Chapter Ten
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CYRIL WAS ALWAYS HAPPY to see Russell, but he was especially happy to see him when he knew that Russell was there to plot how to solve the mess they were in. They needed as many people as possible to put their minds together and find a way to get Helena into the sun.
He swung the door open, already smiling.
Russell smiled back and opened his arms, and Cyril dove into them, laughing when Russell squeezed him hard and lifted him off his feet.
Russell let him go, and Cyril moved to let him in, but he got distracted by the sight of a woman standing behind him.
For a second, he didn’t understand why Russell would’ve brought a stranger into this mess, but then, he did.
“Rachel?” he asked with a gasp.
She grinned at him. “Hey, Cyril. It’s nice to finally meet you in person.”
Cyril hoped she wasn’t about to punch him because he threw himself at her.
She caught him with a laugh, hugging him back.
It felt like he already knew her, maybe because they’d spent a lot of time talking on the phone.
Vale’s friends had become Cyril’s friends, and he prayed he wouldn’t lose any of them to Helena and her people.
He leaned away and looked at Rachel. “You’re incredibly gorgeous. I don’t know why Vale and Russell didn’t tell me.”
Rachel laughed again and quickly hugged him a second time. “Thank you. You’re not half-bad yourself.”
Cyril knew he was cute, but Rachel was gorgeous. She had long, dark hair that hung over her shoulders and brown eyes that seemed to look right into Cyril’s soul. Cyril had always loved warm brown eyes, and Rachel had been blessed in that department.
Even wearing a puffy jacket like she was, Cyril could see how shapely her figure was. She might be Vale and Russell’s handler, but she was as well-trained as they were.
“Are we allowed to come in, then?” Russell asked, sounding amused.
Cyril rolled his eyes. “As if you need me to tell you that you can.”
“True.” Russell walked in, leaving Cyril and Rachel behind.
Cyril gestured at her to follow Russell, and she did, her smile widening when she caught sight of Vale in the living room.
Vale grinned and came to greet her. They hugged for a moment, and Cyril could hear that they were talking, but it was too soft for him to understand what they were saying, and that was okay.
“I brought the cavalry,” Russell declared, sounding incredibly proud of himself.
“I think we’re going to need it,” Cyril told him. “I really don’t like Helena.”
“None of us do,” Rachel declared. “I won’t let her hurt anyone I care about. I might usually stick to a handler’s job, but I’ve been trained as well as Russell and Vale.”
They had one more professional assassin on their side.
It might not be enough to defeat Helena and her people, but hopefully, it would give them a chance.
Cyril couldn’t imagine what his life would be like if it didn’t.
He didn’t even want to think about it. They would defeat Helena, and everything would be okay. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
They sat down in the living room, and Cyril stepped into the kitchen for a minute to get drinks. He was glad to have a moment of respite. This was going to be overwhelming, and he needed to catch his breath.
By the time he went back to the living room, the three were already talking business. Rachel wasn’t smiling anymore, but that didn’t make her any less beautiful. She looked fierce now, and Cyril felt safe. They’d find a solution. They had to.
“From what I was able to find out, she’s working with a group of three to four people with abilities,” Rachel said. She had her computer out and open on her knees.
“We can take that many people,” Russell said.
“Normally, I’d agree, but they’re not like us, Russ.”
“They’re like Cyril.”
“They are, and Helena knows how to use them and their abilities. I was only able to find out about one of them, and she can control darkness.”
“Then we’ll fight her during the day.”
Rachel shook her head. “You don’t understand.
She doesn’t need it to be night. She can control the light.
She can make it dark around you, even in the middle of the day.
Furthermore, she’s as well-trained as you and I are.
The Organization doesn’t take risks with its assets.
It’s going to be hell to take them down. ”
A knock at the door made all of them look up.
Cyril frowned and got to his feet, and before Vale could say anything, he went to open.
He knew that it was dangerous, but he doubted that Helena would knock on his door.
Even if she did, he didn’t think she’d be there to kill him.
She needed him alive so she could use him. If she was here, it was to kill Vale.
Luckily, it wasn’t Helena. Cyril opened his door to find John and Robbie standing on the other side of it. They were eyeing each other, and if Cyril wasn’t mistaken, there was some interest in the way John looked at Robbie. Maybe Cyril could play matchmaker once this mess was over.
“Robbie?” he asked. “Were we supposed to meet?” He was sure he didn’t have a job today. He’d decided to put them on pause while they were dealing with the Organization. After Helena had threatened Robbie, Cyril wanted to keep him safe, and the best way to do that was for him to stay home.
Robbie shook his head. “We didn’t, but I know Russell’s here.”
Cyril’s eyebrows shot up high on his forehead. “You’re here to see Russell?”
Robbie’s cheeks flushed. “I’m here because I want to be involved in whatever you’re up to.”
John grinned. “So do I.”
Cyril looked from one to the other and sighed. “I’m not going to be able to change your minds, am I?”
“You won’t, so you’d better give in now. I’ll help, whether you like it or not,” Robbie said.
Cyril waved them in. “Come on, then.”
They followed him to the living room. Vale was still staring at Cyril, no doubt making sure that he was okay, but Russell and Rachel had gone back to work. John seemed delighted to see them and made a beeline for them, but Robbie followed more slowly. Cyril watched them go.
If Helena was really working with three people and they included her in the team, that meant that they’d have to face four people.
Right now, four professional assassins sat in the living room.
Even if Cyril didn’t count himself and Robbie—and he didn’t because they didn’t have a lot to offer when it came to this kind of situation—they should be able to win.
There were no guarantees, though. They might win just as likely as they might lose, and Cyril wasn’t sure how to deal with the feelings of fear and panic that caused in him. They couldn’t afford to lose because if they did, Vale would die.
It wasn’t an option Cyril was willing to let happen. He didn’t know how he’d do it, but he’d make sure that Helena didn’t get what she wanted.
Even if that meant he had to kill her himself.
* * * *
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING here?” Vale asked, eyeing John. There was no reason for him to be there, which meant that his presence was suspicious. Vale didn’t think John was working with Helena or anything like that, but he needed to know what was going on to keep Cyril safe.
John grinned. “I heard that you’re going to fight the Organization, and I couldn’t miss that.”
Vale cocked his head. He truly didn’t understand that man.
He might be a professional assassin, but he was a beginner.
Vale would never understand why John had taken the hit on him, but he’d been in over his head, and Vale had kicked his ass.
Why John was still here was a mystery Vale didn’t understand.
“You do know that this isn’t a game, right?” he asked.
“I know. I know the Organization is dangerous and all of that. I looked into them, and while I’m sure I’m not as good as your handler, I was able to find some information. They’re not good people.”
“And you still want to fight them?”
“I think someone should. If they can threaten someone like you, the rest of us don’t stand a chance if they turn their attention to us. Besides, I wouldn’t miss the chance to work with you guys.” He turned toward Russell and Rachel. “Do you know how famous you are in the forums?”
Rachel snorted. “Is that why you’re here? Because we’re famous and you want to work with us?”
“And because Cyril and Vale helped me when I needed it and didn’t ask for anything in return. Besides, I like them. I don’t want anything to happen to them.”
Rachel looked around the room. “Well, it looks like we have a team.”
Everyone was silent for a moment, and of course, John had to be the one who broke it. He grinned like an idiot and declared, “We’re like superheroes.”
Vale had to resist the urge to throw something at his head. He turned his attention back to Rachel since he knew she’d keep things on track. “What’s next?”
“I’ve been trying to locate Helena, but they’re constantly on the move. They’ve taken out another target since they arrived in town, and unless you’re aware of more of their old employees working in the area, I think it’s clear that you’re next.”
“We have to find out more about the people she works with. I already know what Helena’s capable of. I have no idea what her team can do, though, and that’s a problem.”
“If she recruited them the way she’s trying to recruit me, there might be a way to get them to turn on her,” Cyril offered.
Rachel hummed as she typed. “That’s actually a good idea.
I don’t think she’d keep hostages because it would be too much of a bother, but I can look into it.
If she’s kidnapped someone close to one of the people on her team, we might be able to get them to flip on her by helping those people. That’s gonna be hell to find, though.”