owners?" I break the newfound silence.

"It was owned by an senior couple according to the BlueJays, Pete and Isabella Lopez,"

"Could we contact them? I think it'd be useful to hear about the location from their perspective,"

Vincent taps his nail on the desk in thought for a moment before standing up, reaching for the telephone and dialling a number. I overhear the hum on the other line until it's picked up.

"Edith?"

"Can you try and forward on any information about Pete and Isabella Lopez, previous owners of the Isabel Hotel, Albuquerque. Most likely seniors resided in the area,"

"Thank you,"

He places down the phone, turning to face us.

"That's a bloody smart idea, Shields. If anyone knows the layout better than the bastard and his crew, it's got to be the previous owners,"

I nod, feeling Leo squeeze my knee slightly.

"Shouldn't be long before information gets sent through, they're usually quick with these things. We may as well wait," Vincent continues.

We engage in small talk. I notice Yamato occasionally shooting Leo and I a curious glance. I guess he's pretty damn confused since he walked in on me fucking straddling his crotch.

Vincent pops a humbug in his mouth but immediately hocks it out into a bin as his laptop lights up.

He squints his uncovered eye at the screen, attempting to focus his vision before spinning the laptop around.

It's an archive of a news article.

—

'Pete and Isabella Lopez; long time owners of the Hotel Isabel, Albuquerque, are finally retiring after 47 years of hard work!'

'After what started as a small bed and breakfast, the young couple broadened their business throughout the years. When Pete had to leave for the Vietnam war, Isabella continued the business in hopes he would return home safe.'

'Luckily, Pete returned safe and sound. They lived a long, happy career and have named their hotel as their 'greatest accomplishment'. After their attempt to sell the hotel was unsuccessful, they now both reside in the Radnos Senior Living facility, Santa Fe. They have since said they enjoy playing 'card games' with their grandchildren who frequently visit.'

—

Underneath the article is a faded image. A couple who looks to be in their 70s, stood in front of 'Hotel Isabel' and holding up a set of keys. Behind the hotel is what appears to be desert terrain.

"Santa Fe," Leo whispers, seemingly deep in thought.

"Do you think we could call the facility? Potentially speak to them over the phone?" Yamato asks, Vincent shakes his head.

"It's too risky. We can't have any technical links between a business, could always be traced back to us. The best thing we can do is physically go to Santa Fe," he sighs.

"How about a burner?"

"Still risky,"

He's so damn paranoid, not that I blame him.

"I'll go to Santa Fe, it was my idea after all," I volunteer, standing up.

"I'll go with her," Leo says, the second I finish my sentence.

"Didn't think anybody would be this eager. I guess it's better in a small number, draws less attention. The last thing we can afford to do is to slip up," Vincent grimaces at the mere thought.

"So, you're alright with us going? Just the two of us?" I raise my eyebrows, he nods.

"You're both trustworthy, skilled. Come up with a cover story and you'll be fine. Just get there and back as soon as bloody possible, we can't really afford to wait around," he groans.

"How long is the drive?" Leo tilts his head, Vincent ponders.

"Maybe about three hours, depending on traffic. Take one of the vans, I've heard you're a good driver Hendrix," he ushers us with his hands, we exchange a confused glance.

"Wait, right now?" I furrow my eyebrows, he nods.

"Like I said, we can't afford to waste time. Make sure you don't walk into the facility with your damn gun strapped to your thigh, Shields. Wear normal clothes, just blend in."

I can't believe how quickly this has escalated.

One minute I'm suggesting a plan, now I'm driving three hours up to Santa Fe with Leo.

"Do you at least have any burners we could take?" Leo looks around, Vincent opens up his drawer and swipes up a small mobile.

"Try and avoid using it unless it's an emergency, which hopefully won't happen," He shakes his head, ushering us once again.

"Go and hurry up, we'll avoid telling anybody else where you are unless we absolutely have to. I want to have all the information possible before we drag the rest of the group into it,"

We both affirmatively nod, taking the hint to get the fuck out of his office and get a damn move on.

—

"Have you got food?" Leo asks as I load up the trunk near the gates.

"I picked up a few sandwiches from the food hall, should be enough for a few hours," I reply, shoving a gun into a hidden compartment under the boot.

"I'm going to need it if I'm driving 6 goddamn hours total," he groans.

"I don't mind driving," I shrug, he shakes his head.

"It's alright, don't worry about it," he offers a small smile, gesturing for me to get into the passenger side.

I slide into the seat, checking the address and poking it into the GPS as Leo revs up the SUV.

"It's saying 3 hours and 18 minutes at the moment, hopefully it's less for your sake," I sigh, turning to look at him.

"You just try and relax, I'll do all the worrying," he grins, I give him a playful slap on his arm as he starts to drive.

I fiddle with the radio as we pull onto the main road, Leo shoots me a glare.

"I swear if you put some shit station on, you can get out of the car and I'll go there myself," he snickers.

"And who's going to annoy you if you do that?"

"True," he smirks, resting a hand on my thigh and smoothing it up and down.

I halt the radio station as 'Can't Stop This Thing We Started' by Bryan Adams floods through the system.

"Christ, I haven't heard this song in years. Reminds me of the both of us," he pinches my thigh.

"And why's that?"

"Because we quite literally 'can't stop this thing we've started',"

I grin, turning to lean my head against the window and admire the scenery. We fly past the Ruidoso mountains, their usual white peaks aren't as vivid since spring has enveloped us.

It really is a beautiful place. It'd be nice to be a tourist for a day, go to the reservation. Maybe during my retirement in fuck knows how many years from now, I'll come back here.

The songs continue to hum in the background, I've decided to let Leo concentrate by not yapping at him every two seconds.

His hand has only parted with my thigh when absolutely necessary.

"Fuck, still another two hours to go," he eventually groans, squeezing his eyes shut and opening them again.

"It's already been over an hour? I didn't even realise," I furrow my eyebrows, checking the GPS, "I can switch if you want. Like I said, I don't mind driving," I smile, placing my hand over his.

"No, you can sit there and look pretty. It's not often that you aren't running around doing God knows what," he chuckles, glancing over at me as I bite my lip.

"Jesus Nov, don't do that when I'm trying to drive," he huffs, looking back at the road.

"Don't do what?" I grin.

"The lip thing, you're distracting me," his jaw clenches, hand slowly edging up my thigh.

"Learn to control yourself, Hendrix," I tease, continuing to admire the scenery as we fly through the country roads.

"I can't control myself around you, surely you've established that by now," he takes in a sharp breath, shifting his hand and squeezing my inner thigh.

He's turning me on at a time like this. At least it's a damn good distraction.

—
18+
—

His fingers continue to tickle their way up, gliding over the centre of my shorts and making me shudder.

"Open your legs for me, Nov,"

I comply instantly. This is one of the few instances in my life in which I'll do whatever Leo says.

With one hand steady on the wheel, the other fumbles with the buttons on my shorts until they unclasp. He traces a hand down the front, gently pressing a finger against the crease of my panties.

Like a goddamn submissive idiot, a small cry escapes my lips as he glides his fingertip in a circle over the fabric.

"You're so fucking wet," he whispers, I catch the crooked grin even across his side profile.

"And you aren't helping by doing that," I sigh, letting my head fall back against the headrest as he gently presses over my clit. I place my hand over his, squirming as he rubs in slow, lazy circles.

He grunts under his breath, abruptly pulling up on the side of the country road.

"What are you doing?" I tilt my head, caught off guard.

"Get in the back now, Nova,"

I bite my lip again, climbing between the seats and perching in the back. He swiftly follows, adjusting the seats so he's got more room as he kneels in front of me.

He rips down my shorts and panties in one clean sweep; hands on my knees as he drives my legs apart.

He gazes up at me with a glint in his eyes before running his tongue up between my slick folds, stopping and licking over my clit in long, lazy strokes.

"Shit, Leo-" I whimper his name, I remember he liked that.

He groans against my core, "I can't help myself. I can't get enough of doing this to you, I could do it every goddamn day and never get tired,"

My hands rake through his hair, burying him deeper between my thighs as he purses his mouth around my clit, sucking it slowly between his lips.

One of my hands flies back, gripping the headrest for leverage as I begin to grind myself against his face. He keeps his gaze trained on mine, catching my eyes before they slip back into my head.

The moans are absolutely pouring out of my lips. The feeling is euphoric. No man has, and will ever be able to do it better than Leo Hendrix.

Not that I ever want another man.

"You love it when I do this, don't you Nov? You love it when I fuck you with my mouth," he grumbles.

Must be a rhetorical question.

He brings a hand up, spreading my folds with his middle and index finger. His tongue dances across my clit teasingly a few times, before flitting rapidly across the swollen nub.

"Shit! Leo!" I moan, bucking my hips upwards.

"Tell me how much you love it, Nova," His middle and ring finger glide into me. I choke on a gasp as they curve upwards, slipping in and out and brushing my g-spot in a 'come-here' motion.

"I love it, but I need to feel more of you," I moan, arching my back, "sit on the seat now, Leo,"

"Ask nicely, Nova," he hums against my core.

"I never ask nicely," I drag him up by his collar, shoving him into the seat beside me. My hands fly to his belt, ripping it open and dragging his pants down to his ankles.

"I need to fuck you, right now," I whisper, voice full of desperation.

"And I'll never say no to that," he grins, lust burning in his dark eyes.

I throw myself on top of him in an instant. Legs anchoring his hips, he guides his cock towards my entrance as I lower myself onto him.

He grunts, hands curling around my shoulders as he drives himself deeper, thrusting up and into me.

"I'm fucking obsessed with you. There is no other woman on this damn planet who can even compare," he groans as I push down, meeting his rhythm.

"Good," I chew on my lip, eyebrows knitting as my eyes fall back into my head. Each thrust brushes my clit against his groin, hits against that perfect inner wall.

It's perfect. He's perfect.

Everything about this is fucking perfect. He could fuck me all day and I wouldn't have a damn complaint.

I make sure to take his full length. I need him deeper, harder.

"Don't you dare hold back on me, Hendrix. Fuck me as rough as you want. Make me fucking scream." I moan into the side of his neck.

I instantly feel the change as he begins to deliver deeper thrusts, burying every single inch of him inside of me. I nip on his neck to stifle my cries.

"That's my girl," he husks, hands sinking into my ass. "Ride me."

The praise almost makes me fucking explode. If anybody pulls up beside of us and walks past this car, we're absolutely fucked.

But it's also absolutely worth it.

"You going to come for me, Nova? Come all over my cock like a good girl?" He grumbles into my hair.

"I'm anything but a good girl, Leo. But shit- yeah- I am," my head falls back, the familiar burning spiral of pleasure coiling up from my core.

"Good girl," I can practically feel his smug grin. 

"Fuck you," I whisper, my voice cracking with another moan.

"Such a pretty mouth, but, you already are fucking me," he punctuates his last word by thrusting deeper than before, I didn't even think that was fucking possible.

"I'm close, really close," I sigh into his shoulder, sinking my nails into his shoulders for leverage.

"Wait it out,"

"I can't," I whine. I don't want to finish, I could go like this for hours.

"Be my good fucking girl and wait it out for me," he grunts, sucking on my neck and definitely leaving a mark I'll have to cover.

Maybe being a 'good girl' right now isn't a bad idea, I want to wait it out.

I don't reply, my focus is on keeping at this relentless rhythm. It's fucking brutal in the best way possible.

This isn't what I expected from this drive, we're technically 'working'.

"Alright, I'm close," he groans.

"Wait it out and look at me, Leo," I grin, leaning back to gaze at him. He forces his eyes open, small golden flecks shining against the deep cinnamon.

"I love you, so damn much," his head rests backwards against the seat, chest heaving as he grips onto my hips.

"I know you do. Let it out," I sigh, finally allowing the pleasure I've been suppressing to unravel. I feel his warmth fill me up as I cry out, pressing my glistening forehead against his.

We gradually slow down, completely breathless as I collapse forward onto his chest. His arms coil my waist, still buried deep inside of me before hesitantly pulling out.

"Unexpected, but worth it," I pant as he helps me pull the shorts and panties up my quivering legs, peppering small kisses until they're buttoned across my waist. 

"Worth it is an understatement," he heaves out, yanking up his own pants.

I continue catch my breath as we climb back into the front seats, Leo restarting the ignition and pulling away from the side of the road. My eyes catch the GPS; 1 hour 45 minutes to go until we reach Santa Fe.

"Is there anywhere we can pull over?" I ask, he glances at the GPS.

"Looks like there's a gas station about ten minutes up this road, you alright?" He tilts his head, rubbing over my knee.

"I just need to use the washroom,"

"Let me guess why," he smirks. I slap his arm, but my focus is diverted as we pass a road-sign.

'For Albuquerque, turn West in 5km'

We're right around the corner from the psychopath.

I rest my hand over his, giving it a gentle squeeze. I think he also noticed the sign due to his sudden change in expression.

"We could just end it all now," I whisper.

"Don't be ridiculous, Nov. Maybe we could, but we've not got anywhere near enough gear. Plus, you're not coming regardless," he replies bluntly.

"True-" my reply cuts short as I register what just came out of his mouth.

What the fuck did he just say?

"The fuck do you mean, 'I'm not coming regardless'?" I narrow my eyes.

"Are you joking with me? You seriously think I'm going to let you come when he almost fucking killed you?" He scoffs, shaking his head.

"No, more like are you fucking with me? I really goddamn hope you are, Leo," I hiss, yanking my thigh out of his grasp.

"No Nov, I'm not. You almost died, may I remind you. Not a chance in hell I'm risking that again!" He snaps, jaw clenching.

"It's not your goddamn decision! Of course I'm coming. He's my fucking brother and I want to be the one to kill him!" I seethe, looking at the GPS and noticing that we're luckily nearing the service station.

I can't believe what he's saying. I'm well within my goddamn right to be the one who delivers the final blow, and he fucking knows that.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Nova! Just listen to me! For once!"

"Pull over," I growl through gritted teeth, gesturing to the service sign.

He flicks on the indicator, making the right turn. He's still talking but I can't hear him, I don't want to hear him.

As soon as the car pulls to a halt, I wrap a sweatshirt around my waist and push open the door.

"Nova, wait! Get back in the goddamn-!" I interrupt him by slamming the door shut, storming into the service station without looking back.

I take a few deep, intense breaths as the doors slide open. It's been a while since I've been anywhere like this, anywhere so open. There's members of the public bustling around, families perched in the food stations with piles of suitcases besides them.

What look like normal families. Not unhinged ones with a Mother's remains buried at the bottom of a river; a brother who's bloody hands have restrained and decapitated the innocent.

Washroom. That's what I need, the washroom.

I follow the signs, striding in what I fucking hope is the right direction. Of course there's a goddamn waiting line.

I get into file behind the last two people; a lady holding the hand of who I'm guessing is her toddler daughter. The lady is dressed in what looks like high end clothes; a bag with 'Louis Vuitton' imprinted in gold hanging off of her arm.

I don't know what that is, but it looks pretty damn fancy. I must look like a disheveled tramp stood next to her.

The little girl turns, gazing up at me with big, sparkling brown eyes. I don't really know what to do, it's been a while since I've interacted with kids. I force a smile, returning to picking at my nails.

The kid starts tugging her Mom's sleeve, urging for her attention.

Fuck.

Did I do something wrong? Did I scare her or something?

I pretend to mind my own business as the Mother crouches to the girl's height, listening to what she is whispering. The lady nods, standing back up to full height before tapping my shoulder.

I act as though I wasn't watching their whole interaction, turning to look at her with a soft smile.

"I'm so sorry to bother you honey, my daughter just wanted me to tell you that you're very pretty," the lady beams, gesturing to the little girl.

Jesus, that's not what I was expecting.

"That's so sweet," my grin is actually genuine this time as I crouch down to her height, "I think you're very pretty too!"

The little girl starts giggling, doing a twirl as I push back up to my usual height.

"She's adorable," I chuckle.

"She's a little darn rascal most of the time, aren't you Enid?" Her Mom snickers, leaning down to tickle her daughter before glancing back up at me. "Off to anywhere exciting?" She beams.

Absolutely not.

"Just heading up to NYC with my husband," I force a grin.

Fucking husband?

"Oh! We've been to NYC a few times, what an amazing city," she brushes her polished, jewellery covered fingers through her silky golden hair.

She's definitely fucking rich.

"How about you? Where are you headed?" I decide to show an interest, not wanting to seem standoffish.

"We're heading to Orlando. Enid has been begging to go to Disneyworld for a few months, my own husband got the time off work so we're making the trip!" She smiles with her glinting white teeth.

"Disneyworld? Are you excited?" I chuckle, crouching down to Enid's height after the line moves forward. She nods frantically.

"Who are you looking forward to meeting?" I beam. She shyly folds her arms around herself and spins on her heels.

"Princess Cinderella," she giggles.

"Well, I'm sure Cinderella will be very excited to meet you too," I grin, pushing up to my normal height to step forward in the line again.

For these few minutes, I've actually forgotten that Nicholas even exists. That there is actually a life outside of the walls of base, away from the clanking of artillery.

The door swings open, signalling it's time for Enid and her Mom to use the washroom.

"It was lovely to meet you, enjoy New York City!" The lady waves, copied by Enid as they disappear into the washroom.

If only I was actually going to fucking NYC.

—

After my long awaited trip to the washroom is over, I stride back the way I came.

I will not just drop my argument with Leo when I get back in the SUV. The van comes into my line of vision as I pace over, pulling on the door handle and sliding inside without saying a word.

"Nov-" he begins after a moment.

"-just start driving," I interrupt, buckling my seatbelt.

He groans, turning on the engine and pulling away of the service station onto the road.

"You're the one who kept telling me that I would be the one to finish him off when I was recovered," I eventually hiss, breaking the silence we've been wedged in for over an hour.

"That was before I realised I'm fucking in love with you, Nova," he sighs.

"By you being in love with me, it doesn't change my job. It doesn't change the things that I want and have to do. You can't control that, Leo. I won't let you." I shake my head.

"I know, and I'm sorry," he murmurs. "I'm just so scared of something happening to you again."

"And you really think that I don't worry about you just as much? Of course I fucking worry about you, but I'd never hold you back from doing something you're determined about," I say, gazing across at him.

"I know that you're right, Nov. I'd obviously just prefer it if you didn't come. Once he sees that you're alive, if he doesn't already know, you're going to be the first on his list," he grumbles.

"And he's the first on my list, so it balances out. I'm coming, regardless of your opinion this time, and that's final," I nod.

He takes a sharp breath in before nodding, acknowledging defeat and flicking on the indicator as 'Welcome to Santa Fe' passes by the window.