Bonus Chapter
RAE
Kat is the thoughtful one. The thinker. The plotter. There is simply no space for it in my world. Movement is life and if I slow down, it will surely mean death.
In college, I had majored in political science, and enjoyed a successful rouse of working in DC assisting with managing various political campaigns. I hid behind that lie, and only interacted with my sister when it was absolutely necessary. Hell, I hadn’t even made it out for dad’s funeral.
I had a target in Reno to take care of that weekend anyway.
And sliding my knife into that fucker’s eye socket was immensely more satisfying than pretending to cry beside our father’s grave.
The only thorn in my side about that time was the not showing up for Kat.
SHE had needed me. I should have flown out and made the trip for her.
But getting Zayn’s call late that night had changed everything.
I heard something in his voice over the line then that I recognized immediately but couldn’t quite name.
“Rachael? My name is Zayn Bronwin, I’m here with your sister and she’s been injured.
She’ll be okay, but… please. Please come. I think she would want you to come.”
There was something so raw in his words, so real. Something base and tangible. True fear maybe. Or was it true…. love?
Regardless, what I heard had moved something in me.
I was throwing shit into my old duffel bag before I had even hung up the phone and was on the next red eye out from DC within two hours.
I needed to show up for Kat now. Even if I had failed to last year.
I was here now, and I was going to make sure she was ok.
After all, she was my sister. I loved her. And I owed her. For a lot.
I try to bear this in mind as I stand in Kat’s too-bright hospital room, glaring up at Zayn, who is standing nose to nose with me. He peers down at me with blazing eyes, after just having asked me to keep my voice down with the nursing staff.
Oh, you ain’t seen nothing yet, buddy.
“You can tower over me all you want, you giant tree man. I’m her,” I shove my index finger into the air in Kat’s general direction, “sister, and I’m here to help her, not cater to your obsessive ideas about what’s best for her.”
Roughly, I poke my finger into his chest. He looks down at the finger and then back to me, and blinks at me, slowly.
Fuck, that look in his eyes.
“Uhh Rae? Why don’t you go downstairs and get a cup of coffee?” Kat suggests with a nervous edge to her voice. “Or better yet maybe head outside, get some fresh air?” She makes pointed eye contact with me, and I can see the tension pinching into a furrowed line between her eyes.
Silently, I hold her gaze and attempt to communicate that I am here to stay. She motions towards the door with her eyes and a tilt of her chin once again.
Scoffing, I turn towards Zayn and face him squarely. Unblinking, I hold his dark gaze and warn through gritted teeth, “I’ll be right back.” Zayn nods once but doesn’t respond. Smart man.
With that, I turn on my heel and stalk from the room.
Jamming my thumb into the elevator button, I tap my combat boot impatiently.
As the elevator dings, I step forward, and enter the small metal box.
I praise Satan that it’s empty. I don’t think I could handle any more small talk or back and forth with the nurses or “doctors” here.
Once I hit the ground floor, I dig around the pocket of my black leather jacket for a cigarette and my lighter.
Stepping through the hospital’s front automatic doors, I flick the lighter, but a sudden gust of heavy mist immediately extinguishes the flame.
Did it ever stop fucking raining here? Jesus Christ.
My work cell pings loudly, and I pull it out from the back of my jeans. “Fuck,” I breathe out. I could not deal with a new assignment right now. Didn’t Li know I was on vacation? I silence the cell and thrust it back into my pocket, where it buzzes once again.
Li had probably sent me a text. Luntha Anurak was District’s top mission and target specialist in addition to being our resident tech genius and head weapons specialist. Li really did it all.
He’s become like a brother to me, or at least a lovable cousin over these past three years.
And most days, I don’t know what I’d do without him.
However. In this moment, I really need him to leave me the fuck alone so I can have a cigarette and take a breather.
I press myself against the hospital’s outside wall under the cover of the awning and finally, successfully, light my cigarette.
I inhale and the end glows red. I exhale a long puff of smoke, feeling relief wash over me like a cool drink of water gliding down a parched throat.
Wrapping my leather jacket more tightly around myself, I lean my head back and let myself relax for a moment.
Fuck, that Zayn guy is intense. Just the way he looks at Kat, it sends shivers down my arms. It isn’t a bad thing per se just—very intense.
Like he wants to devour her and defend her all at the same time.
With a funny little pang from somewhere in my chest, I realize I have never had a man look at me that way.
And quickly shaking that thought from my head, my cell buzzes rhythmically once again.
I dig the phone out and seeing Li’s name on the screen, switch it to “do not disturb.”
An ambulance whizzes by, lights blaring, probably en route to the emergency room just around the northwest corner of the building.
I had thoroughly scoped out the specs of St. Mary’s Memorial Hospital before arriving here yesterday to meet Zayn and Kat.
Whenever possible, I like to know the full layout of my whereabouts prior to arriving.
Number of floors and entrances, emergency exit locations, proximity to other surrounding structures.
It was the way my brain worked: in data, blueprints, stats, and odds. It's how I keep myself safe. And alive.
Stamping out my cigarette, I consider lighting another.
However, a chilly gust of rain and wind cuts through my jacket, and with a shiver, I think better of it.
I turn to head back into the hospital and return to Kat’s room.
But before I can make it two steps, my personal cell begins to buzz frantically in my front pocket.
“For fuck’s SAKE!” I bellow, just as two people exit through the automatic doors, looking at me with wide, concerned eyes.
“Sorry,” I murmur, striding past them.
Sliding up my cell, I see that Li has sent me a text message on my personal number as well. What the hell? That’s not something he did. Ever. Not unless it was a true emergency, that is.
The text reads:
Li
CODE RED.
Well, double fuck, I think.
I press my cell to my ear, hearing it ring just once.
“Hey P,” Li’s voice quips out on the other end.
“Okay, what the fuck, Li? I’m in Washington with my sister.”
“I know. And I am sorry to bother you during your family time, P, but we just got intel on Target Number One. He is headed your way. Spotted on the West Coast.”
Fuck.
“Really?” I ask, my interest piqued now.
Target One had been on the top of our list for close to half a decade now, and he was rarely seen moving spontaneously.
Like me, he tended to keep a low profile and move quietly and successfully, in stealth.
Target One had evaded District capture for years, since before I was even with the organization.
And also like me, he was purportedly, very, very good.
“Yes. Last known alias was spotted in Mendocino, California two days ago, and our intel tells us he is headed north, possibly to a suburb just outside of Seattle. We’re not sure yet what his end game is, or why the sudden change in locale.”
“Damn, okay!” I reply. “So, are we green-lighting this douchebag or what? Send me the details.”
“I was about to, but District Head insisted that you have a consult first.”
A consult? For what? I wasn’t some baby-faced agent in training.
I had successfully worked alone and on my own for nearly three years now.
Taking out bad guy after bad guy. Hell, the Boogeyman was scared of me, for Christ’s sake.
District Head Laura Simmons only communicated with me if there was a problem or major change in protocol.
Li knows I’m bothered by this piece of information and speaks quickly. “Should be a pretty quick consult. Are you in a confidential space? If so, I can patch you through to Simmons now.”
I scan the empty waiting room on the main floor of the hospital. I move quickly and choose a seat in the far corner where the only entrance to keep my eye on is across the room, with the wall to my back. Fully protected. “Go ahead,” I respond.
“You got it. Stand by for Simmons. Oh, and P?”
“Yeah?”
“Good luck.”
“Pearson,” Simmons voice cuts crisply through the momentary silence.
Something that I always appreciate about Simmons—she is no bullshit and gets straight to the point.
“Thank you for taking the call while you are off duty. I’m sure Li updated you, but we have movement on Target Number One. This takes top priority.”
“Got it,” I reply. “What’s the consult needed?”
“Collateral info. This isn’t the usual job, Pearson. Or rather, the reason for the hit itself isn’t for the usual reason.”
Okay… so, what did that mean? That Target Number One wasn’t in fact a murderer or a terrorist or pedo? He must be something comparable if they are setting me on his ass. I only took out the worst of the worst.
“Target One is Tobias Jacob Morgan,” Simmons continues. “He’s one of us. Another organization, non-District, but one of us all the same. A contract killer. And… he is very skilled, Pearson.”