Blood Oath (Ruby Rose/Ares fan fic)

Three

"So The Irish have sent you to kill her and we're afraid that someone else could try too. The High Table is going to talk to them again in order to convince those people to see reason but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon... that's why I've decided to make you a deal now that you're working as a freelance after the death of your last employer."

"What? Why didn't you say anything about it to me?" I ask confused leaving my cats on the floor.

"Because you won't like it: you need a babysitter."

"What? No way!" Winston ignores me and turns to talk to the assassin.

"I'll pay you fifteen million dollars if you keep her alive till we find a solution to the Irish problem." Ares turns slightly on her chair to look at me from head to toe, checking me out. Then, she stares at my boss again and lifts her left hand, opening and closing her fist three times before raising an eyebrow in a silent question. "Yes, I know: it's a lot of money. The Italians are offering "only" fourteen million for Wick's head so that can give you an idea of how important Nira is for the Company." The assassin looks at me again in disbelief, her eyes raking all over my body slowly, paying great attention to my legs while she bites her lower lip. This girl is shameless!

"Hey, the thing that is valued at $15 million is up here!" I'm almost screaming pointing at my head. Ares smiles naughtily and shrugs.

"To be honest, everything would be easier for us if you accepted to stay at Continental Hotel where nobody can attack you. I still don't understand why you refuse to do so."

"I've told you before. This hardware is very delicate: I'd have to take care of it personally, transport it and reinstall it and I wouldn't be able to work at full capacity for some time. Moreover, my house is a safe place not only because there're alarms everywhere and bullet-proof glass in every window but because I have my own generator and my connection cable is protected. What's the point of having a hacker working for you if someone shuts off the Hotel power and l run out of battery? And your connection cable is a disaster, it runs along the main line with the cable of other neighbours, anyone could cut it and you'd lose the connection. On the contrary, mine is buried and I'm the only one who knows the layout." And in addition to this, they're not locking me up even in a luxury hotel, but this is something I won't tell them out loud.

"Well, this is it. I know you're working more as an assassin than as a bodyguard lately but thanks to your experience you really know all the tricks. You'll have to move in here and keep Nira alive while I work with my allies in the High Table to make sure that no one is going to threaten her anymore. Hopefully, they'll desist from their plans when word gets out that you're protecting her. Of course, you have to return Aidan Finn his money and refuse the job. If you accept mine, you'll have to use this and I'm not taking no for an answer." Winston takes a Marker from his pocket, the golden medallion gleaming in the light. Oh my... this is getting serious.

Ares seems hesitant for a moment looking at me out of the corner of her eye while she licks her lips, lost in thought. She points at me with her index and then she starts moving her hands very fast, too fast for me to follow the conversation even if I'd know something about sign language. Finally, my boss stares at me with an eyebrow raised:

"She wants to know if you are going to act like a spoiled brat or, on the contrary, you're going to obey her orders."

"I'm not a spoiled brat... and I don't want to die," I answer looking into her eyes, "I'll do whatever you say, you're the expert here."

Finally, the assassin nods convinced. Opening the medallion and using the spike that pokes out the side, she cuts her right thumb and presses it against the metal leaving a red fingerprint. Then she does the same on the book that Winston has taken from his briefcase, signing the contract later. I take a tissue from a box near me and hand it to her before turning around to ask my boss:

"You sanitize those things every time you use one, don't you?"

Winston rolls his eyes at me. "Okay, listen. Ares has the upper hand here from now on. If she thinks that the situation is too dangerous and you need to move to the Continental, you'll do it immediately without complaining. I can replace the hardware but where will I find another brain like yours?"

Now it's my turn to roll my eyes. Ares stands up with a feline movement and points at my boss, moving her hands like she's holding the wheel; I understood that, she's asking if he has come with his car. Then she starts moving her hands again so fast that they're almost blurring, I must learn sign language or find another solution to communicate with her. Finally, they both turn to face me.

"I take you to dinner tonight at the hotel." Well, I didn't expect that.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of this invitation?"

"Ares needs to pack some clothes and weapons since she's moving here for some time. In the meantime she wants to keep you in a safe place and the only one possible it's the Continental. She'll pick you up there when she's ready, all right?"

My new bodyguard looks at me deadly serious, I guess she's expecting me to act like a spoiled brat throwing tantrums but she's wrong. I think this is a great idea, I'm hungry and the chocolate brownie of the hotel restaurant is my weakness but I wouldn't be caught dead in the hotel wearing my sportswear. "Can you give a minute, please?" They both nod and start speaking in sign language again, maybe finalizing the details of the agreement. I check quickly that my cats have food and water at their disposal and I rush into my room where I change my clothes for a pair of skinny black jeans and a beautiful jumper in a blue pastel shade trimmed with little pearls, black patent leather flats and a matching bag where I put my wallet, my keys and my very special phone, the one which let me control all my computers remotely so I can have access to my invaluable information. What I told Winston is true, it would be difficult to move all my hardware but it's also true that I could keep a reasonable level of work thanks to this little toy and other similar devices. But this is my secret.

"Well, shall we leave now?" Ares looks me from head to toe and nods before going upstairs to the main floor and walking out the backdoor. I make sure that all my alarms are on, then I cross the backyard getting into the big black car while my bodyguard is monitoring the surroundings with one hand grabbing the handle of her gun. She gets in after me and her thigh presses mine when she seats down next to me; I feel something hard again, maybe a knife?

"Do you need a lift back home?" Ares shakes her head and starts another round on hand movements. Definitely, I have to do something to solve the communication problem. "All right then, you'll make sure that Nira goes into the hotel with me and then my driver will get you wherever you want. I'm glad to see you're taking your new job so seriously. She's going to stick to you like glue, darling" Winston looks at me with a pitiful face, the poor man has no idea... I'm very happy with these arrangements: I really like Ares.