The Day It All Burned Down

Chapter Fifteen

Bennett paced the floor in front of Alexander's desk listening to him complain over and over about the same issue the three of them had been discussing, or rather arguing about, for the past hour.
"What we need an in! We need someone who knows how the households work, when the best time is to get information out, what we need is an insider. Someone who blends in more" Alexander told him. Bennett thought over the other options until only one seemed viable compared to the others.
"So we use Kiera"
"What? No way! Not happening" Alexander argued, beginning to pace the ground behind his desk, his mind racing as the thought of other options.
"She knows how households work, she knows how that part of the city works. This is her chance for her to prove herself to you. Let her. She can do it" Bennett assured her. Alexander thought over his suggestion, coming up with no other option or even any compromises.
"Nichole goes with her. You brief her on the mission. Anyone, and I mean anyone, gets hurt and it's on you" Bennett nodded.
"She can do it" he assured him.

"I can't do it!" Kiera sighed deeply, falling onto the bench behind her.
"Of course you can" Bennett assured her, moving to sit next to her "Nichole will go in with you and you'll be wearing a disguise-"
"What are you worried about so much, beautiful?" Callum asked, looking over her face, reading her expression as if it were words on paper.
"I'm the daughter of a founder, what if someone recognizes me? I can't put Nichole or any of you in danger. I won't do it" She told them with a shake of her head.
I can't let any of them get hurt because of me. I won't allow it. Not ever.
"You'll be in disguise. You keep your head down and no one will know. Lowers are almost always ignored" he assured her, slipping his hand into hers, squeezing lightly.
"Almost always?" Bennett gave her a look that told her some of the rebels he knew had been caught before and killed. Kiera let out a loud grumble as she ran her hand through her hair.
"Hey gorgeous, I know Bennett and he wouldn't ask you to do this unless he thought it was safe. Trust us, we've got your back" Callum gave her a reassuring look, followed by Bennett squeezing her hand lightly again, making Kiera grumble again.
"Okay, I'll do it" she sighed loudly, only making everyone laugh.
"I'll tailor your outfit" Malia smiled, running off with Nichole right behind her.
"You seriously think that this is all going to go well?"
"Of course. I wouldn't let anything happen to you" he assured her, bringing their lips together slowly.
Bennett. Perfect, sweet, kind, Bennett-
"Do you guys seriously have to do that while I'm here?" Callum grumbled.
"Why? Jealous?" Kiera teased.
"Woah, nice joke beautiful" Callum smiled, giving her a high five.
"Wait, so not only are you flirting with my girlfriend but your now also her friend?"
"We're not friends, Benny. We're planning to run away together and live happily ever after" Callum teased, earning a glare from Bennett and a small giggle from Kiera.
"Are you seriously friends with him?"
"How dare you ignore my love for Callum. He's going to be my husband one day" Kiera teased.
"How many children shall we have in our happy marriage, beautiful?" Bennett groaned as Cal winked at her.
"I hate this" he murmured before he left the pair laughing to their own jokes behind him.
Kiera got changed into the newly tailored maid uniform that Malia had laid out for her in her hut before she headed to Alexander's tent for breifing.
"Wow, you can pull off everything beautiful" Cal smirked.
"Is it okay?" Kiera asked, suddenly feeling shy under their stares.
"It's perfect" Nichole smiled "Mal did a good job making that" she smiled at her friend.
"Now, down to business" Alexander cleared his throat, Kiera moved to the table everyone was standing around, a file had been laid out "Your meeting a maid, her name is Lena. She'll give you papers hidden in a basket. You get in, get out, and get back without being seen" Alexander told them, his authoritative tone doing anything but calming her.
"What papers are we getting?" Kiera asked.
"That, I can't tell you"
"Why not?" She asked.
Secrets. Secrets. Secrets.
"Everything we do is need to know. I'm sorry but this must be kept quiet, the smallest amount of people who know about these documents, the better" he tried to assure her but failed.
"Will you still do it?" Nichole asked, her voice breaking through the silence and the unanswered questions racing through Kiera's mind.
"I'll do it" she nodded.
"Excellent" Alexander smiled.
"An actual smile from Alexander. Maybe Kiera is capable of more than we thought" Cal smirked.

Nichole headed down the street with Kiera following close beside her, only a half step behind.
"Can I ask if you've got information from Lena before?" Kiera asked, breaking the silence that had set in since they left the woods.
"Yes"
"And have you?"
"Yes"
"Everything is so secretive, don't you get tired of it all?"
"Yes"
"Will you say anything other than yes?"
"Maybe" she smiled for a beat, letting it quickly fade as she refocused on the mission at hand "I hate the secrecy. I haven't let myself get close to anyone in a long time. This life isn't easy but that's exactly why we're fighting for change, so that no one has to live it" she admitted sadly.
"What happened to you? To make you want to be a rebel"
"It wasn't a choice" she snapped "Peace force officers, as they call themselves, killed my family because they worked too slow. One by one until I had no one left. I'm all alone in this world because of the way that the founders think this world should be run. I even-" she cut herself off, as if the memory physically clasped it's hand over her mouth, keeping her secrets from spilling out.
"You don't have to tell me if it's too painful" Kiera assured her.
"That's the funny thing, something about you makes me want to tell you" Kiera nodded gently before Nichole changed direction and headed through a large gate. The pair moved along the side of the house until they headed in the side door and into the kitchen.
"What do you want?" The cook asked as she leaned on the counter sipping her tea.
"We're here to see Lena" Nichole told her, earning a nod in response.
"She'll be down in a moment" she told them, going back to sipping her tea a second before Lena appeared in the kitchen. Lena stayed quiet as she headed towards the back door, Nichole and Kiera behind her until they were huddled around the the door.
"This is what you were looking for" Lena took out a brown file from her apron pocket and handed it to Nichole.
"It has everything we talked about?"
"Yeah, and a bit more" she nodded.
"The world thanks you" Nichole smiled, heading out of the house with Kiera following.
"What's in the folder?" Kiera smirked.
"History in the making. History is what it is" Nichole smiled.

"Well done!" Alexander smiled widely, taking Kiera's face in his hands he kissed her forehead before moving on to Nichole, repeating the action.
"All we did was get in and get out" Kiera laughed at his over exuberance.
"But you got out with the information!" He smiled widely at them all.
"Kiera's a natural. We blend right in" Nichole smiled at her.
"Excellent" Bennett smiled down at Kiera, his arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her close to him.
"Don't get all lovey dovey on us now that your girlfriend got something for us" Cal pulled a dramatic frown.
"My girlfriend is amazing" Bennett smiled widely, picking her up, he twirled her around before placing her back on her feet.
I'm amazing. I got information out. I am now a rebel. A rebel with a pretty amazing boyfriend and great friends.