Aria managed to slip into the crowd of tourists still locked in the museum, seemingly unnoticed. Though she didn't trust the mystery man, giving him the amulet was better than giving it to Kodie… to Snare.
The people around her buzzed with chatter as they waited, their voices a jumble of confusion and concern. They talked about the sudden lockdown, their lives, and why security was checking everyone one by one before allowing them to leave. The noise drummed in her ears, giving Aria a migraine—one she knew wouldn't go away anytime soon.
After over an hour, Aria finally managed to escape the museum. She loved the quiet of museums at night when it was just her and the artifacts, the stillness wrapping around her like a comforting blanket.
"I thought you were only going to check out things?" Elliot questioned as he and Julia ran up to Aria, breathless. "I was, but it seems some people had other plans," she replied, forcing a smile. "Jax, do me a favor and run facial recognition on the man from the museum," Aria said, eager to change the subject. "On it," Jax replied, his fingers already flying over his phone.
"You got the amulet?" Mark asked Zane as he entered Zane's office. Zane sat in his chair, staring at the priceless artifact lying on his desk.
"What are you doing?" Mark questioned, a confused look on his face as he stared at his alpha.
"I'm waiting," Zane said simply.
"For what?" Mark asked.
"I don't know yet," Zane answered.
Suddenly, Zane's cell phone rang.
"Hello?" he said, answering it. "I gotta say, you do not look like a Zane," Aria's voice echoed through his ear.
"You found me pretty quickly," Zane said, sitting up in his chair.
"A friend of mine did," Aria replied simply.
"So, I think it would be better to meet in person," she told him. "We need to talk," she added.
"About the amulet you slipped into my pocket?" he asked, leaning back in his chair and turning away from the desk to face the wall behind him.
"That's one thing," she said. "Your strange glowing eyes are the other," she added.
Zane couldn't help but smile at her curiosity. What was this feeling? It couldn't be happiness. Perhaps pride? She was the first he met who could even come close to challenging him. For God's sake, when they met, she flipped him over her shoulder. Most wolves weren't even capable of that, but she managed to catch him off guard enough to do so.
"Where should we meet?" he asked her.
"The address has been sent to your email, Mr. Asher," she told him. "We'll see each other soon," she added before quickly hanging up.
Zane turned back to his desk and quickly logged into his computer before checking his email.
"We'll look at that," Zane said to himself.
Mark didn't ask. But he wanted to. "Looks like our next stop is England," he told Mark with a smile.
This is looking awesome! I love the dialogue and the tension between Aria and Zane. Here are a few suggestions to polish it a bit:
Two days later, Aria arrived in England. By the time she got to the small coffee shop where she and Zane were set to meet, she noticed that Zane was already there, sitting at a table outside, waiting for her.
Aria sat across from Zane, who took a sip of his coffee. "Aria VerDreaux," he said, putting his coffee cup down. "Is that your real name?"
"As real as any other," she told him.
"You don't exist," he stated.
Aria let out a sigh. "No, I don't," she replied. "You tell me your story, and I'll tell you mine."
Aria smiled, slightly testing his patience. "I don't trust you enough yet to share my story," she said. "Where's the amulet?"
"Safe," he told her. "I assume that's why you gave it to me."
"Better in your hands than Snare's," she remarked.
"Snare?" Zane questioned.
"Skilled Network for Advanced Robbery Execution, also known as—"
"Snare," he interrupted. "What do you have to do with Snare?"
"Nothing," she answered. "At least not anymore."
"So why am I here?" he asked her.
"You're skilled," she said, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. "That much is obvious," she added.
"I've been targeting Snare's operations for over a year now, and I've come to realize that I need help," she said, looking down at the ground. Her voice softened, betraying a hint of vulnerability. "And what makes you think I can help you?" Zane questioned before taking another sip of his coffee. He watched her intently, his eyes sharp and calculating. Aria looked him in the eyes, the sounds of people talking and traffic filling what should have been silence.
"You're probably the only Thief I know that doesn't work for Snare," she told him. "And why would I help you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "What's in it for me exactly?"
"Well, one, I won't steal your targets anymore," she told him. "And two, fewer people die," she added. Her tone was serious, almost pleading. "You're saying they kill people?" Zane questioned, his curiosity piqued. "I'm saying they do whatever means necessary to acquire their target," she told him. "Even if it means hurting or even killing innocent people in the process," she added.
Zane remained silent for a moment, weighing her words. "Alright," Zane said finally. "I'll help you."
"It's one thing to steal, but to hurt innocents is another," he told her, his voice firm with resolve.
"So now that we're on the same team, how about telling me about that past of yours?" Zane said with a fox-like smile. Aria smiled before putting her hands on the table and standing up. "How 'bout telling me about those eyes of yours?" she asked with the same type of smile.
Zane was silent, his expression unreadable.
"That's what I thought," she said before walking away, her footsteps echoing in the bustling café.
Zane sat back in his chair and picked up his coffee, taking a thoughtful sip before suddenly gulping the last half a cup and placing the coffee cup back on the table. He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. "What a woman," he said to himself, a hint of admiration in his voice, As He watched her disappear into the crowd.