Chapter 12
Ashley
Meeting with Alex a few days earlier had completely thrown me off balance. I didn’t mention to Zoe the picture I received from him. I should have, of course. But I didn’t know whether I should protect her from the truth.
I didn’t want to get her hopes up. If our father turned out to be a worthless piece of trash, she would be crushed. I could handle it somehow, but she... She’s not like me.
Before our mother died, well, she wouldn’t have won any awards for being the parent of the year. With or without her, our lives were a mess. And now, our father...
For the first time in my life, I’m sure he knew about us. I used to doubt it because every time I asked about him, my mother would respond with silence or change the subject. She never said a word about him, never broke down.
Zoe was too young to understand anything, but I should have remembered. There’s a five-year age difference between us, so why didn’t I see a father in my childhood memories? He must have been in the picture before Zoe was born.
Now he doesn’t have to care about us at all. We expect nothing from him either. All I want is to know the truth.
I look at the picture for the thousandth time. They both look happy, excited about the family that lies ahead of them.
What the hell happened?
Where did fate screw up their lives so much that everything was swept away into the abyss?
A knock on the bedroom door interrupts my thoughts. Before I call Zoe to come in, I hide the photo in my pocket.
“What are you up to?” she asks, kissing me on the cheek.
“Better question, what are you up to?”
Zoe rolls her eyes, looking apologetic. “I didn’t want to. It was that damn Elijah who led me to it,” she says with accusation.
I laugh, even though the situation isn’t funny at all. “Are you telling me it’s his fault that you followed the trail to hack into a member of the Pact’s computer, stole his files, and handed them over to the FBI?”
“Kind of.” She shrugs. “Oh, come on. It’s like putting donuts in front of a starving man. You can’t expect him not to crack.”
“Be serious, Zoe. We still have to talk about this, and I have a lot to tell you, but that was a really stupid move. These people... they’re not people you want to mess with. I just want nothing to happen to you, and they’re capable of anything.”
“How was I supposed to know there was some damn secret society and that it was one of their computers?”
“You couldn’t.” I sigh. “And it wasn’t just anyone’s computer, but one of the most dangerous people on the planet.”
And you still don’t even know a sliver of the truth.
My phone vibrates, and I reach into my pocket. A message from Alex is waiting for me.
Alex
I have a gift for you. It’s waiting for you in the basement. I’ll send you the address.
I frown.
Another gift from Alex?
Soon I’ll have to talk to him and dash his hopes once and for all.
With the Jackal, it’s a different story.
Like my gift to him a few days ago when I danced for him; I wanted to provoke him, tease him, see his reaction.
I was bored to death when the idea popped into my head. But I had to send him a message. I was one step ahead of him. I already knew who he was.
Getting into his club wasn’t difficult, but getting on his stage was. It cost me some serious money and a few favors. But it was worth it. His expression was worth it.
Though separated by both space and the infuriating tinted glass wall, I was acutely aware of his scrutinizing eyes on me.
When he came down to me, I was completely lost in the dance. His gaze was on me the whole time. And it turned me on even more.
A magnetic force drew us to each other. My thoughts about him became more intrusive. He even appeared in my dreams. It smacked of obsession.
I shake my head, forcing him out of my mind.
“I have to go. Alex has something for me.”
“Alex? Did he finally melt that icy heart of yours a little?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s nothing between us.”
“Of course not, but that’s not because he doesn’t want there to be,” she points out, amused.
I roll my eyes, grab my sweatshirt and leave the room.
Is it the right place? The address is indeed correct.
Most of the buildings in the area are made of brick. Peeling facades, graffiti, and trash lying around are common sights here.
The neighborhood is definitely not conducive to evening walks, even though I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.
A few people scurry down the dark street, but most are hiding in their homes. Before I get out of the car, I put a mask on my face. My instinct tells me that this is the right thing to do.
Walking along the brick wall, I find the entrance to the building. It smells like something has died and been covered in a decade of dust. The stench of mold is awful. I wrinkle my nose in disgust.
According to the instructions, I’m to walk down the hallway to the end, where behind the door opposite there should be stairs leading to a basement protected by a code.
I’ve seen nothing more ridiculous in my life than a panel for unlocking the basement with a code; nothing could be more out of place.
In such a dingy and disgusting place, a shiny silver panel.
I make a mental note to call Alex and tell him what I think about it.
A moment later, I descend the stairs, which are barely lit by sidelights. Moisture is everywhere, and the stench is even more intense. Somewhere in the distance, someone is moaning quietly.
I pull a knife from my belt
The moaning sounds get louder as I stand at the foot of the stairs. Heading in their direction, I follow them like a thread to a ball of yarn.
The basement is more like a dungeon. Goosebumps appear on my skin.
My steps are uncertain, and when a rat crosses my path, I actually jump slightly. I hate these disgusting creatures.
After a dozen steps, the corridor splits, but on the right there's a half-open door with warm light coming from behind it. Quiet moans are coming from there too. Male moans.
I sneak up to the doorway.
There’s absolutely nothing in the small room except for a chair in the middle and a man sitting on it.
His hands are tied behind his back, legs bound. His mouth is taped shut with black tape.
I walk around the man in silence. Standing face to face with him, I crouch down. Only after a moment do his eyes widen as understanding dawns on him.
On me too. What a surprise.
“David Baker. Nice to see you again,” I say sarcastically. The poor guy tries to shout something at me, but the tape prevents him from doing so. “What? Are you happy to see me too? I’m touched. You have no idea how much.”
I walk around him again, making sure the guy can’t break free on his own, but the duct tape is holding tight.
“Be a good boy and don’t scream, okay? I’ll take off the tape so we can have a nice little chat.”
David nods. With one swift movement, I rip the tape off his face, making him hiss in pain.
Fuck. That must hurt.
“I was looking for you. Were you hiding from me?”
“Fuck you,” David gasps, catching his breath.
Displeased, I smack my lips. “I understand you didn’t miss me, but why the harsh words? We have a small problem to solve here. Where is your brother?”
“I already told you I have no fucking idea where he is.”
“You also said that even if you knew, you wouldn’t share that information. Except that a lot has happened since we last met, and I’ve learned some important things. That changes everything.”
“You want to kill me?” he asks, hatred in his voice.
“I don’t want to kill you at all, which is why it’s so important that you work with me.” I sigh. “Will you tell me a little about the past? Your brother Charles doesn’t have a wife, never did. That’s no secret. Did he have children?”
David laughs, and his eyes sparkle. “He never had children. That’s no secret either.”
“The thing is, that’s not true.” I pull a folded photo out of my pocket. He’s surprised by this. Or at least because I have it.
I look at my parents and then turn the photo toward David. He tries to keep a straight face when his eyes fall on the photo, but he’s not very good at it.
He blinks several times, staring as if the past has just appeared before his eyes. I see recognition in them, and a muscle in his face twitches. A crooked grimace forms on his lips.
David swallows and looks me straight in the eye. “Where did you get this?”
“Doesn’t really matter. Charles became a father. What happened to his child?”
“That’s not a question for me.”
“Too bad. I’m asking you anyway. Where is his child?” I press on.
His mocking laugh and words hit me harder than I care to admit. “I don’t know, and I don’t give a shit! As far as I’m concerned, that bastard could be dead for all I care!”
My eyes narrow. So much for family reunions. The guy has no idea who he’s talking to. Provoking an animal like me doesn’t bode well. I’m a hired killer, a hunter, a predator.
It’s not even that he’s insulting me in his ignorance. But his tone of superiority, of self-importance, strikes the wrong chord.
“Do you know this woman?” My voice is ice cold. “What happened to her?”
“I have no fucking idea what happened to her. All I know is that she was pregnant and then one fine day, she just disappeared completely from our lives. Nothing remained of her, like she’d never existed.”
“People don’t just disappear overnight. And certainly not without a good reason. What happened?”
“Fuck! I’m telling you, I have no fucking idea!” David struggles, but it’s no use. He’s at my mercy.
“Charles never looked for her? He never looked for them?” More questions.
“As far as I know, he never looked for that bitch and her bastard.”
I have an urge to welcome him with that bastard’s knives. But David is the only thread that can connect me to the former senator.
“Careful, David... Since you’re of no use to me anyway, I should kill you now. What’s the point of keeping you alive?”
“Then why don’t you do it and end this game?! Do you think you’re such a tough girl?!”
I step away from him. Grabbing the mask, I slowly pull it off my head.
My face tells him nothing, and why should it? His words stir up hatred in me. Gripping the mask in my fist, I stare at him.
“Who are you?” he asks in a weak voice laced with interest. He tries to put the puzzle together to find the answer to the question. “Have we met before?”
Life’s unfair, but that’s no secret. What would our lives have been like if our father had wanted us? What would they have been like if our mother had never taken that first shot in her vein? What would they have been like if I hadn’t killed for the first time in that dark alley in the city?
“I’m that bastard, the daughter of that scum and your brother. The bastard who survived despite everything. Uncle David.”
Once again, his eyes widen. David looks like a fish out of water as he opens and closes his mouth once, twice, before finally blurting something out. “That’s impossible—”
“Impossible? Who helped break up that relationship? Who helped my mother disappear from the scene?”
“Your father should answer those questions...”
Father. In my head, he’s just Charles. It feels strange to hear it out loud.
“You’re right,” I agree. “That’s why I want to know where he is. Where can I find him? How can I contact him?”
Loyalty to his brother prevents him from telling me everything. His gaze is suspicious. “I thought you wanted to kill him, just like your friend who dragged me here?”
My friend? I can’t understand why Alex would want to kill him. What is he talking about?
Seeing my confusion, David continues, “The one you almost fucked in my house.”
The realization hits me with force. If he’d slapped me, it would have made less of an impact.
The Jackal.
Breathing deeply, I try to control my emotions.
The pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
In a second, my satisfaction at being one step ahead of him dies. If this is his doing, it means I haven’t outsmarted him at all. He’s right behind me—if not already ahead of me.
“There was no fucking involved, and he’s not my friend,” I say, hiding my surprise at this news.
“I don’t think he got the message yet. Either way, he wanted you. I’m a guy, I know these things.”
“You’re wrong.”
“No, I’m not. I would recognize his mask even in a dark alley. I know what I’m talking about.”
I shake my head because it doesn’t matter now.
“Never mind. Anyway, I don’t want to kill my father.
At least not yet. Now listen carefully. In a moment, I’ll let you go.
You’ll leave here and go to my father. No one will follow you; you have my word.
Go to him and give him a message. Tell him his daughter is looking for him and wants answers.
He’d better be ready to give them to me. ”
“How do you know I’ll do that?”
“You will. No doubt about it. No one can hide forever, David. Not you. Not even him. Eventually, I’ll find him, and if I find out you didn’t tell him anything, you’ll be next. I’ll kill you first, and then every other member of our lovely family.”
“You’re a good daddy’s girl,” he says with contempt.
“And you know nothing about me. Do we understand each other?”
David nods in response.
“What’s your name?” he asks as I cut the ropes on his hands. I leave his legs tied. He can figure out how to get out of that himself.
“It’s better for you if we don’t have to meet again. Then you won’t need my name.”
I turn on my heel and leave the same way I came. Only when I step outside do I allow myself to take a deep breath.
The whole day has been strange, and my conversation with David keeps running through my head on the way home.
It’s past midnight when I enter our apartment. Inside, it’s quiet and completely dark. Zoe must already be asleep.
So, I head straight for the bedroom. Closing the door quietly behind me, I walk over to the window.
My next move in my father’s case needs to be figured out.
But that’s not all. There are still the problems Zoe has brought upon us, my assignment, and the matter of Ryker, who is intent on killing my father.
Everything has become so mixed up over the last month.
Doubts about whether I did the right thing in accepting the job circle in my head.
The skin on the back of my neck is burning, as if someone’s watching me.
“Did you like my gift?” a low voice asks from behind me.