Agent Rogue: Espionage

Chapter 15

          He stared at the floor, the purple shadows beneath his eyes growing with every second. "I don't know."

          Maybe he was in denial – maybe he genuinely did not know. I did not wish to push further.

          I wiggled from Derek's grip on my waist and slid my feet into the cheap sliders Scotty brought to avoid splintering my skin. For the chill that now roamed the chateau, I pulled the cream cardigan I wore on the incoming journey over my shoulders before letting out a yawn.

          "I could take over, if you'd like," Collins offered.
I waved a hand, covering my mouth with the other. "No need. I'll wake up soon."
He mirrored my yawn. "If you're sure."
"Try to get some rest," I urged. "Even with that one snoring."
He laughed quietly. "I will. Goodnight, Amber."
"Night, Collins."

          I met Scotty on the way out, almost walking into the palm of his outstretched arms.

          "Watch it," he warned mid-yawn.
"Don't mind me," I retorted.

          Sienna was nearby, still tied to the chair we left her in earlier at the base of the stairs, staring straight ahead with a bored expression.

          "Has she given you much trouble?"
"Nothing I couldn't handle," he replied.
That wasn't a no. "What did she say?"
His dimples shrunk as he swallowed. "Just a few taunts about Rose. And Anna."
Of course. "And are you alright?"
"What's done is done. I can't change what happened with them both, but I can take steps to make sure I don't make the same mistakes again."
"Scotty." She'd gotten to him.
"It's fine. I learned my lesson, it's okay."
"You don't have to punish yourself for their behaviour."
"But I can change my own."

          Not when it hurt him. I must have been frowning, because he nudged me with a forced smile.

          "Hey, it's fine. I'm fine. Now go entertain Sienna."

          He slid his gun loosely in my hand. "No bullets left. You know, just in case you were tempted."
I tutted and shook my head. "Goodnight."
"Good luck!"

          Sienna was much less pleased to see me than Scotty was.

          "Knight."
"Sienna." I fell into the chair Scotty left behind and crossed one leg over the other, sitting the gun on my lap.
"Will you be as much of a nuisance as your friend, I wonder?"
"Did he show you his Pokémon collection?"
She was almost taken aback. "His... Pokémon collection?"
"If he didn't, you can't call him a nuisance. Because that collection is excessive and he's made me look over every detail of it."

          Sienna only rolled her eyes.

          She did not taunt me for half an hour. Did not utter a single word, in fact. All she did was look straight ahead at the barricaded door, flinching every so often at a flash of lightening or an especially loud gust of wind.

          "Are you afraid of the weather, Sienna?"
For the first time in a while, she looked at me. Through me. "Everyone's afraid of something, my dear. Thunder does not bother me, however."
I cocked my head. "Then what does?"
Again, that look. Like she was looking into me – seeing through my eyes. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

          For my own curiosity, yes. For the mission, it was not relevant. At least not now.

          What I needed to know, however – what I had always wondered...

          "Why'd you do it? Work for Marcus." Her eyes met mine, then the floor. "Why get involved with a man like that? Surely there were easier investments around." Ones that did not involve tracking from the British Secret Service as a consequence.