Far From Oblivion || One-on-One || Caebeeb and Pirate

Rylan glanced at him as he tugged her to a stop, clenching her jaw and frowning at his words. "Jealous? That's absurd, Clark," she grumbled, her cheeks turning a soft shade of red despite her words. As he pulled her back into the ballroom, she huffed slightly and turned hers eyes away from him, swaying with him stiffly. She ignored his comment, turning her eyes up to him as she was spun back into his arms. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just glad to be away from Dvorkin." She shivered slightly at the thought of his mouth on hers, "I can't get the taste out of my mouth." She smirked at his words, "You aren't supposed to just jump in and ask them straightforward." She chuckled, resting the side of her head on his shoulder as they swayed to the live music. "We can dance for a bit, then leave so it isn't too obvious. We'll have to go back to the hotel so I can change."

Heath glanced up as Sophie spoke, looking confused. "Nothing. Why?" He glanced down at her plate, his frown deepening as he saw that she wasn't eating, he himself being half finished. "Sorry. I'm not the best cook," he apologized, assuming his cooking wasn't very good. He glanced back down at his food, sighing as he got up and collected there plates. When he was done with that, he grabbed a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt from his duffel bag by the couch. He went into the bathroom to change, combing his fingers through his hair before brushing his teeth. He walked out of the bathroom while still pulling on his shirt as he did. He pulled on a pair of running shoes before turning to her. "Ready?"

Rylan was a bit bummed as the song ended, following Clark out to their car. When the reached the hotel, she followed him inside, watching him as he began to undress. "We should leave late tonight. I don't want anyone around who might see me. And you better be a good get away driver." She walked over to her things and slipped off her shoes, grabbing a change of clothes. She slid her arms out of her dress, the top half falling around her waist as she disappeared into the bathroom. She came out wearing a pair of skin tight black pants and a tight long-sleeved black shirt. She had let down her hair which hung around her shoulders in soft curls. She gathered a few things into a bag before flopping down onto a bed. She let out a sigh, waiting for the hours to pass. Late that evening, Rylan was tugging on a pair of running shoes. She grabbed her bag and turned to Clark. "Let's go." She led him out to the car, getting into the passenger seat. When they reached their destination she directed him to a spot to park. She tucked her hair into a black baseball cap, pulling it to cover her pretty face in shadow. As she pulled ln a pair of gloves, she turned to look at him, "I'll be back soon," she said simply before getting out of the car. She gazed up at the building, thinking of the best way to enter the fortress. She headed around the back, finding a door that led into the kitchen. She tried the handle, finding it locked. She picked the lock in a matter of seconds before slipping inside. Walking stealthily, she worked her way out of the kitchen, trying to find the hallway to Dvorkin's office. It took her longer than she would have liked, but once she found the ballroom, she located the office quickly. She went straight to the second drawer, opening it to reveal a safe that fit snugly inside. She pulled out a small flashlight, holding it between her lips to focus the beam on the safe. She then pulled out a stethoscope. She preferred doing things the old-school way instead of using fancy new equipment. She put it on before holding the end against the safe beside the dial. She opened it within a matter of seconds, quickly glancing through the contents before pulling everything out and placing it in the bag, followed by the stethoscope and flashlight. She closed and locked the safe before shutting the drawer. She got to her feet, heading to the door. She closed it quietly, nearly jumping out of her skin as she heard someone shout at her, a flashlight shining on her from down the hall. She turned and began running, gasping as a gunshot rang out and a bullet cut through her side. She cut through the ballroom, unlocking and shoving open the back door. Adrenaline masked the pain for the moment as she sprinted around the mansion, rather lithe on her feet. She heard confused shouts behind her, coming from the front door. She made her way to the waiting car, getting in quickly. She slammed the door shut. "Go," she said urgently, tugging off the ball cap and her gloves. She touched her hand to her side, drawing her fingers away to see blood. She cursed under her breath, mentally kicking herself at her screw up.

Heath headed out to the car, getting in to the driver's side. He drove to the grocery store they had decided on the previous night, hoping that they had more luck today than they had had the day before. A stony look was plastered on his face as he drove, making no attempt to converse with her. He parked and got out when they reached their destination, waiting for her to get out before he took her hand, intertwining their fingers. He hoped that was what he was supposed to do. She had told him to be affectionate yesterday when they were in public. He gave her a soft smile, "Time to act couple-y, I suppose." He chuckled, turning his eyes forward as he headed into the store. He grabbed a hand basket, leading her into the store. He slipped his hand from hers and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close to his muscled body. A shopper walked by, glancing at them nonchalantly before going about their business. Heath sighed softly, heading toward the produce. He glanced around to see in he could spot anyone who fit Edwards' description. He glanced at Sophie, "You look pretty, by the way," he said honestly, half playing his part and half speaking for himself. He tried not to notice how comfortable she felt pressed against him, forcing his thoughts onto the task at hand.

Rylan hardly noticed the speed at which they were traveling, too focused on controlling her breathing. Pain was radiating out from her side and blood was staining her shirt. As they parked, Rylan glanced up at Clark, "Great observation, Sherlock," she growled, pressing her hand back to the wound. She was a bit surprised as he pulled her into his arms, gazing up at him with soft, pained eyes. She furrowed her brow at his words, caught off guard as he kissed her. She found her free arm winding around his neck, returning his kiss. When they entered the elevator and he pulled away, she cleared her throat, resting her head on his shoulder. "It's okay," she whispered hoarsely, her heart hammering. It was just a staged kiss, so why did she feel so flustered and heady? As he carried her into their room and set her down, she winced, shifting her weight. She watched him move about the room before gazing down at him as he knelt before her. "I didn't feel it pass through," she said as she eased her shirt off over her head. She flinched as the material tugged a the wound, gazing down at it. She shifted so he could see it better, lifting her eyes to his. "Do you think you can get it out?" she asked, worry lacing her voice.

Heath glanced down at her as she placed the orange in the basket, chuckling and smiling as a shopper walked by. He pulled her against his chest, kissing the top of her head. "You're cute, babe," he chuckled. As the woman moved on, he let out a sigh, loosening his grip on her. "I don't know. I haven't really seen anyone that matches him. Let's go toward the cashiers." He picked a third orange before placing it in the basket, taking her hand in his. He led her toward the front of the store, stopping at an end cap and acting as though he were pointing something out to her. He inconspicuously glanced around, his gaze stopping on someone before he turned back to his "fiancée". "The guy at the second register matches his description," he said under his breath, squeezing her hand gently. He was getting a rush thinking that he might have found Edwards. Now they just needed to handle the situation with caution. He let out a soft breath, glancing down at the beautiful woman at his side, "How do you want to handle this?" he asked softly, figuring the best bet would to be to ask the expert.

Rylan tried not to flinch as the washcloth touched her skin, doing as instructed and holding it in place. She watched him collect the things he needed, trying to mentally prepare herself for how much it was going to hurt. She allowed him to push her back on the bed, taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes at his warning, clenching her hands into tight fists as he stretched the wound. She whimpered, forcing herself to stay still while he probed for the bullet. She bit down on one of her hands as he started to pull it out, unable to stay still any longer. She squirmed slightly, her face paling as she broke out into a light sweat. She grabbed a handful of his shirt as he helped her sit up, her breathing rougher than she would have liked. After he bandaged her and sterilized the equipment, she let out a sigh, glancing at his as he sat beside her. A faint smirk ghosted over her lips, "Aww, to take a bullet for me? How sweet," she teased sarcastically. "No. There was nothing you could have done to prevent it. I should have been paying more attention. Now shut up. I'm the one who got shot, remember?" she said in her attempt to make him feel better. She pushed herself to her feet, walking slowly with measured steps to the small refrigerator to one side of their room. She opened it and pulled out two small bottles before shutting the door, waving the liquor at him slightly. "Here's your numbing agent," she raised her good shoulder in a shrug, "Works either way. And I like to think I'm worth ten bucks a pop." She opened one bottle and tossed it back before handing the second one to Clark, making a face at the burn of the alcohol. She headed to her suitcase and glared down at it, wondering if she could bend that far. She bent down quickly, snagging a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before standing up straight, "Ow, yeah, nope," she said in a rush, wincing. She frowned at what she was about to do before heading over to Clark and tossing her clothes onto his lap. He was going to have to help her out of her pants and into some comfortable clothes. "Help me change. And nothing funny like when we walked into the hotel."

Heath nodded at his partner's instructions, glancing at the man behind the register while she put things in their basket. He followed her to the register, acting as though he were just a calm shopper when in fact he was on edge, wishing they could just take him now. He hadn't noticed what she placed in their basket, but he had seen the way Edwards looked at her. He was already protective of her, and the criminal eyeing her wasn't helping it. He noted the name tag, trying not to smile at the fact that they had found him. He glanced down at Sophia as she looked up at him, his eyes flickering toward Edwards as he spoke. Heath wasn't embarrassed by many things, so the condoms didn't bother him. It was the man making fun of them who did. He wondered momentarily if she had purposely put those in there, perhaps for if she met someone or for someone who she already knew was here. Pulled back to the present, he chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. He gently pushed Sophia forward before pulling out his wallet to pay for their purchases. He took a good look at Edwards as he handed him the money and waited for change. He offered the man a half smile before grabbing their bag and his partner's hand, leading her out to their car. He got in to the driver's side, shuffling around in the bag for a pack of gum. He came across the condoms first, so he pulled out the offending box and tossed it onto Sophia's lap, "Got a hot date?" he asked with the faintest hint of a smirk. He opened the gum wrapper once he got it and popped a piece into his mouth before setting the bag at Sophia's feet. He settled back into his seat, staring out the windshield. "We should wait and see when he gets off work. I'll go park around the back." He started the car and steered it around to the back of the building, parking off to the side so they wouldn't be quite as noticeable. He let out a sigh, glancing at his partner. Now they waited.

Rylan raised a brow as she watched him move her clothes aside and go back to grab another drink. A frown edged its way onto her lips as she watched him toss it back, but she said nothing to his statement as he returned to her. She chuckled at his words, "Yeah, watch yourself," she murmured sheepishly. She herself was feeling the warmth of the alcohol, but she was still relatively clear-headed thanks to the sharp sting of pain in her side. She had never allowed herself to go overboard with the drinks as she had promised herself that she would always keep herself in check when she was young. She grit her teeth as he helped her out of her shirt, carefully masking her discomfort. She watched him from the corner of her eye, refraining from commenting on his discreet appraisal of her figure. She smirked at his comment as she stiffly shimmied into her shirt, "Thanks." She felt her cheeks darken as he helped her out of her pants, placing a hand on his shoulder to balance herself. Her breath hitched in her throat when she suddenly felt his lips on her skin, a shiver racing down the length of her spine. "Clark," she warned, trying to gather her wits about her. She refused to acknowledge her attraction to him. As he pulled her against him, she was torn, opening her mouth to protest. Her words were drowned by his lips as he kissed her. Against her better judgement, her hands slowly came to grip his shirt as she found herself kissing him back, moving onto her toes to be on a more even level with him. After a minute, her teeth were grazing his lower lip, and she seemed to suddenly realize what was happening. She pushed him away quickly, cringing at the pain in her side. She jerked away and turned to her suitcase without a word, letting out a shaky breath. She slid on a pair of flip-flops before heading to the door. "I left my bag in the car," she muttered sharply as she headed out into the hallway, making her way to the elevator.

Heath sighed softly, falling into silence after hearing her annoyed tone. His thoughts drifted as they sat there in silence. He made no attempt at conversation, seeing no need for it. He was comfortable and enjoyed the heavy silence. Though he seemed to be off in his own world, he was immediately alert as Edwards left the store. He nodded at Sophia, starting the car and putting it in gear. He pulled out and began following the car at a safe distance, glancing momentarily at his partner. "Ready?" he asked softly, turning his eyes back to the road. He trailed the criminal, preparing himself for a confrontation. They had found him and now it was time to bring him in. His muscles tingled with anxious, excited anticipation.

Rylan made her way downstairs, forcing back any and all thoughts of Clark. She tried to blame her reaction to him on the alcohol in her system, but deep down she knew that that wasn't the reason. But right did he have take advantage of her while she was weak? That would be the last time she let her guard down around him. She huffed a sigh, annoyed with herself and her partner. She headed out to the car, grabbed the small black bag, and went back up to the room. She was relieved to see Clark's sleeping form and sat down on the floor on the opposite side of the bed. She pulled out the papers from the safe and began sifting through them. It wasn't long before the words grew jumbled and she decided to call it a night. She attempted to lie down in the bed, but her wounded side began to throb. She let out a long breath, lying quietly for half an hour in the darkness, listening to Clark's breathing. She finally, painfully, pushed herself out of the bed and attempted to rummage around in her bag for pain killers. A frown formed on her smooth lips as she realized she had none. How could she not have brought some with her? She let out a sigh, deciding against waking Clark to ask if he had anything. She turned to her phone, turning on the bright screen in the darkness. She squinted against the light hopefully, but was saddened to see that there were no text messages or missed calls. She sighed once more, slowly making her way to the window overlooking the parking lot. She leaned against the glass, allowing it to cool her fevered skin. It was all too much to take in. The pain from the bullet and the hurt of knowing that she wasn't on her family's mind pushed tears to her eyes. The moonlight glinted off the tear trails on her cheek as she stood silently, watching the still lot below. It was going to be a long night.

Heath glanced down at his arm as she touched him, his brow furrowing at her words. "Why? We have him. We'll be getting him alone. All we have to do is catch him and we can be headed out of here." He followed the car carefully, hoping not to be too conspicuous by leaving a good following distance. He parked a ways away when the black car stopped, glancing at Sophia momentarily before slipping out of the car. He headed toward Edwards' car slowly, keeping his eyes on the man. As soon as he moved, he would make his move. He didn't see Sophia's way of doing things. Why push off what could be done right then and there?

Rylan continued to stand beside the window, unable to find any other position as comfortably uncomfortable. By the time the sun began to rise, she had maneuvered into a strange position, leaning against the wall and placing most of her weight on one leg. That leg was growing numb and she was in an odd state of half-conciousness as though she were floating on the edge of dreamscape and reality.

Heath had a gun concealed in a holster that was securely strapped to his lower back and a pocket knife in - where else - his pocket. He always carried them with him. He had no issue with confronting Edwards and was more concerned with Sophia's safety. He glanced back to check on her in time to see the man disappear with her into the alley. He opened his mouth the call out to her, taking a step toward them, instantly concerned. How could he be so stupid?! His main priority was to keep her safe! There was no way he was losing another partner. He was frozen into place at the sound of the criminal's voice. He slowly turned to face him, a scowl on his face as he quickly formulated a plan to get out of the hairy situation. He frowned at Edwards' words. The warehouse was supposed to have been a fairly reliable source. Did they have a crooked spy giving false information? He cleared his throat, giving a slight shrug, "Just wanted to talk with you. So glad to see that this is how you greet visitors," he said blandly. With one deft movement, he reached behind him and pulled his gun from the holster, dropping down low by Edwards' car. He popped off a couple rounds beneath the car, aimed at the other man's feet. He gave himself enough of a window to leap to his feet and dash down the alley his partner had been taken down.

Rylan was pulled from her stupor at Clark's greeting. Though exhausted, she still bristled slightly, turning to set a haughty glare on him. When he finally disappeared into the bathroom, she headed over to the bed, sitting down slowly. She frowned, placing a hand on her injured side. She let out a sigh, knowing that she would get no sleep today. Her eyes fell on the window once more as she waited for Clark to finish showering so that she could go take one.

Heath came up to the door, muttering angry curses when it didn't budge. He could only hope Sophia was okay. Stumbling away as shots were fired at him, Heath quickly took cover behind a dumpster of his own. He frowned at the man's words, anger boiling in his stomach. He carefully weighed his options, realizing that he wouldn't be able to get into that room and save Sophia if Edwards wasn't with him. He would play this very carefully. With a growl under his breath, Heath begrudgingly clicked the safety on his gun and tossed it out into the open. He raised his hands even with his shoulders and slowly stepped out from behind the dumpster. "Where is my partner?" he called evenly, his voice dark.

Rylan got stiffly to her feet as Clark headed out of the bathroom, quickly taking his place in the small room. She showered and changed into a pair of jeans and a gray t-shirt after bandaging her wound once more. As she stepped out of the bathroom, she frowned when she found the room empty. She rolled her eyes before gathering her damp hair into a messy ponytail. She tugged on a pair of tennis shoes, deciding that she'd walk down to a drug store and get some pain medication for her throbbing side. She left the hotel, making it six and a half blocks away before a dark sedan slowed down to a crawl beside her. She was instantly alert, her pain forgotten. The car rounded the corner ahead of her, then stopped, blocking her path. Dvorkin stepped out, adjusting his suit jacket and tie. He smiled sweetly at Rylan, "Oh, what do we have here?" he said in his thickly-accented voice. Rylan cursed herself inwardly for forgetting to bring any sort of weapon with her. She squared her shoulders as Dvorkin closed the gap between them. He grabbed her suddenly, slowly reaching into his jacket to pull out a gun, the hard metal biting into Rylan's wound. "You should have been more careful in my office last night, my sweet. You should have done your research." He pressed the gun tighter into her side, "Here is what we are going to do. You are going to take us to your partner. You are going to get the contents of my safe. And then we will all have a nice chat. How does that sound?" Rylan inhaled sharply, "It sounds awful," before slamming her elbow up and into Dvorkin's jaw, kicking her foot back into his shin and her hip into his groin. She jerked free just as one of his cronies started climbing out of the car. She sprinted away from the men, Dvorkin bending over in pain. She dashed across the semi-busy street, moving away from the hotel. She moved quickly, adrenaline filling her. How did this happen? How was this possible? She dodged around a few corners and through a few alleys, making her way parallel across a sheltered field behind the businesses. She slipped behind a broad tree, fighting to catch her breath as she glanced around, waiting a full minute before pulling out her phone. She dialed Clark, trying to catch her breath as she spoke, speaking in a low voice. "Wherever you're at, make yourself unseen. Dvorkin knows where we're at." She paused, glancing around again, "About a mile west from the hotel there's a little bakery. I didn't catch the name but it has a royal blue awning. Meet me in the alleyway behind it as soon as possible. I think I lost them. Be careful." She hung up then, glancing around once more. She began making her way carefully to the bakery, hoping Dvorkin and his goons had given up for the moment.

Heath gave a grim chuckle, "Plenty of people would know I was gone. Would know that we both were gone. C'mon now, Ed, I didn't take you for that much of an idiot." He knew where his partner was; he had known. Edwards' confirmation of that knowledge did nothing to change it, but simply hearing the words seemed to put him at an eerie ease. Just knowing that she was within the proximity stilled his twitchy, jittery nerves. He took a slow step toward the other man, then another so that they were only a foot or so apart. "But are you that much of a coward that you'd kill an unarmed man?" He folded his arms across his chest, "Well, I guess I can only expect so much out of a twig like you. No balls to speak of." He shook his head, "I figured you'd want to at least try to rough me up a bit. Make it interesting. Maybe show me the secret lair in a daring show of arrogance. See if you could get away." He shrugged, "But it looks like you got snipped a long time ago. Perhaps by the person you're working for? To keep you in line?" He chuckled roughly, a smirk wriggling the corners of his mouth. "Eh, no fun."