The Unexpected

"Iam not drinking tonight. Someone's got to be the respective driver to take you

dickheads home!” I shouted over the music so Leo could hear me.

We had just entered the bar and it packed like a sardine can.

“No missy. You're getting pissed tonight. Besides, we've never seen you get drunk or have

fun for that matter,” Leo replied in my ear.

“I do have fun!” I defended myself.

“Bull crap Ava. I'm not taking no for an answer. You're getting drunk tonight. Jax won't

be drinking tonight so he'll drive.”

I glanced over to where Jax was. He was sitting by the bar, and I couldn't ignore the bottle

of beer in his hand.

I returned my attention towards Leo and gave him an accusing glare.

“Okay, okay, I won't drink. But you better!” he hollered before walking ahead of me to

where Quinton, who was busy shamming it up with a girl.

“Seems like someone's getting lucky tonight,” I thought to myself.

A drunk guy made a wrong turn and tumbled on me.

“Watch it psycho!” I yelled furiously at him.

He turned to me looking drunkenly apologetic.

Now on a usual day/night, a guy like this would get what he deserved and that’s a kick to

the shin, but I stood frozen.

All I wanted to do was leave at once.

“Sorry pretty lady,” Ryan slurred.

I couldn't have imagined seeing my best friend ever again.

Correction: Ex-best friend.

He thinks I'm dead.

I didn't realize that I was staring when I saw his fingers snap in front of me.

“Hey you, okay?” He questioned, concerned. “I didn't hurt you, did I? I didn't even plan

on drinking tonight at all. It's just that my friends dared me to do something really stupid and

if I didn't do it, I would have to take five shots real fast...why am I telling you this,” he added.

“Doesn't matter ‘cuz I won't remember anything in the ‘morrows.”

A giggle escaped my lips.

“You look familiar...”

He inched closer towards my face.

That's my queue.

“Well, you don't know me so buzz off,” I snapped and ran the opposite direction.

“Of course, he would recognize me. At least see similarity. I grew up with the freakster for crying out loud.”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I plopped myself next to Jax, grabbed his beer and took one giant sip.

“Whoa there. Let me get you your own.” Jax looked amused as he watched the show.

I gave him a small apologetic smile before taking another sip of his drink.

“You know that guy or something?” he questioned.

“No.”

“Sure, seems like you do,” he said once more.

I swear, I could feel his eyes boring into the side of my head.

“Well, I don't,” I replied more sternly.

Why did he choose a time like this to be social? He was being a pest and I wanted to be

rid of him.

“Don't lie to me Ava. You know you can't.” Jax grabbed the bottle from my hand.

“I was drinking that you jerk,” I whined.

“Yeah. Was. Past tense. Now I’m drinking it,” he grumbled.

I rolled my eyes and hollered at the bartender,

“Two tequila slammers! Keep them coming.”

I turned to look at Jax and he had a smirk across his face.

“What?”

“Nothing. You are really living it up to the party girl persona,” he adds.

Was that a compliment or was he mocking me? I couldn't quite tell.

I dunked my shots and the burning sensation in my throat was exactly what I needed. I

hated feeling vulnerable and sad. Why did Ryan have to be here? Of all the pubs here in

England, he just had to be at this one.

“He was my best friend growing up.” I finally confessed to Jax.

“Oh well that explains your mood change,” he stated.

“Hmm.”

The speakers made a noise that directed my eyes towards the stage. “Okay everyone. Time

for karaoke!” The cheerful host said. Hollers from everyone in the pub greeted him.

“Okay so first on our list is Camilla!” He announced.

“C'mon up Camilla.”

A girl, I'm assuming to be Camilla, rushed up on the stage wearing a skirt that was

tremendously short.

“Hi, I'm Camilla and I'll be singing....”

I turned my back to her and tuned her out.

“You look really beautiful tonight, Ava.” I heard Jax whisper in my ear.

I turned to him; my eyes widened.

“Okay first, that's cheesy. Second, I always look good. Even with blood all over me, I

might add.”

I got an expected laugh from him. It sounded like music to my ear. He hardly ever laughed.

“You could say thanks, you know.”

“Thank you Jax.” I rolled my eyes playfully.

“K.”

“Four more shots over here!” I hollered at the bartender who was serving someone at the

other end.

I felt a hand brush against mine and I turned to see a big guy I have no knowledge of,

sitting beside me. He was the perfect description of a grizzly bear.

“Hey there, gorgeous. How about I buy you a drink?” The guy flirted.

“Uh I think the fuck not. Go hit on someone else,” I replied, annoyed. I hate when guys

flirted with me. Anything that had to do with emotions became a turn off.

“I'm being kind here by offering you a drink,” the guy said once more, putting his hand

on mine a little too tight.

I grabbed it and twisted around so that his back was now facing me. I kicked him towards

the dance floor.

“Get lost ass-face!”

He came running back, furious.

“What the fuck is your problem you cunt!” He belted out.

“Sorry, reflex.”

“Leave the gal alone Jeff. Go bother another girl,” the bartender ordered.

Jeff glared at me before walking within the midst of the crowd.

“Thanks, but I could've dealt with him on my own.” I told the bartender. He shrugged his

shoulders and walked away.

“You got a temper Ava,” Jax said, startling me.

“I don't. I just don't like guys flirting with me, knowing they're usually up to no good.” I

stated.

“Why didn't you do anything or say anything to that Jeff guy seeing that he was bothering

me?

He chuckled more to himself then murmurs,

“You're a freaking assassin Ava. You can defend yourself from pricks like him all on your

own.”

“Besides, I taught you most of the moves you know.” He added, taking the last sip of his

beer. He was right though. Jax was one of my trainers that molded me into what I am now. I

learned how to reload a gun with one hand in training among other things.

“Here drink these two shots and I'll drink the other. We're gonna have some fun tonight.”

I slid two shots towards Jax.

He drank them both without complaining and I did the same.

“Let's dance.” I dragged his arm towards the dancefloor before he could respond. They

were taking a karaoke break since not too many people signed up for it.

I began dancing to the music and Jax did the same. I could feel the alcohol hitting my

system with every move my body made.

“Hey, are you okay?” Jax shouted over the music.

“Uh, I just feel a little dizzy!”

He suddenly stopped dancing and took my hand. He brought us towards the couch in the

corner of the club.

“Stay here,” he ordered. “I'm going to get some water for you to drink. You sure are a

lightweight Day.”

I leaned my head against the head of the couch and closed my eyes. Of course, I would

get drunk easily. I haven't drunk in ages.

I opened my eyes in search of Jax. Scanning the crowd, I saw him at the far end where the

bar was, talking to the bartender. I did a scan of the pub in search of my other friends. They

disappeared ever since we got here.

I saw a familiar face amid the dancing crowd, but the person wasn't dancing. He was

standing there, staring at me.

Jason?

I rubbed my eyes to see if I was seeing clearly. Everything seems blurry.

I looked again and he wasn't there anymore.

Jax came back with two bottles of water.

“Drink.”

“Thank you.”

I could feel him staring at me. I met his gaze.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked.

“How am I looking at you Ava?” He smirked.

My eyes drifted toward his lips, and I couldn't help but wonder how they tasted. I met his

gaze, and his brows furrow in deep thought.

His face came closer suddenly and just like that, his lips were against mine.

“Wake up Ava! If you don't get up now, you're going to be late!” Leo's voice echoed in my

head.

I groaned in discomfort. I woke up with a serious hangover and every sound I heard made

my headache worse.

I took my pillow and threw it in the direction of his voice.

His voice became serious.

“The boss wants to see us.”

That my friend woke me up. You did not want to be late when it came to appointments

with him. I tended to be late, and he would reward me by having a small gathering. He would

make a toast dedicating it to my inability to arrive on time. I was a laughingstock.

To further add salt on my wound, he ordered the other assassins to throw their blades at

me and in no time, I was playing hopscotch. It was embarrassing. I left with scrapes and

stitches thanks to Jax's perfect aim. His apology always included a case of beers and a lecture

about punctuality and not getting on the boss's bad side.

In my opinion, the boss has no good bones in his body. He only has a bad side.

“Okay I'm up. Gimme a minute, yeah?” I groaned.

My door closed and I took that as my queue to get up. Memories of last night began to

replay in my mind.

Ryan's drunken slurs, a blurry figure resembling my cheating ex-boyfriend and then there

was...

Jax.

I groaned once more.

My headache suddenly got worse.

I got up and hurriedly brushed my teeth and racked my fingers through my hair. I wore

my black leather jumpsuit with my boots and swallowed an aspirin on my way out.

Upon entering the kitchen, I found Jax sipping on a cup of coffee.

“Uh-hey.” I stuttered. Since when you stutter Ava. I cursed myself.

He gave me a small smile in response.

“Morning.”

I cleared my throat and bravely said, “Look, whatever happened last night, I am so not up

for a relationship. So, if we could just pretend it never happened, that'd be great.”

“What never happened?” Leo interjected from behind.

“Nothing! Let's go,” I said loudly unintentionally. In my peripheral vision I saw Jax

rewarding me with a smirk. I rolled my eyes inwardly, feigning disgust.

In twenty minutes, we arrived at the agency. We stood quietly as we waited for the boss to

speak.

“I've got a new assignment for yah.” He announced.

“I'm giving it to you because you seem to have a special history with this one.”

I took the folder from his outstretched hand and scanned the profile.

“Bollocks! You've got to be fucking with me,” I glared at him with enough ferocity.

“Ava remain your posture,” Leo directed me. I tossed him the papers so he could have a

look himself. His eyes widened in disbelief.

“I can assure both of you that what you see in that profile is 100% true,” the boss said as

he lit his cigar.

“This is absurd!” I yelled furiously.

“You're letting me do the mission because I have a history with the target. Weren't you the

one who enforced a rule against assassins communicating with people in their earlier life?”

“Surely there is another capable team willing to take the guy down,” Leo interjected.

The boss began to laugh hysterically. I shivered with fear and Leo's posture stiffened.

“You two are quite a hilarious pair aren't yah!” He got up from his desk and walked casually

over to us. He stood quietly behind.

He then placed his hand, both our shoulders and gave it a gentle squeeze. Only it wasn't

gentle for too long.

I began to struggle to maintain my balance.

“Are you telling me you are declining the mission?” He whispered menacingly in my ear.

His voice was deep, whenever he spoke, every head would turn. It demanded your attention,

and it controlled you.

“Please. I am requesting to decline the mission,” I gritted through my teeth.

“Ava,” Leo gave me a glare of warning.

“Is that your final decision Ms. Day?” His voice made Leo's sound like it belonged to a

squirrel.

I met Leo's gaze. I can't let him pay my price for declining. The boss tended to make me

suffer instead of actually going all in with the torture. The torture, he reserved that for Leo.

“Members of the agency should have no ties to their previous life. If you are refusing the

mission, this tells me you have ties to the subject. You will sever those ties by killing him.”

The boss's voice boomed and bounced off the walls of his outlandish office.

“If you have a problem with that, I'll be happy to use you as my test subject for a new set

of blades I got from Switzerland--,”

“I accept it,” I said, my voice inaudible.

“I accept the mission.”

He removed his hand from our shoulders.

“Good. Now leave.”

My boot against the tile echoed in my ears as we left the building.

“It'll be okay Ava,” Leo comforted me.

Only one way to find out.

Subject: Jason Theodore Evans

Title: Rapist/Drug Dealer