espionage [h.s.]

FORTY SIX

A.N. Once again, apologies for the delayed update. I spent longer writing this one than I intended to but I'm glad I did bc I'm quite happy with the way it turned out. As promised in the last chapter, this one is more  exciting and has some more action in it too.....Enjoy, and pls remember to be an active reader (vote, leave a few comments, all that) 🖤

ROCHELLE

The political rally is taking place on the campus grounds at a nearby university, where a pretty large crowd has already gathered. A makeshift stage has been set up at the front with a podium where each of the candidates will be speaking to the crowd, which is already full with excited citizens waving small Netherlands flags in the air. Brightly coloured banners are strung through the trees above the numerous stalls that have been set up for each of the political parties, handing out information leaflets and badges featuring the candidate's faces.

The family members of the candidates have been spread out along the 2nd and 3rd rows of the crowd, and Sofia is stood in the 3rd row, ten people in from the left. Neither Harry nor I were very happy about her position in the crowd because if there is a security threat, it'd be much easier for us to grab her and get her to safety if she was stood on the sidelines, but there's not really much we can do about it now. Harry is stood in the 5th row, dressed in a simple outfit of jeans, a T-shirt and a university snapback in order to blend in with the rest of the students. I, however, am stood about 50 feet above the ground, surveying the crowd from the rooftop of the social sciences library.

The actual rally isn't due to start for another twenty minutes, and Julian isn't scheduled to speak until fifteen minutes after that, which I only know because of the minute-by-minute itinerary that he sent to us. I always thought that I was quite an organised person, but Julian Alexander takes it to a whole new level. I get the sense that he's meticulous in regards to many aspects of his life and likes to be in control of everything, which I've mostly deduced from fact that none of the other candidates' family members or children here seem to have their own security. Although, that's probably because those kids haven't had their lives threatened like Sofia has. I suppose Julian is doing everything and anything he can to look after his daughter, to ensure her safety, even if it means putting his own at risk. Because I've never really experienced that kind of parental cafe before, I've often found myself wondering if anyone will ever love me that much.

I suddenly shake my head as if that'll rid me of the thoughts, realising that now isn't really the time to be thinking about my personal problems. It manages to take up some of the waiting time though, because I snap myself back to reality just as the crowd begins to cheer again, signalling the start of the rally. Time moves relatively slowly as the rally continues and the different candidates deliver their speeches onstage, each one just as dull as the last. Due to my growing boredom, I end up lazily leaning against the roof ledge, resting chin in my palms as I continue to survey the crowd below, keeping a close eye on Sofia who looks just as bored as I am. Occasionally, my eyes flit over to Harry, but all I can really see from up here is the back of his head, so it isn't particularly interesting.

I'm in the middle of counting all the students wearing an identical university cap to Harry's, which he swiped from one of the stands at the entrance, when I suddenly hear a scuffling sound from behind me. I immediately spin around, my eyes widening when I find a rather creepy-looking and large man now stood behind me, a gun clasped tightly in his hand. In an instant, I jump forward and successfully kick the pistol out of his hand, sending it flying across to the opposite side of the roof. However, only mere seconds later, two muscular arms wrap around me, roughly slamming me down onto the ground so hard that my vision blurs.

The man crawls over me and then tightly grabs my arms by the wrists, preventing me from hitting or punching him. I use my legs to kick him off instead, jutting my knee upwards and jamming it into his groin until he groans deeply and releases his grip, allowing me to roll out from under him and quickly jump back up to my feet. Unfortunately, he recovers pretty quickly, although the punch that I slam into his throat is enough to send him stumbling backwards again.