Chapter 7: "You're A Smart Girl, Sage. You'll Figure It Out"

After waiting fifteen minutes without my adoptive Father showing up, I decided to go upstairs to take a shower and clean my bandages.

I sighed deeply when the warm water from the shower came in contact with my scarred skin. My gaze lowered to the big scar on my lower abdomen. Not the patched-up one from the pool table who shot me. No, another one. I took a few sharp breathes and looked away. Only looking at the big scar made me relive memories and pain I'd love to forget—one of the few reasons behind the dark circles under my eyes.

"I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect you. I'm so fucking sorry." My voice was softer than a whisper. It didn't rise above the sound of the flowing water from the shower, just like the single sob that followed.

***

The sound of a door that opened and closed sounded through the room. "Where is Sage?" I rolled my eyes at the sound of my adoptive Father's voice.

"She's in the kitchen," Delano responded unfazed about the fact that the big bad boss was standing in our house.

"No, she's not! She's not here! So, kindly fuck off!" I yelled from the kitchen, where I was reading a book. I couldn't be bothered by his presence. Or what he was going to say—knowing him, nothing good, or something that I'd enjoy listening to.

"Don't even fucking think about touching me," I said when I saw his hand come at me from the corner of my eye. He sighed annoyed and took a seat on the chair directly across from mine.

"What is so important I got the total pleasure of seeing you in my house? Huh?" I put my book down and raised my eyebrow at him. His dark hair was slowly, but certainly starting to turn grey. I lowered my eyes at the dark green ones. Green eyes who always stood cold.

I leaned back into my chair and crossed my arms in front of my chest. "What do you want, Father? Came to inform me about my punishment?"

"No. I got a job for you."

"Yeah, don't think so. I'm not killing anyone. Find someone else."

"I won't take no for an answer, Sage Darling. Think about what we spoke about in my office a week ago." My eyes grew cold, I was gritting my teeth and clenching my hands the moment those words left his lips. My nails dug into my palms. I'm pretty sure that if I'd put any more pressure, my nails would be in my palms. "Now that I got your attention. I've put you in a team."

"You've put me in a what?!" I yelled out. I stood up so fast that the chair fell backward with a thud on the tiled floor. The four boys who were in the Living room playing videogames were smart enough to stay out of it.

"A team consisting of four boys. Alpha 1. The best team the agency has," my adoptive Father said, utterly unfazed from my little outburst.

"Why? Why on earth would you put me in a gods' damned team? Why?!"

"Sit your ass down and let me explain." I just glanced at him before putting the chair back on his legs and sitting down once again. "I'd put you in this team because of the job I got for you. It's a job you'd normally do on your own, but I won't let you for different reasons. Here's the mission rapport. A report intended for your eyes only."

I looked down at the file he placed on the wooden table and moved towards me. I opened it and let my eyes scan the thing. I skipped right to the essential parts of the target.

Mission file 8362

Targets information;

Name: Beau Evander.

Age: 30 years of age.

Appearance: See picture.

Reason for execution: Murder.

My eyes moved to the picture attached to the file. The photo was in black and white. The guy in the picture didn't smile. His light - probably dyed - hair was not longer than five millimeters, his jawline was imposing, and he had a strong nose. But absolutely nothing from the information and the picture I got gave me information about why this job was so special for me. I didn't recognize the guy in the picture. Even his name was new for me, and I never forget a name.

I closed the mission rapport and looked back at my adoptive Father. "I don't get it. Why is it so important that I'm in a fucking team for this mission? What's so special about this guy? Who did he kill?"

"Three people important to you. Three people from the past. You're a smart girl, Sage. You'll figure it out."

My eyes grew cold. "No. no. He's the one who killed them? He did this?! You're lying! This can't be! You're lying!" I screamed out when it hit me.

"I'm not lying, Darling. This is the guy."

"How long? How long have you known?" I asked through gritted teeth.

"A couple of years," he shrugged as he leaned back in his chair.

"A couple of years?! You've known for years?! Why did you never tell me?!"

"Because this mission could come in handy. Like now. I knew when I took you in that there would come a day that you'd refuse to do your job. I kept this information – this mission – for you, to keep you working."

"Don't even think that I'll go back to killing people just because of him. I'm done with that. He's the last one. The last one I'll ever kill. And you can't stop me."

A wicked smirk found its way on his face. "We'll see, Darling. We'll see." My adoptive Father looked at the watch around his wrist and groaned. "I'm late. Jason will be here in two hours to pick you up. He'll take you back to my office to meet your new team. See you then, Darling. You know what to do with the file." He quickly glanced at the mission rapport in my hands before looking back in my eyes and leaving the kitchen, followed by the house without saying another word.

A frustrated scream escaped my lips while crumbling the rapport, throwing it on the stove and burning it. The heat of the burning papers warmed my face. I couldn't stop looking at the picture of the man, while the whole file went up in flames.

My hand found the two, letter necklaces around my neck. "I'll find you, and I'll make you pay for what you've done. That's a fucking promise," I whispered while looking in the eyes of this Beau Evander until the whole rapport was nothing more than a pile of ash.

A faith this guy will follow soon enough.