Fic: Everything Or Nothing: 003
Dec. 13th, 2014 02:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mjartrodTitle: Everything Or Nothing
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mcsparklez & mjartrod
Beta:mistake_arrest
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Belldom
Warnings: Language. Violence. Sex.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and has never happened. We do not own any of the people mentioned and do not mean to offend. We do not own Muse.
Summary: On the eve of Muse’s 7th album release, a list containing the identity of several Secret Intelligence Service officers is leaked and sold to a criminal organisation. Dom and Chris cannot understand their involvement… until a shocking revelation about their frontman is unveiled.
[001] [002]
It was a difficult night.
Against their will but without any other obvious choice remaining, both Chris and Dom sat in a corner on an old dusty mattress on the floor. It was impossible to sleep, too much on their minds to process. Plagued by uncertainty of the future - but also of the past, every moment questioned and doubted - they didn’t exchange a word, not with Matt, not with each other, quietly keeping to themselves. In common, they also shared the feeling of betrayal.
At the other end of the warehouse, Matt was attached to his iPhone the entire time, constantly talking or typing. They could barely make out a word he said or follow any line of discussion. He’d gesticulate as wildly as usual when in work mode in the studio or in a venue, occasionally raising his voice, while his eyes focused on everything but the two men in the corner who watched him. It was a chilling feeling, almost as if he was ignoring their presence completely. Dom hoped he was feeling as guilty and remorseful as he’d looked the previous night when the argument had come to an end.
They didn’t know whether they had fallen asleep or just experienced a surreal slumber. Either way, they were aware it was over when Matt’s voice echoed around them, loud and firm.
“Wake up. We need to go.”
Chris rubbed at his eyes and looked up for a moment before he scanned their surroundings, his expression betraying the confusion that filled his head. Matt was looking out of the window anxiously as if waiting for something, his fingers fiddling with the hem of his long coat.
“So it’s all solved? We can go home?”
“Not we,” Matt replied, his back to them. “You, Chris. Dom has to come with me.”
Dom stared at Chris, gawking. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Listen up, Matt.” Chris sprang to his feet, rubbing the top of his head. It was too early to fight but in his opinion that simply wasn’t acceptable. “We leave together.”
Matt finally turned around to face them, leaning back against the windowsill and crossing his arms in front of his chest. “We managed to capture one of the guys who attacked you last night. Sokolov escaped but one of his men wasn’t as lucky. Sang like a bird when he was interrogated. He told us what we already knew after what happened at the hotel yesterday – that the deal concerning the list was done and Sokolov won the auction. However, it wasn’t the list itself that he bought, but information about its current owner. The seller gave him Dom’s name.” He glanced over at the drummer. “But he doesn’t have it, we ran a search at the hotel last night.”
Dom felt his face redden with anger and embarrassment. “Cheers, Matt.”
“We had to do it, it could’ve been planted in your belongings.” The singer narrowed his eyes at Dom. “They think you’re a mercenary, an independent party who’s getting paid to deliver the object to someone else.”
“He obviously isn’t,” Chris stated. “So now that it’s sorted and they know he’s got nothing, can we get the fuck out of here and go back to England?”
“The MI6,” Matt continued, bending forward and looking down. “The MI6 has gotten hold of more information, though. It appears that Sokolov didn’t know that the courier, Dom, wasn’t supposed to have the list yet. The delivery is happening tonight. In Monte Carlo. And they think,” Matt turned his attention back to Dom. “They think you were going to get it tonight.”
“Mental.” Dom shook his head slowly as the realisation finally hit him. “You’re all mental. You want to arrest me. Is that why I have to go with you? Because you’re sending me to fucking prison before I can get it?! Do you even realise how fucking insane that is?! You fucker! I thought we were friends, I thought you-”
Matt raised his voice above Dom’s tirade and stopped Chris from interfering with a simple hand gesture. “What I think is that it’s very convenient that someone so close to me is getting accused of something like this. There is a list out there with identities of several agents... and now, of all people, Dom is getting involved in it.”
“I’ve got nothing to do with that!” Dom shouted.
“I know that! But someone’s trying very hard to make it seem like you do!” Matt countered. “Can’t you see what’s going on?”
“How come no one can see how ridiculous this is and that it’s all linked then?” Chris asked. “You and now him?”
“Nobody knows who I am, Chris!”
Silence set like a bucket of cold water at Matt’s reminder.
He scratched the back of his head, lowering his voice again. “There are a lot of agents working on this case but my contact has managed to settle things in our favour, at least for now. We decided to report that Dom has been captured and persuaded to work with the MI6 in exchange for being liberated of all charges.”
“Oh thanks a lot, how generous of you.”
Matt only offered a roll of his eyes at that. “We prepared an operation to take place in Monte Carlo tonight, to try and retrieve the list. If it all goes well, we protect the identities of all the officers at risk, which means that depending on the situation it pretty much equals to saving their lives… and we can clear Dom’s name.”
“Why don’t you come forward and tell everyone who you are and why it’s so fucking ridiculous that Dom’s involved? Wouldn’t that be a lot easier to clear his name?” Chris hissed.
“I can’t. I can’t compromise my position. You have no idea what’s at stake.”
“He is at stake, Matt!”
Matt stood and stepped towards Chris, raising his voice and standing his ground. “I can’t compromise the safety of everyone I know! It’s not just Dom!” His hands moved fervently. “It’s you, my own family, everyone that works for Muse! I won’t allow that whoever is setting us up gets away with it! We can get this done in a way that no one will be harmed!”
“Oh, now you’re worried! Why didn’t you think of it before, Matt?!” Chris yelled. “You should’ve thought of that before, you selfish dick! What the hell made you think that you could go on like this forever without anything ever happening?”
Matt pursed his lips in a tight line, the answer apparently eluding him, and turned his back on them to look outside once more before facing the drummer again. “We need your help.”
“You make it sound like I have a choice,” the blond said bitterly.
“You think I wanna do this? You don’t think I’d rather send you home with Chris?”
Resignation rather than anger tinted his voice when Dom said, “I don’t know what I should think anymore, Matt.”
Outside, the distant sound of a helicopter approaching grabbed the attention of all three. Matt bolted to the window, drawing his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialling before placing it to his ear.
“It’s here,” he said. “Yes, the two of us will take the train.” He disconnected without another word and turned to Chris. “That’s your ride, you’ll be home in a couple of hours. Please stop arguing with me and do as I say.”
“Then stop making these ridiculous demands!”
“Do you wanna see Kelly and your kids again or not?”
By the way Chris stepped back and gasped, Dom knew Matt had made his point and won the argument. He snorted at his nerve. Chris didn’t have much of a choice except to move and he had to hurry the fuck up too.
“The two of you,” the bassist lifted his chin. “Where are you going? Monte Carlo?”
“Yes. We’re taking the train to the airport and then fly to Nice.” He glanced outside quickly. “And if anyone asks, you can say exactly that; that we’re staying in the south of France for a couple of days.”
“What about Glen? Is he alright?”
“Glen got pissed up last night when we went out for dinner. Overslept today, doesn’t remember anything and because I’m a cunt, I let him miss the flight home. D’you know what I mean?”
It was disturbing how calculating he was and the ease with how he displayed it. Chris eventually nodded, though he clearly wasn’t happy with the unfolding of events, and took a deep breath. He hugged Dom and patted his back, the drummer patting back. They exchanged a brief smile and Chris strode towards the door, stopping and turning to Matt before leaving. The smile was gone.
“You fuck this up, Matt, and then it’s me you’ll be dealing with.” He locked eyes with the singer and didn’t avert them, as if in a contest. At last, Matt lowered his gaze to the floor. “Keep me updated.”
Matt didn’t say a word to that and Dom could already guess that there was no plan to keep Chris updated. Or anyone else, for that matter. Except these people Matt kept talking to, of course, because they were on a mission. A fucking mission. Wasn’t he supposed to be home by now, watching reruns of whatever stupid show he could find on the telly?
He watched Chris shut the door behind himself with a loud bang that made it rattle in its hinges and couldn’t help but run over to the window to watch him go. Two men were approaching the bassist, who lowered his head and stuffed his hands in his leather jacket pockets to protect himself from the helicopter’s airstream. One of the men grabbed his shoulder and pointed him towards the vehicle. Matt shifted beside Dom, moving towards the shadows behind the window, but the drummer paid him no attention, watching the bassist climb inside the helicopter, followed by the two agents who’d flanked him. Their eyes locked for a brief moment, and Chris nodded at him. The message was clear: Come home safely.
As quickly as the helicopter had arrived it was gone again, and Dom felt a strange emptiness at the departure of his friend. He looked at Matt, who was carefully following what went on outside, making sure he would not be spotted at his observation point. It would be only the two of them from then on.
Prior to last night, Dom had thought he could claim to know Matt better than anyone. The events in the past few hours, however, were a rude awakening to the reality that, in fact, he didn’t know Matt at all. He could discern traces of the person he’d known his whole life but so much was wholly foreign to him. The way he spoke, the way he moved, even the way he looked at Dom. There was no playfulness, no affection, no recognition in his eyes. It was as though Dom was only an element in the case he and his colleagues were currently focusing on solving, no more than a piece among many on a board game. Rationally, he could admit that Matt would not be half as good as he seemed to be if he wasn’t capable of embedding himself with a very strong level of detachment. Dom simply could not do the same, though, could not deal with it just yet. It was too astonishing, too difficult to accept, too soon.
He had no idea what he was getting himself into, he expected Matt to explain as soon as he saw fit. But he longed for a strong cup of coffee, a comfortable bed... He realised the chain of thoughts was leading to Matt and how it was him Dom imagined would be in that imaginary bed with him. But that Matt no longer existed.
The trip to France went by much faster than Dom had predicted. The train station was a ten minute walk from the old mill and they reached the airport without further incident, stopping for breakfast in the departures lounge while they waited for the flight. Dom was too preoccupied to pay any proper attention to anything surrounding him, though, his mind far away especially after Matt had at last briefed him on the plan.
Scarce on details, claiming that they’d sort the smaller facts once they reached the hotel, he’d given Dom a general overview of what was requested of him.
The delivery of the list was to take place that very night in the Casino de Monte Carlo, one of the most prestigious and luxurious casinos in the world, and one that they were no strangers to. As the MI6 possessed no sliver of information regarding who Dom was supposed to meet or how the delivery was going to be handled, their best bet was to simply enter the casino, walk through the private rooms and wait for the trader to get in touch with the blond. Matt’s presence would serve an important function: he was Dom’s bandmate and therefore his presence raised no suspicion to anyone, but he was the officer who had been assigned to the mission and was responsible for the entire operation. Reporting directly to the Chief of the MI6 as usual, he would keep his anonymity intact.
“Basically, you don’t need to do anything but show up and let the current owner contact you,” Matt had concluded. “The information we have is vague but if you’re supposed to be the courier, someone will try to reach you.”
“What if nothing happens? What if we go there, gamble the whole night and leave empty handed?”
“No chance,” Matt had shaken his head in dismissal. “The deal’s done, so they will contact you. It could be that you’re not even aware of it, but the delivery will happen. Then we’ll have not only the list but whoever has a hold of it.”
Dom had decided not to argue.
They were greeted with a clear sky upon landing in Nice, and Dom recalled all the times he’d arrived at that same airport to spend a few relaxing days at the French coast, usually in the summer. Having lunch at one of his favourite restaurants, however, wasn’t an option in today’s agenda.
Matt quickly strode across the airport arrivals hall, skilfully avoiding a girl who stared at him curiously and would probably have approached him for an autograph had she been given half the chance. Directing Dom to one of the parking areas without hesitation, it seemed that Matt intended on picking up a car. The singer had only stopped once to check which section they were, and then continued with Dom in tow, stopping right next to a beautiful dark grey Audi A8. He knew Matt had no keys, they hadn’t stopped anywhere he could collect them from. Did he seriously intend on picking the lock?
But Matt simply held his phone in front of the handle and a red light flashed out of the slot like it was some sort of scanning device, hitting the iPhone screen. The light turned green and Dom heard the doors unlocking. Matt opened the door and was about to get in when he turned back to Dom.
“Well?” He glanced at the drummer, who was still rooted to the spot in utter amazement. “Get in.”
He took the passenger’s seat without a word. The list of things he wished he could ask Matt about continued to grow. Matt reached into the dashboard, quickly going through what seemed to be a number of documents, including the vehicle’s registration certificate, while Dom admired the sleekness of the interior and gingerly touched the leather of his seat. Matt then put everything in its original place, reaching afterwards for the glove compartment, pulling a number of items out while he set his earpiece.
“Cheers, we’re here.” Matt spoke, opening one of the boxes that had evidently been packed specifically for him. He pulled out a key and immediately pushed it into the car’s ignition. Then he proceeded to empty the box. An iPhone that suspiciously looked like Dom’s current one came to light, even sporting the same leopard print hard case. He had to double check his pocket to make sure it was still where he’d left it.
“I’ve got the second phone and the key card,” he listed. Dom could spot Monte Carlo’s Hotel de Paris logo on the golden plastic. Then he pulled something else out, something black and sleek looking that made Dom’s throat close up. “And a Beretta M9 9mm.”
To see the gun and additional ammunition right in Matt’s lap made the drummer swallow in discomfort. He hadn’t forgotten about the events on Lake Zurich the day prior, but seeing it so close and knowing that Matt’s people thought this was a necessity didn’t make him feel at ease at all. Quite the contrary, actually. He wanted to believe that Matt would not consciously put him in any danger but the truth was that he no longer could blindly assume that. The fact was, they were using him as bait.
“Yeah, yeah, will do when we arrive at the hotel,” Matt said, putting everything in the glove compartment again except the phone, surreptitiously glancing at Dom. “Course he won’t know. I’ll get rid of it as soon as I make the switch.”
Dom was fastening the seat belt, pulling the strap with more force than he intended, biting back another question. They had obviously been talking about him. It stung that Matt would talk like this, as if he wasn’t here with him, wasn’t part of any of this. The singer had hung up in the meanwhile and was now turned in his seat facing Dom.
“Give me your phone.”
“What the bloody hell do you want my phone for?” He had a feeling he already knew the answer.
“We’re going to replace it to make sure you’re not getting tracked and followed by Sokolov’s group. Or anyone else for that matter,” he explained. “And to remove some contacts and most of your private information too.”
Dom stayed still for a moment. Then he reluctantly pulled the device out of his leather jacket pocket. Matt snatched it out of his hand immediately and Dom watched as he unlocked the device, shut it down and removed the SIM card in quick succession. He narrowed his eyes.
“How do you know my password?” he asked through gritted teeth. It seemed like such a small thing after all that was happening but it still irked him.
“You know mine too,” Matt simply said. But even in the dark, Dom thought he could see his ears flushing.
“No, I don’t and you know that.” He didn’t get a reply. “Is this what you were just saying that I wouldn’t know about? Switching my phone?”
“Yes. You’re obviously not supposed to know.”
Dom nodded and said nothing, just pocketing the phone that was identical to his in every aspect down to the settings, while Matt put the separate pieces of the old one in the glove box too. If Matt thought he was somehow making Dom feel better by confiding something in him that the MI6 didn’t know, well he was wrong. Was there anyone he wouldn’t lie to?
Matt’s right hand went to the key in the ignition but hesitated for a moment. He turned back to Dom and looked him straight in the eyes. “Look, I know what you’re thinking. But I swear to you that I don’t nose around your things. Not under normal circumstances.”
“I figured that’s what spies do. Nosing around and lying to their best friends. To their boyfriend,” he said dismissively.
Matt stayed quiet at that and turned back to the street in front of them. Dom sighed, trying to brush off the disappointment.
“I… I memorise things like that easily… Saw you typing it in one morning and remembered it,” Matt whispered. “But I’ve never used it, I swear.” Another pause followed before Matt continued, “I know you’re thinking that I’m a liar and a fraud, but I’ve always been me. I’ve never pretended to be someone else, except for the… well, this stuff. I know that you won’t believe me, but please, at least try to trust me. I want to help you out of this, Dom, but I can’t do it without you.”
Even though his eyes were cast forward, Dom could see the nervousness in them. He looked genuine, and Dom wanted to believe him. He really did. It used to be easy like that; Matt asking him to follow him and Dom would have done it blindly. Now, however…
“I suppose I can try,” he finally said.
A nod from the singer ended the conversation. The engine roared to life when Matt turned the key and navigated the car out of the parking lot. They took the A-8 freeway to Monaco, the journey made in silence with Matt on the wheel and Dom determined not to look at him. He hoped the whole ordeal would be over soon but regardless, he knew that nothing would ever be the same.
Author:
mcsparklez & mjartrodBeta:
mistake_arrestRating: NC-17
Pairing: Belldom
Warnings: Language. Violence. Sex.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and has never happened. We do not own any of the people mentioned and do not mean to offend. We do not own Muse.
Summary: On the eve of Muse’s 7th album release, a list containing the identity of several Secret Intelligence Service officers is leaked and sold to a criminal organisation. Dom and Chris cannot understand their involvement… until a shocking revelation about their frontman is unveiled.
[001] [002]
It was a difficult night.
Against their will but without any other obvious choice remaining, both Chris and Dom sat in a corner on an old dusty mattress on the floor. It was impossible to sleep, too much on their minds to process. Plagued by uncertainty of the future - but also of the past, every moment questioned and doubted - they didn’t exchange a word, not with Matt, not with each other, quietly keeping to themselves. In common, they also shared the feeling of betrayal.
At the other end of the warehouse, Matt was attached to his iPhone the entire time, constantly talking or typing. They could barely make out a word he said or follow any line of discussion. He’d gesticulate as wildly as usual when in work mode in the studio or in a venue, occasionally raising his voice, while his eyes focused on everything but the two men in the corner who watched him. It was a chilling feeling, almost as if he was ignoring their presence completely. Dom hoped he was feeling as guilty and remorseful as he’d looked the previous night when the argument had come to an end.
They didn’t know whether they had fallen asleep or just experienced a surreal slumber. Either way, they were aware it was over when Matt’s voice echoed around them, loud and firm.
“Wake up. We need to go.”
Chris rubbed at his eyes and looked up for a moment before he scanned their surroundings, his expression betraying the confusion that filled his head. Matt was looking out of the window anxiously as if waiting for something, his fingers fiddling with the hem of his long coat.
“So it’s all solved? We can go home?”
“Not we,” Matt replied, his back to them. “You, Chris. Dom has to come with me.”
Dom stared at Chris, gawking. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“Listen up, Matt.” Chris sprang to his feet, rubbing the top of his head. It was too early to fight but in his opinion that simply wasn’t acceptable. “We leave together.”
Matt finally turned around to face them, leaning back against the windowsill and crossing his arms in front of his chest. “We managed to capture one of the guys who attacked you last night. Sokolov escaped but one of his men wasn’t as lucky. Sang like a bird when he was interrogated. He told us what we already knew after what happened at the hotel yesterday – that the deal concerning the list was done and Sokolov won the auction. However, it wasn’t the list itself that he bought, but information about its current owner. The seller gave him Dom’s name.” He glanced over at the drummer. “But he doesn’t have it, we ran a search at the hotel last night.”
Dom felt his face redden with anger and embarrassment. “Cheers, Matt.”
“We had to do it, it could’ve been planted in your belongings.” The singer narrowed his eyes at Dom. “They think you’re a mercenary, an independent party who’s getting paid to deliver the object to someone else.”
“He obviously isn’t,” Chris stated. “So now that it’s sorted and they know he’s got nothing, can we get the fuck out of here and go back to England?”
“The MI6,” Matt continued, bending forward and looking down. “The MI6 has gotten hold of more information, though. It appears that Sokolov didn’t know that the courier, Dom, wasn’t supposed to have the list yet. The delivery is happening tonight. In Monte Carlo. And they think,” Matt turned his attention back to Dom. “They think you were going to get it tonight.”
“Mental.” Dom shook his head slowly as the realisation finally hit him. “You’re all mental. You want to arrest me. Is that why I have to go with you? Because you’re sending me to fucking prison before I can get it?! Do you even realise how fucking insane that is?! You fucker! I thought we were friends, I thought you-”
Matt raised his voice above Dom’s tirade and stopped Chris from interfering with a simple hand gesture. “What I think is that it’s very convenient that someone so close to me is getting accused of something like this. There is a list out there with identities of several agents... and now, of all people, Dom is getting involved in it.”
“I’ve got nothing to do with that!” Dom shouted.
“I know that! But someone’s trying very hard to make it seem like you do!” Matt countered. “Can’t you see what’s going on?”
“How come no one can see how ridiculous this is and that it’s all linked then?” Chris asked. “You and now him?”
“Nobody knows who I am, Chris!”
Silence set like a bucket of cold water at Matt’s reminder.
He scratched the back of his head, lowering his voice again. “There are a lot of agents working on this case but my contact has managed to settle things in our favour, at least for now. We decided to report that Dom has been captured and persuaded to work with the MI6 in exchange for being liberated of all charges.”
“Oh thanks a lot, how generous of you.”
Matt only offered a roll of his eyes at that. “We prepared an operation to take place in Monte Carlo tonight, to try and retrieve the list. If it all goes well, we protect the identities of all the officers at risk, which means that depending on the situation it pretty much equals to saving their lives… and we can clear Dom’s name.”
“Why don’t you come forward and tell everyone who you are and why it’s so fucking ridiculous that Dom’s involved? Wouldn’t that be a lot easier to clear his name?” Chris hissed.
“I can’t. I can’t compromise my position. You have no idea what’s at stake.”
“He is at stake, Matt!”
Matt stood and stepped towards Chris, raising his voice and standing his ground. “I can’t compromise the safety of everyone I know! It’s not just Dom!” His hands moved fervently. “It’s you, my own family, everyone that works for Muse! I won’t allow that whoever is setting us up gets away with it! We can get this done in a way that no one will be harmed!”
“Oh, now you’re worried! Why didn’t you think of it before, Matt?!” Chris yelled. “You should’ve thought of that before, you selfish dick! What the hell made you think that you could go on like this forever without anything ever happening?”
Matt pursed his lips in a tight line, the answer apparently eluding him, and turned his back on them to look outside once more before facing the drummer again. “We need your help.”
“You make it sound like I have a choice,” the blond said bitterly.
“You think I wanna do this? You don’t think I’d rather send you home with Chris?”
Resignation rather than anger tinted his voice when Dom said, “I don’t know what I should think anymore, Matt.”
Outside, the distant sound of a helicopter approaching grabbed the attention of all three. Matt bolted to the window, drawing his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialling before placing it to his ear.
“It’s here,” he said. “Yes, the two of us will take the train.” He disconnected without another word and turned to Chris. “That’s your ride, you’ll be home in a couple of hours. Please stop arguing with me and do as I say.”
“Then stop making these ridiculous demands!”
“Do you wanna see Kelly and your kids again or not?”
By the way Chris stepped back and gasped, Dom knew Matt had made his point and won the argument. He snorted at his nerve. Chris didn’t have much of a choice except to move and he had to hurry the fuck up too.
“The two of you,” the bassist lifted his chin. “Where are you going? Monte Carlo?”
“Yes. We’re taking the train to the airport and then fly to Nice.” He glanced outside quickly. “And if anyone asks, you can say exactly that; that we’re staying in the south of France for a couple of days.”
“What about Glen? Is he alright?”
“Glen got pissed up last night when we went out for dinner. Overslept today, doesn’t remember anything and because I’m a cunt, I let him miss the flight home. D’you know what I mean?”
It was disturbing how calculating he was and the ease with how he displayed it. Chris eventually nodded, though he clearly wasn’t happy with the unfolding of events, and took a deep breath. He hugged Dom and patted his back, the drummer patting back. They exchanged a brief smile and Chris strode towards the door, stopping and turning to Matt before leaving. The smile was gone.
“You fuck this up, Matt, and then it’s me you’ll be dealing with.” He locked eyes with the singer and didn’t avert them, as if in a contest. At last, Matt lowered his gaze to the floor. “Keep me updated.”
Matt didn’t say a word to that and Dom could already guess that there was no plan to keep Chris updated. Or anyone else, for that matter. Except these people Matt kept talking to, of course, because they were on a mission. A fucking mission. Wasn’t he supposed to be home by now, watching reruns of whatever stupid show he could find on the telly?
He watched Chris shut the door behind himself with a loud bang that made it rattle in its hinges and couldn’t help but run over to the window to watch him go. Two men were approaching the bassist, who lowered his head and stuffed his hands in his leather jacket pockets to protect himself from the helicopter’s airstream. One of the men grabbed his shoulder and pointed him towards the vehicle. Matt shifted beside Dom, moving towards the shadows behind the window, but the drummer paid him no attention, watching the bassist climb inside the helicopter, followed by the two agents who’d flanked him. Their eyes locked for a brief moment, and Chris nodded at him. The message was clear: Come home safely.
As quickly as the helicopter had arrived it was gone again, and Dom felt a strange emptiness at the departure of his friend. He looked at Matt, who was carefully following what went on outside, making sure he would not be spotted at his observation point. It would be only the two of them from then on.
Prior to last night, Dom had thought he could claim to know Matt better than anyone. The events in the past few hours, however, were a rude awakening to the reality that, in fact, he didn’t know Matt at all. He could discern traces of the person he’d known his whole life but so much was wholly foreign to him. The way he spoke, the way he moved, even the way he looked at Dom. There was no playfulness, no affection, no recognition in his eyes. It was as though Dom was only an element in the case he and his colleagues were currently focusing on solving, no more than a piece among many on a board game. Rationally, he could admit that Matt would not be half as good as he seemed to be if he wasn’t capable of embedding himself with a very strong level of detachment. Dom simply could not do the same, though, could not deal with it just yet. It was too astonishing, too difficult to accept, too soon.
He had no idea what he was getting himself into, he expected Matt to explain as soon as he saw fit. But he longed for a strong cup of coffee, a comfortable bed... He realised the chain of thoughts was leading to Matt and how it was him Dom imagined would be in that imaginary bed with him. But that Matt no longer existed.
***
The trip to France went by much faster than Dom had predicted. The train station was a ten minute walk from the old mill and they reached the airport without further incident, stopping for breakfast in the departures lounge while they waited for the flight. Dom was too preoccupied to pay any proper attention to anything surrounding him, though, his mind far away especially after Matt had at last briefed him on the plan.
Scarce on details, claiming that they’d sort the smaller facts once they reached the hotel, he’d given Dom a general overview of what was requested of him.
The delivery of the list was to take place that very night in the Casino de Monte Carlo, one of the most prestigious and luxurious casinos in the world, and one that they were no strangers to. As the MI6 possessed no sliver of information regarding who Dom was supposed to meet or how the delivery was going to be handled, their best bet was to simply enter the casino, walk through the private rooms and wait for the trader to get in touch with the blond. Matt’s presence would serve an important function: he was Dom’s bandmate and therefore his presence raised no suspicion to anyone, but he was the officer who had been assigned to the mission and was responsible for the entire operation. Reporting directly to the Chief of the MI6 as usual, he would keep his anonymity intact.
“Basically, you don’t need to do anything but show up and let the current owner contact you,” Matt had concluded. “The information we have is vague but if you’re supposed to be the courier, someone will try to reach you.”
“What if nothing happens? What if we go there, gamble the whole night and leave empty handed?”
“No chance,” Matt had shaken his head in dismissal. “The deal’s done, so they will contact you. It could be that you’re not even aware of it, but the delivery will happen. Then we’ll have not only the list but whoever has a hold of it.”
Dom had decided not to argue.
They were greeted with a clear sky upon landing in Nice, and Dom recalled all the times he’d arrived at that same airport to spend a few relaxing days at the French coast, usually in the summer. Having lunch at one of his favourite restaurants, however, wasn’t an option in today’s agenda.
Matt quickly strode across the airport arrivals hall, skilfully avoiding a girl who stared at him curiously and would probably have approached him for an autograph had she been given half the chance. Directing Dom to one of the parking areas without hesitation, it seemed that Matt intended on picking up a car. The singer had only stopped once to check which section they were, and then continued with Dom in tow, stopping right next to a beautiful dark grey Audi A8. He knew Matt had no keys, they hadn’t stopped anywhere he could collect them from. Did he seriously intend on picking the lock?
But Matt simply held his phone in front of the handle and a red light flashed out of the slot like it was some sort of scanning device, hitting the iPhone screen. The light turned green and Dom heard the doors unlocking. Matt opened the door and was about to get in when he turned back to Dom.
“Well?” He glanced at the drummer, who was still rooted to the spot in utter amazement. “Get in.”
He took the passenger’s seat without a word. The list of things he wished he could ask Matt about continued to grow. Matt reached into the dashboard, quickly going through what seemed to be a number of documents, including the vehicle’s registration certificate, while Dom admired the sleekness of the interior and gingerly touched the leather of his seat. Matt then put everything in its original place, reaching afterwards for the glove compartment, pulling a number of items out while he set his earpiece.
“Cheers, we’re here.” Matt spoke, opening one of the boxes that had evidently been packed specifically for him. He pulled out a key and immediately pushed it into the car’s ignition. Then he proceeded to empty the box. An iPhone that suspiciously looked like Dom’s current one came to light, even sporting the same leopard print hard case. He had to double check his pocket to make sure it was still where he’d left it.
“I’ve got the second phone and the key card,” he listed. Dom could spot Monte Carlo’s Hotel de Paris logo on the golden plastic. Then he pulled something else out, something black and sleek looking that made Dom’s throat close up. “And a Beretta M9 9mm.”
To see the gun and additional ammunition right in Matt’s lap made the drummer swallow in discomfort. He hadn’t forgotten about the events on Lake Zurich the day prior, but seeing it so close and knowing that Matt’s people thought this was a necessity didn’t make him feel at ease at all. Quite the contrary, actually. He wanted to believe that Matt would not consciously put him in any danger but the truth was that he no longer could blindly assume that. The fact was, they were using him as bait.
“Yeah, yeah, will do when we arrive at the hotel,” Matt said, putting everything in the glove compartment again except the phone, surreptitiously glancing at Dom. “Course he won’t know. I’ll get rid of it as soon as I make the switch.”
Dom was fastening the seat belt, pulling the strap with more force than he intended, biting back another question. They had obviously been talking about him. It stung that Matt would talk like this, as if he wasn’t here with him, wasn’t part of any of this. The singer had hung up in the meanwhile and was now turned in his seat facing Dom.
“Give me your phone.”
“What the bloody hell do you want my phone for?” He had a feeling he already knew the answer.
“We’re going to replace it to make sure you’re not getting tracked and followed by Sokolov’s group. Or anyone else for that matter,” he explained. “And to remove some contacts and most of your private information too.”
Dom stayed still for a moment. Then he reluctantly pulled the device out of his leather jacket pocket. Matt snatched it out of his hand immediately and Dom watched as he unlocked the device, shut it down and removed the SIM card in quick succession. He narrowed his eyes.
“How do you know my password?” he asked through gritted teeth. It seemed like such a small thing after all that was happening but it still irked him.
“You know mine too,” Matt simply said. But even in the dark, Dom thought he could see his ears flushing.
“No, I don’t and you know that.” He didn’t get a reply. “Is this what you were just saying that I wouldn’t know about? Switching my phone?”
“Yes. You’re obviously not supposed to know.”
Dom nodded and said nothing, just pocketing the phone that was identical to his in every aspect down to the settings, while Matt put the separate pieces of the old one in the glove box too. If Matt thought he was somehow making Dom feel better by confiding something in him that the MI6 didn’t know, well he was wrong. Was there anyone he wouldn’t lie to?
Matt’s right hand went to the key in the ignition but hesitated for a moment. He turned back to Dom and looked him straight in the eyes. “Look, I know what you’re thinking. But I swear to you that I don’t nose around your things. Not under normal circumstances.”
“I figured that’s what spies do. Nosing around and lying to their best friends. To their boyfriend,” he said dismissively.
Matt stayed quiet at that and turned back to the street in front of them. Dom sighed, trying to brush off the disappointment.
“I… I memorise things like that easily… Saw you typing it in one morning and remembered it,” Matt whispered. “But I’ve never used it, I swear.” Another pause followed before Matt continued, “I know you’re thinking that I’m a liar and a fraud, but I’ve always been me. I’ve never pretended to be someone else, except for the… well, this stuff. I know that you won’t believe me, but please, at least try to trust me. I want to help you out of this, Dom, but I can’t do it without you.”
Even though his eyes were cast forward, Dom could see the nervousness in them. He looked genuine, and Dom wanted to believe him. He really did. It used to be easy like that; Matt asking him to follow him and Dom would have done it blindly. Now, however…
“I suppose I can try,” he finally said.
A nod from the singer ended the conversation. The engine roared to life when Matt turned the key and navigated the car out of the parking lot. They took the A-8 freeway to Monaco, the journey made in silence with Matt on the wheel and Dom determined not to look at him. He hoped the whole ordeal would be over soon but regardless, he knew that nothing would ever be the same.
