by Lucy Rains
Ariana shrugged, “Somewhere in the buildling.”
Pierce was tense and I didn’t like it. I glared at Ariana for her existence.
“Pierce, can I talk to you for a minute?” Emmett asked.
I looked up to Pierce, watching his jaw clench with frustration.
I gave his hand a quick squeeze and then released him. “I’ll wait right here,” I assured him quietly.
“Oh yes, I’ll wait here with her too,” Ariana said with no sweetness.
Pierce looked down at me, Will you be okay?
Don’t leave the room. I pleaded.
I won’t. Don’t kill her okay?
I smiled and nodded.
Ariana took Pierce’s place by my side and we watched our dates walk off. Pierce put his hands into his pocket, maintaining a relaxed posture as he walked with Emmett.
Ariana took a sip of her beverage and cleared her throat. “I don’t want to stick my nose in your business or anything-”
“Sound like a good idea.”
“But hopefully you know what you’re getting into with Pierce.”
I couldn’t help the chuckle that came with her comment. Her naivety was laughable. “More than you will ever know,” I mused as I watch Emmett and Pierce talk on the other side of the room.
“I assume you know about our past relationship,” Ariana continued, her voice warm like honey, but stank like rotten sewage.
“You mean your faux work romance? Of course.”
Ariana chuckled softly, “Didn’t feel very fake at the time.”
I had done well keeping my jealousy at bay so far, but I knew her baiting was going to strike a hostile nerve. I let myself take a big breath of air to help steady my nerves.
“Well hopefully you don’t still have feelings for him,” I sighed, looking around the room for our target. “Never get attached to something that isn’t yours.”
My scoping was interrupted by the emotions my words had provoked in her. Ariana stepped into my line of sight and closer to me. I took a step back to put space in between us for her safety.
“You’re new to this line of work, aren’t you?” she asked seriously.
Keeping my expression blank, I didn’t respond.
She smiled with malice, “Those of us with more experience have a bigger impact where it counts.” She turned to look over her shoulder as the guys began approaching us slowly, still talking. “Just remember that next time he touches you.”
My heart clenched in pain, but I refuse to let it show on my face. Rather than relent into my anger I decided to maintain a calm appearance.
”Look at that!” I returned her smile with my own and and tapped her nose lightly with one finger. “Its your nose, and it's up in my business again.”
Her head jerked backwards at my intrusion of her personal space, her mouth turning down. I brushed past her to meet Pierce, unwilling to partake of any more nauseating conversation. I could feel her feelings of anger trailing after me as I walked away.
The guys stopped talking as I approached, and I smiled sweetly, taking Pierce’s arm again. Pierce nodded at Emmett and we both continued walking.
You okay? Pierce asked.
I’ve been better.
Tell me.
It’s nothing.
Tell me. Pierce persisted.
I sighed and stopped in the entry hallway. “Some people just need a sympathetic pat. In the face. With a fist.”
Pierce laughed openly as he wrapped an arm around my waist and led me farther down the hall.
“Did you know she had feelings for you?” I asked.
Pierce sighed. “I had hoped not. But in the end, it was obvious she was attached.”
I couldn’t blame her. Pierce was enticing without even trying, and being in a forced situation to be intimate with him, she would have to be dead inside not to want him.
We strolled along the hallway slowly, pretending to admire the artwork that lined the walls. Historical pieces with information printed below each picture, and even a few sculptures set on round display tables.
As we neared the end of a hallway, I spotted two dark suited men standing outside a doorway. They were rigid, hands clasped in front of them. Though their faces lacked emotion, they felt aware, and responsive. My hairs stood up on the back of my neck. I stopped walking and turned towards Pierce.
Something's not right.
Pierce glanced over my shoulder casually and then turned us to face a wall portrait of a previous president from a few decades earlier.
Guards. Pierce thought to me.
I closed my eyes and pushed my 6th sense to the room behind the guards. In there I felt strong hostility, and anxiety.
I think we found our guy.
CHAPTER 31
Pierce pulled out his phone and began typing a message. After he pocketed his phone, he turned his thoughts back towards me. Are you ready?
I took a deep breath and nodded. How do we get passed them? We can take them out. What are-
“Excuse me?” a male voice interrupted us. We turned to see one of the guards approaching us.
“Yes?” Pierce answered, placing his body in front of mine..
“Mr. Bruno is expecting you.”
Confusion emanating from Pierce matched my own, turning quickly to caution. I reached out to feel for the guard’s emotions and felt no hostility.
Pierce nodded curtly and held my hand to lead me forward.
Wait! What’s happening? I worried
I’m not sure. Makes our job easier though.
Unless he’s waiting on the other side of that door with multiple guns? I argued.
Do you feel multiple presences? Pierce asked.
I quickly scanned beyond the door, feeling several people on the other side.
Yes.
Be ready with your energy then, Pierce suggested.
That doesn’t make me feel any better.
Do you feel a threat? Because, I don’t.
The guard opened a large ornate oak door for us to enter the room behind it. Beyond the door was an enormous library, almost as large as the room the banquet was being held in. And in it stood Matteo with 3 other men. Two gentlemen in suits standing as silent guards along the wall, and a young man kneeling in front of Matteo, looking stressed and feeling even worse. His eyes were wide as we walked in, a sheen of sweat on his forehead, and a feeling of dread pulsed from him.
Matteo’s thinning dark hair was slicked back and he beamed confidently at us as we entered. His tux was fitted to his slim frame perfectly while he held a glass of amber liquid in one hand. And a gun in the other.
“Join us!” He greeted cheerfully. “Please come in, I’ve been waiting for you!” His thick french accent tinged his words.
The door shut with a firm click behind us, enclosing us into the room. My heart raced, not liking our new situation. I glanced at the gun and back to his green eyes. Pierce and I didn’t move.
What now? I asked.
Just stay on guard. I still don’t feel any hints of danger. At least not towards us.
Matteo took a quick sip of his drink and grimaced as he swallowed. The man on the floor in front of him began to twitch as if to move and Matteo’s gun flew up at him in the blink of an eye.
“Don’t,” Matteo growled.
“You’re going to kill me anyways,” the young man declared angrily. “Just get it over with.”
“Not until our new guests hear why.”
The man's eyes flicked towards us, his face filling with contempt. He pinched his lips together, refusing to speak.
“This gentleman here, Tom, or Tommy, whatever, is the one that informed me of your impending arrival for the evening.” Matteo explained with a small smile.
“Does he work for you?” Pierce asked.
“Yes, well, he did. But he also works for your employer as well.” Matteo glared at Tom. “Being a double agent can be tricky, can’t it?” He asked Tom.
Tom’s lips remained sealed
, his eyes on the floor.
Matteo shrugged, “No matter, what’s done is done.”
I searched Tom’s emotions, and was distracted about what I felt.
Something's off about him, I told Pierce.
Other than the fact he’s about to be killed?
It’s not that...It’s something else.
“Tommy here was my inside informant to the agency and their dealings. But when I found out he hadn’t been completely truthful, well, it was a poor choice on his part.” Matteo held his gun firmly pointed at Tommy’s chest. “I’m curious as to why. Was it money?”
Tommy looked into Matteo’s eye, his top lip beginning to curl. I knew then what was off about him. “My loyalty was never to you. Nor, Jason.”
Matteo raised an eyebrow.
“Are there others like you?” I asked without thinking. My voice broke into the tension that filled the room.
Tommy turned his eyes to me, not dropping the glare. “Double agents? No. No one else would see my side.”
Double agents was not what I meant.
“That’s because you’re on the wrong side,” Matteo scolded.
And I knew why he was on the wrong side.
Matteo fired off a shot into Tom’s chest, the high pitched noise of a silencer pinged the air. Tom jerked backwards, cringed in pain, but didn’t fall. Blood starting dripping down his white dress shirt, crimson filling into the white. Tom remained kneeling, without moving. His face still held a bitter grimace. Matteo shot again, this time straight into his forehead and his body went limp, dropping backwards to the floor.
Is he like us? Pierce asked.
Yes.
No wonder he was working for Jason. Probably sold to him by Vera.
That’s who his loyalty is to, I explained.
My limbs filled with fear as I looked to Matteo, assuming we were next. My hands lifted in front of me, ready to defend if necessary.
Do we kill him now? I asked.
Matteo handed his gun behind him to one of his guards, who took it and tucked it behind his back. “Now, let’s talk.”
“You know why we’re here,” Pierce stated.
“Yes, Chuck has been keeping me informed.”
Chuck? Pierce and I thought in unison.
Someone is watching us? I asked
Who is the hell is Chuck? Pierce asked.
“But you don’t know why I’m here.” Matteo took one more drink from his glass and set it down on a wooden side table. “Jason has given you information about me, correct?”
Pierce nodded once. “You have committed crimes against our country, and are to be assassinated for such.”
Matteo chuckled and slipped his hands into his pockets. “Of course, this is what Jason would tell you.”
Pierce didn’t answer, I felt his emotions sliding towards confusion, less sure of what we were getting into.
“But he doesn’t show you proof, he doesn’t give you hard evidence with every assignment, does he?”
“He’s not required to.”
“Of course he’s not!” Matteo boomed, “Because you are indebted to him, are you not?”
I couldn’t keep the look of shock coming over my face, my eyebrows pulling down. My hand went up to Pierce’s elbow, needing to feel him for support.
“To him?” Matteo continued, starting to pace slowly away from us, “To Zraa? To the government?”
Pierce and I remained silent, not wanting to implicate anything about ourselves.
“I haven’t stolen any secrets from your government,” Matteo said with disgust, his french accent thickening his words. “I have not committed any crimes against your country. This is not the kind of man I am.”
“Then why does Jason want you dead?”
“Because I know about you. Because I know about PPQ, and what they create. But most of all, because he wants something that I have.”
With great effort I worked to get my voice at a steady pitch, “How would you know these things?” I asked.
“Because PPQ is getting greedy. I have recently learned that our French government is putting in bids for the science behind what created you, as well as China. And other countries are not far behind.”
“Are you here on behalf of your government, then?” I asked.
“No,” he said quickly, while pacing back towards us. “I am here because I want to help you destroy the agency that controls you.”
“I don’t understand,” I shook my head.
“You don’t have to. There is much that goes on within the agency that you don’t yet know about. But I will tell you this.” He held up a slim finger, “I have information that Jason wants, that my team has collected. This information would affect you, your friends, and the doctors at Parker, Petrov and Quinn.”
I put the puzzle pieces together in my head, “He wants you dead, so that he can collect the information and use it.”
Matteo gave me a smile, “He wants to sell it.”
“To PPQ.” Pierce finished.
Matteo came closer to Pierce, his eyes filled with excitement at the information he was sharing. “He and his superiors are moving on this without their government’s knowledge. They want the upper hand, to steal the information and use it to their benefit. And they won’t hesitate to kill anyone for it.”
“What do you want with the information? If you’re not interested in what PPQ creates or is selling.” Pierce asked.
“Nothing. Gaining information that others greatly desire is how I make my living. People will pay a lot of money for the things I can find out for them. Your government agency, Zraa, hired my group to find information for them. But what I discovered was more than I was willing to share. It is too....special for,” he searched for the right words, “for mankind. I have made a point to never make moral judgments in my work. Everyone had their own idea of what is right and what is wrong. But this, what PPQ does, and what I found, this is too much. And now I know they will not stop until they have what they want. This is why I need your help. Together we can dismantle and destroy Zraa, and PPQ.”
Pierce and I looked at each other. This was too good to be true, wasn’t it? Wasn’t this exactly what the guys wanted?
“How can we trust you?” Pierce asked. “How do we know you won’t try to use us for your own gain like the agency has?”
Matteo looked at his watch. “I have no desire to enslave anyone against their will. This is not necessary for me. Unless you want to come work for me, then we can talk. But I have nothing other than my word, you will have to trust only that.”
I looked over Matteo, the slight grey beginning to form by his temples, his well manicured nails, the high shine of his shoes. My 6th sense searched him thoroughly for any threats, deceit, or wicked intents, but I felt nothing of the sort. I wished Alex was here to give us the information we needed on what Matteo was saying.
“What is the information you have?” I asked.
Matteo smiled and shook his head. “I have said enough for tonight. Let us part ways in peace.” He nodded at us and began walking towards the door, his guards pushing off the wall to follow him out.
My senses flew awake in alarm as I felt the individuals waiting behind the door.
Before Matteo and his guards could reach the door it flew open, slamming against the wall. Ariana and Emmett stood at the other side, the guards outside laying at their feet, their eyes closed and their bodies slumped.
Ariana’s eyes were alert, Emmett raised his gun and pointed it at Matteo.
Loud, French words flew around the room, Ariana also raised her gun and pointed it at Matteo’s guards. The one on his left raised his own weapon and before anyone could fire off a shot, I allowed my hands to raise subtly, careful not to draw anyone’s attention and I shot a blast of energy that shoved both Ariana and Emmett back out the door. Ariana’s head connected with the corner of the doorway as she was shoved backwards and she shrieked in pain. Matteo’s other guard slammed the door shut before they could rec
over. Matteo’s other guard pulled him backwards, out of the line of fire and around a shelf of books.
“Go out the window,” Pierce ordered to them.
“They’re sealed shut,” one of the guards complained.
“Break the glass!” Pierce said quietly but fiercely.
“Pierce!” Emmett yelled through the door, banging with his fist. I continued letting energy flow through my hands to hold the door shut, long enough for Matteo’s guards to shatter the glass and help Matteo out the window with a fierce torrent of French spilling from him. Emmett and Ariana attempted to slam through the door and I could feel their bodies pounding on the other side.
“What now?” I yelled to Pierce as my body began to tire.
“Let them in,” Pierce said reluctantly.
As soon as I dropped my hands, the door flew open and Emmett tumbled into the room. Behind him walked Ariana, looking ready to slash somewhat’s throat. As well as Jason, also holding up a gun.
All three walked into the room, weapons raised, searching the room.
“Where is he?!” Jason bellowed. When he saw the broken glass he looked at us in disbelief, followed by rage. “Why is he gone? Why is he not dead?!”
“We tried to take him out,” Pierce lied. “They had too many guns aimed at us.”
Jason stalked over and got in Pierce’s face, “You let them go?” His voice was deadly.
“Why would I do that?” Pierce asked with indignation.
Jason got closer, looking up into Pierce’s face, “You let him go?!” He screamed.
My protectiveness of Pierce outweighed my thought process in that moment and I quickly gave Jason a strong enough shove to move him back a few steps. His eyes looked at me in surprise, his mouth twisting into a snarl, “You want to try that again?”
I balled my fist, ready to fight when I heard Ariana move beside me, her gun aimed at my head. “Please do,” she said.
I dropped my hands, giving her a deadly glare so she knew I wasn’t bothered by her power act.
“I didn’t let him go,” Pierce repeated. “Three guns pointed at us is too many to attempt an assault.” He nodded to where Tommy lay. “Just ask him.”
Jason turned to where Pierce was motioning, apparently seeing Tommy for the first time.
“Shit,” he whispered, rubbing a hand through his gelled hair. More cursing followed as Jason pulled out his phone and began tapping on the screen. He put the phone to his ear and walked out the room, his voice disappearing down the hallway.