Just Keep Swimming [Wes, Nesia]

[Kyle Kirkland]

A-one and a-two and a-SPLASH! Cold, cold bubbles, was he heading the right way? Yes here he was. Kick, kick and breathe. Kyle settled smoothly into the familiar coordination of arms, legs and lungs. Swimming was a skill as second nature to him as tying his shoelaces. What had been aimless paddling in the bunyip pool with his friends as a child, had been refined into a strong powerful stroke by adolescence and beyond. Honestly, if he had not wanted to work with animals as much as he did, he would probably have gone on to swim competitively. As it was, swimming was still an activity that brought many challenges and enjoyments with it. Crossing Bass Strait, which contained some of the most treacherous waters of the south, had been an experience and a half. Maybe he should have a go at Dover Strait someday, he was in the right country after all.


Above the surface it was chilly, but in the insulating warmth of water and wetsuit Kyle did not feel the cold. Water was funny like that, once you stopped shivering it became positively delightful and you did not want to get out. The Australian reached the bridge and performed a tight forward roll to head back in the other direction. That lap was about 75 meters. Another 50 laps or so and then he would be ready to head in for the day. One nice thing about swimming in the Themes was the lack of sharks, jellyfish, and stingrays. Boats were much easier to spot and avoid than a group of bluebottles, being stung by one of those things was a nasty business.


By the time he was on his third lap Kyle felt sure enough of the water to turn his thoughts inwards and reflect. Swimming for him did what meditation or yoga did for others, it cleared his mind. The rest was appreciated even more now, than it had ever been before. Except perhaps for those exhaustingly painful days after his veterinary finals.


Over the sound of passing boats was the high cheering cries of his “entourage” as people were beginning to call them. Most swimmers’ training teams consisted of a coach, sponsor, and bikinied “promotional” girls. His team was sorely lacking in all of these, though to their credit, they all had bikinis. While not exactly supportive, they were certainly very memorable. Kyle smiled wryly to himself. As long as they kept his towel dry they were good enough for him.

[Westley Walters-Kirkland]

The Kiwi slouched back in his chair, Matilda perched on his lap as a warm little pillow. Daffyd lounged rather contently beside them, chewing away on a corner of the towel towel that they had laid out to set up on. Honestly it was rather nice, taking a little time out of his usual morning schedule to watch Kyle show up the Poms. It wasn't like he could tell him that though, it would all travel up to his head and make him impossible to deal with until he forgot about it.

Either way his niece Matilda was looking very smashing in her bikini and large plastic sunglasses, the drop bear looking every bit of the super diva she was as she chewed on a rabbit apple that Westley had given her. Daffy didn't look too bad himself, the fluffy knave looking rather smashing in the garment. Then Wes...he certainly was working hard to seem encouraging of his cousin. Once one got past the flat chest he wasn't too bad to look at, short hair pulled up into two ragged ponytails on either side of his head. He had bet that Kyle wouldn't do it and lost.

Lazily he waved a sign as he sipped at his tacky little palm tree cup of juice, the words on it reading 'SWIM YOU DULLARD' in large vibrant print. He even had a megaphone that he would hold up to Daffyd every now and then to give an encouraging bleat to the other as he swam about.

Honestly it was a little chilly, but the Kiwi had packed accordingly after having seen the day's weather on the news a day earlier. There were four towels, a change of clothes for Oz, Kiwi's school uniform, sunscreen, sandwiches, his school sweater, and of course an insulated flask of tea for when the Aussie climbed out of the water shivering. The people passing on foot would pause and stare for a moment before continuing their morning commute, shaking their heads wearily about the youth and their oddities.

After a bit he leaned over a and set a pair of tacky pink sunglasses on Daffyd's nose, slipping an identical pair up over his eyes as he waved the sign a bit and handed it to Matilda to hold.

"SWIM FASTER WANKER! DON'T WANT THE BLASTED POMS SEEING YOU MAKE A FOOL OF YOURSELF!"

Best coach ever.

[Nesia Notonegoro]

475 words ew swimming

I t was five in the morning and Nesia had been awake for an hour. She usually did wake up early, but this was too early even for her standard. Not to mention that her job at the casino last night ended quite late as always. But if she continued sleeping, she might miss an opportunity to gain a valuable information. Two nights ago Nesia overheard two members of the Bratva discussing about smuggling... something. Definitely an important item. What made her interested was because they discussed it away from other members, as if they feared that others might overhear them. Thanks to MI6's highly advanced equipment, Nesia managed to know where and when they were going to retrieve said item. Therefore, her job now was just to keep listening - and take a peek, if possible - then she ought to inform Mathias about her findings. It was scheduled an hour from now, so she better get going. Nesia wore a gray hooded sport jacket on top of her t-shirt and pants. She planned to disguise as a jogger, although she doubted any sane civilian would want to jog near a shady place like the meeting place. To further make her disguise believable, Nesia decided not to bring a gun with her. In the back of her mind, an imaginary short haired Swiss man shaking his head in a disapproving manner. Sorry, but you're not here to tell me what to do, Nesia mused. But even though she disliked the feeling of holding a gun, it did make her feel safer. Better safe than sorry. An hour and thirty minutes later, with her gun tucked safely under her jacket and dangling earphone connected to a silent phone, Nesia arrived at the meeting place. She saw a van stopped at the end of an alley and five people moved three wooden crates from the inside. They all looked heavy. Weapons, perhaps? But before Nesia managed to look closer, a man shouted. He had seen her. Pulling her hood up, Nesia did what her instinct told her to do: run. Sure she had a gun and all, but she couldn't risk her face being seen by any of them; in case one of them related to the Bratva and thus risking her position in the mafia. She heard one gunshot from her behind, causing her to push herself more into running. Nesia didn't stop until she reached a river with busy streets nearby. Criminals usually avoided crowds. But not this one. Two men were trying to go through the crowd. Seeing that she might need a hiding place soon, Nesia walked down the riverbank. It was slippery, possibly after a morning rain, so Nesia looked for something to grab before she moved her footing. But her right foot cramped all of sudden, and Nesia fell straight into the water.

LAIKA OF GS!

[Kyle Kirkland]

“I can’t hear you!” Kyle chirruped laughingly to Wes. He had in fact heard every word ‘So I’m the wanker huh?’ but was in no position to start a shouting match with his cousin. He was better off finishing his swim and returning to dry land before diving into any arguments. After all, Wes had his things.


Up ahead he heard splashing, a quick glance told him that it was a boat full of rowers and they were headed straight for a collision course. Rather than trying to swim around the boat he dived down and carried on in the direction he was going whilst the rowers passed overhead. They were fast and in a few seconds he was able to return to the surface.


How interesting. Kyle couldn’t remember having to avoid a boat of rowers before. Most people at home preferred surfing or sailing over the oars. The Brits had introduced many sports to Australia but rowing didn’t seem to have caught on, probably because the surf wouldn’t allow any row boat to stay upright for long. Britain was different like that. Not a bad different but still not what he was used to.


The main thing he struggled with was the crowding. Everyone here was literally packed on top of each other. You could almost feel the energy throbbing like an industrial beehive. Britain was a tiny island, yet its population was still over twice that of Australia’s. It was easy to see why transportation had once been so popular. Kyle sighed and begun another lap.


He’d grown up in a tiny township that was spread over a vast area. Wide spaces, flat lands, and the most gorgeous night skies when the sun went down. That had been his home. All these street lamps and buildings and the constant hum of traffic was like being wrapped up in a very heavy and stuffy blanket in the summertime. He missed home, but at the same time he knew he was being a massive hypocrite. At home he had no direction, no purpose, nothing to make his life really worthwhile. Being here in London gave him good work, the sort of work that left him tired out and but completely satisfied when he went to bed. Here his life had meaning, even more so now that his cousin was here to enjoy it with him. Who was it that said the grass was greener on the other side?

Another splash interrupted Kyle’s thoughts and he looked up to see what was ahead. At first he couldn’t see anything, but then off to the side he spotted a pair of arms and a head. Another swimmer? Who in their right mind would go swimming in a track suit?


Then it hit Kyle, this person wearing the track suit had obviously fallen in, and what’s more they seemed to be struggling in the water. Cautiously Kyle made his way over to the person. He was wary about getting too close. For one thing if this person (possibly female although it was hard to tell from this distance) did not if fact want to be rescued they would probably take offence to him doing so. And also, there was the fact that approaching a drowning person in the water is very risky. If the victim panics and starts clinging then there’s a very real chance that both people will drown. These facts and a dozen more jumped into his mind as he swam closer to where the girl was still floundering.


By the time Kyle had reached her it was clear that a life buoy/inflatable raft/other helpful flotation device was not going to magically appear to aid him. He would have to do this himself. With a deep breath he swam the last few strokes and wrapped his arms around her torso, directly beneath her armpits. “Don’t be frightened” Kyle’s voice was quiet, reassuring and warm, it was the exact same tone he used for the patients he treated when they were in distress. “You won’t drown. I’ve got you. Lie back and try to float, like a raft.”


‘Please don’t panic and grab me.’

‘Please don’t panic and grab me.’

‘Please don’t panic and grab me or we’ll both drown and Wes will kill me.’

[Nesia Notonegoro]

452 WORDS

T he fall seemed so long. The world slowed down, the noise from the street reduced into mumbles. And then the water caught her - cold, wet and bitter. She was not in some swimming pool where there were people nearby. This was the river. Her mind instantly fled far into her past, in the humid tropical village where her family once settled for few years. They found his body on the riverbank, washed ashore lifeless. Rotten and bloated and purple. The smell plagued her for days, killing her appetite. The experience had traumatized her young mind so much, making her lost interest in swimming. Afraid of swimming in the river. It would eat her. She would drown and die. No no no no no no no - she shouldn't die now. She had so much things to do! Her arms stretched upwards, flailing, but there was nothing to grasp. There were only air and water that surrounded her - water in her eyes, in her nostrils, in her throat; bitter water silencing her screams for help. She would drown and die. That would be ironic, considering how far she had gone to keep herself alive and stayed under the radar. But everything didn't matter now, right? “You won’t drown. I’ve got you. Lie back and try to float, like a raft.” Float? FLOAT? How did she stay afloat? HOW? Pull yourself together, Nesia! Someone was here, someone was going to help her, so she better not screw things up. She recalled her swimming lesson long, long ago, and did what he said. Don't panic, don't panic, so he can help you. The P.E. teacher back home told her students how to save people from drowning and how not to panic when you're drowning, yet Nesia vaguely remembered it. Take a breath, inhale, exhale, slowly, slowly. Not panicking certainly would help a lot. Once she managed to see her feet floating above the surface, Nesia was coughing and gasping for air. Panic had stopped building within her - she's saved. The agent found a man beside her, his face was blocked by the sunlight. She detected familiarity in his voice, but she couldn't come up with a name. When they reached the riverbank, she saw someone else already waiting for them. Nesia lied on her stomach, still shivering and coughing more water. The gun pressed on her chest, reminding her that her weapon was now soaking wet and no longer usable. Damn. The woman straightened her back, using her elbow as a support. She turned to see the man who had rescued her, ready to say her gratitude, but the first word that came from her mouth was not "thanks". Instead, it was a name. "K-Kyle...?"

LAIKA OF GS!

[Kyle Kirkland]

Kyle could now see why rescuing someone directly from the water was not recommended. The extra water resistance, keeping yourself and the other person afloat, trying not to grope anywhere you weren’t meant to. It was utterly exhausting! Eventually he settled for a sort of moderated backstroke with only one arm so as to keep the other around the woman’s shoulders. But even this was less than efficient. Swimming is all about conservation of energy, less means more, make each stroke count. But when towing a whole other person along Kyle found he was splashing around excessively just to keep the two of them afloat. Thankfully he only had a few meters to go.

The little piece of ground he was aiming for was fortunately not that high from the water level. It was the way that Kyle probably would have entered the river if diving off the bridge were not so much more fun. Together they made it to the bank and sat there for a while coughing up what felt like half the Thames. Now that he was out of the insulating warmth of the water Kyle felt himself start to shiver and the woman he had just saved was in no better condition, her naturally sun warmed skin was much paler than it should have been and she had not bothered to push back the long dark hair that was mattered across her mouth and face. The fact that she was still bringing up water would not have made this a pleasant feeling.

Rolling unsteadily onto his knees Kyle began tucking the woman’s hair away from her face and delivering clinical first aid information through chattering teeth. “That-t water was not much ab-bove freezing temperature. You’ll have t-to change out of your wet things as q-quickly as possible. My cousin and I can t-take you…” He faltered in speech when he recognised the features of the women. Her lips were blue and her face was pale but there was no mistaking her eyes, dark and wondrous.

“Nesia?”

Of all the people that he could have saved from drowning it was the girl that he had only met once and yet would be the first person he’d invite to a milk bar for a sundae. Kyle’s brain, which was usually very reliable in high pressure situations, shut down completely and his mouth took over the thinking. “What the hell were you doing in the river, in a tracksuit? No don’t answer that. Why weren’t you swimming? Oh right, not many people in Indonesia can swim right? You shouldn’t go into deep water if you can’t…You might’ve…” He shut his mouth. Clearly his mindless babble was alarming her and that was the last thing he wanted to do. “Look we need to get you into some dry clothes, before you freeze. You can have the spare ones that Kiwi brought for me. D-do you mind if I take your jacket?”

After waiting for a nod that might have been permission but was probably just shivering Kyle tugged down the zipper of Nesia’s jacket and to his utter surprise a very familiar gun tumbled out. Before joining MI6 Kyle had known as much about guns as the average Australian (nothing whatsoever) but since coming to London he had learnt to recognise the kind of guns the agents usually took with them on missions. They were special, having been created in part by the redhead that ruled the spy lab. This gun was unmistakably one of them.

Kyle’s brain finally kicked into gear again. The gun would have to be concealed before every Lawless in the city swooped down on them. And Kyle would have to reveal his own history, just enough so Nesia wouldn’t suspect him. He picked up the gun and handed it back to the girl. “I know what you are. I-I’m a Researcher, for Q.”

[Westley Walters-Kirkland]

Wes sat back and watched as Kyle swam, continuing to strain his lungs and bellow out his encouragement. He wanted him to succeed quite a bit, since when it came to his cousin and his flawless physique...he sometimes felt as if he was accomplishing the same through him. It had always been like that, Kiwi the brains and Kyle the brawn. He didn't feel any need to change it, besides he knew that he never could. He couldn't see Kyle hunkering down with books anyways, if he did sheep would surely fly.

Everything seemed to be going simply swimmingly, pardon the pun. Kyle was making good time and had perfect form as usual, and Kiwi shouted encouragement when he surfaced from avoiding a boat. He was getting far, and it was doubtful that he even heard it, yet the gesture was nice and he knew Kyle would appreciate it. The boy's lips curved into a smile and he leaned back into the beach chair, sipping at his drink while Matilda climbed up to get comfortable against him. She seemed a little glum, not really too taken with being out and about without Kyle. Though Kiwi and her were on rather good terms...it seemed he just wasn't the same to her. Daffyd though was always cheery, his head resting on Wes's lap lazily as he napped. Everything had slipped to a soft lull now that Kyle was ways over, and he watched the other swim with dull eyes as his mind wandered elsewhere.

It took a little bit for him to realize that Kyle had even strayed from his course, and he blinked a good few times to be sure that it was correct. Why was he...oh...someone was flailing in the water, drowning! He knew that! They had taught loads in school about it as he was a kid, and he felt rather useless watching without knowing how he was supposed to help. Kyle was there though, and as he watched a loud groan bubbled in his throat at how his cousin drew close and gripped her.

The sharp intake of breath at his dire mistake made Matilda and Daffyd shoot up, the both of them looking around for what was wrong before giving Wes a look. He hardly noticed, instead he was groping quickly for the towels and change of clothes for when they reached the bank. Firstly he tugged on his own shark-covered shorts and his cousin's jumper, Kyle hadn't actually succeeded so he had no reason to wear the stuff anymore, but now fully prepared her scurried down to the bank with the animal squad in tow to meet his cousin the white knight and his princess.

"Oi...what happened. Why did you do that? If your Mum heard she would yell at you...you could have drowned..." He draped a towel over Kyle's shoulders when he got close, crouching down at his side. "She could have killed you...no offence meant miss..." He smiled at her rather warmly and offered a towel, green gaze slipping down to the gun in his hand. Generally letting people who have nearly drowned hold dangerous things was hardly a good idea, judgement was something that could have more than likely been temporarily impaired by the little trauma. So, with careful fingers he pried it from her hands and stared at it, giving Kyle a look of 'whydoestheladyhaveagun?!?!' as he stuffed it into bikini top to be held there temporarily. Daffyd started to chew on the woman's hair as Matilda stared at the dripping Oz and decided he wasn't a suitable perch as of yet.

"You're a fucking moron..." he mumbled to his cousin, finally having a moment to collect his thoughts from the initial surprise. His reaction had been frighteningly calm, each action measured and rehearsed in his mind beforehand like he had been taught. Yet now...he could react to that sudden feeling of fright for the fraction of the moment that he thought Kyle was going to die, and it felt like all the wind was knocked out of him. His wiry arms wrapped around his cousin's neck, the teen leaning in for a quick hug. Normally this wasn't something he would do, this kind of affection between them in public was never this soft and blatant unless something horrible happened like a cat jumped on him or...Kyle did something he was told never to do and could have died. It was special, he had been spooked and needed a little bit of comfort that Kyle was still there and all in one piece.

"I'm telling your Mum...you're never allowed to do anything like that ever again. You'll end up strangled on the bottom of some dump in Pommyland, and ever a Beeteater like you doesn't deserve that..." Matilda stared at Kyle disapprovingly, Kiwi pulling away to dry his cousin's hair with the towel quickly so he could dry off the rest of himself. "What are you going to do? Home or hospital?" Honestly he preferred home, even if they were going to take the woman in tow. "Takeout for dinner? I want something weird...like curry....or..sushi? I haven't ever had sushi before." He spoke to fill the silence tense silence that began once he arrived, slipping the towel down around his cousin's shoulder now that his hair was dry-ish. Carefully he extracted Matilda from his shoulder and set her on the toweled perch, the girl rather thankful she was back with her 'Da'. 

[Nesia Notonegoro]

742 WORDS WHAT THE HECK SHEEP IMMA CALL ANIMAL CONTROL

❝ What the hell were you doing in the river, in a tracksuit? No don’t answer that. Why weren’t you swimming? Oh right, not many people in Indonesia can swim right? You shouldn’t go into deep water if you can’t…You might’ve…” "I'm sorry, what?" Nesia muttered, confused. She even hadn't recovered from her initial shock caused by her fall, so his words were nothing but a wind to her. The MI6 agent tried to prop herself up by using her elbows, but they were shaking so badly. She just leaned closer to Kyle instead, trying to comprehend his questions and form an explanation, yet her mind refused to think other than the ways to warm her body. Nesia saw that there's nothing she could do to tell him what really happened. Her mission was not something she could discuss freely with a civilian. And she didn't feel like explaining, anyway. Lying was better, but she should warm herself first. “Look, we need to get you into some dry clothes, before you freeze." Nesia simply nodded. A younger boy was standing nearby with a towel in his hand. Apparently Kyle wasn't alone here. The other boy scolded him for jumping into the river. She didn't recognize him, but she felt that these two were related. Must be those eyebrows. "You can have the spare ones that Kiwi brought for me. D-do you mind if I take your jacket?” Before Nesia could reply, Kyle already start to unzip her jacket. Panicking, Nesia lifted her hands to grab his wrist, but she hadn't stop shivering yet. If she didn't fall to the river, her cheeks would turn deep red from this sudden contact. "No, I c-can do it myself, no need to--" And then her gun fell. The safety was still on, and the river water possibly had rendered it useless, yet it's still a gun. An agent's gun was not a weapon that you could purchase easily. Each gun was custom made, thanks to MI6's redhead researcher. Nesia knew she might get some scolding from him if she broke her gun. The absence of nearby voices told her that both males had seen it falling from her jacket. Kyle picked it up before Nesia could say anything. The lack of proper warming, the previous chase she had and her recent near death experience prevented her to think clearly. She forgot all she had learned during her training. Now she only focused to make Kyle believe that Nesia didn't carry it around to kill people. "It doesn't look like you think it is - I mean, it's... it's..." “I know what you are." Nesia stared at him. What did he know? "I-I’m a Researcher, for Q.” Kyle knew Q. Kyle worked under Q. Kyle was in the MI6. Come to think of it... he had the same last name like Q and one of a fellow agent too. She looked straight into his eyes. He seemed to be telling the truth. Funny how a guy whom she met only once actually a coworker and a relative of two other coworkers. She remembered Kyle didn't say anything about his MI6 affiliation back then (as it's the standard protocol), only stated that he worked with animals a lot. Nesia didn't say anything yet, still too exhausted to think, so she opted to reach for her gun instead. But the other boy took it from her trembling fingers and casually slipped it underneath his top. "H-hey!" Nesia was about to pull herself up, but a tug she felt on her head stole her attention away. A sheep was chewing on her wet, tangled hair. She whimpered, trying to pull her hair away but the sheep seemed to be adamant in chewing. Finally the animal lost interest to her and let her hair go - now soaked in spit. Nesia vaguely heard that they talked about sushi. She waited until they were done talking before getting Kyle's attention back to her again. "I guess you do know what I am, Kyle," she said, her voice was firm although her body was still shivering a bit. Nesia purposely left out the part of what they both knew, in case the blond boy was not involved in MI6 - and that would be unlikely since he looked young enough to be a high school student. She turned to face him and held her hand towards him, its palm facing up. "And... please, return my gun."

LAIKA OF GS!

[Kyle Kirkland]

Kyle was watching Nesia very carefully. He needed to judge her reaction to the revelation that they had a common allegiance to MI6, and from there determine how they would go about disguising that fact. At least he would have watched her carefully...for directly after he had spoken the scene was invaded by a koala, a sheep and a kiwi, and they had something of a tendency to hog the limelight.

Daffy went straight over to Nesia and started chewing on her hair. Well fair enough, she did have longer hair than the cousins combined. But even so, having your locks grazed upon probably didn’t feel very nice if you weren’t used to it. Matilda was staring at him coldly, passive aggressive treatment for being the soaking shivering mess that he was and not the satisfactory roost that she required. Wes was…fussing. There really wasn’t any other word for it. Phrases like “Why did you do that?” and “If your Mum heard she would yell at you" only confirmed it.

Westley obviously had no idea what the gun signified, for this Kyle was very grateful, but that did not stop it being any less alarming when he plucked the gun neatly out of Nesia’s hands. Then when he stuffed the weapon down his bikini top Kyle momentarily froze, half expecting to hear a bang and the sound of his cousin’s innards spilling on the ground. It was only when Wes rounded his gaze on him that he started again. Those eyes, so much like his own, were gazing at him with a dreadful mixture of anger, fear and relief.

“You’re a fucking moron” he informed Kyle, then he collapsed into his arms and (just for a moment) buried his face in his neck, the way he used to before they became too cool for open displays of affection.

“I know, I’m sorry” Kyle murmured in his ear as he returned the hug. Wes was right, he been an idiot. They both knew what happened to people who tried to be thoughtless heroes by jumping into deeper water without any concerns of safety. Both of them had been warned by their mothers, as had every other child that had grown up in their countries. It was one of the reasons why Australia and New Zealand had such low drowning rates for their populations. To go against it was unthinkable, not that Kyle’d had much time to think when he was out there. He dried his hair apologetically while he was alternatively scolded and questioned.

“Home I think, not serious enough for a hospital. And we have all those woolly blankets.” Plus their superiors would find out if they went to the hospital and then there would be trouble. “We can get take out, have you ever tried Indonesian curry? It’s good. I ate tons of it in my gap year. And we’ll open a new box of chocolate covered pineapple chunks”. Kyle must have said the right thing, because he was then presented with Matilda and she settled herself comfortably on his shoulder once again.

He looked again at Nesia. How had she become an agent he wondered? Why was she in the river in the first place? How classified was that information? So many questions he couldn’t ask. But there was one thing she could say. Once she’d pushed Daffy away she looked back at him at spoke “I guess you do know what I am, Kyle” That was all that he needed to know. ”And, please…return my gun"

Nodding grimly he turned back to Wes who still had a highly dangerous MI6 weapon stuffed down his front. “Wes you can give the water pistol back to Nesia now, she’s playing assassins and needs it to shoot at other players.” Surreptitiously he winked at his fellow MI6 worker. How was that a plausible cover story?

[Westley Walters-Kirkland]

"Home I think"

That was all Wes needed to hear to be sure that Kyle would be just fine, the elder was far more liberal in regards to healthcare than himself. And if he said he was fine he would damn be fine, when stubbornness runs in a family it runs irritatingly deep. They would curl up on the couch, and Kyle would tell him he smelled, and Wes would call him a few colorful names that sounded far less threatening in his soft tone than intended. Then they would just sit there lazily with their bellies filled and some prat jabbering on about animals on a television program Kyle liked. It would be lying to deny he liked nice little nights like that, where everything was as close to normal as it would ever be and Wes didn't let out a single cough.

He saw the way Kyle tensed every time he paused to catch his breath, and every time the slightest hack rose in his throat how his cousin's fingers itched to get the inhaler he carried with him. Kyle wasn't a worrier, he didn't sit at the table fretting over where Wes was, and if he was making friends, he knew far better than to waste his time with something so trivial. But...for some reason it was at the peaceful times like the current it weighed the most on his mind.

He wanted this to be about Kyle, Kyle being a hero, and Kyle looking so effortlessly cool. Even the slightest noise in his throat would shake off the focus, and the attention of his cousin with be turned onto him until they had once again forgotten. "Well then, someone's going to catch cold if we stay here, so better to hurry away." All the better to go home quickly for pineapple lumps, and he could sneak off quickly with Daffyd to have a little sick party if the lady was staying. They seemed to be previously acquainted and all, who was he to stand in the way of his cousin pulling.

So grudgingly he returned the gun, knowing better than to believe such a dull lie, but not questioning Kyle's motives for saying it. If he said it was alright he had no option other than to simply believe him, he trusted his judgement in most cases. "There, now home?" Honestly, he was feeling a little more fatigued than usual, and home sounded like the best place to be to sleep it off. It had been a hard week after all, nothing a good rest wouldn't cure.

[Nesia Notonegoro]

367 WORDS bit short sorry

N esia wasn't paying enough attention to what the men talked about, but she heard Kyle said home. Not only these two were related, but looks like they lived together as well. A brother, perhaps? The thought about food tempted her to get some once they left the river, but there was a more important matter that she needed to do. She directed her gaze back to the bridge and its surroundings. She had hidden herself well among the busy crowd when she escaped, but she was chased. Nothing was seen up above, just people concerned with their own business. Nevertheless, it'd be risky staying here in the open. Kyle and this boy could be in trouble too, if they were seen together with her. Well, Kyle was part of MI6, but the other boy... "Yeah, home is good," she repeated it, standing up. Somehow Kyle managed to get her gun back to her, which she gingerly took and returned to its place. The blond boy seems didn't believe his reason, though. Nesia wondered just how much did he know about Kyle's job. ...And the wink was unnecessary. Her body felt heavier due to the water in her clothes and shoes. She only wanted to change it as soon as possible, so Nesia nudged the Australian's elbow. "Can we talk for a second please?" But even while she spoke, her hand already guided Kyle away from the boy. She made sure that he couldn't hear or read their lips before finally speaking. "I was chased when I fell," Nesia reported. "I'm not sure if they were still waiting nearby, but if they do, they might follow us." She bit her lip. It was hard to recall what they looked like too. The agent only saw them in a few seconds before the chase began. Her tripping and falling soon occupied most of her memory about that morning. "Home maybe isn't as safe as the headquarter. B-but if you're sure it's safe enough, then we can go there." Nesia looked away for a second, sneezing. Then she sat on the ground again, undoing her shoe laces. Looks like she would be going barefoot for the rest of the day.

LAIKA OF GS!

[Kyle Kirkland]

His sigh of relief when Westley returned the gun to Nesia’s hands was audible. Sheep and guns was not a nice combination. Then he sneezed and turned his head away to avoid spraying anyone. It occurred to Kyle that he had been out of the river for several minutes now, and was still a shivering mass of water and wetsuit. If he didn’t get into dry clothes and out of the cold soon he’d be getting hyperthermia and would be at the mercy of kiwi’s infamous nursing skills. It wasn’t that Wes wasn’t an attentive caregiver, far from it, but he did have a bad tendency to catch whatever you were sickening of and thus the nursed would become the nurser, often while they were still sick. Already the kiwi was looking a little off colour (though that was normal for him).

“Can we talk for a second please”
“Yeah sure, whaaa?” Kyle was dragged away by his elbow ‘and when had Nesia gotten that strong? Last time they’d met she could barely carry a shopping basket’ to where they could be seen but not overheard (at least not by his cousin).

“I was chased when I fell” Nesia informed him. Kyle’s eyes widened and he glanced around their surroundings but resisted turning his head to look as this would have made his actions obvious to anybody who might be watching (he’d learnt a thing or two about subtlety by talking with the agents that visited the lab). Nesia quickly filled him in on what their situation was and what the risks could be if they went to his place.

Kyle thought about their options. HQ would definitely be safer, but taking Westley there? Not to mention the a complete lack of woolly jumpers and others spare clothes. And to be honest, he really just wanted to curl up on his own couch with a mug of hot milo and a takeaway, not having to explain things and fill out a bucket load of paperwork.

If they went somewhere crowded first (the agents always said to head to a crowded place if you were being chased) then they could probably shake off any followers that hadn’t been specially trained. “We’ll catch a cab to the train station” he decided “Then you and I can change out of our wet things and Wes can pick up food. Then we’ll get another cab to my place. Does that sound alright to you?” He deferred to Nesia here, she was the Agent after all and had probably been better trained in these scenarios then he had

[Nesia Notonegoro]

322 WORDS

R ough, warm gravel met her skin as she stood once again, wet shoes dangling in one hand. Nesia had tied the shoelaces together so she could carry it easier. Her heart still pounded against her rib cage, afraid the people she spied on was waiting for a golden chance. Kyle Kirkland was not an agent; he worked behind a desk, with animals instead of people. This was not what he was assigned to do. And that boy must be a civilian -- they should leave this area immediately. Keeping the civilians safe was a part of the agent's honor code. “We’ll catch a cab to the train station.” Wincing, Nesia nodded in agreement. Train stations were always crowded at this hour. They just needed to blend in and prayed their chaser -- if any -- would lost their track. But two soaked adults plus a sheep-carrying boy would be quite a sight in the tube. Fatigue and coldness that seeped into her bones dulled Nesia's thinking ability. Whatever method the Australian proposed, she would just agree as long as it got her to a warmer, safer place. “Then you and I can change out of our wet things and Wes can pick up food. Then we’ll get another cab to my place. Does that sound alright to you?” "Yes-- ow...yeah, I mean, let's go." Nesia removed a sharp small rock from her feet, trying not to show her pain and stay as alert as possible. "Go get the... the er, your friend over there." Among the three of them, only Nesia trained specifically in this situation. Better not waste those training sessions. The woman glanced at the nearest traffic light, spotting a black cab among other vehicles. She waited until the two were ready to go before telling them what she found. "We better walk as fast as possible to the taxi," Nesia pointed at the cab. "Don't run, just walk. Don't look back."

LAIKA OF GS!

[Westley Walters-Kirkland]

Wes gave the two of them the stink eye as he stared at the two conversing in private, obviously attempting to keep him from overhearing. He didn't like the way she leaned in to speak with him so familiarly,and the way she had led him away by his elbow with such ease. It just irritated him so much, Kyle never treated him like some sort of ignorant toddler that was being hidden from the truth of an upcoming injection. It was an instant dislike blossoming in the pit of his stomach, eyes narrowing as he tugged his pursed lips into a gentle smile.

He wanted to be home, warm on the sofa with Kyle and Daffyd on either side of him for the perfect level of family comfort. And that was the only reason he didn't hurry over to overhear, because without a doubt she would drag his cousin off elsewhere and just start again. So he focused on that as he impatiently bounced on his heels and gripped Daffy's fleece, moving with him for Kyle the second that the adults broke apart. He would stick close this time and not leave an opening for her to do such a thing again. That was to be sure.

"I would think if you would have had the time to take a dive off into the river you would have the time to walk" the boy mused innocently as he glanced over at the taxi. It would be easy for Kyle to pick up that Westley was irritated, even if the reason was hard to detect. To be honest he had the least to complain about in this situation, as he was the dry one, dressed in proper clothing, and not feeling as if he had swam a marathon quite yet. Though, with the latter one he was sure that it would come with time, especially with this...woman wanting to press her palms to their backs and rush them along out of nowhere. He would talk along as he usually did, and if she wanted him to hurry she could carry his stubborn self.