Special Agent | ✓

Forty-Two

a/n: wednesday update for you guys!

Forty-Two

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They were running out of time. Every second that passed reminded Quinn that someone else's life was at stake — Willa, someone who had not committed any other crime than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Locke had settled into a sort of pre-mission calm, and she'd caught him routinely checking his weapons, seated casually on the sofa in Kat's apartment.

Kat herself had been holed up in her room even after Quinn had forced her in there, most likely attempting to keep herself from turning into a jumble of nerves. Kat's current emotional condition did not stop Quinn from heading down the small hallway, a knot in her throat as she raised her fist to knock. Gavin and her were due to leave any second now, en route to hide out at his friend's hotel in Prague. They would be able to buy themselves at least 24 hours there, and Quinn had taken it upon herself to attempt to convince Kat to tag along.

She couldn't stay here. The address was listed as hers, and it was only a matter of time before some crook showed up here in an attempt to track Quinn down. Quinn had carefully told her friend to pack a small bag only half an hour before, but she'd heard little noise from within the small bedroom.

You'll have to check on her, either way. With that reasoning rooted firmly in place, Quinn reached for the handle of the bedroom door, slowly inching it open. A small weight floated off her chest when she noted a neatly packed weekend bag, poised primly on one corner of the bed. However, that weight slammed back down, increased tenfold, when Quinn noted her friend sitting dejectedly by the bag. Kat's head was buried in her hands, shoulders shaking as she was wracked by silent sobs.

"Oh, Kat."

It was all Quinn could get out as her throat closed up, heart breaking for her friend's sorrow.

I did this.

She stepped across the room in seconds, crouching in front of her friend before carefully grabbing both of her wrists.

"I'm here, Kat. We'll fix this, but first we have to go, alright?"

Kat gave no indication she'd heard what Quinn had said. Instead, she merely looked up for one second, tear-drenched eyes zeroing in on Quinn's sad expression.

"I know it's hard, Kat, but we have to go."

Slowly, Kat moved, one hand reaching for her eyes as she wiped a flurry of tears away from the corner of her eye.

"And what then? I just, drop everything? Lose everything? My home, my life -"

Kat broke off again, sniffled, before she regained enough composure to straighten up, meeting Quinn's eye.

"I'm sorry, Kat. If I could do it all again - "

- I wouldn't put you in danger.

Quinn shook her head, the words trailing into nothing.

"That doesn't matter, now. What matters is that we can fix this, but first we have to go. You'll stay at Gavin's friend's hotel for a day, two."

"And then what? You know I can't just go back."

Quinn felt pressure in her own eyes, forced that surge of emotion down until she couldn't feel it anymore.

She wanted to apologize, a thousand times over, but knew it would do little. What she had to do was get Willa back to her friend — to make sure Kat's personal life didn't suffer more than it already had.