Bloodline [h.s.]

two.

Nick and I grew up two homes down from each other. Our fathers were business partners and best friends even before that. They graduated from Oxford University together with degrees in business and finance. They came to the States together for better professional opportunities. Our mums were nearly sisters. They were both hell bent on splitting our time evenly between England and America. We went to primary school in England and spent our summers in Santa Barbara. My mum used to say it was because she wanted us to remain close to our family back home, but my sister used to say it was because she refused to let us develop American accents.

For a few years, our dads worked together at Gallagher Investments before Nick's father decided to start a tech company called Payco International. My father continued at Gallagher Investments. After ten years of it being successful, Nick's father proposed a merge or partnership with Alec Gallagher's investment company.

The talks of a merge between the companies happened around the time Alec's company faced allegations of embezzling money from the federal government and illegal drug deals and funding tied back to Gallagher Investments. The day they scheduled a meeting to discuss the possible partnership, Alec Gallagher did not show up. On that day, a shooting in the Gallagher building killed Nick's father and twelve others who planned to confront Alec about the allegations against his company. Then, whoever did it lit the board room on fire.

The Gallaghers framed my father as a murderer and for being responsible for the corruption and drug deals within the company. Alec claimed my father murdered a boardroom of people and my family to cover up his involvement in the drug deals.

On the night my house caught on fire, my dad was taken by people I believed to be working for Alec Gallagher. I was separated from my family, sent back to Manchester, and tossed around for the rest of my childhood. When I was eighteen years old, Nick, while under the training of Kai, tracked me down in the midst of a search for answers to what happened to his father. Ever since he found me, we planned to find answers for both our families.

Kai saved my life. He helped forge the necessary papers to changed my name and create school records. He got me into Stanford University. Nick and I learned how to fight from him. He assisted me in orchestrating a plan to take down the Gallaghers. He used military strategies to train me to have a photographic memory. His training took me to hell and back, but I would not have traded it for anything. He took me in as he would for family. When it was time to leave for California, I was confident in this mission we created and the skills he helped me develop.

Nick planned to meet Kora and I at the Santa Barbara airport. Kora quickly gathered her belongings and parted ways. We could not risk being  seen together before my first day at work.

"So, you too are together now?" Nick asked a little surpised.

"No, just friends." I chuckled.

Kora and I met through Kai during my training in Hawaii. Kai trained her for a similar mission.

"Is she finding her own place or living with you?"

"Maybe with me. I haven't decided."

"Really, Aiden?"

"You can't call me that here, remember?" I whispered, "That is sort of the whole point."

"Right, Jacob. Sorry."

He pulled out his keys to unlock the matte black Range Rover in front of us.

"This is your car?" I said as I loaded the trunk with my bags.

"No, it's yours."

"No, it isn't. You're joking."

"A little welcome home and welcome to the company gift. The CEO of Land Rover is of the company's best investors."