The Echo of Forever

1. Forever James

FOREVER JAMES

THE brOKER OF ASSASSINS

“I made you some lavender ginger tea,” Carmen, my assistant, murmured as she entered my dimly lit office. “I read it can soothe headaches.”

She set the Japanese-style tea cup on the desk, then stood in her usual spot near the bookcase.

I glanced at the cup but didn’t move to pick it up.

“What’s next?” I asked, closing my eyes after gently resting my head in my palm. “Something interesting. I’m bored.”

Carmen cleared her throat.

“There’s a new contract.”

I hummed.

“Urgent?”

Her silence piqued my interest. I tapped the desk with the tip of my stiletto nail.

“Let’s see what’s got you so quiet.”

I opened my eyes as she set the new contract file down and flipped it open.

“It’s…”

Mmm.

“Interesting,” I mused, staring at the picture attached. “This is thinner than expected for a Cannon.”

A contract of this caliber had never come without a complete profile. Killing a man took more than a name drop.

The more information given, the easier the job.

“Maybe it’s because he’s pretty well-known in our world,” Carmen said. “It’s not hard to get information on him and his family.”

Or there was more to the story.

“Anything else?”

Our eyes met as she began to shake her head.

“Nothing other than I think…” She tipped her head and frowned. “I think it’s worth noting the length of time he’s been absent from Everwood. His family isn’t known for leaving the city for more than a couple weeks at a time. They’re the only rejectors I know loyal to this place.”

I found what she spoke of in the file and smiled.

There were contracts I could never allow a subordinate to touch, and this was one of them.

“I think I’ll take this one for myself.”

Carmen tossed an expression that said a lot, but she would never express feelings that put her at odds with my plans.

Not here, at least.

“Can’t wait to hear what that look is about,” I said, standing to tug at my limbs.

My body was fighting against me at the moment. Even my joints were locked up and working my last nerve.

“Is the address accurate for his office?”

His family’s compound would take time to infiltrate, though there wasn’t a building in the city I couldn’t get into. But with it being late afternoon, my best course of action was walking through the front door to inquire about renting.

“Yes. It’s in the neutral zone. His sister works across the street. And as for Oliver…”

Oliver.

I smiled and dropped down to put on my sneakers.

“You two on a first-name basis?”

Silence.

“I’ll take that as a yes. You can head out, I’ll go scope the scene solo.”

“This is me officially clocking out,” she said, waiting a beat before starting her bullshit. “Forever, you need to give that job to somebody else. We’re already on strict orders to ensure you make it down the aisle in one piece.”

I ignored my best friend and slipped into an all black Nike windbreaker. Luckily, I’d dressed down today and could move about the city without stopping at home.

“I’m not changing how I move to please the powers that be. Taking this contract is well within my rights as the broker. What’s the problem?”

Carmen and I were groomed to be friends.

From the moment our mothers birthed us, we shared space. The baby pictures proved it, but only part of me felt like I could completely trust her.

When it came to society shit, I knew who to rely on, and my right hand was one of them.

But lately, Carmen and I seemed to be worlds apart on everything.

It’s why I refused to drink the tea.

Did they want to kill me?

“Nothing, you’re right,” she said after a while. “My dad is on me about keeping you in check. I’m sure that order came from yours.”

I shrugged.

“Your father and mine are retired from these positions, Carmen…” I stood in front of her. “Next time, tell him to fuck off.”

She wouldn’t, but I had no problem being the bearer of a bad attitude and smart mouth.

“Whatever. I have a dick appointment.”

My lips curled as she side-stepped me to leave.

“With Oliver Cannon?”

Carmen pulled the door open before eyeing me over her shoulder. The knowing twinkle dancing in that brown hue was answer enough.

“Be careful,” we said in tandem, nodding to agree.

Once she was out of sight, I tugged the abstract painting to the left of me from the wall. Behind it was a built-in safe.

After keying in the code and scanning my finger and left retina, I grabbed my personal gun from inside and the onyx-plated blade I never left home without.

My drive into the neutral zone took longer than expected. This side of Everwood being alive tonight worked in my favor.

I parked and walked the two blocks to my destination. The entrance doors were propped wide open, with a guard sitting on a stool outside.

“You here for the mixer?” the gruff man asked, barely looking up from his phone.

The fuck kind of security protocol was this? Were the Cannons always so careless with their space?

“Yup.”

He waved me in, and my frown deepened. Incompetence in my world would’ve cost him his life. Maybe even on the spot, had this been my domain.

“Good evening! If you’re here for the mixer, it’s down the hall, first set of double doors on your right.”

I approached the desk, not in the least bit interested in what was happening up the hall.

“Are there any empty office spaces available to rent?” I asked, forcing myself not to squint.

Fucking headache was quickly turning into a migraine.

“Oh! Yes!” she slapped a visitor’s pass on the desk and pointed. “Take the elevator up to the fourteenth floor and have a look around. Scan that and it’ll give you access.”

Just for a moment, I stared at the bubbly receptionist.

“How do you know I’m not here to rob the place?”

She pointed at the camera I’d already spotted.

“There’s one of these over every inch of this building and the one across the street. Besides, the boss is lenient. He’d probably let you keep it and pretend it never happened.”

I leaned into the counter.

“Why’s that?”

This time, she hesitated, but responded nonetheless.

“You must be new around here. The Cannon family takes care of us. If you’re stealing in the neutral zone, it’s probably because you have no choice…

” She looked me over and smiled. “You aren’t struggling, though; it must be about security, right?

Trust me, we’re safe. Today’s mixer is for new rejectors.

Boss man is careful about how he approaches security around that time. ”

Ah.

A new batch of adults deciding their fate had emerged. How could I forget?

“Understood…” I backed away. “I’ll go up and check it out.”

I eyed the placard between the elevators while waiting, finding something way more interesting than browsing the fourteenth floor.

The executive team at Cannon Investments occupied the very top floor. I went up and bypassed an empty reception desk. After scanning the names etched in office doors and trying the handles for the hell of it, I reached a split in the hall.

Both were void of more than double doors, and I decided to go left, somehow choosing exactly where I needed to be.

Demetrius Cannon - CEO

The letters were bold over the frosted glass, much different than the script on every other door I’d passed.

“Are you open like the rest?” I mumbled, twisting the handle to confirm my suspicion. “Interesting.”

Low lights flickered on as I stepped inside the empty corner office, automatic blinds lowered halfway on the floor-to-ceiling windows to the right of me.

I sniffed and caught a whiff of vanilla lingering in the air.

My gaze roved the expansive space, taking note of the wet bar and extensive liquor collection. Everything was neat and in place, telling a story about the man in question.

It was better to look and not touch. This one was a wild card; he allowed chaos around him, but his private domain reeked of control.

“When will you be back?” I whispered, taking one last look around before leaving. “Doesn’t matter. I’ll be waiting.”