This is why we can't have nice things/ Adler X Bell

CH.42' Sonne

The room was algid and quiet. I didn't want to speak a word whilst I hustled in the corner, and clearly, Keith didn't want to speak either.

Hudson slammed his fist down hard on the metal table and harshly glared at Keith, who was sitting with a smug look on his face. We felt betrayed - we were betrayed and compromised.

"What side are you on, Keith? And you better answer correctly. Otherwise, this won't end well."

"Who's side do you really think I'm on? I played the sad puppy, the one 'who got away', take a guess, Hudson." Keith spat on Hudson's shoe. 

Before I knew it, Hudson's clenched fist collided with the side of Keith's face. Keith's face snapped back in rage but he was unable to move due to the cuffs on the table.

"You'll fucking pay for all of this. Mark my words." Keith spoke with rage boiling through his blood.

"Not whilst you're locked up." I winked at Keith and left, making him jump up and down in his chair. Hudson followed, and he shut the door behind us.

"Go back to the house, Bell. I've got this." I nodded and left the warehouse, meeting Frank outside whilst he was sharpening his knife.

"How'd that pan out?" Frank smirked.

"Hudson punched him."

A burst of laughter shot out of Frank, making me giggle.

"Fucker deserves that, and a lot more."

I agreed and we both headed back to the house.

Whilst Keith was being dealt with in the background, Park and Sims were figuring out the blueprints along with the new information. Some things had led us to believe that these new locations we'd discovered were hideouts for Soviets and possibly Stitch.

The sky was blue with not a single cloud in sight. The weather was boiling too, and with my gear on, it didn't help me, nor Frank.

"Mason is thinking of going to meet a few guys down in Berlin later if you want to go?"

"I would, yeah. Who are they?" I questioned.

"I think they're helping us with this case. John Price, and someone else called Gaz."

"More people? Can we trust them?" I threw my hands up in anger and frustration.

"Woah, chill. They are a part of a task force back in the UK. They are our official guys, Bell. No need to panic."

A sense of relief came over me like tidal waves. We didn't need more people, I thought, but if they were on the force back in the UK, I had no reason not to trust them.

The drive back was quiet enough. Frank and I were exhausted mentally and physically. It wasn't just us either. Park was feeling it, Adler was, Sims and Lazar and even Hudson. We were all sick and tired of the goose chase, and constant tracking. Any evidence we got was useless, every little bit of it. 

We had pulled up outside of the house suddenly snapping me out of my thoughts, and I could see Adler speaking to Park. I furrowed my eyebrows as the conversation looked deep. "What the fuck is that about?" I asked Frank, who then shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know, but it doesn't look like you should get in the way." Frank shrugged and put his arm across my waist, but I pushed him away and swung the truck door open. 

I got out of the truck and Park parted from Adler.

"You guys good?" I furrowed my brow.

"Just perfect." Park rolled her eyes and Adler spoke.

"Can I speak to you, Bell?"

"Of course."

I followed Adler through the house and into our bedroom then closed the door behind me. I felt myself panicking but tried to keep it cool as I sat down on the unmade bed. He joined me at the edge of the bed and put his hand on my knee.

"You know I love you and all that?" Adler spoke and I felt sick and what may have been coming.

"I do, yes." I nodded and put my hand on top of his. 

"I just want to apologise, Bell. I haven't been getting on the best and it's not good. Stitch has ruled over my life, especially over the last couple of years, and now, I'm afraid he's going to take over you too. Bell, I hate people. You know this, but you were different. So much more different," By this point, he was standing up with his  hands to his hips. "I know he took you, but mentally, Bell. What if you become me? What if the thought of him took over you for the rest of your life? I can't put you in that position."

Silence filled the stuffy room as a tear released from my eye. He wasn't wrong either, but not exactly right. I knew everything we had was crumbling because of Stitch, and maybe he wanted that. My stomach churned. 

"Adler," I fixated myself to him and took his hand, leading him to sit back on the bed. "I know you haven't been the best, but neither have I. Look at the way I was when Stitch did take me. I couldn't sleep, eat, scars everywhere. Nightmares ruled my life and I couldn't be touched. I was a walking mess," Everyone knew it, it just wasn't said. "Hell, it was a miracle I made it out of there alive. Listen, if you think that man is going to take me again, you're wrong. I have one objective, Ad, and it's to take that fucker down." 

Russell looked at me and smiled. Maybe this would ease his mind at any given moment. Just as Adler embraced me,  the door slammed on the back wall and Park rushed in with Lazar behind her. "We think we know where Stitch and his team are." 

-----------------------------------------

We all stood around the beaten up wooden table that had a random bullet hole because Sims forgot to put the safety on. 

"Alright team," Hudson took his glasses of and sprawled sheets of paper out onto the table. "Keith fucked up and let his story go. They were last based in........"