chapter 13

ABIGEAL

I WAS sitting alone in the living room when Abel came back. The sun was just beginning to lighten the sky as he stepped in, eyes bloodshot and shoulders drooping. He stopped when he spotted me and tilted his head, “You were waiting up for me?”

I shrugged as I got up. “I couldn’t sleep.” It was mostly the truth.

Abel sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face. “How are you so unfazed? We just watched someone we knew die right there.” He pointed to the area of the floor where Matteo had lain last night. There was no trace of blood or any sign at all that someone had died there, but the smell of bleach still permeated the room slightly.

“Ex-military.” I answered shortly.

He nodded. “Somehow I’m not surprised. Bet you’ve seen lots of dead bodies. Bet you think I’m weak for reacting this way.”

I shook my head. “Watching your comrades die is not a flex. I don’t think you’re weak.” Hell, I wished I could still react that way. Maybe then I would feel more normal.

Instead, fury burnt low in my belly and I knew exactly where to release it.

He was silent for a while, and when he raised his head there was a resolution in his eyes. “We can’t stay here, not after this. I don’t care how much they pay, we need to leave.”

Leave? I couldn’t leave, not unless I wanted a big red target on my back. “Abel, now is not the time to be making rash decisions.”

“Rash decisions? Didn’t you hear what Matt said? How are you sure they didn’t kill him off themselves and we aren’t next?”

“And for what reason? They went through a whole selection process so they could kill some people? You’re not making sense.” I countered.

“I don’t know, Abigeal, but I’m not sticking around to find out.” He started to walk towards his room, stopped when he realized I wasn’t following. “Abigeal?”

“Sorry, Abel, but I’m not leaving.”

He laughed darkly. “You know, I was going to apologize for what I said yesterday, but turns out it’s the truth. You’re nothing but a robot, and I hope the money is worth selling your soul to the devil.”

I watched him leave, half-wishing I could tell him the truth. That I had no soul to sell. That it died the day my world came crashing down.

However, I had something to do. I turned around and left the house, ignoring the man stationed outside when he asked where I was headed.

Two buses later, I was walking up the stairs to the abandoned house and knocked once. The slit in the door opened and that same gruff voice sounded, “Password?”

“Don’t try that shit with me again, Hameed, or so help me…” I warned, trailing off when the locks clicked and the door swung open to reveal Hameed’s towering figure looking down at me. “You dare to threaten me? Me? I will break you like a twig-”

“Save it, garlic freak.” I cut him off as I walked past him, heading straight for Morgan’s office. I didn’t bother to knock before I opened the door. “You piece of shit.” The man sitting across from Morgan looked startled at the interruption while Morgan kept a pleasant expression on his face but his eyes spelled annoyance.

“Miss Starr, as you can see I’m in the middle of a meeting.” He said smoothly, but the undertone was icy.

“Right. I’m sure your guest will be quite entertained when I stick a knife in your gut.” I returned.

Morgan rose from his desk, murmured something to the other man- who, true to my words, looked rather intrigued- and walked towards me, closing the door behind him. “You have some nerve coming into my establishment to threaten me, Miss Starr. You are in my employ, not the other way round. One more step out of line, and-”

“And what? You’ll kill me too? Go on, then.” I challenged.

He arched an eyebrow at me. “What on earth are you talking about?”

“One of my competitors end up dead, which makes the other quit, which leaves me as the only person left in the running, and you expect me to believe that you had nothing to do with it?”

The surprise on his face looked genuine. “That’s a plot twist I wasn’t expecting.”

“Cut the bullshit. You orchestrated this whole thing.”

“I wish I could take credit for such a brilliant plan, but unfortunately-” He cut off, narrowed his eyes. “What did you say happened to the man?”

I was beginning to think my instincts were wrong. “He had a trial day with the target and ended up getting shot while protecting him.” Morgan tilted his head. “And did he say how exactly that happened?” I shook my head in response.

His expression turned grave. “Be very careful, Miss Starr, and never underestimate your target. There’s a reason why no one has been able to successfully bring down Sunset Corp, and it’s not for lack of trying.” With that concerned look still on his face, he went back into the office.

I exited the building, my head spinning with thoughts. I’d concluded Morgan Soliz and his fanatics were behind the shooting in order to give me an edge over the others, but it turned out that I’d been wrong. There were only two options left; either someone else had tried to take out my target and failed- it was no secret that they had lots of enemies- or something else was at play here.

Run, Matteo had said. Was it possible that he had seen something he shouldn’t have and my target had killed him to keep his mouth shut? Was there a conspiracy somewhere?

The ringing in my ears returned and my hands started to shake.

“Surely you knew there was no way you’d win. One more misstep and I will end you.”

A conspiracy had taken the most precious thing I had away from me.

And I was about to walk right into another with my eyes wide open.

I got back to the house, again ignoring the guard outside, and found my target waiting for me in the living room. To the ordinary eye he looked like his normal self, but I caught the strain in his smile, the shadows under his eyes. “Good morning, Abigeal.”

I folded my arms. “Abel left. He quit.”

He sighed “So I was told. It’s… unfortunate what happened to Mr. Manuel, and I won’t stop you if you decide to leave too.” He watched me carefully, waiting for a response.

I was a soldier, through and through. Even if I didn’t need the money involved, I would never back down from a mission.

Let the conspiracies come. I’m not the same person I was back then.

I lifted my chin. “Where are we headed today?”

His next smile looked relieved and a lot less strained. “Congratulations. You got the job.”

“Yay.”

“Let’s hope it doesn’t kill you.” He chuckled slightly, turning it into an awkward cough when he saw my expression. “Too soon?”

“Way too soon.” I deadpanned as we walked to the door.

“My apologies.” He opened the door and gestured. “Pretty ladies first.” I’d opened my mouth to say I wasn’t a lady when I realized something was wrong. I held up a hand to keep him back, sliding one of my knives out of its sheath. “Abigeal?” he whispered.

I shushed him. I carefully poked my head out to scan the area and my eyes immediately fell on the body of the guard outside, blood streaming from his head. I heard my target’s sharp intake of breath and I eased back inside and closed the door. “Is he…?”

“Yes. Did you bring a vehicle?” I asked. He nodded and told me where he’d parked it. I pulled out another knife to hand to him but he gave me a look and showed me the gun in his jacket. I suppose it made sense that he was carrying.

Covering each other’s backs, we went out the door again. I checked the rooftop of every building I could see for snipers but found none. Either way I urged him to hurry. The possibility couldn’t be ruled out. The area was dead silent apart from the crunch of our feet on the gravel as we finally made it to the car.

“Get in. Quickly.” I whispered, looking in every direction for possible threats. “I can’t.” came his reply. “The tires are slashed.” I glanced at the car and sure enough, there were gashes in the tires along with dents and peeled paints. I assumed whoever did this refrained from smashing the windows so it wouldn’t attract our attention. I spotted something on the hood, fluttering in the slight breeze.

I gestured to my target and he grabbed the paper smudged with blood, and held it out for both of us to read.

LET THIS BE A WARNING. YOU’RE NOT AS INVINCIBLE AS YOU THINK.