Chapter 1
"Just shut your mouth," I said, slipping on my jacket. "I forgot how annoying you newbies are."
Ryan frowned. "I'm just asking. What happens if we get compromised?"
I leaned down so I was at eye level with him, trying to ignore his attractive blond hair and the blue eyes that reminded me of someone else's. I smirked as he gripped the sides of his chair. "Ryan," I murmured, my nose almost touching his, "I'm the best. I always kill and leave. Unharmed. Besides, on the rare occasions we do get compromised, well...would I still be here if I weren't good?"
I could tell he was losing his train of thought; his eyes were wandering over my body, barely concealed by my skin-tight black clothing. His blue eyes traveled back up to my green ones, my brown hair falling over my shoulder and into his face.
He breathed in deeply. "I...no."
"See? We'll be fine. You've got nothing to worry about. You'll be in here, sitting in front of your geeky, high-tech computer, and I'll be out there, eliminating people."
He muttered something under his breath, and I stood up straight.
"What did you just say?"
"Nothing," he replied, looking nervous.
"Tell me what you just said."
He inhaled again, his eyes meeting mine. "Murder. I said 'murder'."
I grabbed my boots from the corner of the van, sliding them on. "Don't say that. Ever again. We're good. We do things...for good. Why're you here if you don't believe that?"
Ryan was standing now, fury in his eyes. "What you do is illegal! You kill people. You are not the FBI. You kill good people. People that do good. No..." he sighed, clenching his fists, "you do it for the freaking fun of it."
"No, we don't." He'd been here for two weeks, and I already wanted to drive the three-inch heel of my boot into his eye socket.
He ignored me. "And as for why I'm here? They threatened me with my family. They said they needed someone like me, they said I had 'the best computer skills that they've seen since they've started'."
I huffed, snatching the file off the table for one last look. "Just sit your ass down and get to work."
I opened the file, my eyes scanning it carefully.
The }{unters
Harrison, Richard
Age: 27
Info:
Richard Harrison has been involved with some suspicious activities and crimes, including the death of three people. We have tracked him to a restaurant downtown, where he will be meeting one of his clients. You will hide out in the men's bathroom, where he will enter at approximately 3:00 p.m. Use whatever method you wish, but he must be annihilated. We'll send someone to clean up the mess. Try to avoid innocent casualties.
I closed my eyes, committing it to memory.
I fastened my Bluetooth to my ear.
"Have fun," Ryan said bitterly, and I stuck my middle finger up at him.
"Eff you, too," I said.
I had to go kill Richard Harrison.
}{ }{ }{ }{
I balanced my feet on the seat of the toilet, crouched.
"I don't see why a guy can't do this mission," I said to Ryan, checking my watch. "It would be much easier for them and me."
2:30. Half an hour till I spilled more blood.
"You could always get down on the floor." All traces of Ryan's anger seemed gone. And I could see why. We weren't in the same room, and I was the one out here risking my life, while he got to sit in front of some fancy computer.
"Wouldn't it be a little weird if some random dude came in here and saw a pair of girly legs and heels?"
Ryan laughed, and I found myself smiling at the sound. "They would think you're giving your boyfriend a blowjob. Or some random stranger."
I groaned. "Guys really do that? Bring girls in here to do that?"
Ryan stopped laughing. "Well it seemed like you would know."
I scowled. Of course he would bring that up. "I only do it because it helps with missions."
"Are you sure about that?"
I was about to reply with a smart ass comment, but the door opened, and I shut my mouth. I looked at my watch; I still had twenty minutes.
This is freaking disgusting, I thought.
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to be as quiet as possible.
Fifteen minutes.
He left, and I sighed in relief.
I waited.
Ten minutes.
Five minutes.
Another person came in. I stilled, my hand flying to the hilt of my knife. But I heard no talking. The guy tried my stall door, and I panicked.
I then thought to the conversation I just had with Ryan. I moaned, sliding my hands against the wall, standing up.
"We're busy!" I shouted, trying to sound breathless. I couldn't kill him. I moved around some more, slamming my back against the wall. Ryan laughing loudly in my ear.
"Put the Bluetooth on speaker and hold it towards the door," he said. I knew the guy hadn't left.
I did so, trying to hold back my laughter. "Rachel!" he called out, moaning and laughing at the same time.
I choked, disguising it as a little scream. "Ryan," I growled, giggling when I heard the guy groan in disgust. The door slammed shut, and I burst into fits of laughter, hooking to Bluetooth back to my ear.
"That...was...priceless..." Ryan managed to get out between laughs. I clutched my stomach, trying to calm myself down.
"Three more...minutes." I gasped, trying to get my breathing back to normal.
The door opened once again, and we both fell silent immediately. Two voices carried through the room.
"Do you have it, Richard?" one guy said, and I could hear the door being locked.
"Of course. But you have to give me what I want." Richard spoke. I quietly pulled my knife out of its sheath, smiling at it.
"I have an update," Ryan whispered in my ear. "Take his client hostage, kill Harrison. We think he knows more than Harrison does."
I breathed in deeply to show I understood, carefully unlocking the stall door, praying it did not creak. Richard's back was to mine, but his client's wasn't. His eyes widened, and I shook my head, holding up the knife and pointing to Richard. His eyes pleaded me not to, and his hands twitched. I could tell he was getting ready to do something.
I smiled, licking my lips. He had raised one up, but it faltered. Richard turned around.
"Boo." I whispered.
Richard reached for the gun in his pocket, while his client turned for the door. I tackled Richard, swiping out with my foot and knocking his client to the ground. His head smacked against the ground, and I knew he wasn't getting up anytime soon.
I straddled Richard, smiling down at him.
"Ask questions," Ryan said.
"What is it that you want, Richard?" I murmured, shifting until I was comfortable.
"Nothing." he replied evenly.
"Are you sure?" My lips grazed his jaw, his breath hitched.
"Nothing that you need to know about," he said, shutting his eyes.
I nipped his earlobe, thanking the stars that he was at least slightly good looking.
"Why? You think I'm too fragile?" I was beginning to get a little bit angry. It was the same thing over and over again.
They never believed I could kill them.
"You're too pretty." I could hear the other guy stirring beside him, so I slammed my lips against Harrison's.
He immediately put his hands on my waist, gun forgotten. I smiled, slipping my tongue into his mouth. He groaned, moving his lips to my neck.
"Tell me, please," I made my voice sound low and sexy, moving my body against his.
"Information." He pulled back and looked at me, splaying his hands out. "About my ex wife."
And then I heard the click of a gun, felt it press against the bare skin of my stomach where he had tugged at my shirt. I swallowed, my eyes flitting over to where my knife rested. Ryan had heard it too, and his breathing became heavy.
I had been in many situations like this. I knew what to do.
I slipped my hands under his shirt, running them along his chest. I took one out to stroke his face.
"What for?"
"So I could kill her. She was very pretty. But you're prettier. I think I want to keep you." He kissed down as far as my deep V-neck would let him-which was pretty far. "You seem very...willing."
I shivered in disgust, hoping it would pass as a positive reaction. "Really?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "Now kiss me."
I did, pretending not to notice the gun and trying to get the knife. I was stopped by him pulling my shirt over my head.
"You are very, very pretty." he said again.
His hands reached for my pants, and I stabbed him in his side, unable to tell if I damaged any organs.
"You bitch!" he screamed as I rolled off of him, standing up. The other guy was just coming to.
Harrison aimed his gun, his hand shaking violently-and before I could react-shot.
The bullet grazed my leg, and I cried out, taken by surprise. Ryan shouted in my ear, and my hands slammed against the sink with a loud smacking sound, grasping for support.
"Rachel?" Ryan said worriedly. "Rachel, are you okay?"
"Yeah." I got out, managing to stand on my own. I took my shoes off, throwing them aside. I stumbled over to Harrison.
"Bastard," I said, bringing the knife up over my head, "I have more people to kill, and how am I s'posed to do it like this?" My mind was spinning; the pain was just barely bearable.
The life was slowly bleeding out of his eyes, and I smiled.
"Bitch" was the last word he said before I drove the knife into his heart.
I heard a cough behind me as the other guy stood up, and I hobbled over to him, wrapping my arms around him and pressing my bloodied knife against his neck.
"If you're gonna kill me, just go ahead and do it."
"What's your name?" I said.
"Travis," he said, and I finally noticed his country accent.
"I'm not gonna kill you, Travis...yet." I pressed my body against his for support, speaking into his ear. "We just want to ask you a few questions."
"Questions?" he asked slowly.
I heard the lock being busted on the door, and the cleanup crew burst in, followed by a panicked-looking Ryan. I furrowed my brow, confused. He never came in with them. He waited in the van.
"Rachel!" he called out, running over to me as they took the guy from my hands.
"That your boyfriend?" Travis said, smirking.
To my surprise, Ryan pulled me in for a hug. I hugged him back, but after a moment he seemed to realize what he was doing. He pulled back, blushing as he noticed my lack of shirt.
"Wait," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck. My vision was black around the edges, and I couldn't stand myself.
"Oh," he smiled softly, wrapping one arm around my waist, picking my shoes up with the other. I noticed blood on his clothes and my eyes widened, before I realized that it was was from me. I was covered in it, and for once, some of it was my own.
"I'm taking her back to the van," he said to the others.
One of them nodded. There were three, and they were all dressed the same: navy blue coveralls, with our organization's named branded above the name tag across the front. Ryan took me through a back door, laying me down across the backseat, hovering over me.
"Back to HQ," he said to the driver.
"What does everybody else think?" He knew what I was talking about.
"There was a really bad plumbing accident."
I smiled, my consciousness about to go. "Classic."
He laughed, sitting on the ground in front of me. "Are you okay?"
"You asked that already."
He took a deep breath, daringly taking my hand. "I want to make sure."
"But I make you so angry, why do you care so much?"
He slid a blanket around me, covering my stomach and bra. I was almost positive I was dreaming. I closed my eyes.
"Because...I think I'm starting to fall in love with you."