Agent 13 (Book 1)

15. We're at a warehouse duh

We lost a good half the agency to death, and even then they were still others that weren't on our side. I'll put it like this, before the split our numbers were in the thousands, now, we're lucky if we even have a thousand." I glance up at them to see their expressions, most of them look confused. Of course.

"How did we never know about this?" Jason asks quietly.

"All the younger agents without a team at the time were at the training facility, it's an entirely different building and luckily no one there was out for blood," I reply.

"Wait then how do you know about this?" Cody questions and I look away from them.

"I found out the hard way." I whisper, "Two weeks before they planned to strike, I was on a mission with my team, and...it was nothing we hadn't done a hundred times before, but...he wanted to take us out beforehand since we were really some of the only people who would actually pose a big threat to them. He was supposed to take us out and be done...and he killed all of them...except me." I pause and just stare at my hands in my lap.

"Do you know what's worse than dying?" I ask quietly, "Watching all the people you care about the most die and there's nothing you can do about it. Not a day goes by where I don't wish I had died that day too." No one says anything. "I warned Zero as soon as I got out of there, and he was overconfident that nothing would happen, or that we'd be able to handle it. He didn't listen to me, and now all those deaths are not only him but me too. So yes Cody, my guilty conscience does keep me up at night." I finish. I don't look at any of them. I hear them shuffle their feet uncomfortably. I can't help but replay the last real conversation I had with Zero.

Flashback

Zero calls my name again.

"I'm burning this building to the ground," I warn him as bullets fly over our heads. I don't make eye contact with him. "And I don't care whether or not you're out but I want anyone else that's still on our side out." I hiss.

"I'm sorry, I didn't listen." He repeats again as if I'll suddenly open up my arms and welcome him back. My eyes darken as I finally look at him, the hatred burning bright in my eyes I'm sure. He looks back at me trying to hide the hurt in his eyes but is unsuccessful.

"I'll never forgive you for what you've done." I retort sharply, "You still have my trust as a chief, but as a person, my trust is gone, and don't ever expect to earn it back."

He opens his mouth and starts to call me by name again but I cut him off.

"Don't you ever call me by my name again, that's the last thing I want to hear from your mouth." I snap at him. He shakes his head sadly but at the same time, I see him resign.

"What should I call you then?"

"Thirteen."

End of Flashback

A loud knock on the door jolts me back to the present. My hand grabs my dagger. I hold it behind my back as I walk cautiously towards the door. I feel the boys move in quietly behind me. I throw open the door and stare at the familiar face looking back at me.

"Ryan's right here," I tell Ninety-one as I grab Ryan's arm and drag him over.

"Hey." Ryan protests.

Ninety-one shakes his head with a small smile on his face. "Where you off to?" he asks me.

"Somewhere safe." I reply, "Get him back to the agency." Ninety-one nods and leads Ryan out the door. I close it behind him. "Pack your stuff," I order before grabbing my backpack and hoisting it over my shoulder.