ATHENA RUSSO:
"So why did I have to do that?" Noah asks me, grunting.
"Because I told you too," I say, casually walking to the car.
"Are you some crazy revenge-killing assassin or something?"
"Or something."
Noah halts, looking at me with wide eyes. "Athena. Please tell me you're lying."
I shrug, "I would but I'm not a dishonest person."
Unlocking the car, I get in the driver's seat and turn the car on. I look out the window seeing Noah standing frozen in shock.
What the hell is wrong with him? I roll the window down. "Noah get in the car," I say with a bored tone.
"But you just said... You're a killer."
I raise my eyebrows, "It's not like you're any better."
"Oh yeah. I forgot that I was a sniper. Okay, I don't care anymore."
He gets in the passenger seat, sighing. I stare at him, he looks at me and sighs again.
"What?"
He opens his mouth but then sighs again.
"What is it?"
He looks out the window and then back at me and then the floor and sighs.
"Noah," I warn, glaring at him.
"Okay! I care! I thought you were a street racer with awesome reflexes. I thought I was the cooler one. But you drop this bombshell on me and expect me not to care?!"
I shake my head and start driving. "Firstly, you never asked what I do. Second of all, you were never cool. Thirdly, you said that you don't care," I say smoothly.
Noah gapes at me. "How many chapters did I miss of my fucking life?!" He exclaims.
I shrug, "You should get that checked out."
"Shut up! Take me home. I need to see my babies."
"I am not taking you home."
"Thank you— Wait what?!"
He's such an idiot. He hasn't even noticed that there is someone in the backseat.
I look in the rearview mirror and I give her a nod and she immediately wraps the cloth around Noah's mouth and he inhales it. His eyes close and he slumps in the chair.
"God, he's annoying. Where did you even meet him," Artemis asks annoyed, rubbing her temples and I can only assume she's got a headache from him.
"It's a long story," I reply, speeding up a little.
"Can we just kick him out of the car? I want to sit at the front—"
"How was London?"
She sighs, "Rainy. Cold. Depressing. The weather there is bipolar. One minute it's sunny, the next there's a full-on rainstorm."
I look at her in the rearview mirror. "Yeah, I should've mentioned that before I got kidnapped," I say, biting my lip, trying to hold back an evil grin.
She leans forward and plays with my hair with a sad expression, "You were such a sweet girl, Athena. So kind, so cute. A little bit bratty but still. You didn't deserve what they did to you."
I stay silent. I don't know what to say to that. I'm pretty sure I did do something to deserve it. I'm not sure what I did though. Maybe I did something bad in my past life? I don't know.
But I don't have time to miss the old me because she's dead now. The new and greater me is out for revenge so I need to focus on that.
Artemis huffs, "Are we there yet?"
I look at the time, "We should be there in a minute."
She groans. "What are we planning to do with this idiot anyway?" She asks, pointing at Noah.
"He's going to help us like the good little boy he is," I say, smirking.
Artemis wiggles her eyebrows, "I like the sound of that—"
I shake my head at her, "Not like that you child."
She grins, "Sorry my bad. But do you think I could have some fun with him anyway?"
"He's gay," I deadpan.
She bangs her head on the window, "Why is it always the cute ones?! Why God? Why?!"
I roll my eyes and see the mansion in the distance.
"We're here."
I park the car outside the mansion and get out and so does Artemis. Then I walk around the car, open the passenger door and Noah falls out of the car and onto the floor.
Artemis snorts. "Poor guy. Are we going to drag him—"
I crouch down and pick him up, bridal style.
"Nevermind."
I walk to the entrance of the mansion. The door automatically opens once we reach it and we enter the mansion.
We go downstairs to the basement and I place Noah on the chair and Artemis ties him to it.
"It's going to take a while for him to wake up, do you want to talk and drink coffee?" I ask her, placing my hands on my hips, staring at Noah.
I hope he won't get mad that I stole his pets.
Artemis turns to me, grinning.
"Can we replace the coffee with alcohol?"
✮ ✮ ✮
"How did you even know where I was?"
It was easy to find Artemis. I just tracked her down. But why? Because I need her. She was shocked when I showed up a few weeks ago at her house in London.
She thought I was dead.
I don't blame her for that. I would think I was dead too.
I just dragged her out of her house and onto the plane and flew back to New York.
I haven't been to New York this whole time. That would be too obvious. I've been in Las Vegas.
I shrug, taking a sip of my coffee. Artemis is drinking but I decided not to. I just don't like drinking, it's a stupid way to get rid of your problems. In fact, they don't even go away, you just forget about them.
She frowns at me, "What did they do to you?"
I don't answer her. It's not because I can't, I just don't want to. I don't want her to know. I don't want anyone to know.
"It's okay. You don't need to answer. But tell me, why am I here?"
I sigh, "Logically, I can't do this by myself. So I need a few people. Like you and Noah."
Her eyes light up, "I heard what happened at the ball. Was that you?"
I tilt my head, recalling what I made Noah do. "Well, I got Noah to drop the body from a plane and the body fell through the ceiling and landed right in the middle of the dancefloor. So kind of."
"So you're basically getting revenge on the Russians?"
I nod, "Yeah. Mostly Yavok though. I have everything planned out."
She hums, looking around the room then hesitantly looks back at me, "So um. Why won't you go back to your brothers?"
"It's a long story," I mumble.
It really isn't. I need to get my revenge, sort out my fucked up head, and fix my trust issues and I'm pretty sure after that I can go back. Although, I know it would be awkward for me to just show up.
Noah's dog, Socks, starts barking.
I groan, why did I even bring the dog?
And where's the cat?
A small meow comes from under my chair. I look down and see Iris hiding under my chair, looking scared for her life.
I sigh and pick her up and place her on the table.
Socks barks again.
I glare at Socks, who's sitting in the corner of the room. He whimpers and lays down, sad.
"Jesus Athena. Leave the dog alone," Artemis mumbles, leaning back in her chair.
"Fine," I huff, finishing my coffee.
Goddammit. When is Noah going to wake up?
Iris meows, making me look at her. "Yes?" I say, bored. She jumps onto my lap and curls into a small ball and purrs.
Then I hear Sock's heavy panting. I glance at him and I find him sitting next to my chair like some guard dog. He wags his tail and looks up at me.
I hesitantly pet him and then grimace.
Then Noah screams.
My eyes light up at the scream and then I internally tell myself I am not killing anyone today so my shoulders slump back, disappointed.
Kill—
Fuck off.
"He screams like a girl," Artemis says, grinning.
I gently take Iris off of my lap and place her on the floor. Then I stand up and take Artemis's drink and finish it. "Okay. I'm ready. Let's go."
She gapes at me, "That was mine!"
I grab the bottle of vodka and pass it to her. "Take this then," I grumble.
Now I have to convince Noah to work for me.
Will it be easy?
Yes. He's a pussy.
✮ ✮ ✮
"Fine. Only because I think it's cool and badass."
I nod, "Okay—"
Artemis bangs her head repeatedly on the wall. "This." Bang. "Isn't." Bang. "Fair!" Bang.
"What isn't fair?" I ask her, slightly concerned about her sudden irrational behavior.
"We didn't get to torture him! He immediately agreed after you explained everything! That isn't fair!" She exclaims, breathing heavily.
She clenches her fists and moves towards Noah. "Say no so I can beat you up," she grits out.
Noah sheepishly smiles, "Nah I'm good."
She slaps him.
"Okay that's enough," I tell her, dragging her away from him. Artemis gives me a look but then I give her a look and then she sighs in defeat.
"Also, Athena, since when were you into kinky stuff?"
"Excuse me?" I say, turning around to look at him.
His eyes slightly widen in panic. "No! I'm joking. It's because you tied me up! I swear."
I walk over to him. "Also I stole your animals," I say as I untie him.
"You what?!"
"I took your dog and cat."
"Where the hell did you take them?!"
"Here," I deadpan.
He crosses his arms, "Bring me to them."
I turn around and look at Artemis, she sighs and walks out of the room. I follow after her and Noah follows me.
She goes upstairs and opens a door and Noah enters it and gasps. Have I dedicated a whole room to his pets?
Maybe . . . Fine. Yes. I did. Only because I got bored and I have too many empty rooms.
On the right side of the room, there's a cat tower, cat toys, a cat scratcher thing, a litter box, and things that cat can climb on, although I doubt Iris would use that, she is a kitten, and on the left side of the room...
Just a bone and bed.
Artemis glances at me, "Did you not have enough time to decorate the other side—"
"No. I did. Why?"
Noah turns around and glares at me, "Why are you spoiling my cat and not my dog?!"
I furrow my eyebrows, "I have spoiled your dog."
I walk over and open the door that they haven't noticed and show Noah the other room. "Look, he's got in his own room too. I just thought maybe if they wanted to hang out they could so I put a bone and a bed in Iris's room," I explain.
Noah's eyes tear up. "I'm so glad you kidnapped me," he whispers, holding a hand on his chest.
I open my mouth and then shut it.
No one has ever said that to me.
I feel... Proud.
Someone actually likes that I've kidnapped them.
Maybe I should do this more often.
"So their rooms are connected?" Artemis asks, pushing Noah away.
I nod, "Yeah. They have their food and water, and they can go out in the garden whenever."
I look around Socks's room and find him biting a bone on his massive bed with Iris cuddling next to him.
Noah pushes Artemis away, staring at me with adoration in his eyes. "Athena I think I might just kiss you," he mumbles, leaning in.
I grimace and step away from him. "You're gay, Noah, please don't forget that."
Artemis evilly laughs behind me. "Noah, she would never kiss you. But she kisses me all the time. In fact, I was her first kiss!" she says, proud.
I look at her confused, "We used to kiss."
"She was your first kiss?" Noah asks me, heartbroken.
"I don't know why you're sad, you're supposed to be gay and you," I point at Artemis, "you're supposed to be straight."
Noah smirks, "Athena you're just—"
"Finish that sentence and I will kill your pets."
Socks barks at me.
I roll my eyes.
Artemis places a hand on my shoulder, "Well hello there, Athena. I heard that you're single now."
"I've been single since I was born and get your hand off of me," I snap.
Artemis takes her hand off me like she's just burned it and I walk out of the room with them following me like lost puppies.
I walk to the last room of the hall and open it. I turn the lights on and I hear them gasp behind me.
"What the hell?!" They say, simultaneously.
The room is filled with pictures on the wall. Pictures of locations, the Russians, Yavok, warehouses, and faces of the people that have wronged me.
I walk further into the room. "I call this my revenge room. It's where I plan my revenge," I explain to them, shrugging.
I grab the bucket and paintbrush. I dip the paintbrush into the bucket of blood and cross out the picture of the building where the first ball was held in. Then I cross out the picture of the Yavok's second in command.
The reason why I killed him is because he used to take away my food. But I also needed someone dead that held a lot of importance to Yavok so I decided he was the first person to die from my list.
And he did.
I turn around and start speaking, "Every ball will have an unexpected turn. Now since Noah kindly helped me with the first one—"
"You forced me actually."
"—that means we have four more to plan. Actually well I've already planned everything out but I just need to inform you two of what I have arranged."
Placing the bucket down I point to the next picture on the wall. "The Americans' ball. Now we're only planning to frighten Yavok Orlav before his time runs out," I explain.
Then I walk over to the desk and open one of the drawers and pull out a file, I drop the file and gesture from them to read it.
Artemis runs to it before Noah can but he pushes her but she slaps him and then they start fighting each other.
I rub my temples, slowly getting a headache.
"You little cunt! I got to it first!"
"Shut up you bitch!"
"How dare you—"
I take the file and open it and start reading it out loud. "Yavok Orlav's has two sons. The eldest son, Levi Orlav."
Artemis freezes, "What?"
"Wait, who?"
I continue reading, "Yavok's other son, is unknown. Allegedly, he's dead."
I close the file and look up, "Now we don't care about the other son. We care about Levi Orlav. He's going to be at the next ball and we're going to kill him."
Artemis moves away from Noah and places her hands on her hips, "Why don't we like Levi?"
Noah crosses his arms, "Yeah why don't we like him?"
"Because it was his idea to kidnap me five years ago."