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A chuckle; a tiny, faint chuckle was all that left Nadine's lips as Rafe's words rolled into her ears.
𝐼 𝑐𝑎𝑛'𝑡 𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑦𝑧𝑒 𝑟𝑢𝑏𝑏𝑙𝑒.
Her gaze was averted, the ground becoming it's focus as her mind ran a mile per minute.
Shoulders were pushed up for just the briefest of moments, incredulity invading her every fiber.
❛❛ Okay... Okay. ❜❜ Was her simple response, softly spoken, met with a nod. The leader of mercenaries stood up and turned, placing both hands on the documents on top of the table before them. ❛❛ I'll let them know they need to give you a heads up before they do anything drastic. ❜❜
Wasn't it a fair solution? She could still have control over her men while allowing them to work through the aged buildings surrounding them. Nadine was happy with such a thing but the rich boy by her side wasn't going to give in so easily, apparently.
Time was ticking and they were losing precious bits of it with every minute that passed by in idle waiting for Adler's so called analyzing and instructions.
He was too careful, too patient━ too paranoid; more so than Nadine could take and/or approve. The operation, with almost non-existent progress, was in a fragile state already and with Nathan Drake sniffing their bums for any crumb of a clue that could lead him to 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 treasure, now was not the time for tip-toeing around as if they were avoiding stepping on eggshells.
Now was not the time to wait, to leave things to the uncertainty of an analysis that could be a major waste of time.
They needed to take action, to force their way forward towards 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 riches. That was a fact the South African woman was willing to drill into the American's skull, even if he didn't want to listen; specially if he didn't want to listen. Brows began to furrow as she spoke her mind about the entire situation━ her inability to snatch the cross when the chance was right there at an arm's length, her inability to use her men for what they are paid for: protecting, acquiring and controlling as ordered.
As her arm moved around, pointing upward then to her chest, her voice rose, the calmness that had been there now jagged; forgotten even. Not afraid of interrupting him, Ross took a step forward and towards him while her left hand was positioned against her hip.
❛❛ But instead of going with my gut, I listened to you and now we have 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. ❜❜ The fact that Nathan Drake had showed up had seemed fishy to her and now, as she said the words, it finally made some sort of sense. ❛❛ Or maybe you wanted to draw him out... Because you think you 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘩𝑖𝑚. ❜❜ A smile was spread out on her face as she let him sink that in.
His eyes... They showed an emotion that hadn't been there in their discussion or in any other conversation they could have had in the past.
The answer was clear for her. She just needed to observe him to understand it all. ❛❛ Maybe you do. ❜❜ She exhaled the words to the world and the fire that had been present before had died down under the weight of it.
Taking an authoritarian tone, not allowing space for doubt, complaints or anything similar, Nadine explained her plan for what was left of the operation. ❛❛ And if not... ❜❜ Hazel colored eyes met his green ones, a serene expression ruling over her features. ❛❛ Maybe it's time to move on. ❜❜
A beat passed by between the two; silence conquered over the room and the tension was palpable. Being the bold woman that she was, Ross closed the space between them just barely and placed her hand over the side of his face.
Smiling, her gaze glided over his face until it landed and locked unto his own; colored and clear and full of rage.
❛❛ Hey... it's not personal. ❜❜
Her head was shaken, following the meaning of her words. Voice now a mere whisper, her eyes soften.
His did too.
Apparently, her reassurance had been enough to evaporate his fury- if only momentarily.
After his nod, her hand dropped— one finger at a time, the index being the last one to slide right off his jaw so it could now be resting over his torso. A slight push was given to the man before the palm responsible skimmed across said torso. Nadine walked around him, stare not breaking until she was at his back and, even then, she continued to look at him.
❛❛ I'll let you know if anything turns up. ❜❜ That had been all the good-bye she was willing to give him because she was gone; the echo of footsteps being the only thing of hers that continued to exist in that room. Satisfied, a new smile managed to bloom on her dark skinned face.
It was pretty obvious she had won that discussion and she wouldn't have it any other way. After all, she had let Rafe know she was tired of playing it safe. It was time for their little adventurers aka nuisances to know what her and her company of mercenaries were capable of.