The Agent
Crossing names off my list was easier than I expected.
Most of my targets were retirees, and their once quick reflexes were tainted from time passed.
Each kill went quicker and quicker as their defense skills became predictable.
Reaching for a gun in a seemingly hidden place, missing the shot or unable to get the gun in time, and trying to run.
The entire ordeal became boring after the first few.
With only one name left, I was almost eager to be done with this whole thing. The missions I accompanied Mateo and Maria on were much more interesting.
The targets often varied from each other, requiring different skills depending on the situation and method of execution. We naturally rotated as the lead based on our plan of attack, each of us having our own time to shine.
All the traveling was a nice touch as well. Although I’d been around during my time in the FBI, we were usually confined to crime scenes and police department buildings. Now, I was able to explore the nooks and crannies of the cities we visited since that’s often where our targets hid.
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this nomadic, violent life so much. On the outside looking in, it seemed methodical and rigid. I never thought it’d hold so much freedom and exhilaration.
Maybe I’d just been in the cage of my old life too long, stuck between what my mother wanted me to be and what I thought would make my father proud. I hadn’t truly been living for me.
Now, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
We’ve been in Baltimore for the past few days, taking a much needed break after a busy few months. I’d reached out to Lexie to let her know we were in town, and she invited Maria and me over to her house for a movie night.
On the car ride there, I noticed the frown tugging at Maria’s lips. “Relax,” I said, nudging the arm she was resting on the center dash. “This will be fun.”
Maria’s brows turned upward as she nodded.
Since she was driving, she couldn’t use her hands to tell me what she was really thinking.
I’ve gotten a lot better at understanding sign language over the past few months, so it was easier for us to talk.
I wondered if she was worried about another communication barrier after we’d just hopped over ours.
We eventually pulled up to a small, quaint house in one of the nearby suburbs outside of the city.
Maria stayed a few steps behind me as we walked up the pathway lined with budding lilies towards the front porch of the house. She remained there, glancing around at the white picket fences and wooden swings on the lawns of the other houses on the street, while I knocked on the wooden front door.
Lexie appeared behind the door as it swung open. A tank top clung to the curves of her torso while a pair of baggy sweatpants cinched around her waist. Her wild curls were pulled up into a high ponytail, exposing her bare face. Even without makeup, she was absolutely stunning.
“You keep staring at me like that and I might have to snatch you away from Mateo,” she teased with a smirk.
“Aren’t you married?” I retorted, raising a brow.
“Dante won’t mind as long as he has front row seats to the show.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re a freak.”
“A proud one,” she said, sticking her tongue out as she stepped aside to let us in. “Sorry,” she told Maria, whose brows had raised again. “I know you’re not used to this side of me.”
“Don’t,” Maria murmured with a wave of her hand. “I like it.”
“Probably cause you a freak too. I know you've been turning Miles out.”
Maria’s cheeks darkened. She resorted to signing. What did he say?
I was ready to translate for her, but Lexie was already ahead of me.
“He doesn’t have to say shit. That big ass grin says more than enough.”
Maria tried to cover her smile as she giggled.
The savory scent of pizza mixed with the comforting smell of apples and cinnamon wafted through my nose as we walked into the house.
To the left of the long entryway hall was a large living room, nicely furnished with a sectional couch, Lay-Z-Boy and a cherry wood coffee table and bookshelf. A flat screen television hung on the wall above a brick rimmed fireplace, crackling with gentle flames.
Boxes of pizza, wine glasses, and a few bottles of wine were spread out around the coffee table.
“Make yourselves at home,” Lexie said, waving her hand over the couch.
As Maria and I sank down on the soft cushions, Lexie disappeared into the kitchen.
Her footsteps shuffled on the tile floor before she reappeared again, holding a pile of paper plates.
She set them down on the table beside all the food.
“What genre are we feeling tonight?” She asked as she grabbed the remote. “Rom-coms? Horror? Vampire romance?”
Twilight? Maria signed, her face lighting up at the idea.
Lexie reached into the shelf underneath the television stand and pulled out five DVD cases. “Got the whole set right here.”
We snacked on pizza and sipped wine while we watched damn near the entire saga.
spent the night watching the saga while we snacked on pizza and sipped wine.
We laughed at the now-cringey moments and fussed over the main character’s awful decisions.
The signature color grading and iconic quotes added to the warmth bubbling in my belly.
A good time like this had been long overdue.
Between all the conversation and laughter, I didn’t even remember falling asleep.
I just remember waking up at two in the morning sprawled on the end of the sectional with a blanket over my shoulders, pressure in my pelvis, and the score from the fifth movie humming from the speakers.
Glancing around the dark room, I spotted Maria sleeping on the adjacent end of the couch and Lexie curled up in the Lay-Z-Boy.
Quietly, as not to wake them, I got off of the couch and tip-toed into the bathroom.
Maria popped her head up when I returned, her brows pinched together. “You okay?” She whispered, grogginess clinging to the cracks in her voice.
“Yeah. Are you?”
She nodded, but I could see the ghost of a frown hovering over her lips.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, taking a seat in the space beside her head.
She shook her head. Sitting up, she raised her hands to sign. Nothing’s wrong. I’m just reveling in this. It’s been a long time since I’ve had girlfriends.
“Oh, you and Mateo don’t sip wine and braid each other’s hair?”
She rolled her eyes. As if.
“My sister and I used to have sleepovers all the time. Mostly with her friends, but still…it was fun. When we were both out of our parents’ house, we used to take turns staying at each other’s houses. We’d stay up late, paint each other’s nails, and drink until we passed out.”
Do you miss her?
My chest tightened. “All the time. I didn’t always want to admit it, but…she was my best friend.”
Maria’s hand slipped over mine, and she gave it a soft squeeze.
“I’ll…I’ll never see her again…will I?” The question burned my throat as it came out.
Frowning, Maria shook her head.
“Have you seen your family, since…” I trailed off, glancing down at the scar on her neck.
Again, Maria shook her head. She released my hand to sign. But, that was more of a choice on my end. I could’ve reunited with them after Mateo saved me, but I…I didn’t want to.
“May I ask why?”
Because I was better off without them.
“I’m sorry.”
Don’t be. Despite the things that transpired to bring me here, I’d never go back and change it. I’m happy now - with Mateo and Miles and you. She leaned over to bump my shoulder. You guys are my family now.
The tightness in my chest eased from the warmth of her words. Smiling, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into a hug.
She lay her head on my shoulder and relaxed in my embrace.
Holding her, I realized how similar she and Isabelle really were.
While neither may have been the sister I would’ve asked for, they were definitely the ones I needed.