"My name is Bradley, I'm fourteen almost fifteen, and I'm from Massachusetts originally. You stole my target by the way." I assessed the blond boy sitting on the bed.
"I'm Elise. I'm twenty one, and I'm from Queens. Now tell me Bradley, why is such a young teen killing? I mean, normally they don't start training until you're at least eighteen." He shrugged and walked over to the minibar. I noticed his dirty clothes.
"Do you need a place to stay for the night? We could order room service, watch a movie." I felt a bit of sympathy for the young boy. His face lit up.
"I would love that Elise, thank you." I smiled at him as I picked up the TV remote.
"AWESOME!" Bradley yelled, and I shushed him. I hated action movies, but the Terminator was pretty epic.
"You're going to wake the whole hotel up!" I jokingly snapped at him. He shrugged and leaned against me, closing his eyes.
"Thanks again Elise, you're a life saver." He murmured, and I slowly leaned back.
"Goodnight Bradley." I felt an instant connection with this teenager. For a moment, I wasn't evil, or damned. This kid needed me, and I could help him.
For a moment, I wasn't a monster.
"Checkmate." I cornered his Queen. Danny leaned back in his chair as he looked over his options.
"Nice job Silver! Play again?" I shook my head. Walking over to the minibar, I grabbed a coke and threw one to him.
"So tell me Danny, have you ever been inside BrickStone?" He shook his head.
"Then why are you fighting against it." Opening the can, I took a sip and surveyed the young boy known as Daniel.
Tall, lanky, but athletic, he stood over me by at least a head. He must have been around twenty, near Bradley's age. He had jet black hair, with dark eyes that seemed to notice everything.
"You're a hacker, aren't you." It wasn't a question, I knew the answer. His slender fingers tapped lightly at his side as he nodded.
"You're good Silver, but I guess you knew that. Can you guess how old I am?" I pursed my lips, that was tough.
"Twenty-one?" I guessed. He nodded, impressed. "You're twenty six, I already knew that though. Do you have any siblings?" He asked and I nodded.
"A brother, named Mike. He's um, at BrickStone." Danny looked sympathetic.
"I'm sorry. I have a little sister, but she's only seven. Her name is Clara." His eyes turned sad when he mentioned her.
"Hey Danny, it's okay. I miss my sibling too, even if he did betray me." I hugged him. He smiled at me and stood up.
"Do you want to do something? Here, I have something cool to show you!" He clapped his hands, all traces of sadness gone.
"Sure Danny, what is it?" He grabbed my wrist and covered my eyes. He pushed me forward and we akwardly walked along the hallways.
In a funny way, the Restistance building looked a bit like BrickStone. However, it was so much warmer and cozier and nicer. Instead of white walls, they were different colors, and the floor was carpeted. It was significantly smaller though, and I had to share a room with Tucker. Who sleep talked.
Well I did too, but still.
"Nice Danny, I guess I owe you five bucks." I froze, and Danny did too. Shoving Danny away from me, I went up to Tucker.
"Pray tell Tucker, why would you owe Daniel five dollars?" I asked sweetly. He began to stutter and I slammed him against the wall.
"Imadehimabetforwhowouldsleepwithyoufirst" He said in one breath. I was disgusted. Danny started to back away, and I walked over to him. Yanking his ear, I pulled him over to his friend. Two swift kicks to the groins, and they were on the floor groaning.
"Let me spell this out for you boys." I placed my hands on my hips. "Neither of you are going to sleep with me, as you so crudely put it. Now I want an apology, from both of you." They were silent.
"No? Well that's your choice." Grabbing Tucker's arm and Danny's hand, I shoved them against the wall. Putting all my weight on them, I moved my hands to the middle of their backs.
"When I first started out, I had this move. It would make my oppenents cry out in mercy in five seconds, tops. Would you like to see it?" I asked sweetly, running my fingers down Tucker's collarbone teasingly. Slightly, I began to push down.
"No! Stop! I'm sorry!" Tucker shouted. I grinned wickedly and pushed him away. Spinning Danny around, I smiled and wrapped my hand around his waist.
"Are you sorry Daniel?" I ask, trailing my fingers up his chest. Winking at him, I saw him clear his throat.
"Sorry Elise." He said gruffly. I shook my head, and pulled his head down to meet mine.
"I don't believe you Danny." Brushing my lips lightly against his, I backed away. He looked furious, and Tucker was almost peeing himself laughing.
"So what's this thing you wanted to show me?" I asked Danny, trying not to giggle at his expression.
"Come on, I'll show you." He said quietly, with a beet red face. He walked through the hallway's, and Tucker and I followed him, both of us laughing. He turned around when we both of us hit the floor.
"Oh grow up you two, you're acting like you're five!" That just made us laugh harder. Finally, we calmed down and Danny led us to a steel door. Pressing his hand on it, he then entered a four digit pin which I saw.
1-2-2-1
The door slid open to reveal the training centre of my dreams. The one at BrickStone was impressive, but this was far better. I could see sniper trees, and targets lined the walls. At the far end of this massive area, was a track and a small climbing wall.
"Whoa." I breathed. I had been here two days and no one had shown me this yet?
"You guys are allowed to use it whenever you want, I just have to register you two and give you the code which is-" He was cut off by Tucker and I.
"One, Two, Two, One." We finished for him. Tucker patted him on the back.
"I'm a con artist, which means I always pay attention to small details. She's an assassin, which means she's always on guard. You should cover the code next time buddy." I smiled at him. Shrugging my shoulders, I walked into a criminal heaven. I nearly fainted when I saw the knives and guns.
"Have I died and gone to heaven? Seriously, someone pinch me." I felt pain on my arm and glared at Tucker. Idiot.
"Tucker, there's a workshop to the right of the climbing wall. It's soundproof in there, so you won't hear the guns and such. There are other people who work there though, so don't make too much of a mess. Elise, you are free to use anything, and don't be stingy about ammo, we have plenty. I'll leave you two to your own devices." I probably looked like a kid in a candy store. Picking up a throwing knife, I whirled around and threw it at a target. It landed close to the bulls eye.
"You were a bit off, but a good shot none the less." I whirled around to see Eric standing there. I ran over to him.
"Hey! How have you been since your big prison break? Where's Hannah, did you guys stay together? Is she here, does she know about Collin? Have you heard anything on Emily or Jared?" He laughed as I threw questions at him.
"Slow down Silver. Yes I'm still with Hannah, yes she knows about Collin. I have no news of Jared, but I can't really tell you anything about Emily." My heart sank.
"Because she's here." He finished, and I saw Emily walk into the room. She looked around before spotting me, and ran towards me. She hugged me tightly and we both fell to the floor.
"Emmy! Oh my god you're alive, you're okay!" I exclaimed. She stood up, looking angry.
"You left me! You were going to kill me, BrickStone could've taken me. How could you Lise?" She asked, and I felt really guilty.
"I'm so sorry Em, but I knew Collin wouldn't kill you. BrickStone didn't take you, but I'm still super sorry. Please, I did what I had to do, but I'm so sorry Emmy." I begged. She looked annoyed, then softened.
"It's okay Elise, what's done is done. So where's Collin?" I froze and turned to Eric.
"You didn't tell her?" I whispered, but he heard me. Emily glared at him.
"Tell me what Elise, Eric. What the hell happened to Collin?" She asked. Tucker had come out of the workshop silently, and was leaning against the doorway.
"Collin, um, Collin.." I trailed off. "Collin's dead Emily." Eric finished. Way to sugar coat it. Emily's shoulders began to shake as she sobbed. I pulled her into my lap and letting her cry it out.
"You couldn't have said it any other way, could you?" I hissed at him, now pissed. This wasn't exactly how a reunion should go. Emily meanwhile, was still crying into my sweater. Tucker walked over to me.
"I think I can calm her down." He whispred. I shrugged and gently moved her to him, and he sat down. Emily curled into him as Tucker stroked her hair.
"Shhh, I know it hurts, but you've got to be strong Emily. What a pretty name you have sweetie. I bet you Collin-" I tuned out and stood up. It stung a little that Tucker could soothe her and I couldn't.
"I'm going to kill you Cane, I mean it. I haven't seen her in forever, I betrayed her, and this is how we react? She's crying in the arms of a stranger, Eric, a stranger! God, I swear to god-" Eric placed a finger on my lips.
"I know where Jared is Silver." That shut me up. At the mention of my best friend, I instantly went on alert.
"Where, tell me! I need to see him!" I demanded. Eric handed me a cell phone.
"Why don't you talk to him, he misses you." And how exactly would he know that? Grabbing the phone, I saw the number had been dialed.
Here goes nothing.
The phone rang twice before someone picked up.
"Hey Eric, how's it going?" I hadn't heard his voice in a while. I almost dropped the phone in shock.
"Jared?" I whispered. I heard him gasp. "Elise? Silver is that you?" I smiled.
"Yeah, it's me. Are you okay?" I asked.
"I'm fine, but Elise, I really have to go. I'll talk to you tonight okay?" That was abrupt.
"Why? Stay a little longer please Jared?" I begged him. He couldn't hang up that quickly, what was going on with him?
"Goodbye Elise, I'll talk to you soon." And then he was gone.
My best friend, someone I had considered to be my brother, someone I had loved, just hung up on me. He didn't sound troubled, he sounded happy. He didn't need me.
"Eric, where is he?" I asked. Eric's face went grim.
"Eric, where the hell is 544?" I snapped.
"I can't tell you Elise, I thought he would. I don't have permission, and only a few people know where he is." I wanted to strangle him. I could think of one person who would know where Jared was.
If he wouldn't tell me, I would find out myself. Leaving the training room, I kept the cell phone.
It was time to call someone, someone I never wanted to speak to again.
718-886-5540
I knew all calls would be rerouted to him. I knew at that moment, a little light would go on in his office. I know he would be sitting in his chair, bolting upright.
"Hello?" That voice. The voice that haunted my nightmares from now on.
"I'm going to need a favor, I need info on somebody." I could almost see that smug smirk.
"Coyle?" I gritted my teeth. It was time to give this despicable creature a number, it was time to string my trap.I would find Jared, and kill this bastard.
"Yes, I need info on Coyle. Meet me in New York City, Central Park. By Sal's Dogs, in the central park loop. Two days, meet a one o clock. Got it 442?" I snapped.
"Fine, you're so demanding. But my name's not 442, Silver, you know my name very well. I'll come alone, you come alone. We'll discuss payment when we get there." I hated his tone.
"Goodbye 442." I almost hung up when I heard his voice, teasing me.
"That's not my name, silly Silver." He thought he was so clever, didn't he.
"Goodbye Tyler."