The Chaser Chapter Two

~How Did You Know~

                “C.A.P! We are not going to hear him out! He’ll just drag us back, and you know it.” Niel was yelling at the taller one next to him.

                C.A.P had managed to keep Niel calm as he and Mark decided on a place to so they could all meet and discuss the issue more personally. They had all agreed that Mark’s office would be best instead of a public place, in case any random people decided to eavesdrop. So now they all had an appointment with Mark in his office at four. Of course Niel was not happy with everyone’s decision and would never go to Mark’s office willingly. But who said he needed to go willingly?

                “Niel, do we have much of a choice? You heard what he said, everyone could be in danger! Including us, so either way we have some part in this.” Ricky was somewhat exited that everyone, excluding Niel, was considering going on another mission. It’s been less than a year since their final mission, but he missed it. He craved it, and he wasn’t the only one.

                “Ricky’s got a point there. We technically got two options: go back to Mark and have a mission with a slightly better survival rate; or fight for ourselves when the worlds in utter chaos. So either way we have to go back to fighting for our lives with danger around every corner.” L. Joe threw his view point onto the table and made everyone consider.

                They all thought about how each decision would most likely play out. They would have a much better chance if they went back to Mark with all the gadgets and what not. But they would be fighting on their own terms, for their own reasons if they didn’t go back. They didn’t even know what they were up against besides, “A man who will stop at nothing to get what he wants…” and “He has a secret weapon that lets him have an upper hand like no one you’ve faced before.” That’s not much to go one, but even Niel was starting to get an adrenaline crave just thinking about it.

                “Niel, we never said we were going to accept Mark’s offer. We only said we’d hear him out.” Changjo looked at Niel with a baby pout.

Being the leader, Niel has had to make sacrifices for his team mates; he has had to see something’s that would make the others cringe; but he has yet to deny his youngest member anything when he gives him that face. He has somewhat of a weak spot for the younger more innocent of their group of six. He has gone out of his way at time to protect the youngest from sights that even he wished he hadn’t seen. Everyone knew that Niel did this, except Changjo, and they had all silently agreed to it. Protecting each other was something they did without question, and protecting a little of Changjo’s innocence was just a small side job.

“No. I’m not going. When I said I’d never go back to that, I meant it. You can all go, but I’m staying here.” Niel was just as stubborn as ever.

C.A.P watched as Niel gathered everyone’s now empty plates and walk into the kitchen. He looked back and Chunji who had stayed quiet throughout the entire conversation. Chunji smirked at C.A.P’s stare and immediately knew what he was thinking.

“Chunji.” C.A.P warned.

“It’s the only way. He’ll never go willingly. So we’ll just take him by force.” Chunji explained it like it was a piece of cake, and they weren’t planning on kidnapping one of their best friends.

“Seems easy enough, you up for it C.A.P?” L. Joe looked from Chunji who was sitting next to him, to C.A.P on the other side of the table.

C.A.P thought it over and put his head in his hands, “I don’t really have a choice do I? You four would do it without me anyway, so the least I can do is help.”

“That’s what I like to hear. Now does anyone of any suggestions?” Chunji smiled and looked around the table at his friends.

“You’re telling me you don’t have an idea?” Ricky looked at Chunji with a shocked expression. “You went through all the trouble of convincing C.A.P to help us and you don’t have an idea!?!?”

                Niel was upset. No he was beyond upset, he was explosive. They had all agreed they wouldn’t go back, and now they’re going back to ‘hear Mark out’. No one just hears Mark out, you either say no to listening or you’ll get in. How could they just forget that? He was, no is the leader of their close group, and they won’t listen to him.

                He decided he didn’t want to go back to the table and talk with them when he was this angry, so he walked back to his room. He closed the door behind him and collapsed on his bed, taking a deep breath and smiling. It smelled like C.A.P. Niel curled up and dug his face a bit deeper into the pillow, inhaling the sweet musk. It took only a few moments for him to fall back asleep.

~.~

                “I’ve got it.” L. Joe looked up from his deep thought with mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

                “What is it Joey?” Changjo urged him on, always a er for L. Joe’s deeply thought out plans.

                “C.A.P, there used to be a park about a block or so away from Mark’s office right?” C.A.P nodded and L. Joe smirk deepened, “Alright, guys we aren’t going to hear Mark out. We’re going to the park!”

                They all looked at L. Joe for a second completely in shock and confused beyond their wits. But after a few moments they all slowly starting to understand where he was going with the train of thought.

                “L. Joe you are amazing!” Chunji clapped and put an arm around his shoulders. “I don’t know how you do it, but your plans get better and better every time!”

                “Chunji’s right, you have yet to fail us Joey. How do you do it?” Chunji smiled and Ricky nodded in agreement.

                “I just test every theory, how each one could possibly go down. Think about all the errors that could happen, and decide between them. Not too difficult, but you have to have a better attention spam than a squirrel, so Ricky won’t have to deal with the pressure.” L. Joe laughed along with everyone else when Ricky threw a crumpled napkin at him,

                Everyone continued to joke around, throwing napkins and scrap paper pieces. Laughing loudly when one of them would actually get hit and pouting when they were the one hit. They may be in their twenties, but they are all kids at heart. Due partly by the fact that they could not be kids while they were out on missions, they had to grow up and become adults fighting for their lives. Now however they could play around and have a good time.

                “Hey C.A.P, shouldn’t you call Mark and tell him we might be a little late.” L. Joe dogged another paper ball and looked at C.A.P expectantly.

                “Why would I do that?” C.A.P looked at L. Joe confused.

                “Ashi, you guys never think anything through do you? If we leave for the park at four Niel will think we decided not to go. He’ll go a bit more willingly that way. So we’ll be about an hour or so late. He’ll understand.” L. Joe shock his head, his pink bangs falling into his eyes.

                “I’m not going to lie to Niel, like that.” C.A.P folded his arms.

                “You wouldn’t be lying if you said we’re all going to a park and then a little surprise afterward. That’s not lying that’s…..avoiding the whole truth.” Rick waved his hands around trying to make his point. Only stopping when Changjo put a hand on his shoulder nodding.

                “Yes? Hello this is Mark speaking.” The man on the other end picked up after only a few rings.

                “Mark, it’s C.A.P, we might be about an hour late. Is that alright?” C.A.P rubbed the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed for no aperient reason.

                “That’s perfectly fine! Niel’s giving you boys a hard time huh?” C.A.P could practically hear the smile in his voice.