Chapter 2

Early the next morning, the shriek of a power drill woke me up.

A few mercenaries kicked my door open. Two of them started taking apart my weapons cabinet while the rest hauled out the armor plating.

My mother stood in the doorway, giving orders as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Chloe's leaving for North America soon, and the families have sent so many gifts. We're breaking through the wall to turn your safe house into her storeroom."

The control wiring on the wall had already been cut. The gas filtration system was dead, and someone had smashed the alarm.

I grabbed one of the mercenaries by the wrist. "My gear is in here. Who told you to touch it?"

He glanced at my mother on reflex.

My mother said, "I did!"

She pushed my hand away and pointed down the hall. "The basement's empty. Stay down there for a few days. Once Chloe's married, we'll see if there's room for you."

One of them knocked over a crate. Custom rounds rolled across the floor, and three vials of emergency serum fell out.

One vial cracked, and the serum quickly drained away.

That serum could have saved my life. After I took two bullets at the southern port, it had taken me half a year to get my hands on it.

Chloe came out in silk pajamas and stepped on one of the bullets. "Helena, it's just some junk gear. Is it really worth holding everyone up?"

She kicked the bullet away with her toe and patted my shoulder. "Once I'm in North America, I'll toss you a full set of top-of-the-line gear. Making a fuss over this now just makes you look petty."

My father came down the stairs, saw the mess, and scowled. "What are you standing around for? Clean this up. Don't hold up the workers."

I said, "I paid for this safe house with the bonuses from eight missions."

At that, my father kicked aside the medical kit at his feet. "Your life belongs to this family, and so do your bonuses. Since when do you get to keep score?"

Chloe hid a giggle behind her hand. "Daddy, Helena probably just doesn't want to leave. The basement doesn't even have a real bed."

My mother immediately glared at me. "It's a place to sleep. You've slept in abandoned warehouses on jobs. Why act so delicate now?"

There was no point arguing. I crouched down, gathered the remaining rounds, and stuffed the unbroken serum vials into my tactical backpack.

Everything I'd bled for meant less to them than gifts Chloe hadn't even received yet.

The basement had nothing but a cot, and the vent in the wall had been broken for ages.

The door closed behind me. I'd just set down my backpack when my encrypted phone rang.

Alexander's voice was low. "Why did your safe house go dark?" Someone beside him was reading out a weapons inventory until he snapped at the man to get out.

I said, "They're turning my safe house into a storeroom. I'm packing up."

After two seconds of silence, Alexander asked, "Helena, are you hurt?"

I glanced at my bandage as blood seeped through it again. "It's nothing."

Alexander said, "The medical team's already on the helicopter. Whatever you need, I'll have it waiting for you here."

He still sounded gruff, but his voice softened at the end. "Don't look back at those idiots."

The phone felt warm in my palm. "I won't."

Not long after I hung up, the basement door swung open again.

My mother walked in with a glass of cheap liquor. Undissolved white powder had settled at the bottom. "Drink it."

She held the glass out to me, keeping her eyes on me while her other hand rested on the gun at her hip. "Tomorrow night is the banquet announcing Chloe's engagement. You're on guard duty, and you need to stay sharp. Don't embarrass this family by walking around half-dead."

I recognized what was in the glass.

When mixed with hard liquor, that stimulant could make old wounds bleed heavily. At worst, it could leave you unable to move.

My mother drew her gun and pressed the muzzle to my forehead. "Helena. Drink."

I took the glass and closed my eyes.

Two more days.