Chapter 6: Screwed Over

"You're nervous!" Chloe's laugh blew with the wind as she accused her partner.

Nate turned to her from his stool, watching her lean her back against the counter, her elbows bent for support as her wrists dangled carelessly over the edge. "I'm about to sell a priceless relic to a greedy rich man who hired my recent partner, instead of giving it to my real employer who I canceled on just last night—basically screwing him over to make my own profit. So, no, in moments like these, I don't get nervous."

Chloe scoffed. "Or course, you don't."

They stood in a beach bar—a shack-like structure with wide windows—killing time, anxiously waiting for the obsessed collector. The relic sat in thick a velvet jewelry box between them on the bar counter.

Nate sighed, turning to Chloe. "You said they'd be here by noon, right?"

Chloe made an impatient sigh at Nate. "Relax, cowboy. He's usually like this. But he's keen on full participation…and full payment," Chloe added smoothly.

His eyebrows rose.

Within that moment, a man in a sharp black suit stepped into the bar platform. Nate and Chloe straightened out, coming closer to the necklace. Followed by the man were four others, dressed similarly, with black sunglasses on their straight faces.

They came in formation as an orderly arrow, the first man carrying a slim dark briefcase.

Nate held in his whistle of awe. These guys were serious, a little over the top, but serious.

"Chloe Frazer." The man stated in conformation.

Chloe gave a stiff nod.

The man continued. "500,000 dollars as agreed." The man gestured to the brief case with a flick of his wrist holding it, before setting it down between them.

Chloe suddenly had the velvet box in hand. She walked forward, taking the briefcase by the handle and stood up straight.

The velvet case was passed to the front man, who turned to the next man on his left side behind him. The velvet case disappeared behind his black jacket.

"My employer appreciates your services." The front guy spoke professionally.

Chloe shrugged a shoulder. "Tell him anytime."

The man gave a quick nod before walking out, his group following close behind.

"Damn," Nate commented as soon as he heard a vehicle pull out of the parking lot nearby. "Who were those guys?"

"The guys who just paid us," Chloe replied sarcastically.

Nate gave her a light glare and shook his head.

"Come on," Chloe urged, hoisting the briefcase to the counter, "Let's open up this bad boy."

Nate came over behind her as he saw the locks click open. Chloe swung the lid up and Nate's eyebrows rose.

Neatly placed inside were 4x5 rows of $100 bill wads at least an inch thick.

The couple shared a look of amazement.

As Nate reached out, Chloe shut the briefcase—so close to his fingers. Nate looked at her weirdly before she turned around, another foxy smile on her lips.

In their position, their hips were pressed together, Chloe's body blocking the case from Nate.

"Oh no," Chloe tsked, "you owe me."

Nate grinned and kissed her. "Consider my debt in the process of payment."

They leaned in for a longer kiss when Nate heard the sound of tires rolling.

He pulled away, concentrating on his senses. "Do you hear that?"

Chloe gave a small laugh. "Hear what?"

"Sh, sh," Nate held up a finger, trying to pin point the noise. "That."

A serious expression crossed the huntress as she watched her partner concentrate.

"Get down," Nate said hushed. "Follow me." He crouched toward the window on the opposite side of the bar and peered out, Chloe low behind him.

"What do you see, Nate?" Chloe asked.

Nate could have sworn he heard the sounds of cars pulling in and distance screeching of tires. Looking out to the parking lot, Nate's eyes squinted as he saw four black Jeeps parked next to each other. Men were hopping out, grimaces on their faces…

Carrying some big-ass guns.

"Chloe, we got company," Nate warned.

Chloe moved so she could see out the window too. "Who are those guys?" she whispered, her eyes wide.

In the back of the Jeeps, weapon bags were loaded (now being unloaded) with a symbol. A symbol Nate recognized immediately.

"'Member that guy I screwed over?" Nate said.

Chloe nodded. "Your original employer?"

"Yeah," he replied, "Well, guess he's kinda pissed."

He looked at her, communicating silently. There was instant understanding.

Chloe reached back, pulling the gun behind her back. As Nate pulled out his, Chloe used the tip of her gun to point it at herself and then to the doorway farther in front of her, mouthing, "Me, that way."

Nate gave her a nod and started crouching toward the opposite door.

When they reached their door ways, they turned to each other and gave a nod in good luck. These guys wouldn't know what hit them.

Nate disappeared around the corner, then rolled to a nearby palm tree and leaned his back against it. He took the walkie out of his pocket and murmured into it. "Sully, we got trouble, bring it around—fast!"

Nate, from his position, narrowly saw Chloe in her bright red top sneak around the parking lot behind the tropical greenery.

Taking her distance as a cue, Nate rushed inside the bar and snatched the briefcase. He took a glance back before sprinting toward the beach.

Chloe's heart thudded heavily as she ducked behind a palm tree. Peering over, Chloe watched the men load their guns.

AK-47's, M4's, FAL's. These guys were prepared.

In a quick mental count, the huntress estimated about 15 to 20 men.

She held in an exasperated sigh. Nate must've been messing with the wrong guy.

"Hey! What are you—?" A goon had suddenly appeared behind Chloe.

Instinctively, Chloe elbowed his head and kicked behind his legs. As he fell to his knees, Chloe knew she had to take him out quietly, and wound her arms around his neck. In a quick twist, his neck snapped and his body fell lifelessly to the tree. She noticed the guy hadn't been loud enough to alert the rest of his group.

From her distance, she had good aims at several heads. If she worked quick she could take out five, then hopefully Nate would catch on and take out another five. There'd be ten left…Chloe grinned. Easy enough.

Chloe raised her gun, shutting one eye and aimed. She cocked her gun, gave a finale check, and squeezed the trigger.

There was a crack and a splatter of blood before he fell to the ground.

Chaos sprung free. The men aimed their guns at the invisible shooter, aimlessly pointing at nothing.

Chloe quickly aimed and shot, aimed and shot, aimed and shot again.

Then, all Hell broke loose.

The goons started firing blindly at the trees, narrowly missing Chloe, despite her lean figure.

As shouts and bullets went off, Chloe took a pause at their reload to summersault to another tree.

They spotted her and fired newly reloaded weapons. Chloe took risks, taking pro-shots. Almost every bullet she fired hit a target.

It wasn't until, beyond the sounds of weaponry, she heard the humming of a plane.

What the hell? Chloe thought, glancing at the sky. It was all blue, not a plane in sight. Narrowing down the sound, she scanned the trees across from her and saw flashes of pink and white near the docks on the beach.

Also in her sight, was Nate jogging toward the dock…

The briefcase in hand.

Anger and shock ran the adrenaline in her veins. No longer fearing getting hit, Chloe stood aside the tree and gave heavy shots. Within minutes, the 20 men were dead. Their bodies scattered the asphalt of the parking lot as Chloe jumped over them, reloading her gun with fresh bullets as she ran toward the traitor.

Clear of the trees, Chloe now saw a pink and white seaplane bobbing at the end of the dock.

Nate's face showed through the glare of the passenger window of the plane.

She sprinted toward the dock as the plane began to skid off. It lifted in the air when Chloe finally reached the end of the wooden planks. Ready to shot the plane down, something black caught her eye. The briefcase.

Hurriedly, she crouched down and flicked it open.

Neatly stacked, were half the packs of $100 bills inside the case. The other half was empty. Chloe grinned.

And stood up, lowering her weapon arm.

The plane was already high in the air, and Chloe strained her eyes and neck to see Nate through the partially opened door, giving her a grin that clearly said "Gotcha" and a lazy two-finger salute.

Chloe shook her head. "Son of a bitch," she murmured to herself. Taking the briefcase, she watched the plane fly off toward the ocean.

Nate shut the plane door as soon as Chloe was out of sight and slipped in the passenger seat, closing his eyes.

The sense of déjà vu came over him as he lost sight of Chloe on the dock. He tried thinking about it harder, but was interrupted when over the loud hum of the plane, Sully's voice reached his ears.

"Geesh," Sully said gruffly. "Who'da thought I'd come back to Panama only as an escape to save your ass…again?"

Nate smirked. Sully was in a good mood after he showed him the bag of cash he stuffed. Nate looked at him. "I don't know," he responded lazily, his muscles still coiled from adrenaline. "God?"

Sully chuckled and turned his attention back to the sea.

Nate rested in his chair. He regretted leaving Chloe behind. Something about her had him wanted to cling to her, like an addiction. He wanted to learn more. But he knew he had to leave her. At least she seemed to take it alright. The fact that he left her her share of the money might have softened her feelings for ditching her.

He knew, that now, he'd most likely never see her again. Then again, Nate thought, ignoring the thrill his idea gave him, in their same line of work, it was a possibility.

And, Nate continued in his mind, if there was one thing I learned from her in the days we spent together, was that her passion, her skills, her persistency, would always get her what she wanted.

Yay! Okay guys, that's the end! Haha, so how do you feel about Nate's treacherous ploy? Haha, cuz I remember Chloe mentioning how he left her unexpectedly last time they met…

I know, this was a long chapter, I mean, maybe I would've broken it up into three/two, but come on, the title fit sooo well with the entire thing! Sigh. Yeah, just couldn't do it.

Well anyway, than you all for the reviews and sticking in with this story! I know my updates weren't very…uh…well, punctual… still! Thank you for reading! And be sure to play UC3! Can't wait! November 1, people, November. FIRST.