CHAPTER 2

ABIGEAL

THE GUN pressed harder against my temple as the gruff voice repeated, “Password?”  

I held up the newspaper. “I don’t have the password. I’m here because of your newspaper ad.” 

“We didn’t post any ads. What are you doing here? Who told you about us?” the same gruff voice.

I sighed. “I don’t know who you are, but I do know that this is a sure way to lose an arm,” I said calmly.

The man swore colorfully in Arabian while I berated myself for not anticipating something like this.

“Look. Obviously there’s been some sort of mix up here, so I’m going to leave and you’ll have to take my word for it that I won’t tell anyone about this. I really don’t care what you do here.”

“You must think I’m stupid if you think I’ll let you leave.”

“No. I think you’re sweaty and must really love garlic because you reek of it,” I answered.

The grip on me tightened. The only reason why he wasn’t on the floor wheezing right now was because this was the only stimulating thing that had happened to me in a while, but I was quickly getting bored.

The job had turned out to be smoke and I needed to get back to the store and come up with a believable reason for walking out like I had.

“You have five more seconds to get your hands off me,” I warned.

“So you can run off to get your cop friends? I will do no such thing. You will regret the day you decided to try to shut down a rising voice. We will be heard!” He yelled with the passion of a Jehovah Witness on crack.

“I find it insulting that you think I’m a cop to be honest. Three seconds.”

As he mumbled some other nonsense I shifted my stance, getting ready to flip the bastard to the ground.

Then a switch clicked and light flooded the room. I blinked to adjust my eyes and I heard another man’s voice, this one softer and sounding amused.

“That’s quite alright, Hameed.”

The man immediately let go of me and I reflexively rubbed a hand across my throat, staring at the new guy.

He was tall with slicked back hair and wore an old-fashioned waistcoat over an impeccably white shirt. He regarded me with hazel eyes that danced with humor as he held out a hand.

“Congratulations, Abigeal Starr, you passed the test.”

“Who are you?” I demanded. I’d had a feeling it was some sort of stupid test.

“Pardon my manners. My name is Morgan Soliz. I run this establishment,” the tall man answered.

I arched a brow and glanced around the ‘establishment’. He caught the look and chuckled

“I realize it may not look like much, but you haven’t been inside yet,” he ushered me to an open door.

I gave Hameed the middle finger before I stepped through the doorway. He was right. On the outside the house looked like a dilapidated building left to rot slowly. The inside, however, told a different story.

Every inch of the place shone like it received an hourly scrubbing. There were multiple doorways and alcoves branching off to other sections. Through one of these, I spotted what looked like dozens of heads bent over dozens of computers. 

A bell tolled from somewhere, and I raised my brow as a door opened and a crowd of people streamed out, all wearing wide green hoods that completely hid their faces.

I watched as they each stopped in front of a huge frame holding what seemed to be passport-sized photos of people, murmured something, and half-bowed.

What on earth had I walked into? Morgan touched my elbow and guided me into a room where we faced each other on opposing seats.

****

“So, to be sure we’re on the same page, this is a terrorist group. And you don’t need a security agent, you need me to assassinate this person.”

I tapped the photo in the folder in front of me. “Because that will somehow further your cause, and you’re willing to pay double the amount on the ad for it.”

Morgan folded his hands together. “I object to being called a terrorist, but yes.” 

I thought about my boring job that barely covered my feeding, my rent increase I was going to have to pay for myself since I kicked Anna out.

I thought about living in peace and quiet for a change. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

He looked mildly startled. “You aren’t going to take time to think about it?”

“I don’t need to. Although, your plan is dumb and makes you all seem like a bunch of clowns with too much time and money on their hands parroting a ‘just’ cause. You’re going to have to go with my plan, therefore I require a raise.”

The smile froze on his face and his eyebrow went up. “You are demanding a raise? Bearing in mind that we are already paying you a considerable amount of money?”

I matched him stare for stare. “Do you want this done smoothly or not? Because I can save myself and ensure you all go down.”

“I find you quite greedy, Miss Starr.”

I didn’t know how to be anything but blunt, nor did I want to be. “Hey, it’s not my fault that your plan is stupid. Deal?” 

After staring at me in silence for a while, he sighed and nodded.

“As you wish. The folder also contains a bank card for your expenses and information on a charity gala the target will be attending tonight. Best of luck.”

“I don’t need luck,” I stood up and walked out of the building without a look back.

There was no time to overthink or second guess myself. The event was tonight and I might not get another opportunity soon.

From the information I’d gotten in the folder, my target was a closely guarded one, considered untouchable by most.

So how do you touch the untouchable?

A plan quickly began to form in my head and I checked the time. It was almost noon. If I needed this to work, I had to move fast.

Dusk had fallen fast, which was perfect for tonight’s activities. Everything was in place for my hasty plan and as I joined the crowd of onlookers and paparazzi outside the event hall, I kept an eye out for signs of movement on the other side of the street.

About ten minutes had passed before a limo pulled up. I maintained a passive expression as I got my first look at my target and his best friend as they stepped out.

I was hoping to whoever would listen that I hadn’t just given a huge wad of cash to a fuck-up. The crowd went wild as soon as they spotted them, and I scoffed at my target’s answering smile.

Poser.

Apparently my prayers were answered, as I caught the glint from the other side of the street. I whipped my gaze there and back with an alarmed expression, then ran towards my target at breakneck speed.

I’d made sure to stand near enough that when I started to run, the security surrounding him would be too stunned to act.

So no hands reached out to stop me as I collided with him yelling, “Get down!” 

Shots rang out in the air as we landed on the ground with him underneath. I locked gazes with him, his startled blue eyes looking into my terror filled ones.

For a moment, I just stayed there staring at him, snapping back when I felt his hands go to my waist.

I stood up quickly and with one last look at him, ran off into the night amidst the confusion.