Minutes later, Benny pulled over because he couldn't drive through his tears, and Cori ran out of sleeve to wipe away hers. She wailed, because she was the sole survivor of Vigilant Citizens, a position no half-decent leader wanted.
When Cori’s crying had reduced to sniffles, Kaden said, "We don't leave each other's sights until this is over. Benny, let's drive to Cori's, and Cori, pack to stay at Benny's indefinitely."
Cori said, "I don't think—"
Kaden snapped, "I don't care what you think. Catering to egos isn’t a thing with us, so deal with it or go. We've tried things your way, and the result was pure disaster. Benny and I are better at tactics. We get this done, and you can tag along. Period."
Cori huffed and turned straight in her seat.
Benny said, "There's no stopping her when she gets like that."
Cori said, "I’m devastated, not clueless."
He started the car. Kaden glared out the window at the faultless two-story homes, the neat front yards. Boulder was so quaint, truly an unsuitable backdrop for such tragedy.
Although Gabe the arsonist had spilled more information about the party in Venezuela, they still held him captive at Benny’s, unsure of the guy’s fate. Kaden knew it now. Now, he was only a representative of Sub Rosa, and she would kill him for it. They’d discussed showing him mercy, but the only mercy he’d get was a quick death.
Eight
The party would take place tomorrow night in a Venezuelan castle—a literal castle, built as a defensive fortress. Rather than walk into certain death unprepared, Kaden, Benny, and Cori dived into research.
Benny’s dining table’s leaves were extended, allowing the space to seat fourteen, or, enough to spread a myriad of paper. The castle’s floor plans occupied most of the wooden surface, and two laptops lay open on the other half: the arsonist’s and Benny’s. And Joy had boarded a flight to Denver, since she’d never forgive them if they didn’t include her.
Benny was gathering an attendee list comprised of drug lords and traffickers, Cori researched the surrounding terrain and arranged traveling under the radar, and Kaden memorized the floor plan with the detail of an assassin on the hunt. They’d been at it all morning, immersed with a furious concentration.
For lunch, they ordered a small feast of Chinese takeout. Kaden jabbed her chopsticks into squishy, greasy noodles. The savory goodness was the answer to the question “If you were about to be executed, what would your last meal be?” She almost asked Benny about his hypothetical last meal, but he would consider it morbid under the circumstances—for the third time in two years, she would walk into danger, prepared to not come back out.
Because each party attendee infused suffering into global society, they needed to be wiped off the face of the earth. This was the best opportunity, a downright privilege, to tip the balance of good and evil in the world, even if only by a tap.
The silence broke when Benny coughed, and coughed again, and again. He stuck his chopsticks in the food and smacked his chest with a fist.
Without breaking her staredown with the blueprints, Kaden said, “Drink water.”
“Kaden,” Benny cleared his throat. “Do you still have that perfect chili sauce in your fridge?”
“I do.” After a moment of silence, she peered up at his beet-red face. “Doesn’t seem like you need it though. Extra chili sauce is for pro foodies, and you’re struggling in the minors.”
“Mind if I pop by your apartment and get it?” His eyes stayed glued to his laptop.
Kaden sighed. Just because they were preparing for the most ridiculous attack of their lives, attacking an actual castle, didn’t mean their sense of humor had to die prematurely. It helped her cope with the situation’s seriousness. She said, “You’re acting weird. I can get it.”
He tapped a couple keys and stood, blurting, “I need to step outside anyway. My eyes are crossing, looking at the screen too long. Keys please.” Another cough.
“Fine.” Kaden tossed her keys onto the table.
Hurrying, Benny snatched them and zipped out the door.
After a moment of staring at a bare wall, she said, “That was weird, right?”
Cori glanced up from her laptop and nodded. “That was weird. Everyone experiences grief differently.”
Kaden hummed in concession but couldn't spare the brainpower to worry about it. She dropped her gaze back to the floor plan of the basement. A short time later, she bit into half a pot sticker and savored the chewy flavor explosion as Benny opened the door. Instead of red, his face was ashen, and he held only Kaden’s keys.
Kaden raised her voice to compensate for the pot sticker muffling it. “Benny, the chili sauce?”
His eyes darted away from hers as he returned to his seat. “Oh, I had a revelation and forgot.” He gaped at nothing behind Kaden for a moment before burying his face in his hands and crying.
Kaden darted her way to him and wrapped her arms around his shaking body. She said, “I’m sorry, Benny. It’ll get more manageable with time.”
Benny sat up and his eyes bore into Kaden’s with such intensity that she let go and stepped back.
He said, “No, Kaden, I’m sorry. I am so, so sorry to show you this.” He rotated the laptop.
The screen showed a teenager at Edward’s side.
Aaron.
Strange, but she felt only curiosity at how he looked. Since he’d left at sixteen, she’d wondered how he looked as an adult. She brought her nose within inches of the screen and touched the screen with her fingers. They had the same build, but he carried the bulk of a young man. Like Kaden, he had inherited Rena’s hair, which flowed in thick waves to his shoulders. At last, she found her baby brother.
Via Sub Rosa. Realization finally caught up, and she wailed and squeezed Benny's arm. Her baby brother! She gasped for air. The room suddenly was too quiet and warm and the onion aftertaste too pungent. The firmness of Benny’s embrace couldn’t keep her from spiraling down, and she sank to the floor and sobbed into the carpet, while the other two murmured above her. No coherent thought formed, and it was only sadness. It gushed out of her like she was its conduit into the world, until she’d exhausted herself into numbness.
Then she lay in a trance, staring at but not seeing a wooden chair leg, clueless to time and any attempts at comfort. When she resurfaced, her face rested on a damp towel.
Aaron worked for the enemy, making him at least partially responsible for the bombing. With a spot at Edward’s side, he surely swam in the deep end of Sub Rosa. To motivate herself the past few days, she’d fantasized often about killing everyone in that castle.
Her baby brother, who had always been the sweet one, who housed the best chunk of her heart.
The conflicting thoughts were tearing her pulsing brain apart, then came the undeniable urge to run. Suddenly, it was easier to storm out then lay motionless. With her head down, she hustled from the stagnant apartment. Rainclouds filled the sky. She raced down the stairs and leapt over the final steps, and took off. Otherwise, her mind would eat itself alive, and she’d spiral so far down, it would be impossible to raise back up in time to act on this catastrophe.
From her heartbreak rose a seething determination. Aaron was in danger. No matter who she had to face, she’d get Aaron away from the demented world of Sub Rosa. She had to rescue him. Nothing else mattered now.
Kaden’s mind was in fragments. As the day trudged forward, the shock dissipated and the bleak reality hit her with more gusto. Despite the nightmare come true, she had to concentrate. It was the most important task of her life, and one mistake could kill them. She insisted on going to Greenwater for a snack, and she sat across from Cori and next to Benny.
The bartender was the only one Kaden despised, because he always acted like his customers were all blessed to be in his presence. He'd rolled his eyes when they picked her regular table way off in the corner, and unfortunately, was the only staff member in sight. She fumed at the eyeroll and mentally offered to trade
days with him.
The bags under his eyes bulged. “What do you want to drink?”
Cori spoke before anyone else could. “Three hot teas if you have it.”
The bartender’s mouth twitched before Benny added, “We’ll also have an extra-large plate of buffalo wings with an extra-large side of fries.”
Words dripping with annoyance, the bartender replied, “Did you want a plate of fries or a side of fries? It’s unclear.”
Kaden ordinarily would snap at someone giving Benny attitude, but she ended the interaction, saying, “Plate of fries. No ketchup. Make the teas peppermint. That’s it.”
He sneered and left.
Cori stared after him and said, “Maybe I’ve just had a foul day, but he’s cut his tip in half, huh?”
Kaden waved the topic off. “Guy's always an ass. We’ve got things to talk about. So we’re clear, I’m prepared to do anything to take Sub Rosa down as long as Aaron’s okay. We’ll have the element of surprise.” She pictured Vigilant Citizens blowing up, practically tasted the ashes from when she checked the hole in the ground. Also Omar, who had died angry. It was no way to leave the world, and it was her fault. That he worked with them at all, torn from his family, was because of an institution she supported.
“Kaden!” Cori barked. Kaden’s attention shifted back to them. “You’re not listening, are you?”
She looked away and mumbled, “No.”
Cori’s briefcase was suddenly on the table, and she popped it open. That black briefcase was all they had left of VC. Cori placed a pale blue pill on a napkin.
Cori said, “Adderall. Chew it so it hits you faster. We need you too much for your mind to be in four different places.”
Kaden gave Cori a hard stare, annoyed at the casual prescription but understanding its necessity. Maybe Cori had noticed Kaden's drinking habit. Whatever the course of the night, Kaden needed alcohol soon, at least to stop her shaking hands. Altering her mind for deeper focus sounded fantastic though, so she reached for the pill, avoiding looking at Benny. Kaden chewed and washed down the chemical paste.
Without understanding why, a panic rose from her chest, and she said, “Excuse me, but I need to go to the bathroom.” She tried to sound casual, like nothing was wrong, but her voice squeaked.
“You all right?” said Benny, peering at her.
She nodded and went to the bathroom, into the cave of mold and the stench of old urine. She walked right over to the mirror and stared at her green-hazel eyes through its deep scratches. It wasn’t easy to hold through her shame, but she forced herself to and told herself that the world was tough, but she needed to get it together.
She said, “The torture you thought was eternal has an end date, but only if you dominate these next couple days. You must be the fastest, strongest, smartest person in every room.” She pointed at herself. “Get. Over. It.” With each word, she jabbed the mirror.
The tough love worked better than the delicate way Benny had been treating her. Grief lessened its burden on her, and a thought popped into her mind: you need to call Rena. They hadn’t caught up in a while, but the merciless pursuers could appear at any moment, so this could be their last conversation. Might as well give Rena a happy memory to hold onto.
For the first time, dread didn’t burden Kaden as she called her mother. Rena answered after two rings. "Hi, Kaden. It's been so long."
"Hey, Rena. I'm moving home soon, maybe next week."
"Oh, that's great!"
"Yeah, let's do a dinner when I get back.” Her voice shook a little. The image of the three Riveras sharing a peaceful meal seemed unimaginable, but also within reach. “I might bring a friend, too." She and Rena were rebuilding their relationship, one painful brick at a time, and Kaden wanted so badly to add Aaron into their lives. Their little dysfunctional family could heal.
"Benny?"
Kaden smiled and paced around the bathroom. "Not Benny." So much better than Benny, nothing against her friend. She itched to share the news with Rena, but there was no way without absolutely gutting her or getting her hopes up. Kind of like Kaden was doing now.
Kaden was leaping ahead onto unstable ground, somehow more shaky than the one she stood on now. She slapped her forehead and said, "Sorry, I forgot I have an appointment. I'm late bye!"
“I’m excited to—"
Kaden accidentally cut off her mother. She leaned against the bathroom wall and exhaled noisily, willing herself to focus. Not the time for sentiments. She clenched a fist and left the bathroom, walking taller. Perhaps it was the Adderall starting to kick in, but readiness and focus permeated every limb. She was ready to plan the assault of her life.
As she slid back into the booth, Benny was munching on fries and saying, “Yeah, I know I wasn’t supposed to bring work home, but I did, and now it’s allowing us to finish this.”
Kaden smiled at the sass, smiled at Cori. She sipped the mint tea and focused on the refreshing warmth expanding in her stomach.
Benny cleared his throat and said, “Onto what I’ve discovered about attendees. Most of the guests are from international cartels, none of them rivals. I’m sure Edward’s hoping they’ll network and use him as a middleman, since they come from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He ordered caterers for the occasion for dinner and snacks.”
Kaden snapped, “What a showoff.” The thought popped from her mouth. This Adderall was fun; she felt relaxed, like she could take on any situation—at least compared to herself an hour ago.
“Exactly,” said Cori. “He won’t be expecting us, but that brings me to a cliff. Tactics aren’t my area of expertise, so I’m welcome to any ideas.”
So they needed to attack an overpowering enemy. Kaden guffawed. She knew how to do that, and could even survive with a bit of luck. She grinned and gave Benny a look, but he didn’t return it.
“We got it under control, Cori, don’t you worry,” said Kaden. “Let’s finish eating and head back to the plans.”
As Kaden hustled to the airline gate, she looked like any other passenger catching a flight, but she hustled to a waiting friend and a sandwich. She dodged those who strolled, wandered, and otherwise got in her way as she neared Gate 29.
When she saw the familiar pineapple ponytail, as Joy called the hairstyle, Kaden squealed. Joy looked up from her little paperback, tossed it to the seat next to her, and opened her arms just in time for Kaden to run into them. They held each other in a long embrace while the attendants announced that boarding for this gate was ending. They’d get decent privacy among the empty seats. When they let go, Kaden said, “Please bring sense back into my life.”
“I’ll do my best, honey.” She patted Kaden’s back and said, “I’ll start with feeding you.” She thrust a white paper bag into Kaden’s hands.
Kaden laughed. “I haven’t had breakfast.”
“And why do a healthy thing like that? You got coffee on the table.”
“You’re an angel.”
“Watch my bag while I use the restroom.” Joy hustled away.
Kaden sat in the black chair, took a swig of the coffee between their seats, and popped the plastic container open. Joy was the sprinkle of wisdom they needed the moment Vigilant Citizens blew up. She stayed practical even in the most charged situations, which made her invaluable to this task. It was no secret Kaden had trouble seeing practicality past her emotions, and that Benny could be naïve.
Joy’s skill in a fight didn’t hurt. She could double-check Kaden’s tactics, and heck, their whole plan. Although they’d been entrenched in the details to make the plan, perhaps they missed a bigger picture, besides the obvious fact that they were absurdly outnumbered.
Kaden sighed as she chewed the bland turkey sandwich. Thanks to her fellow ex-Minnie’s presence, some tension melted away. Because Benny and Cori were catching a flight from a different airline, Joy was her only flight companion.
Joy sat back in the adjacent chair. “So Kaden, you ignore all calls and texts until it’s li
fe or death. You know how that comes off to a friend? If you hadn’t saved me from a wall of machine guns, I’d think you weren’t fond of me.”
Kaden plopped the sandwich back into the plastic container and fiddled with the untouched mustard packet to hide her blushing. Joy’s accusation was spot-on. Kaden worried that Joy would magically catch on that Kaden spent most of her free time buzzed, and Joy would interrupt her own busy life to save Kaden. Truth was, Kaden allowed herself to sink into alcoholism because she needed some peace from the angel and the demon warring on her shoulders.
Kaden looked up at Joy and said, “Sorry, I’ve been busy. Hey, I’m dying to know how your education center in New Orleans is doing! Is it running smoothly?”
Joy’s face brightened. She gushed, “It doesn’t need me to run any more. The staff is enthusiastic, and I can see their respect for the children. The trick is keeping employees content, even after their honeymoon phase is up.”
Joy coped with discovering she had worked for a human trafficking organization by founding early education centers in New Orleans. Joy had endured many hurdles and sleepless nights, and still, her face brightened every time she talked about it.
An announcement for a lost passenger interrupted. They’d sat right under the intercom. Despite Kaden’s shattered heart, she mustered a genuine smile and said in a soft voice, “I’m so happy for you. You’ve found something golden.”
Joy gave Kaden a look she couldn’t interpret. Regret, maybe, but that made little sense. “You can find it too. I think you will. You should visit sometime. Perhaps when your maternal instinct is more developed, though, ’cause I don’t need you scaring my kids.” She chortled.
Kaden huffed into the faux leather seat back as she realized how cold she was versus Joy. Anyone with eyes could see that, but Kaden envied Joy’s easy warmth, despite her past hardships. If Kaden’s warmth existed, it lived behind steadfast walls. Maybe they'd erode as her childhood and Company fell further into her past. Her eyes suddenly watered from longing for something others took for granted. Kaden faked a yawn.
Unleashed (End of an Assassin Book 3) Page 11