Rule #1: Never Date An A.C.E. [COMPLETED]

Chapter 17: Rule #44: When In Danger, Find A Safe House

I begin to shake, terrified that Luca had been able to get into my room. I couldn't continue to hold the towel up, so it fell to the floor. I tear up the note and crush the flower under my foot. I rush to my phone and call Dylan.

"Hello?" he answers, his voice sleepy.

"Please, come over here now," I say, my voice shaking.

"I'm coming, don't worry," he is awake now. "Don't hang up."

"Okay," I whisper.

"I'm outside the main door, come let me in," he says.

I look down and see myself naked, "Just a second. I need to put some clothes on." I have trouble putting on my clothes, with the wraps and with my shaking, but I'm able to put underwear on and a big t-shirt. I rush out of my bedroom and to the front door, throwing it open.

Dylan is standing there in his boxers and a t-shirt. He gathers me up in his arms, and I'm shaking in fear, so he carries me back to my bedroom where he sees the torn-up note and flower. "What is this?"

"Lu-Luca was here," I say, pointing at the note. "He left those here for me."

"What did the note say?" Dylan asks, gently.

"He-he said I wasn't safe here and that he said he would always know where I am," my voice continues to stutter as tears fill my eyes. "He was here again Dylan. I was in the bathtub, he could've taken me again."

"Shhh," Dylan takes me into his arms again. "You'll be safe, I promise."

"What am I going to do now?" I whisper, tucking my head under his chin, tears wetting his shirt. "I can't go back there, Dylan."

"I won't leave your side again, Bella," he whispers back, stroking my hair. The heat from his body feels nice and he eventually pulls the covers over us. I fall asleep in his arms, his steady heartbeat a lullaby to my ears.

I awake to the sound of murmuring voices, and instinctively reach out for Dylan. My eyes open to an empty side of the bed and I look around wildly until my gaze settles on him in the corner on the phone. He finishes his call and turns to look at me, smiling slightly.

"Morning," he says, coming back over to the bed and sitting on it next to me.

"Morning," I reply.

"We're implementing rule number forty-four, when in danger, find a safe house. We have a plan to get you to a safe house," Dylan starts tentatively. "The only issue is the fact it is out of the country."

I shrug, "Not a problem. It's not like there's anything here for me. Whatever it takes so Luca doesn't get ahold of me again."

Dylan nods, "We have a private plane for the agency that you will be taking."

I grow slightly scared, "It's not just me, right? Please tell me you're coming too."

"Of course!" he answers quickly, easing my fears. "All of your friends are coming."

"Is that safe?" I ask, ashamed that I'm afraid my friends being there will bring danger to me. He nods, taking my hands in his own.

"I will not let anyone else hurt you," he says and I nod again. I dress in comfortable clothes, before Dylan helps me pack. Then, the two of us walk to his room, so he could also pack. He is adamant about not leaving my side, and I am grateful. Luca scares me more than I'm willing to admit. We meet our friends in the cafeteria to get some food, before heading to an airstrip on the other side of the mountain Ace had built into. The sky is still dark, telling me it is quite early in the morning. Everyone went ahead of Dylan and I, and I stop him before getting on the jet.

"Where are we going?"

Dylan flashes me a smile, "Ever been to Aruba?"

I shake my head, but a smile grew on my face. We are headed to an island country with plenty of beach and sunshine, exactly what I need to feel better. Dylan continued to explain that we would be flying to an airport in Maracaibo, Venezuela, before taking a boat to Aruba.

"Even though Aruba has an airport, we want to be on the safe side," Dylan says seriously.

"Come on, let's go!" Flower says after poking her head from the jet. We climb up into it and choose the last two seats that face each other. Everyone else has chosen spots on the other chairs or the couches. I look over everyone and realize Boone is missing.

"He's up in the cockpit," Dylan says, reading my thoughts. "Boone is a trained pilot. He will be flying us to Venezuela while another agent will return the jet here."

"That means we aren't coming home for a while, are we?" I ask, looking out of the window to drink everything in as we begin to taxi.

"I'm afraid not," Dylan answers. "Everything will turn out alright."

"I hope so," I whisper as we take off into the sky. I eventually fall sleep, still exhausted from my ordeal with the Three Princes. I feel safe with Dylan near, so I sleep fitfully. My dreams turn dark as I begin to relive the kidnapping and what proceeded it. I luckily keep a scream in when my dream hits the darkest point and wake up in a sweat, my eyes darting around as I try to remember where I am.

"We're on a jet to Aruba, remember?" I hear Dylan say and I meet his worried eyes. I nod, not trusting my voice, before turning to look out the window. The sun is now high in the sky, and we are surrounded by fluffy white clouds.

"Just another hour and we will be landing," Boone's voice comes over the intercom. Everyone seems to be shaking themselves awake, having fallen asleep like me. Dylan is the only one who looks as though he was awake the entire time.

"How about we tell Isabella one of our old missions?" Vanessa pipes up and everyone nods.

Dylan starts, "Levi and Sheridan weren't with us at the time, but Alex was a new agent." Alex groans before leaning back in her seat, covering her face with her hands.

"Not this story!" She exclaims and everyone privy to the story chuckles. I look around at all of them, my interest peaked.

"What happened?"

"Well," Vanessa continues. "The four of us, including Boone, were supposed to uncover a money launderer who was using her business as a buffet restaurant as a front. Alex here was supposed to hack into the security system and lead us to the restaurant." Alex at this point is flushed red. "Instead she leads us to a jewelry store next door that we then were arrested for attempted robbery."

"In my defense, both security systems looked similar!" she defends before joining in our laughter.

"After we were arrested," Dylan says, "Alex was told to dress up like a cop and free us from jail. It was a complicated mission, but she handled it perfectly. She redeemed herself from the earlier accident."

"See?" Alex crosses her arms and pouts, "I fixed it in the end."

"Since then, we have always made sure to have two computer wizzes on each team, at least for larger missions," Vanessa finishes after we are all finished laughing.

"We are beginning our descent into Venezuela," Boone continues to ask us to put on our seatbelts. My face is stuck to the window as we fly over the city, the airport getting closer and closer. We land softly, which we thank Boone for as we file from the jet. Three beat-up vans pull up beside the jet, and I see we are the only airplane in the recent vicinity. I try to help carry my luggage, but Dylan ends up taking it from me when he sees me struggling.

"I guess I'm still too weak to do much," I say, disappointed.

"You'll be back in no time," he replies, sending me a smile that doesn't reach his worried eyes. We split into groups; Dylan, Alex and I are in one van, Flower, Levi and Boone in another and Vanessa and Sheridan in the third. Dylan takes the lead as the other two follow behind.

"Isn't kind of obvious we are all together if we stick together?" I ask.

Dylan shakes his head, "They won't be following directly behind us, but there is only one way to the docks that won't take us hours. We need to get to the safe house as quickly as possible."