Hating The FBI

Hating The FBI -- Freedom --

Chapter 20 –

          My bags were packed and ready to go. Mozzie and I had taken up Ashley’s offer and we were ready to ditch our lives here and the feds to go and live the life we always wanted in another country pulling cons without looking over our shoulder. It was our happy ever after and I was ready to start living it. Ashley was going to meet us at my apartment so we could remove the dog tag and leave it running so the suit would think I was still at home drowning in my self pity. I was so excited and was ready to finally leave this dull life, Mozzie was due to be here any minute with his bags. I was just making a cup of coffee when I heard a knock at the door. I put down my coffee and skipped excitedly to the door and immediately stopped short when I found Ben standing there.

“Hey.” He greeted while I just stood there like an idiot with shock glued to my face.

“What are you doing here?” I finally asked. He shrugged sheepishly.

“I haven’t spoken to you in a while or seen you and then I heard from your brother that you were in prison.” I shrugged.

“Not anymore.” He nodded slowly.

“I take it there was a mistake for the reason why you were there?” I looked away guiltily, I had forgotten about Ben and with good reason, I hadn’t wanted to gain any further attachments to people as I knew that I would never be able to pick up and leave my life if I needed too. I was due to leave and here was someone that wanted to get to know me and keep me here. I couldn’t do it. I was about to say something when I heard Mozzie bouncing up the hallway to my apartment with his bags in hand. He spotted me and started grinning.

“Who is ready to leave New York once and for all and travel the world? I am!” He yelled and then suddenly stopped when he saw Ben stood there. He walked the rest of the way and stopped next to Ben and looked and me with a puzzled expression.

“Who is your friend?” I smiled gently towards Ben who also looked confused.

“Why don’t you go inside Moz and help yourself to a glass of wine? I will join you in a minute.” He seemed to get the hint and headed inside with one last look between Ben and me. I sighed knowing Ben was going to be confused and would want an explanation; I looked towards him giving him a small smile.

“Are you going somewhere?” He asked.

“Yeah, I am going away for a while and I don’t know when I’m coming back.” He looked surprised and disappointed.

“Oh. I came here to ask if you wanted to go for dinner tonight but I guess I was too late.” I was a little taken aback and also felt a little guilty as Ben was such a nice guy and here I was pushing him away.

“I am sorry Ben, you’re a nice guy but you deserve someone better than me.” He looked down at his feet.

“I get that response a lot.” I sighed.

“It really isn’t you Ben, I’m not your average girl and I’m not the girl who likes to stay in one place too long.” He chuckled.

“I can see that.” I smiled glad that he was taking this well. I shuddered thinking back to some guys that I had gotten with briefly and they had become clingy and I couldn’t get rid of.

“Well I guess I should be off then.” Ben leaned foreword and gave me a gentle hug and I was glad we were parting ways on a happy note.

“When you come back, I hope we can continue this.” I gave him a genuine smile back.

“I would like that very much Ben. Thanks for stopping by.” I watched him walk down the hallway and disappear before heading back into my apartment.

“Who was your friend?” I sighed and poured myself a glass of wine.

“Someone I met a while ago Moz, no one special.” He raised an eyebrow.

“It didn’t seem that way to me Ash, he seemed nice.” I shrugged.

“It doesn’t matter anyway, we will be leaving soon.” Mozzie said nothing just took a sip from his glass.

        We were all stood in my living room. I was excited but very nervous. Alex grinned as she was my anklet, I took a deep breath as she slipped her tool into my anklet and I watched as it slipped off. I was free. I turned my ankle this way and that admiring how it was bare of my accessory. Alex then put the anklet on the table and slipped the tool in again and clipped it back together, she straightened her back and grinned.

“Are we ready?” I started jumping up and down excitedly.

“Hell yeah!” I fist pumped the air and ran for my bags and scooped them up and stood by the door ready and waiting, Mozzie and Alex laughed and I let them out of my apartment. I turned to take one last look at my amazing apartment and blew it a kiss goodbye and barely glanced at the letter I had left on the side for Neal. The ride was filled with excitement as we headed through New York to the airport and I looked out the window as much as I could soaking up the last memories that I would have of this place. I was a little sad to leave New York as I had always loved the beauty of the city and all the places I had visited as a child. I knew that leaving behind my memories was going to be hard but I was excited to be moving on to create new memoires free of my past. The airport was busy with people flying in and out and we used the crowds to our advantage to use them as cover from the cameras. We checked in under an alias and then headed for our flight which was heading out to the Bahamas and made our way to the gate. I glanced around out of habit and I knew that I was looking for Neal but I knew that he wasn’t coming; I sighed and felt an arm go around me. I looked up to find Alex there beside me giving me a reassuring smile.

“I know, I am going to miss him too.” I headed towards the gate as people were starting to board the plane and I was about to give my ticket to the flight attendant when I noticed him standing there. Peter was standing there watching me. I froze and just stood there looking back at him, he never moved and I was still waiting to be arrested. A minute had passed and still nothing had happened, I then felt a tug on my arm which snapped me back into reality. I wiped round and pulled my arm free and looked up to see Mozzie looking at me confused.

“What’s the matter?” He asked and I just shook my head and moved foreword quickly giving my ticket to the flight attendant. I headed down the ramp to the plane with Mozzie hot on my heels with Alex as they sensed that something was wrong. I quickly got into the plane and took my seat taking in deep breaths trying to lower my heart rate; we were so close to being free. Alex took the seat next to me and took my hand.

“What’s wrong?”  She asked gently and I realised that I had closed my eyes. I opened them slowly and looked at Alex.

“I saw Peter stood in the airport, he was looking at me.” She cursed under her breath and turned towards Mozzie and they began to murmur a plan if the flight was grounded and the suit came on board. I tuned them out and tried to focus on my breathing, I wanted to be free and I wanted to know how the suit would know where I was. My eyes were snapped open when the flight attendants voice came over the radio informing us that we were about to take off. I buckled my seat belt and leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes, we were taking off and I was free.