The Spy Game Begins

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. The eyes stared back were pavid, and lines of stress dwelled in-between my brows. Not an ounce of sleep blessed my eyes last night, but the concealer did a fine job hiding it. I sighed, only one name echoing through my head. 

Dimitri Kingston. 

The name that I had been hearing everywhere since I came back to Chicago. He was the unexpected billionaire who pulled his father's sinking business out of the water and established it on the highest ground above the clouds. No wonder why all the other similar companies were slowly falling out of the race. 

But it wasn't what had me shaking like a dried leaf in the wintry wind, it was his cruel, merciless conduct, his rumor of being the most dangerous tycoon in the city. He was so heartless, he didn't even spare his own mother from going to jail. Once his eyes were cast to something, he'd have it one way or another; no one dared faltering him. 

That and so many other things I had heard about him in this past month, now I feared for my life. Working so close to such a man and leaking information from right under his nose seemed as impossible as bringing the dead to life. How was I even supposed to do that? If, by any chance, he found out, I would be as good as gone. A tremor ran down my back at the thought. 

God, please, help me.

The ringing of my phone, snapped my eyes to the bedside table. Trotting there, I picked it up and stared at the caller ID until the last ring, then received the call. 

“Your appointment's at 10:00 sharp.” 

“Hmm.” 

“Hazie, don't try to outsmart me because if I know, and I will know, then your gray friends won't even get to say goodbyes.” 

My hold around my phone tightened. “If any of them is hurt, I swear, Mr. Montero...” 

The line went dead. 

Fucking bastard! 

I glanced at my wristwatch. It was 9:27, and I was already dressed up, waiting for that call. Mastering up all my courage, I picked up my documents and climbed into my car, driving to the Kingston Corporation. The closer I got, the faster my heart pounded; anytime now it'd explode out of my chest. 

Why does life have to be so hard? 

On spotting the high-rise office building of the Kingston's, I parked my car in the parking lot and got down. My hand roamed over my knee-length skirt and blue shirt, flattening all the creases. Taking deep inhales, I steadied my breathing somewhat and walked through the entrance, climbing an elevator right to the top floor. 

The devil's lair. 

As the door dinged open, I stepped out, wiping my clammy hands in my skirt and took in my surrounding. It was an elegant combination of white, gray and black with bits of colors in the antique vases adorning the corners. 

“Miss Hazel Green!” 

I turned to my right to see a suited man, in his late twenties perhaps, walking down the hall to me. His face occupied a smile as he extended his hand forward, and I shook it. 

“Milton Cortez. Manager of Kingston Corporation. Come this way.” He pushed open a door to a cabin and led me in. “Sit down.” 

I did as instructed and scanned my eyes around; a small, black security camera at a corner of the ceiling caught my attention, and I sucked in a sharp breath. If the manager's room was under such observation then it could be perceived the whole floor was as well. Now it just made my task a bit harder than impossible. 

My hand reached up, rubbing the side of my temple until I remembered I was in the bounds of someone's vision. I glanced up to see his hawk-like eyes watching me, as if trying to calculate any means of risk. 

“So, you are Sarah's cousin willing to work as a substitute till she's done with her treatment in abroad,” he stated, but it came out more as a question.

“Yes.” I nodded. Sarah was the previous secretary of Dimitri. I wondered how Montero convinced her to assist on his plan. 

“Your mother is ill, so you need a job ASAP.” 

“Yes.” 

He leaned back in his seat, crossing his hands in front of his chest. “Tell me, why should we give you the position?” 

So I can save those innocent people. But I couldn't say that outloud. “Because I believe a good secretary makes the job of their boss easier and more pleasant, and I'm confident I can be that good secretary if you give me the opportunity.”

His lips curved satisfyingly, and he straightened up, glancing down at my documents. “You've the necessary degrees and experience.” Stippling his fingers, he gazed at me again. “Ms Green, do you think there's something you should inform me about?” 

My stomach churned inside, and fear clutched onto my heart. I used my real documents because none of them were ever associated with Montero to even spark a doubt. Even my last name was from my real father. But did he suspect something? The helpless faces of the old-age home members surfaced in my mind, and I brushed down all my fear, acquiring back my confidence. “Sure, I'm a bit nitpicky.” 

Suddenly he stood up and extended his hand. His expression, however, gave no indication of his decision. I smiled which never reached my eyes. Please, God, let me have the job, or Montero will do something wrong. Praying in my head, I copied his motion and shook hands. 

“Congratulations, Ms Green. You got the job.” 

I gasped. “Thank you!” For the first time in my life, I was both elated and frightened at the same time. Because I could help my family and because I would have to betray a devil-like man.

Mr. Cortez reached into his drawer and drew out a folder. “Here's your job description. You will have to sign here.” 

Nodding, I went through the instructions and signed in the required sections. Then he escorted me to my cabin beside the CEO's and told me to wait till Mr. Kingston came back from a meeting. Surreptitiously, my eyes darted towards the ceiling and as expected, the small camera right behind me at the corner, added to my stress. 

It was as if someone dropped me into the ocean and tasked me to snatch food from the sharks. 

Sighing, I walked towards the window and looked down at the bustling city outside. All my life, I had been known for loyalty everywhere I went, but look where life threw me into. It was a test or bad luck, I didn't know. All I knew was that I had to bury my virtue and do what it took to save my family. 

Moments passed before the telephone at my desk beeped, signaling the call from the CEO's office. My hand shot up, rubbing the spot over my throbbing heart as I paced around the room. “I can do it. I have to do it. Deep breaths, Haze, deep breaths,” I told myself, inhaling and exhaling like a lunatic. 

The phone beeped once again, snapping me out of my panic trance. Picking up the tab, I hustled out of my cabin towards the CEO's and knocked. 

“Come in,” came a sharp reply. 

Clutching the tab to stop the trembling in my hands, I entered the room, my eyes widening in amazement. It was five times the size of my cabin, even bigger than Montero's. A floor-to-ceiling window occupied an entire wall, giving a magnificent view of the skyscrapers of downtown Chicago and before that stood a man towering over six feet, hands in his slack pockets. His dark vest hugged his broad shoulders and firm back perfectly. 

“Sir, you cal-” 

“Since you're new-” he spoke in a deep voice, cutting me off, “-you should know three things about me. One-” He slowly turned, “I do not like tardiness. Two-”, His dark eyes gazed straight into my lighter ones, “-I like my deals private. Three-” A blazing fire seemed to take over his vision as his jaw clenched dangerously, “-I detest liars.”