2 Chapter 2

His sympathetic stare turned to doubt. She'd seen that look too many times in her life and she despised it.

She added coldly, "I'll sign over the deed of my parents land as collateral." The only land that her parents give to her before they died.

He nodded. "Very well. We'll keep her here for the duration." Then he turned the phone off.

Wanting to flip off the doctor for his condescension, she stared at the blank screen of her phone. "You're lucky I'm almost a lady.

With a determined hand, she pulled her holstered black gun across the counter, clutching it until her knuckles blanched.

Maybe she didn't have the best occupation in the word, but it kept her fed.

Her stomach rumbled a denial.

I don't need to hear it from you, too. Everyone wanted to give her attitude today.

Grabbing her weapon, she stood up and moved to her bedroom in the corner, where she could change out of her only dress and into her work clothes. She pulled her tight, black work clothes on, It was old and out of fashion, but her work clothes cost too much for her to buy a new one.

One day, though, she'd have the money to go buy another.

One day . . .

Yeah, you've been saying that for years.

Ignoring the inner voice she was sure was there only to aggravate her, she stared at herself in the chipped, broken mirror. Her hollow, golden eyes were dull and ringed with dark circles from a night spent worrying over he sister.

With that thought in mind, she brought up her computer and typed in her tracer's code. The outstanding bounty sheets refreshed. Eager to get on with the hunt, she looked over the worst criminals in existence—rapists, murderers, pedophiles, terrorists, and those who were all four combined.

Cassandra flipped through them quickly, scanning for an appropriate target whose bounty could pay off most of what she owed.

All of a sudden she found it.

Her blood began to race with the thrill of a seriously high-profile target who'd just been reattached to the list.

Albert Erinco wanted dead by the Korean president for the kidnaping, ****, and suspected murder of his daughter Recelle Enero. Wanted alive," for three times the korean bounty which was staggering, "by the United States government for filching, murder, treason, and prison escape." The amount being offered for him by the United States would pay off Tessa's debts, the hospital bill, the liens on her ship, and she'd have a little left over to live on for awhile.

Provided her sister behaved.

She pushed her doubt and uncertainty away. She'd never failed a mission before. Alma's life depended on her success and she wouldn't fail this time.

Signing her name on the screen and swiping her index finger imprint, she accepted the contract.