Kiss Me if You Can — Chapter 3

HAA...

WHAT A GODDAMN MESS.

THIS MORNING AT THE OFFICE.

YOU'RE NOT THRILLED ABOUT THIS, ARE YOU? NEITHER ARE WE.

HONESTLY, THIS JOB CAME IN ABOUT A WEEK AGO,

BUT WE ALMOST TURNED IT DOWN, KNOWING EVERYONE WOULD HATE IT.

YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OF A NIGHTMARE MILLER IS.

WHY ELSE WOULD THIS JOB COME ALL THE WAY FROM THE WEST COAST?

Miller Out

STILL, THE CONTRACT TERMS ARE INSANE.

MILLER SURE KNOWS HOW TO THROW HIS MONEY AROUND.

DID YOU TELL THE OTHERS ABOUT IT?

YEAH, I CALLED EVERYONE. THEY SAID THEY'D THINK ABOUT IT.

IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO LAST THREE TO SIX MONTHS AT MAX.

IF IT GOES LONGER, THEY'LL PAY EXTRA.

IF YOU'RE DESPERATE, CONSIDER THIS GIG.

DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH, IF YOU'RE IN, THE WHOLE TEAM'S GOING IN.

...ALRIGHT. SIX MONTHS AT MOST.

ONCE IT'S DONE, I'M OUT, NO EXTENSIONS.

MARK CAN DEAL WITH FINDING REPLACEMENTS IF NECESSARY.

HELLO? JOSH?

MARK, HAS ANYONE ELSE AGREED TO THE GIG?

YEAH. ME, SETH, HENRY, AND ISAAC.

HENRY'S GOTTEN HIMSELF INTO TROUBLE WITH GAMBLING AGAIN.

THEN COUNT ME IN, TOO.

GREAT. THAT MAKES FIVE.

SO, WHAT ABOUT PETE?

EMMA'S STAYING WITH MY MOM.

I'LL LEAVE HIM WITH THEM FOR NOW.

GOOD TO HEAR. I'LL EMAIL YOU THE DEPARTURE DATE AND CONTRACT DETAILS.

THANKS. SEE YOU THEN.

...IT'LL BE FINE. NOTHING WILL HAPPEN.

SWEET, SWEET CHOCOLATE BAR, MY ONLY FRIEND.

CHASE MILLER'S DEBUT CHOCOLATE AD.

DRESSED AS A GIRL IN THAT COMMERCIAL,

HE BECAME EVERY AMERICAN KID'S FIRST LOVE.

I WASN'T AN EXCEPTION.

YEARS LATER, WHEN I FOUND OUT HE WAS A GUY, I WAS HEARTBROKEN.

EVEN NOW,

HE DOESN'T HAVE TO MEMORIZE SCRIPTS OR ACT,

OH MY.

JUST STANDING THERE IS ENOUGH.

LIKE RIGHT NOW.

DADDY.

DADDY.

DADDY!

OH, PETE! SORRY, WHAT'S UP?

DADDY, ARE WE GOING TO GRANDMA'S NOW?

YEP, AUNT EMMA'S PICKING US UP.

I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE GRANDMA!

SHE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU, TOO.

AS LONG AS THEY PAY WHAT THEY PROMISED, I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE DETAILS.

NO WAY MILLER'S FINDING OUT ABOUT PETE.

WITH MY SCENT NEARLY GONE, HE'LL JUST THINK I'M A BETA LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.

SOMEONE LIKE HIM WOULDN'T WASTE A GLANCE ON A LOWLY BODYGUARD.

AND, OF COURSE, HE DOESN'T EVEN REMEMBER LEAVING HIS MARK ON ME OR THE FACT THAT WE SLEPT TOGETHER.

PETE! JOSH!

AUNT EMMA!

GATE 3

PETE, YOU'VE GROWN SO MUCH!

THANKS FOR COMING ALL THIS WAY.

DON'T MENTION IT. YOU'RE STILL AS UGLY AS EVER, HUH?

SHUSH. Shut it.

GLAD TO SEE NOTHING'S CHANGED WITH YOU.

LET'S GO, PETE! GRANDMA'S WAITING FOR YOU!

okay! I can't wait to see her!

DADDY, HURRY UP!

ONE WEEK LATER.

JOSH! OVER HERE!

MORNING.

DID YOU DROP OFF PETE SAFELY?

YOU WON'T SEE HIM FOR SIX MONTHS ONCE THIS STARTS.

IT WASN'T EASY. HE WAS CLINGING TO ME, CRYING, AND HONESTLY, I WANTED TO CRY TOO.

YEAH, LEAVING YOUR KID IS THE HARDEST THING IN THE WORLD.

I HAD THE SAME STRUGGLE WHEN MY ELDEST WAS LITTLE.

ALRIGHT, LET'S GET TO IT.

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE JOB?

WELL, ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WE GOT A TIP-OFF-

...A WARNING ABOUT C'S K.

WHAT?

ARE YOU SERIOUS? C?

C'S K?

WHEN THE CLIENT IS A CELEBRITY OR SOMEONE HIGH-PROFILE,

WE USE ABBREVIATIONS TO PREVENT LEAKS.

C STANDS FOR CHASE.

K STANDS FOR KIDNAPPING.

SO, THIS JOB IS ABOUT A KIDNAPPING THREAT AGAINST CHASE.