Chapter 5

Reena decided that she was done with hiding after days of not hearing from William. She knew that the longer she stayed away after a mission, the more likely it was for her to be in actual danger, and not the fake kind William might have dreamt up in his spare time.

Zipping up her combat boots, Reena took the time to study herself. Her black leather jacket with studded details and edgy zippers paired nicely with the dark wash skinny jeans she was wearing, and damn it accentuated those curves nicely, she thought. Hurriedly packing up her hair into a messy bun at the top of her head added to the fierce, yet effortless appeal, which was what she was going for.

Thanking William for knowing exactly her taste in clothes, she grabbed a dark red lipstick on her way out to complete the look. For some reason, a pair of dangerously silver eyes flashed across her vision like a razor sharp breeze of winter in the height of summer, and left a chilling wake in its path.

She shook off the thought instantly, it was a very traumatic memory, and while she had played the role of a brave young woman, she could not deny the fear that had wrapped itself around her in his presence. And she knew that thoughts like that were truly capable of keeping her from civilization.

Starting up the old truck kept in the back of the cabin, she tightened her grip on the wheel and began to navigate her way back to the city, continuously cursing at William in her mind every time the wind blew copious amounts of dust through the open window.

~

She parked her truck in front of a huge, yet nondescript office building, its facade cold, unassuming and uninviting.

“Agent 13, glad to have you back.” A short portly man she had never spoken to before greeted, and Reena forced herself to smile back in response as she stared at the top of his bald sweaty  head to avoid looking into his slimy eyes that gazed at her figure with a certain kind of appreciation Reena did not appreciate, at all.

Stepping into the sparsely furnished interior with functional furniture, the steady hum of computers and stilted voices saturated the air along with a faint sense of secrecy, as if it were trying to conceal its true purpose.

“Agent 13!” Another voice hollered, and Reena paused to look at the Agent that had spoken. Willowy and blonde, she looked like your stereotypical Karen, but only a closer look at those bright baby blues would help you see the strong killing intent that laid just beneath its friendly facade.

“Willow.” Reena uttered with a provocative smirk on her darkly painted lips, and she watched with satisfaction as Willow’s eyes narrowed as she clenched her teeth and spoke in a controlled voice.

“It's Agent 11 to you.” She gritted out, causing Reena to let out a lazy smirk, their rivalry was a deep one that stemmed from childhood hate and aggression, and it always made for a fun banter, with a few broken bones included.

“Enough of this chit-chat,” Reena interrupted. “It has been lovely, but I have got places to be.”

A loud bark of laughter stopped her in her tracks, and she turned to glare at Willow for it, but the evil and deeply satisfied smile on her lips stopped her in her tracks as they both stared at each other.

“Oh Ree,” Willow shook  her head, and Reena frowned. The unsettling feeling she had been suppressing since she walked in resurfacing with a vengeance. “You should never have come.”

~

The elevator doors slid open, revealing a long, shadowy hallway. At the end, a set of double doors led into a vast chamber, its walls lined with masked figures seated in a semicircle. The air was thick with the weight of their scrutiny, their silence an accusation in and of itself.

She stepped forward, her combat boots clicking against the marble floor. Her back straight and head high.

“I was summoned,” She finally spoke, filling up the silence that had covered the room like a thick blanket in a very warm summer. It was stifling, but she kept her voice strong, despite the unease that crawled up her spine.

“Agent 13, you have been called here to give straight and precise answers to the questions you are going to be asked here today.”

“I was not aware I was under suspicion.” Reena reiterated stiffly, the feeling of dread now in full force, she knew what happened to Agents that were thought of as deserters.

“We are asking the questions here.” A masked figure interrupted stiffly, and Reena nodded. That ever present feeling of fear assaulting her senses.

“What role did you play in the kidnapping of Senator Mcgauton?” Another voice asked and Reena’s eyes widened. Huh, excuse me? Senator who now?

“Okay,” She laughed, the sound high and brittle. “Are you guys messing with me?” Reena really hoped they were.

“WE ASK THE QUESTIONS!” They yelled together in unison, causing Reena to flinch back, her hands rising to curl itself protectively on her chest as beads of sweat dotted her forehead.

“I know nothing about Senator Mcgauton nor about his unfortunate disappearance. But bringing me here like this, can you justify it?” Reena asked, her voice calm despite the tremors in her hands.

“You have always been haughty and insubordinate to your superiors.” A stiff yet feminine voice spoke from the crowd of masks. “Senator Mcgauton disappeared the night you infiltrated the Thornes stronghold, and then you disappeared for days after without coming in with reports. And what's more? The Thornes are a prime suspect.” She ended, and Reena froze.

Just then the doors opened and William walked in, and at that moment Reena regretted every single decision she had taken in the last twenty four hours. She should have trusted William more, she should have stayed away, there were a lot of things she should have done.

“Agent 9, escort our agent here to The Fold.” A voice ordered, and she felt chills spread right down her body, nobody left the Fold alive, at least no one they knew of, she could see the beginning of her end, and the bitter feeling of betrayal threatened to swallow her whole.

“Yes Sir!” William answered swiftly and turned to grasp her elbows, his face emotionless and resolute as she tried to search his face for a trace of her best friend.

“No! Let me go! You can’t do this! You have no proof!” Reena screamed, just as three more Agents joined William, and her resistance was futile.

~

“William, don’t leave me here!” Reena whispered as she was finally left alone with William in the highly secured square box that was going to be her home until she was transported to the Fold.

“You know what happens to women in the Fold William.” Reena cried, and William’s eyes twitched, the first sign of emotion he had given her all day.

“I tried to help you,” He started, his face pale but determined. “I told you to stay away, you should have stayed away Ree.” He murmured, “Now you are going to die here.”

“NO!” Reena gasped, grasping at her cell bars desperately.

“I am not strong enough to help you anymore Ree, I don’t think anyone is that powerful and crazy to go against the council.” William replied sadly. Powerful and crazy, Reena thought desperately, and a pair of maniacal silver filtered across her vision, of course!

“There might be a way.” Reena whispered. “Find a way to contact Caelan Thorne and tell him this. Greed is the sin that binds you with its lies. Tell him I am guilty of the sixth sin, and so is he.”

Watching William’s retreating back, Reena could not help but feel like she was making a deal with the devil, a devil with silver eyes that burned bright.