Chapter 26

Later that night, Nick and Valeria after having dinner of salmon and macaroni and cheese sat on the centre rug of the living room, playing a game of chase that apparently had me winner for the past six three and a quarter hours. This was because somehow, Moses had a way of flipping the board over or simply waving his hands and falling all the pieces down.
At some point, Nick had joked that Moses and Valeria were walking together to soul his attempt at beating Valeria and winning the $500 she'd promised if she lost. She was a decent chess player and she knew it but Nick would have beat her more than once if not for Moses'timely interventions.
Finally, after three games and all three being interrupted by Moses, Nick gave up, glared at the child and gave him a stern 'warning' and 'spanking' that involved small pats on his diapered buttock. Needless to say, the spanking only made Moses giggle and toss on the couch, his ticklish spots 'harmed'. Valeria was still grinning over her indirect victory when Nick shook his head in disappoinment.
"There's honour among thieves remember?" Nick teased as he emptied the Chess players and slide the board under the small glass centre table.
"Tell me about it?" Valeria teased back.
"You didn't have to use a child you know, you've lost to me, more than once" he replied.
"It's not my fault the baby knows you're not ought to win" she said with a chuckle.
"I didn't know you spoke baby language too, you must have bribed this cunning little thing to ruin the game for me" Nick accused, making Valeria snort at the absurdity.
"I wouldn't know how to tell a one-year-old baby how t ruin a chess game, he doesn't even know what we're going" she laughed
"Then why is he so accurate at interrupting us?" Nick asked with a small frown.
"Don't tell me you actually believe that" she laughed even harder. "You think I put Moses up go this?"
Nick shrugged accusingly.
Valeria had a good laugh, picking Moses up and pretending to discuss with the baby in senseless incoherent babbles.
"Very mature" Nick stated.
"What? You're the one who said I paid him to ruin the game"
"With reason"
"You're irredeemable" she laughed again and Nick who couldn't help himself joined in, laughing at his own absurdity.
"Where's Pete? Still locked in for the call?" Nick asked as he tore open his pack of potato chops and began to munch in handfuls.
"He's gonna get old at this rate" she commented dryly.
Just as she spoke, the bedroom door down the hall slammed shut and Pete came out go the living room, eyes tired, face dull and unhappy.
"Speak of the devil" Nick muttered as he came to the living room and firstly changed the channel to the evening news.
"Someone's happy we restocked" he said, watching Nick's gluttony with disgust.
"Potato chips don't pass as food" Nick argued as he took another handful and munched.
"No doubt, it's probably air, consider how much you need it, it's a miracles you aren't three times your size by now" Pete mocked.
"What can I say, quick metabolism" Nick responded with a smirk.
Pete ignored him and sat on next to Valeria on the double sofa, looked at her for a few seconds before tucking an invisible strand of hair back in place behind her ear.
"I said disguises at all times" he reminded her as he saw her natural brunette.
"I don't see anyone else on theirs, the wig hurts my head Pete, now many times have I gotta say that?" She replied defensively.
"We don't need disguises, it's your face all over national TV remember? Ghost Nanny?" He taunted.
"Really? It was your failed plan and cheap information that got me in that mess to begin with" she stated angrily.
Pete simply shrugged, a careless look on his face.
"We're a team Pete, we win together and we go down together" she stated with her own smirk.
"Is that a thre___"
"Enough guys" Nick cut in loudly and turned the TV volume high, hoping that if someone was listening in on them then the TV would be distraction enough.
"Pete, I don't think anyone's gonna knock on our front door at midnight to be sure we're a couple and Valeria's pregnant for real" Nick stated factually.
"You can't be too sure pretty boy" Pete replied.
"Same way you weren't sure about your Intel that day, guess no one's ever too sure" Nick said with a smile and a shrug.
"Guess someone's in a mood too" Pete muttered and ignored Nick completely, turning to face Valeria who was adjusting the baby's shirt.
"How's the little thing? The Senator hasn't paid a dine for his upkeeps yet, I'm wondering how long before he runs out of milk" Pete said, casting a glare at the boy.
"His name is Moses" Valeria replied stiffly, took the baby from beside him and went across to set him on the triple seater and sit beside him.
"I guess the sickly thing wasn't to eager to have her baby back then" Pete stated with a frown.
"We've got to wait to see" Nick replied.
"I didn't count on this job taking forever" Pete replied.
"None of us did" he replied
"Time is as vital as the money, I have a plan" Pete stated.
Nick and Valeria watched him with arched brows and curious looks.
"We contact them again, send a couple videos to prove we're serious" he suggested.
"That's amateur and frankly, what they're paying we do. It will lead right back to us" Nick replied.
"Not if the information is aired on TV and not directly from us" he said.
"What now? We just walk into a TV station and buy time to advertise a kidnapped baby?" Valeria stated sarcastically.
"Nothing that foolish"
"Well the whole idea is foolish so we might as well save time and go straight to it" she replied with a shrug.
"Would you guys listen? We don't have time, this gig is taking too long and each day we keep staying behind this doors, money is spent and we're fugitives, wanted criminals and quite frankly this isn't the local police or even the state that's after us, it's the fucking FBI and every police department in town, if that's not enough reason to be quick, I don't know what is" Nick said with a shake of his head.
"So what do you propose?" Nick asked.
"I've been informed by my sources that there's a newspaper house hiring next week. We go in for r the interview, drop a direct message for the Senator and make our demands, add a clip or two of the baby in a bad shape and viola, watch the whole US media hurry to make the first announcement, it gets to them and they think twice about keeping us waiting" Pete explained his plan.
"That's the dumbest idea ever after unprotected sex" Valeria stated with an angry scowl.
"Any bright ideas sugar?" He challenged.
"We wait, my face is all over the news already, I can't risk__"
"Don't sweat, you're not going in this time. It's becoming obvious it's a woman behind this, let's throw them off balance by making this one a male" he cut in her sharply.
"So, go in, sit for the interview and 'forget' an envelope was on the desk of the lobby, I'm guessing the receptionist will tear in to find out what's inside, humans are that nosey and curious, gives it to the editor and it's all over the news in hours. Done" he says.
"Assuming this idea isn't so foolish, what did you mean by Moses in a bad state?" Valeria asked.
"Relax Mother Theresa, the baby isn't yours, don't forget that" Pete snapped.
"Doesn't matter, you're not touching him" Valeria stated fiercely.
"Calm down guys, I don't see how this will get us a solution" Nick interrupted the duo's bites.
"I believe one more message will be enough, nothing stops us from getting some pictures photoshopped for and sent along" Nick suggested.
"It should be authentic, we don't want to appear like amateurs" Pete argued.
"Moses or not, we'll make our point clear, we just need a bad looking, injured or sick baby to send the message, doesn't need to be Moses" Nick insisted.
"The baby is besides the point. We need to let them know we won't be working on their terms and they'd better act fast" Pete replied, persistent.
"Fine, when do we commence?" Nick asked, resigning to the plan.
"This is madness, it's a huge risk and I don't want any part of it!" Valeria said and picked Moses up. In recent times, he had become a breathe of fresh air for her. His very feel in her arms comforted and reassured her.
Pete simply glared at her and then ignored her completely, knowing it wasn't her she needed for the job. His gaze turned to meet Nick and Nick nodded with a sarcastic laugh.
"It's a man that's fit for the job" he stated again.
Nick nodded, feigning confusion.
"I can't go in, I will need to do__"
"No need for explanations genuis, we all know you can't disguise to save your own live. That goatee of yours makes you look like a villian from an animated movie" Nick stated, causing Pete to frown at him and subconsciously touch his beards.
"Well, you'll be going in Nick and__"
"Obviously" Nick interrupted with a snort.
"I'll get the disguise and whatever else you need ready" Pete said
"I bet you will. Be careful this time though, if my face is plastered all over the national TV again then we're out of options for real seeing as you would stick out like a boner" Nick said and rose. "I'll get a refill of this" he added, shaking the almost empty chips bag.
"Want anything? Guys?" He asked as he moved to the kitchen.
"Some cucumber, would be nice if you make it two and eat one yourself. I'm sure your body is crying with all that junk you stuff it with" Pete teased with a smirk.
"Worry about your own body" Nick retorted and left.
As soon as Nick left, Pete's attention was once again on Valeria.
"You still going down with him?" He asked lowly.
"Really? That's none of your business, Pete" Valeria spat from opposite him, shooting daggers with her glare.
"Just asking" he said, hands raised mock surrender.
"Since you're playing 'mummy' so well, I figured you would practice the wife part too. He is your husband after all" he added after a brief pause.
"I will fuck who I choose to fuck Pete, get used to that" Valeria retorted briskly and changed the channel to a cartoon show that she had noticed Moses take a liking to.
"I see, so it's him over me, huh?"
"It's about anyone over you" she replied
Pete's scowl was fierce but he remained on the couch.
"One of these days Vee, you'll have no choice but to come back to me, I can assure you tgat___"
"Guys!" Nick said as he reemerges from the kitchen, a cucumber in the left hand a bag of chips in the right.
"We got a call" he said.
Pete sighed and directed his glare to Nick.
"Is it the maintenance guy again? He's been bothering me for recommendations" Pete asked with a frustrated look.
"I picked it up, it's a female" he corrected.
"She called?" Valeria asked, ears perked.
"Martha Brownson, the Senator's bony wife just called" Nick said with a grin.
"About time" Pete mumbled and rose.