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Angie thought finding out Peggy’s secret was the end to the lies, cover stories, and excuses that had driven a wedge between them and kept them only friends. But whatever existed between them still hadn’t been given full room to flourish. Sure Angie knew the big picture reason Peggy often had to leave in the middle of the night with no notice, but she didn’t really know where she went and what happened. As far as Angie was concerned this meant she didn’t really know Peggy.
Angie had tried to follow Peggy after catching her sneaking out late into the night, again. But Peggy caught on and lost her tail. Sitting in their shared two bedroom apartment alone in the early morning hours, Angie stewed on the thought forming that maybe the life of a secret agent’s girlfriend was just not for her.
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Peggy remembered the days she dodged Angie: Her questions; Her attention; Her friendship. Peggy considered herself progressive. She was a female agent in a male dominated, no completely controlled, world after all. But she hadn’t stopped amongst all the chaos and excitement of her daily life for long enough to explore her feelings. Specifically, for women. Specifically, for Angie.
Staring at the beautiful rose bouquet in her arms, Peggy thanked the universe that Angie had not been deterred. Angie even stayed after learning about Peggy’s job. The real one. In fact, they had become roommates soon after.
But lately, Angie had become distant. Peggy often found her awake sitting in the living room armchair when Peggy got back from missions. Angie would never say anything, but just get up and go back to bed. Peggy didn’t understand. And then she caught Angie following her the night before. Mostly on instinct, Peggy quickly lost her. But now that the immediate threat had been taken care of, Peggy began to worry about Angie’s strange behavior.
Peggy took a deep breath and opened the door with her key. Her and Angie had been “roommates” at the Griffith for two months now.
Peggy saw Angie already running towards the door as three men clinging to ropes and garbed in black from masks to boots crashed through the windows. Peggy heard the helicopter hovering just out of sight.
Peggy threw the bouquet into the face of the man leading the charge after Angie, and flattened against the entryway wall so Angie could run past. After pulling the bookshelf down between her and the mystery assailants, she ran after Angie.
She caught up with her quickly and grabbed her hand. Angie began to panic upon feeling the contact, but quickly realized it was Peggy and a smile replaced her fearful expression. They ran together down multiple flights of stairs. Peggy was suddenly quite annoyed that all the two bedroom apartments were on the top floor. She pulled Angie through a door one floor shy of the ground floor. They raced through the second floor to the service elevator. They skidded inside and Peggy hit the first floor button as Angie frantically mashed the door close button. The doors closed without any sight of their pursuers.
“We lost them!” Angie said, as she attempted to catch her breath hunched over with her hands on her knees.
Peggy pulled a round silver sphere from her pocket and pressed the button in the middle of it. As she returned it to her pocket she looked at Angie with sympathy. “I’m sorry, Angie, but we aren’t in the clear yet. Prepare to run again.” The ding of the elevator hitting the first floor punctuated Peggy’s sentence. Peggy slid her hand into Angie’s gently as the doors began to open. As the crack widened Peggy tightened her grip on Angie’s, gave her a reassuring smile, and then bolted from the elevator, Angie in tow.
They ran out of the elevator and through the back service doors. Peggy grabbed the door frame with her free hand spinning them so they kept their momentum for their run down the alley.
“Keep running!” Peggy shouted to Angie. “Just a little farther. Jarvis should be bringing the car around any time now,”
“Where to?” Angie managed to force out.
“He’ll find us.”
Right on cue a car screeched to a stop at the mouth of the alley. Before the heavily tinted window was fully rolled down, they heard Jarvis yell, “get in!”
Almost instantaneously gunfire erupted behind them. “Get in!” Repeated Peggy as she crouched down at the back of the car and returned fire.
Angie wasted no time pulling the door open and climbing inside. “Peggy! Let’s go!”
Peggy continued returning fire as she moved sideways and then backed into the car.
Jarvis hit the gas before Peggy was fully inside. Angie grabbed Peggy around her waist and threw herself backwards against the opposite door to keep Peggy in the car. Angie held tight until Peggy got the door closed.
Angie relaxed her grip and Peggy spun around giving Angie a tight hug and a quick peck before settling back into her seat to reload her sidearm. “You did great back there,” Peggy comforted Angie. “Just stay calm and keep your head down.”
Angie’s pent up barrage of questions was cut short by Jarvis’ shouted warning of incoming and his sudden and extreme turn of the wheel to the right that sent both ladies flying against the left door. The car speed down the side street with their pursuers gaining.
“Floor board,” Peggy said matter of factly as she pointed where she wanted Angie to go. Once Peggy was confident Angie was safely crouched down, she rolled down the widow. She gripped the top of the car with her left hand and twisted as she pulled herself partially out the window and aimed at the pursuing car’s tires.
Her shot was true and the car began to swerve back and forth. Peggy slid back into the car but left the window open. “Lose them.” Peggy directed Jarvis.
“What exactly do you think I’ve been doing, Ms. Carter? Engaging in an automobile playdate?” Jarvis quipped as he took a sharp turn down an alley too narrow for the damaged car to follow.
Peggy allowed herself to take a deep breath. She stroked Angie’s hair gently and began to help her back into her seat just as their car was hit hard on Peggy’s side as they exited the alley.
Peggy’s initial assumption that this had been an accident due to Jarvis popping out of the alley was quickly disproved when the back window was peppered in bullets.
Jarvis hit the gas and they were off again as Angie settled back into her protective crouch on the floor board and Peggy’s mind raced to form a plan. The window on Angie’s side broke with a crash as a large assault rifle was plunged through it. Peggy shielded her face from the glass and was facing the barrel when she looked back over her arm.
Angie threw her arms up with all the force she could muster pinning the barrel’s opening against the car’s roof. That was the break Peggy needed and she grabbed the rifle firmly pulling it towards her then pushing it hard back towards the gunman. She felt it make contact and the struggle from the other side of the firearm vanished. She pulled the rifle into the car and climbed over the seat. She knocked out any remaining glass from the broken side window.
“Jarvis, match that car’s speed.” Peggy yelled. As the two cars lined up, Peggy jumped through her window and into the other car. The front half of her body made it! She kicked her legs to gain momentum and crawled into the car.
“Hello gentlemen. Care to share what this is about?” Peggy directed her question to both the driver and the former gunman who was clutching his face unsuccessfully attempting to stop the stream of blood running through his fingers. She’d broken his nose. Splendid. She pulled out her handgun and pointed it at the driver. “Stop the car.” He complied quickly after one look in his rearview at her revealed he had little choice. She quickly patted down both men, removing any weapons they still carried and cuffed them both inside the car. She took the keys and made her exit.
As expected Jarvis was waiting across the street. She crossed over and got in the car. “We need somewhere to lay low and call this in.” She directed as she climbed in.
Angie flung herself onto Peggy hugging her tight and crying out the tension and fear that she had been suppressing through the whole ordeal. Peggy held her tight against her, rocking slightly. “You are ok. You did great. You saved me. We are safe.” She soothed.
Jarvis brought the car to a stop under a bridge. “You ladies wait here,” he directed them. “I’m going to call this in.” He cut off Peggy’s bjection. “Ms. Carter, I am the only one they did not see. As far as they’re concerned, they don’t know they’re after me. Just lay low a few minutes. If ever there was a hold for backup situation, this is it.”
“I’ve been in many, but still never have,” Peggy teased but did not object further.
Angie had calmed slightly. “I can’t wait to get out of this car. I just keep waiting for a another car to crash in to us.”
“Understandably so,” Peggy agreed. “Follow me.” Peggy did not let go of Angie’s hand while she cautiously exited the car followed by Angie.
“Is this safe,” Angie asked while crouched against the open car door.
“Safe enough. Just stay out of sight of the road,” Peggy directed gently.
They walked together hand-in-hand down the dry drainage ditch that ran under the bridge hiding their getaway car.
Angie broke the silence. “They came to our home Peggy.”
“I know.”
“How will we explain this. We will lose our apartment. Our lives are in danger.”
“I know Angie. This life, my life, is dangerous. I tried to shield you from this. I understand if now that you have seen the full impact of my career if you no longer want to . . . . ”
Peggy was cut off by Angie grabbing her free hand and kissing her. “Don’t be silly, Peg. Tell me what that was that about? They must of had a reason to drop by.” Angie’s tone was sincere and loving.
“I don’t know, Ang. I really don’t. How about this time you help me find out?”
Angie smiled and laid her head on Peggy’s shoulder. “I’m in.”