Secrets Exposed |Tayssi|

[• Echo]

The night air was freezing, even for a summer night. But then again, it was Ireland, and Michael was more used to the searing mountains of Afghanistan or the humid streets of Miami. In Ireland, the high in summer was rarely 75, and it seemed the skies were cloudy 60% of the time, like it was now.

Pulling his coat collar up a bit higher, Michael shoved his hands deep into his pockets and kept going. A car passed by him on the streets, and he tensed up instinctively, as though he were expecting it to stop so a trained team could perform a snatch and grab. But it kept going, as though oblivious to his very existence, and he relaxed again. Tilting his head back, his grey eyes examined the dark colors of the sky, a frown fleeting across his face. How did anyone ever get anything done in weather like this? It all seemed so miserable and desolate. Sure, the greenery and rolling hills were nice to look at, but how did plants even grow without the sunlight? He briefly wondered what the land would look like during a bright, sunny day, the kind where the sky was forever a light blue and the only clouds were small and white. The few days he had been in Ireland had all been the same; grey, dreary, rainy, and so on. It was beginning to get to Michael, after spending so long in the sun; but he had a job to do, and he couldn’t leave until it was over. And his contact had told him that the weather would be clearing up, the farther into summer they got, and he hoped he was right.

A couple drops of rain fell down, landing lightly on his body and the pavement surrounding him, and a scowl turned his lips. Why did it have to start raining here every time he went outside? But the pub he was looking for was just around the corner, and he hurried closer. He had heard that the daughter of the leader of the splinter group he was looking at spent most of the nights in there with her friends, dancing and drinking. At this point, he was looking for just about anyone he could use to get into the group. And she, Kiara O’Neill, may be just the right person to approach.

Muttering a few words in a heavily accented voice, to double check that he had his Irish down right, he walked into the pub, rubbing his hands together slightly to try to get some warmth and feeling back into them. Taking a seat into one of the stools lining the bar, towards the corner so he could observe the rest of the pub, he ordered a scotch. His grey-blue eyes scanned through the crowd carefully, but O’Neill’s only daughter was nowhere to be found. Settling back against the bar, he settled in to wait.

[Tayssi]

Looking up at the grey sky for a moment, she sighed softly and left the house. Her boots tapped lightly against the pavement as she stuck to the buildings as she walked. It was going to rain any moment now. As if on cue, the rain started to come down and Kiara stayed under the buildings' shelter whilst walking. Turning a corner, she came into contact with her 3 friends, Nikki, Louise and Joshua. Louise and Joshua were identical twins, with the same sharp noses, brown red hair, freckles and dull green eyes. And tall. They both towered over Nikki and herself. Nikki was pretty. Though shorter then Kiara, she had long black hair and blue eyes with full lips and curves a man would die for. And she knew it.
Grinning at the lot, they made their way down the street, all sticking to dry areas. Kiara, as usual, wore her boots, denim shorts and a simple red, sleeveless shirt. Going to the bar was generally the only free time from her father she had. and all three of her mates knew that. Their parents were part of the IRA Splinter group. Well, Nikki's mother wasn't, but details weren't necessary.
Seeing the doors to the bar just ahead, Kiara and her group sped up, random bursts of laughter coming from the twins' lips. They pushed the doors open and the sound of music and chatter instantly filled their ears. All grinning at eachother, they made their way inside. Nikki went off on her own to find a cute guy to flirt with, Louise went off to make a fool of herself, but Josh, like his usual faithful self, stayed with Kiara.
Joshua, unlike Kiara, had no training in fighting, so wouldn't do much good if it came down to it, but she knew he meant well. Not that it would lead to anything. Joshua was openly gay and proud of it. Kiara made her way through the crowd, to find the bar. Sitting on a stool next to someone watching the people in the crowd, Kiara ordered a rum and coke. Josh sat down on the other side of her, ordering a vodka and orange. "You know you're paying, right?" Kiara said, glancing at the tall man next to her.
Joshua just grinned and shrugged. Seemed it wasnt going to faze him tonight. He had spotted a good looking guy sitting by himself in the corner of the bar. "Go," Kiara said, just as their drinks got them. Taking it, Josh left without another word. Kiara snorted softly and downed her drink before resting her arms on the bar and leaning forward slightly, ordering another. What could she do tonight to pass the time?

[• Echo]

Michael almost missed her as she came in, turning back around just in time from ordering his second drink to see a pair of girls wall into the dimly lot pub. And, following behind them, was a man who resembled one of the other girls by a lot, and Kiara O'Neill beside him. Michael didn't pay her companions much thought as they seemed to drift off in separate directions, but rather continued to watch her as she walked to the bar, before looking away as she sat down. She was wearing a pretty simple outfit, but it showed off her form nicely, and the red of her shirt highlighted her rust red hair and brought out her eyes.

He had known she had good looks, he had seen and read her Interpol file, but he hadn't quite expected that anyone in the IRA could be so much, more, that what he had been expecting. He wondered briefly if her friend's worked with her, as well- he hadn't bothered much to look into them, like be had her- but he was distracted when the man sitting with Kiara got up and started in his direction. Michael instantly tensed slightly. There was no way his cover could have been blown, and there wasn't a likely chance they knew who he was, though be supposed it could be possible.

Straightening up, Michael turned slightly to face the redheaded man approaching him, his eyes moving past him to O'Neill's daughter for a moment, before he refocused. His instincts, from years of training and fighting, screamed at him to do something, but he stayed where he was, remaining a cool outer shell.

[Tayssi]

Kiara glanced over at Joshua as he made his way slowly to the man sitting not too far away from her. Turning slightly, the red head watched her best friend and the stranger. Joshua leaned against the bar next to the man, grinning down at him like an idiot. "Hi there," Kiara heard Josh say, his voice low and seductive. She knew, even if the man wasn't gay, he'd usually get his way eventually, but this strange man looked like a tough nut to crack. Chuckling to herself, Kiara had a sip of her drink and turned away, deciding to leave Joshua to his flirting.
Running a hand through her hair, Kiara sighed. She could hear Joshua's flirtacious chatting in the background as she turned to scan the bar for Nikki or Louise. Lou was easy to find. She, though totally sober, was ontop of a table, dancing to the music, her brown red hair a short bob and flicking all over the place as she flung her head this way and that. Nikki was a bit harder to find, though easy enough. She was in a corner, sitting between two men, laughing about something.
About 10 minutes later, Kiara heard Joshua and an unfamilar voice. She turned back to her friend and the strange man, only to see another man, just as tall as Josh. With blonde hair, honey brown eyes and a well toned body, it didn't take long for Joshua to give in and abandon his mission with Michael, and walk off into the throng of people in the bar. Shaking her head softly, Kiara looked back at the man now sitting alone and watched him for a while.
She hadn't seen him around before. And though it wasn't unusual to have newcomers around here, not many people came to this bar alone. Those who did were usually already drunk or people looking for trouble. But this man looked like none of those. Which made Kiara all the more suspicious of him. Who the hell was he?
Time to find out. Downing her drink, Kiara stood up and walked over to the man, almost cautiously. She sat down on a stool next to him and simply said, "Sorry about Josh," glancing into the crowd, Kiara noticed Josh and Louise eyeing the pair off, but she turned away. Turning her attention back to the man, she studied him for a moment longer. "The name's Kiara," she said, sticking her hand out to shake his, as soon as he introduced himself.

[• Echo]

Even though Michael felt quite awkward and uncomfortable, talking to a man who was so obviously and openly flirting with him, he was also rather amused with the situation. But when Joshua was distracted and eventually led away by another man, Michael could feel relief begin to seep through him. He didn't really see Joshua, or Josh, as he had been told to call him, as much of a threat at this point, not anymore. Maybe, when outside of the bar, he might be different, but Michael didn't really expect to be around long enough to find out.

Turning around in his chair, he watched as Josh and his new interest disappeared into the crowd of people, before he began to search for the other two Kiara had walked in with. The redhead was obviously having a good time, the center of attention for most of the male population, or most of everyone surrounding her, for the most part, as she was on a table, dancing. The other was much quieter, and more difficult to find, but was definitely getting her equal share of attention by two guys who seemed overly eager to impress her.

Michael turned away from the throng of gyrating bodies, glancing towards where Kiara was sitting. Or, rather, where Kiara had been sitting. The bar stool she had once occupied was now empty. Sitting up straighter, his eyes began to scan the crowd again, a picture of her forming in his mind to compare to. But a moment later, someone was approaching him again, and, when he looked, it was Kiara.

"No, it's fine," he shook his head slightly, shrugging one shoulder. "I'm Michael," he introduced himself, his accent deep and rich, and shook the hand she offered him.

"Friend of your's?" he asked, indicating Josh as he nodded in the general direction the man had walked off in.

[Tayssi]

Glad to hear that it didn't bother the man too much, Kiara sighed in relief. A few moment later, he introduced himself and shook her hand. She grinned and a few moments later, dropped her hand to her side. Then Michael spoke, asking whether or not Josh was her friend. She reverted her gaze from the man and searched the crowd for the tall redhead. Sure enough, he was still with the same man, dancing and flirting. Kiara chuckled softly and looked back at Michael, "yeah, childhood friend. I have two other friends around here somewhere, Josh's twin, who's over there dancing on a table; that's Louise. And the small woman sitting over there with the guys is Nikki," Kiara explained, gesturing to the other two girls.
Whether he knew that or not didn't matter, she had just felt like introducing them on their behalf. When they got out of here they'd ask whether she had or not, anyway. "So what brings you here? Haven't seen you around before," Kiara said, shifting slightly in her position and ordering another drink, this time of just water.. Kiara glanced at Michael, semi interested in what he was doing here.

[• Echo]

Michael's eyes followed where Kiara indicated, pretending to be searching for them, though he knew exactly where they were already. But, now he had names to go with faces, and he saved them in his memory. His attention was pulled back to her again when she spoke, watching as she turned around to the bar. He waited for her to finish ordering, waving the tender off as he didn't want anything this time, before he replied. He had already memorized his cover story before he had truly gotten to Belfast, so it was easy to recite.

"I'm looking for work," he answered simply. "You wouldn't happen to known where the O'Neill clan lives, would ya?" he asked innocently, his tone simple easy, as though they were discussing the simplest of things.

[Tayssi]

Kiara turned her attention back to Michael. When he replied he was looking for work, she gave a soft nod of understanding. Lookng for work was a perfectly fine reason to be around this area, not many people were turned away from ordinary jobs at this point in time. But then he mentioned her family name and Kiara tensed slightly, though forced herself to relax a millisecond later.
Kiara glanced over at Josh for a moment, but he wasn't paying them any attention. For that matter, he was walking out of the bar with the same man from before. Kiara seriously didn't want to know where that was leading... Turning her attention back to Michael, she gave a slow nod. "Yeah, I know where they live," she replied, her words guarded. It usually wasn't good news when a stranger was looking for her family, but then again, he honestly seemed like someone just looking for work.
It may not even have anything to do with the IRA Splinter group. For all she knew, her father could run a whole heap of companies without her even knowing. "If you want, I could take you there," Kiara said lightly. Though she wasn't ready to go back and watched by her father and the men he placed as her bodyguards, she wanted to see what this man wanted. It wasn't like her father would see just anyone, anyway.
Kiara finished her water, paid the bartender for both her share and Michael's and then stood up. "If we are going to go, though, it's probably better we go now, before my friends notice," Kiara said and gave a sheepish smile. Without another word, nor waiting for agreement or disagreement, she turned and walked out of the bar before her friends could see her. Standing to the side of the door, she waited for Michael. When he finally came out, she started down the street.

[• Echo]

He could see how she tensed up at the mention of the name, but he said nothing, and she was completely calm externally just a moment later. She looked around the pub, as though expecting to hear someone listening in on them, but no one was nearby them anymore. When Kiara spoke again, her words were guarded.

"That would be great," he spoke, arching an eyebrow and watching as she paid, not only for her's, like he had thought she was going to do, but for his drinks as well. Standing up with her, Michael glanced at her two friends who were left, wondering briefly why she wanted to leave without them. But before he could ask about it, she was gone, lost in the sea of bodies surrounding them. A moment later he spotted her at the door, heading out, and he started after her, taking his time as he moved through the people, his guard up. He half expected her to attack him when he got outside to join her; she was IRA, and he was asking about her family, but she just nodded at him and started off.

The air seemed to be even colder now than it had been when he entered the bar, and Michael pulled his collar back up and shoved his hands deep into his pockets before he fell into step beside her again.

"So what do you like to do for fun, Kiara?" he asked after a brief moment of silence, starting up conversation and trying to get to know her better.

[Tayssi]

Kiara noticed as Michael pulled up his collar and shoved his hands into his pockets and she couldn't help but laugh lightly. It was obvious he wasn't used to the weather here, but she didn't say anything about that. It was amusing, none the less. He shortly fell into step beside her and she glanced across at him briefly before looking ahead. When he asked what she did for fun, she merely shrugged.
"Not much, usually just hang out with Josh and go to the movies or something. Not really that interesting," Kiara said after a few moment of silence. She glanced at him for a moment adn then turned a corner. "What about you?" she asked Michael lightly. Maybe knowing small things about him will help her understand what type of man he was and whether he meant any harm to her family or if he really was just looking for a job.

[• Echo]

As they walked, Michael couldn't help but continue glancing over at her so often, wondering just how someone so small and petite looking could have earned such a fearsome reputation, or how she had ever gotten mixed up in this business in the first place. Sure, her father was the head of the group, but still, wouldn't her mother have had argued about sending someone like her into the field? Shaking his head slightly, he switched his thoughts to talking, analyzing his words carefully before he said them.

"I moved here from Kilkenny, so I don't really have much to do right now, except find work. Out where I used to live, I'd only ever really hang out with my friends." Lie. Good thing he was good at it though, and had memorized his cover completely. He was a spy, and one of the best, or so he liked to think, as there was always a mission waiting for him right after he finished one, and this was just another story he had to tell.

[Tayssi]

Kiara glanced at the man for a moment as he spoke and nodded softly. So, he was like her. More or less. To be honest, actually, unless she was doing something for her father in town, or at the bar at nigt, she wasn't allowed out of the house much. Well, she was, but who would want 5 men in black suits tailing you all day long? Not her, that's for sure. "Sounds exciting," Kiara said lightly, looking across at Michael momentarily before looking away. To be honest, Kiara had never seen a man as good looking at him in a long time. Not one where she could just talk to him, anyway.
Rounding another corner and walking down the street, Kiara eventully came into a huge three story house. No, it was more like a mansion. It was surrounded by tall brick walls, with only one large gate, which was guarded by 2 men.. "I need to see, my.." Hesitating for a split second, Kiara corrected herself, "I need to see Mr. O'Neill," she said, standing infront of the gate, ignoring the two guards that towered over her. Once was about to say something, but she looked at him and he shut up and opened the gate.
Nodding, Kiara walked inside, ushering Michael inside. Walking u to the house, Kiara rung to doorbell and knocked on the door. Guards were patrolling the land everywhere and most glanced over at Kiara and Michael, but ignored them. A few moments later, a guard and a maid opened the door. "Kiara!" the maid said happily, pulling her inside. The guard looked at Michael and began to shut the door on him. Kiara turned around and shrugged, "wait here for a minute," she said just before the door was completely shut.

Ten minutes later the door was opened again. One guard on either door and two more standing either side of a man with deep red hair that was grey in some areas and sported red stubble along is face. His eyes were green, but lifeless, and he was tall. Though getting older, the man still had alot of muscle and didn't seem to be losing any of it. And, behind him, Kiara stood, slightly to the side and a guard standing right behind her and clutching her shoulders tightly and pressing down, making sure she couldn't go anywhere without a fight.
Kiara looked over at Michael before looking at her father, then looking away. This was why she hated coming to her father's place. He'd always try and enforce her to stay there, never to leave except when he needed her for a mission. It was stupid. A moment later, the man's loud voice cut through her thoughts and she looked at her father and Michael as he spoke. "What do you want?" the man asked gruffly. "I already told you, he said he -" Kiara started, but her father glanced back at her and growled, "shut up! I didn't ask you!" Kiara visibly flinched, but straightened herself and averted her gaze again. Damn cranky old man. Always such a grouch after being woken up.

[• Echo]

Michael shrugged slightly, grinning lightly. "You have a pretty mellow sense of exciting then," he replied quirkily. But, then again, when he was younger, and actually did hang out with his friends, it was exciting back then, when he was a kid. They would always get into all kinds of trouble; they were tough, brave, cocky, or, at least they liked to think so. Not many kids their ages picked with them, and they could hold their own, most of the time, against the older kids.

Kiara led him around another corner, and it didn't take Michael long to pick out the large house she was walking towards. Immediately his eyes roved over the security teams, hiding a slight frown. Well, he hadn't expected there to be no guards, but what he hadn't been expecting was what looked like a hired squad of special ops guarding the place. Okay, so that was a little bit of an exaggeration, but still, the men made his skin crawl.

Saying nothing when her tongue slipped, Michael followed Kiara silently up to the house, taking in his surroundings until she rang on the doorbell and a maid answered. Obviously the two knew each other, as the maid instantly pulled her in. Michael shifted slightly, arching an eyebrow at the guard who began closing the door.

"I'll be here," he said with a shrug, watching as the door closed completely, before he turned around slightly. One of the guards walking past on one of his rounds eyed him, but Michael simply smiled.

"Hi," he said charmingly, drawing out the word. He got no response, the man continuing to walk past him, now not looking at him, and Michael straightened his jacket. It didn't seem to be getting any warmer out, and he was beginning to get tired of waiting. But there was a lot of waiting involved in his profession, and he was used to it at this point.

The door finally opened, and he turned back around quickly, to come face to face with an older man with greying red hair and green eyes. Michael could pick out features of his that resembled Kiara, though he may not have noticed them if he didn't already know the two were related. When he spoke, his voice was rough and irritable. Forcing himself to not say a word about how he snapped at Kiara, or the way the guard was holding her, for that matter, he just smiled slightly.

"I'm looking for work," he said. "Probably the type you wouldn't want being spoken out loud in the open, where anyone may be listening, I would guess..?" he questioned, arching an eyebrow slightly. Michael's features were a true masquerade now, putting on his cover I.D. It was a little like acting, and you just had to be good at it for others to believe it, and he was.

[Tayssi]

Kiara looked at Michael as he spoke, studying the man closely for a few moments, her dark grey eyes which held a sliver of green in them, never leaving the man. So he wanted to work in the IRA Splinter group. She should have guessed. Lowering her gaze to the ground, Kiara sighed. Moments later, she heard her dad and the guards shift and she looked up, to see her father standing to the side. The two guards who had stood at the doors moved forward and searched Michael for weapons. Once they came up empty they ushered him inside and shut the door and locked it behind them. The group made their way into the living room and a guard sat Michael on a chair as Kiara's father sat on a couch and leaned back.
Kiara was forced to stand at the side of the room, a guard standing to one side of her, kind of to the back, one hand planted firmly on the back of her neck. Kiara simply grunted and stood still, feet shoulder width apart and hands behind her back and staring at the two men, without saying a word. She hated this. She wanted to leave. Maybe she should've let her friends see her. They would've knocked some sense into her and stopped her from coming.
"So, you want to be part of the group?" Kiara's father asked Michael gruffly. "And was it Kiara, over there who showed you the way here? Noone happened to follow you, did they?" the older cast a glancing glare at his daughter before returning his gaze back to Michael. "Why is it you want to join and how would it benefit me if I took you in?" The man grumbled.

[• Echo]

Michael allowed himself to be searched without complaint, his eyes flicking to Kiara for a brief moment before he looked away, studying the men surrounding him now. Once they were finished, they led him inside, and he went compliably, sitting down when they pushed him into a chair. Crossing one leg over his knee, he leaned back and clasped his hands in his lap, an air of ease and efficiency surrounding him as he waited for O'Neill to start. The first three questions followed one after the other, not giving Michael enough time to answer individually, so he waited until he could.

"Yes, she did," he confirmed, arching an eyebrow slightly. "And I'm fairly certain that I could tell if someone was following me or not, and, with your family's reputation, your daughter would be able to, as well, correct?" O'Neill didn't answer this, but glanced at his men and daughter before asking another question.

"I need work," he answered simply. "I came down here from Kilkenny after a gig went, well, not quite as I had planned, and now I find myself in a need to find new money, new contacts. Perhaps you may be able to give me some oppurtunities that others might not. As for how beneficial it would be for you to use me, you could always check out my background; there are plenty of people up in the North who would be more than willing to speak for me, and I'm sure you would like what you will hear. I'm a good shot, know who to fist-fight, how to not be seen when I don't want to be, and I know a thing or two about wiring explosives," he put in.




{ Sorry, I've been gone a while. }

[Tayssi]

Kiara watched Michael and her father as they spoke. She wanted to leave.
Michael mentioned that he was fairly certain noone followed them, and said that she should be able to as well. What Kiara suddenly wanted to know was how he knew she was his daughter. She had never told him. So how did he know? It wasn't like many knew her father actually had a child. Only those in the group. But Michael seemed to know.
However, her father said nothing to that and simply stared at Michael as he continued on to explain why he should join. "I will do just that. What is your name?" he asked and once he replied, he said, "Someone shall notify you within the next 24 hours if you are in, or not. Now, get out of my house," the older man stood up and made his way back up the stairs, as the guards shoved both Kiara and Michael out the front door. "Well, that went alot smoother then I expected," Kiara said and glanced at Michael with a smirk, "pretty much, you're already in. Let's go. I'd rather not stay here," she said and then made her way out of the gates.
Once the gates were shut behind her and she was down the street, Kiara let out a deep sigh of relief. She felt so restricted in that house and she hated it. Straightening herself slightly, she looked across at Michael. Time to ask. "So..." she said, pausing for a moment before looking ahead, "how did you know I was his daughter? I never told you earlier," she glanced across at Michael again, studying the man. Who the hell was he?

(sorry it's lame >.<)

[• Echo]

( Nah, don't beat yourself up about it, we all have good, bad, and extremely good posts, right? And you fall into that third category a lot (; )




Michael didn't pay attention to the guards, or their guns, for that matter, or anything else going on in the house. No, he was watching O'Neill; of course, he listened to the guards, to their footsteps, so he knew what they were up to, but he didn't find any of it very threatening, and so he chose to ignore it, rather than worry about it.

"Michael McBride." His accent never once wavered, and he was glad of that. At this point, lying about his real name never bothered him. And this one was easier to slip into, as his first name was the same. Well, the men would definitely have their work set out for them. The first name 'Michael' and the surname 'McBride' were in the top ten of the most common names in Ireland, which was one of the reasons his handler picked it as his cover I.D. Would definitely give them all something to think about, he guessed.

Listening to O'Neill, he nodded slightly. "Can't wait," he said, just slightly sarcastically. Now, if they were smart, they would have someone follow them, stay out of sight, to see where he lived. Or, they would have bugged his phone when they confiscated it from him when he came in, so they could track him (sorry, just added this in, if it's okay with you). It's what he would have done.

The guards were not exactly gentle when they pulled him up from his seat, all but threw his phone into his hands, and marched him out the door. A moment later, he found himself outside with Kiara.

"Nice men," he commented as the door shut behind them. Looking at Kiara, he nodded, turning and walking with her down the path. Honestly, he was glad to be getting away from that house, too. It felt slightly claustraphobic to him, which was strange, since he had never had a problem with such things; not in jail cells, or mountain caves, or interrogation rooms. Just there.

They walked on in silence for a bit before Kiara spoke up, again the first to start the conversation and end the silence. 'Ah, stupid...' he thought to himself, swearing silently, but coming up with a response quickly. He looked over at her.

"Doesn't everyone know?" he asked innocently. "Besides; you look like him. I guessed, and no one told me I was wrong." It may not have been the best, but it would do.




Word Count: 410 words.

[Tayssi]

Kiara looked across at Michael as he spoke to her, explaining how he knew. She raised an eyebrow, but gave a shrug, "Only the people in the group know it's true, otherwise there's only rumors on the street that he has a daughter, not who it is. But I guess, we do look similar in some ways... According to most of the older members, I look alot like my mother, though," she said and then gave a light grin.
She didn't really get a chance to speak about her mother much, so, even the smallest mention of her made Kiara atleast a little happier.
She decided to give Michael the benefit of the doubt and let it slide. "Anyway, getting pass that, then, what are you going to do whilst you wait for someone to contact you?" Kiara asked. She didn't plan to go back to the pub, as her friends would bombard her with questions and she didn't really want that happening. She had already gone to her father's, she didn't want to be harrassed by her friends afterwards.
Though, she had no idea what she was going to do. Without any destination in mind, Kiara simply walked, thinking maybe her feet would lead her somewhere to do something.

(thanks, my brain is a little shut down this afternoon.)

[• Echo]

Oh my gosh, I lost it! I don't even remember part of what I had... but, oh well, I can make an even better post now xD (or fail epicly in the process).




Michael could see the slight twitch of her lips that pulled the corners up into a very small smile. He instantly wondered how the mere mention of someone could cause such a noticeable, happier change in a person, especially when said person was a family member. He had never had good childhood experiences, especially with his family. And normally when he say someone change because someone's name was mentioned, it was not exactly in a good way most times. But he said nothing about it, but instead waited for her to begin speaking again; which she did, just a matter of seconds later.

"Not sure yet," he replied honestly, tilting his head back to look up at the cloudy sky before he looked back at her. Perhaps he would go back over the intel he had on O'Neill and Kiara, work out a bit, scout the streets, keep himself busy and prepared. Though, of course he didn't say that to her. "Probably just go to my apartment and wait it out, I guess. Hit some more of the pubs." He stuttered slightly on the last word, almost saying "bar", before he kicked himself mentally, reminding himself that most Irish men or women would have his tongue if he were to call it a bar, as that was how Americans termed it. Plus, it would blow his cover.

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