THE ASSASSIN - AU/CC/Adult - Epilogue - 11/6/16

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Double Trouble
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THE ASSASSIN - AU/CC/Adult - Part 75 - 9/11/16

Post by Double Trouble »

Roswelllostcause: Finding a safe place to live is their ultimate goal.

Natalie36: Keep your fingers crossed. The two of them are far from easy. There is a lot of tension right now and that’s really not helping the situation.

keepsmiling7: Lol, no, that’s a job that would take nerves of steel and the patience of a saint!

Eva: Yes, sadly we are. Will he stay... that remains to be seen but he’s adamant that he won’t. His actions are contrary to his words.

sarammlover: Lol, we noticed you were MIA! Yep, the tree search was just an easy excursion that allowed them to get away for a little while. Michael and Maria, they’re stalling on the answer to that question. Well, let’s be honest, Michael’s the one who’s dug his heels in. The Maldives? It seems that’s stalled out. :( As for Janus, they fully intend to take him out. But if they should fail we can always send in Special Agent Sara for backup!


Part 75

“I know you’ll be fine, Maria. You’re strong, a lot stronger than anyone else can see. Your life’s gonna be in a certain amount of danger for the next few years, maybe for as long as you live, and that’s why you have to always keep in mind that people can’t be trusted easily. I’ve taught you a few ways to protect yourself and I want you to keep learning.”

She stood there and stared holes into the opposite wall, listening to his words and trying to block out her emotions while remaining silent.

Michael almost smirked at her stubbornness. Sometimes she was a lot like him. “You think I can’t wait for the moment when I can leave this all behind – “

A snort of agreement escaped her lips.

“Where I can leave you behind,” he went on, stepping up behind her with his hands on the surface of the counter to trap her.

“It’s the truth,” she whispered.

“No,” he admitted for the first time. Not only to her but also to his own self. “I wanna get the hell away from most of these people because I’m not used to considering anyone else’s thoughts and all the bullshit that goes along with that. I don’t think like that about you though.”

“Then why do you want to leave me?”

“I’m not what you need, Maria.” He brushed her hair away from one side of her neck and dipped his head to bite the soft skin. “You only think you do now, but that can be attributed to the situation. One day in the future you’ll see I was right. One day when you’ve found a man willing to give you more than just sex and protection from a few assassins.”

She closed her eyes against the onslaught of feelings that rioted through her at his nearness. “I’ve spent most of my life having someone else dictate my every move – “

“It’s not the same thing,” he denied, his breath gusting against her neck and raising goosebumps on her skin.

“It sure as hell feels like it. I don’t need someone else telling me what I should do or how I feel.”

He could hear the edge of anger creeping into her voice again. Anger was good. Anger would get her through this. It would get her through accepting that this thing between them was never meant to last and it would push her through the softer emotions. She’d come out the other side stronger for it. But anger wasn’t what he wanted at the moment. He inhaled her scent and dragged his lips against her flesh.

She didn’t know that what they had could last for any significant amount of time, but she was willing to try. The problem was, it was impossible to work on a relationship with only one half of a couple. And in this situation the other half had dug his heels in and already decided it could never work. Was he right? Hell, she didn’t know. The difference was, given the opportunity she would give it everything she had to make it work and hope like hell that it would last.

Nothing in life came with a guarantee. She’d foolishly believed there were things that did before her life had taken this most recent turn, but if there was one thing she’d learned during her time with Michael, it was that guarantees didn’t exist. Yes, he was a bad bet, but damn it, shouldn’t it be her choice whether or not to risk it? It wasn’t like she’d be doing something new and risking her heart – she’d already lost that to him. No, she’d never told him, but she knew the truth, and even though he’d as much as admitted that it wasn’t easy for him to walk away, he still intended to do it as soon as he could.

She sighed when he shifted and her head tipped to one side, granting him greater access even though she wanted to hold onto her anger. But she had no willpower when it came to this man and they both knew it. Would it make a difference if she confessed her feelings to him? She had her doubts. He was convinced leaving her was best for everyone concerned and she knew once he’d made his mind up about something there was little chance of changing it.

“Well, I’m not telling you how to feel at the moment,” he muttered against her skin and used one foot to push her legs apart.

“Maybe not how to feel, no,” she mumbled. It was too easy to give in to him because in spite of the fact that this would solve nothing, she wanted him like she’d never wanted anything else in her life. “But you’re sure as hell telling me what I can and can’t do.”

“Not doin’ that at the moment either,” Michael denied and let one hand wander from the counter over her arm to her side where it wrapped around her middle.

Her head fell back to rest against his shoulder and her eyes drifted closed. She was quickly losing the battle to stay on track. “Distracting me from the subject is basically the same thing.”

Yes it was, but he didn’t care as long as it worked.

His lack of verbal response let her know he was well aware of the tactic he was using to get her away from the current topic. She debated back and forth, trying to figure out what she should do. It would be so easy to just say the hell with it and let it go for now, but they were running out of time. She sighed heavily. That was just one more reason in favor of dropping it and taking what he was offering. “I still don’t understand why we can’t be together.”

His movements stilled and he sighed. So much for his tactic. “Because I don’t do girlfriends.”

“How do you know? You’ve never even tried.”

“I don’t want to. Why would I have to try anything?”

“I guess you don’t, Michael. I guess if all you want is to be alone, to never have anyone in your life who gives a damn about you, then I guess you’ve already got what you want.”

He let go of her and took a step back. The mood was ruined anyway and he wasn’t gonna try to fix it again. “I have all I need,” was all he said.

“I think you have all you allow yourself to need,” she said sadly.

“It isn’t as bad as you make it sound.”

She nodded. “Well, I suppose if you can do it, so can I.” She pushed away from the counter and shrugged as she looked at him. “Just find some willing guy once in a while, screw my brains out and then move on. Fuck the emotional involvement. That is the way it’s done, isn’t it?”

He clenched his hands. Just the thought of another guy’s paws on her body pissed him off like nothing else. “Only if that’s the way you want it,” he hissed angrily.

“Why should I want it to be any different? There’s no point in trying to invest myself in another situation that’s only gonna end up falling apart eventually.”

“Not everyone you gonna meet’s gonna be a trained assassin,” he snapped.

“Does it matter? No, it doesn’t! You think assassins are the only men around with commitment issues? Besides, with the divorce rate on the rise, it’d probably only be a matter of time anyway. It’s too much work.” And why bother when the one man she wanted, the one she’d fallen for, didn’t want her beyond the moment?

He shrugged, pretending he didn’t care. “If that’s what you want... go for it.”

“Fine, I will.”

“Good!”

She controlled her expression as she looked at him directly, her defiant eyes locking with his. “At least now I won’t have to worry about my virginity getting in the way. Thanks for that, Bane.

“Don’t gimme that bullshit, DeLuca!”

Now he was pissed off? Good! “Call it what you want.”

“It’s not who you are!”

“Don’t worry about it. If that lifestyle’s good enough for you, it’s good enough for me. It’ll save a lot of time and energy.”

“Whatever.” He turned to leave. He needed to leave before he broke something.

She watched him, taking a perverse enjoyment in the fact that his back and shoulders were so taut he looked like he could snap in two at any second. “Fine, go. That’s what you do best anyway.” She waited until he reached the doorway. “Well, next to giving a girl a good fuck.” She was pushing him and she knew it, but she was hurt and pissed off and at the moment she didn’t give a damn.

He froze and turned his head slightly. What was speaking was the hurt – rationally he knew that, but he felt his own anger increasing in response. “Yeah, DeLuca, and now you’re one more notch on my belt.”

“It’s not like you ever said any different.” But there had been times she’d been so sure he felt more for her than he knew how to say. Obviously she was mistaken. She cursed her stupid heart for falling for him. She laughed, hoping like hell it didn’t sound as brittle to him as it did to her own ears. “At least you set the bar high.”

“We all need a challenge once in a while,” he winked, but didn’t feel it.

“Don’t talk to me about challenges,” she scoffed. “The biggest challenge of your life is staring you in the face and you’re running from it.”

“Bullshit,” he exploded.

She controlled the urge to smirk at his reaction. “What’re you so scared of?”

“I’m not scared,” he growled. “I’ve faced more than you can even think of, Blondie. It made me who I am so just fuckin’ accept it instead of pushing my buttons.”

She waved a hand dismissively. “Either it’s fear or what we’ve shared never meant a damn thing to you.”

“I told you what it meant right from the start,” he said more calmly again.

“Yeah, you did. And I don’t hold that against you. You were honest with me from the start. You told me it’d never be anything more than sex.” She paused a moment, feeling her nerves settle as she went over what he’d said to her earlier. “But somewhere along the way that changed, didn’t it? It became more than just sex between us.”

He shrugged one shoulder. It wasn’t really in him to deny it, but what would it change? “It wasn’t just sex.”

She shook her head tiredly. “I don’t understand why if it wasn’t just sex, you’re not willing to see where this thing could go.”

“Maria,” he hung his head.

She bit her bottom lip as she stared at him, the defeated pose tearing at something inside of her. She wanted him to say he’d stay, that he wanted to try to make things between them work, but she also wanted him to do those things of his own free will and not because she’d badgered him into it. “Alright,” she said finally, feeling like everything inside of her was shaking, threatening to pull her apart. She turned and opened the refrigerator, hoping to distract herself with something mundane, like what to make for dinner.

Michael stared at her back for a very long while, not able to say or do anything. He couldn’t really explain what kept him from staying. Was it safer for them that way? Probably. Was it better for her life? Maybe. Did he need to be alone? The answer to that question had always been a clear yes, but it wavered – every day a little more.

*****

Maria leaned her head against the window on her right, not caring about the coolness of it while she stared out at the parking lot of the small private airport outside of DC. It was silent in the car while they waited for the airplane being prepared for takeoff.

“It’s time,” Michael glanced at his wristwatch and then in the backseat where Kyle and Tess were sitting.

The other man nodded and moved to open the door. “Then we should get this over with.” He hated goodbyes and although it wasn’t even a real goodbye for them, none of them knew if or when their paths would cross again.

After the trial had come to an end and most of the Circle members had gotten their well-deserved punishment, they had all agreed it was better to split up sooner rather than later to be careful. Max and Liz couldn’t wait to get the hell away from the city and Kyle and Tess had agreed to give them a hand getting their new lives started. No one knew if there was still potential danger out there and they couldn’t be careful enough – at least not for the next few months.

Maria pushed her door open and stepped out, her eyes empty while they locked on the vehicle next to them. Was this it? All they had been through together and they would just leave and never see each other again? It sounded wrong. So wrong.

“Come on,” Michael stepped up next to her and guided her with a hand on her arm. She had hardly eaten the last few days, having had no appetite because of the fact that she was going to have to say goodbye to her best friends.

“I can walk alone,” she brushed his hand off.

“I never said you couldn’t,” he muttered under his breath as she kept walking. He was proud of her in spite of the fact that she was doing her best to piss him off.

Liz looked just as miserable when she climbed out of the second car. She squinted against the sunlight reflecting off of the snow. There it was. The airplane that would take them to a new life. Would it be better? Worth living?

Max stood nearby, silently assessing every movement around them. He wondered if he’d be so aware, so vigilant, for the rest of his life. He longed for the days when this first-hand knowledge of evil hadn’t existed. His gaze shifted to his girlfriend and he could see how difficult it was to say goodbye. She’d been plagued by nightmares for the past couple of weeks, both of them had, but they had gotten worse for her the closer it came to leaving because there was no way of knowing if they’d ever get the chance to see Maria again.

A man in uniform stepped closer and handed a key over to Tess with a nod. “It’s ready whenever you are.”

“Thanks.” As soon as he was gone she turned to Kyle. “I’m gonna do the pre-flight check and make sure no one’s tampered with anything.”

“Sounds good,” he agreed.

She moved away, pausing next to Michael. It wouldn’t be long before he and Val took off in separate directions, moving their civilians to their own destinations. Once that task was accomplished she knew they’d be heading out to track Janus, and she didn’t know if or when she’d see either of them again. “Take care of yourself, big man.”

He grunted. “You know it, Harding. Watch that man of yours.”

She smiled and nodded. “I always do.”

“Hey, I don’t need to be watched,” Kyle said when he overheard their conversation and he gave Bane a friendly slap on the shoulder. “Take care, man.”

One eyebrow arched as he studied the shorter man. “You do need a keeper, Valenti.” No, not in the physical sense, but there was something between the couple, something on a level he couldn’t hope to ever understand, that balanced the other man’s dark side.

He grunted and turned to Maria, giving her a slight wink. “Been a pleasure to know you, Maria. I’ve rarely met a girl tough enough to hold her own against this stubborn soldier.”

Michael sighed in annoyance. You’re not helpin’, Valenti, he thought as he shot a glare at the man. When that didn’t so much as register on his radar, he shifted to scan the airfield for potential threats.

Maria smiled, wishing it felt genuine. Kyle and his wife were nice and she’d be happy to see them again one day even though she had her doubts that would happen. Her gaze rested briefly on Michael, regretting the fact that she’d never be able to hold onto him. “Well,” she said, laughing and hoping it didn’t reveal her pain, “it’s not easy, but anything else just wouldn’t work with him.”

Tess chuckled and pulled the blonde into a hug. “You’re gonna have a great life. You’re strong. I wish you all the best.”

“Thanks, Tess. For everything. I really hope you guys don’t have any problems over your involvement in this mess.” So far they’d managed to cover their tracks but she knew like everything else, there were no guarantees.

“Don’t worry about us.” Her gaze shifted to Alex and Val and she just nodded.

“I guess if anyone here’s got a chance at knowing he’s okay,” she said with a slight nod in Michael’s direction, “it’ll be you guys.” She wanted to ask them to somehow let her know he was okay, but she knew she couldn’t. Hell, she didn’t even know where she was going from here. Michael hadn’t told anyone including her where her new life was going to start.

Liz stepped in front of Maria with watery eyes as she tried to find some words. “Gosh, I don’t wanna say goodbye to you.”

She could feel the dam that had been holding her emotions back threatening to burst wide open as she looked at the woman who had become so much more than just a friend. “I don’t either,” she admitted, her voice wavering. “But maybe one day...” she swallowed hard, fighting to avoid falling apart. “Maybe one day it’ll be safe.”

The brunette pressed her lips together and nodded wildly before just hugging her.

“You remember that beach house we talked about going to?” Maria murmured quietly as she held her friend tightly. “Out on the west coast?”

“Sure.”

None of them had ever been there. They’d run across the vacation rental in a brochure one cold rainy day while fantasizing about places they’d rather be. She kept her voice low as she spoke, knowing Michael would have a fit if he heard what she was saying. “In two years, if you guys haven’t run into any problems, go there. Two years from today, Liz. And if I haven’t had any trouble, I’ll meet you there.”

“Sounds good,” she squeezed her tightly and then let go, loving the way her friend had planted hope in her brain so easily.

Max rubbed his girlfriend’s arm as he moved past her to face Maria. “I’ve never been good at goodbyes,” he said as he looked at her. “They’re too final.”

“Yeah, let’s try to not think about it.”

He nodded. It was impossible to avoid thinking about it and they both knew it. “You take care of yourself, Maria.” He wanted to tell her to let them know if she needed anything, but with the way things were he knew there were too many risks involved. Not to mention neither of them knew where the other was going.

“And you take care of Liz and yourself.” She kissed his cheek and then stepped back, needing this to be over.

“I will,” he promised. He could tell that Maria was on the verge of losing it so he retreated back to his girlfriend’s side. “I’m gonna grab our things and help get them loaded.”

“Okay, let’s get a move on,” Tess said. No one knew how safe it was at the moment and right now they were all together and made too easy a target.

Michael moved closer to Maria, raising his hand to rest against the small of her back in an effort to ease the pain he knew she was feeling as she watched her friends board the small plane. “They’ll get them settled in and make sure they’re safe before they leave ‘em,” he said, raising his voice to be heard over the sound of the propeller kicking to life.

“At least they’re gonna be together,” she said and changed her position – out of his reach.

He exhaled loudly. He didn’t know why it bothered him but it did. This was what he wanted, wasn’t it? “C’mon, we should get movin’. We’ve already been out in the open too long.”

There was no point in arguing about that. One last time, she glanced at the plane and then she turned and walked back to the car they had come in, while Alex and Val climbed into the other one.

There was something ridiculously disappointing about it when she didn’t even give him so much as a single smart remark in response to his order. They would head back to the house and that night, after darkness fell, Val would be taking off with Alex, heading in yet another direction and leaving Maria alone with him. At least until the next morning when they took off for her new location.

*****

Alex paused at the entrance to the living room, his gaze roving over the mostly empty space before settling on the lone figure standing at the large picture window. Maria had been quiet since seeing Max and Liz off earlier that day. He hadn’t tried to engage her in conversation, knowing she needed the space to deal with her emotions. But his time was almost up and he and Val would be leaving soon, so he had to talk to her now.

“Hey, Maria,” he called softly to get her attention.

“I guess there’s no putting this off,” she said, her tone letting him know she’d been aware of his presence the whole time he’d been standing there.

“No. Val wants to get moving. She’s feeling cagey and that puts her in a mood.” He chuckled when she turned to look at him, her expressive eyes rolling impressively. “Yeah, okay, more of a mood than normal.”

“Sounds more like it.”

He shrugged one shoulder. “They’re not easy.”

“Let’s just not talk about it.” Going over the same fact – that they were stubborn and annoying – was beyond giving her a headache now.

Alex nodded and crossed the room to lean against the window frame close to her. “He give you any idea where you’re headin’?”

“No, I just requested someplace with no extremes in weather or nature.”

“Well, that’ll narrow it down.” He studied her for a minute. “Where’d you make plans to meet Max an’ Liz?” he asked quietly.

She glanced at the door behind him and when she was sure no one was watching, she pulled a small note out of her pants pockets and gave it to him. “Memorize it and then throw it away. Or better yet, burn it.”

He glanced over what was written in her distinctive handwriting and he nodded before balling it up and tossing it across the room where it landed in the fireplace with unerring accuracy. “I’ll see ya there.”

“Two years.”

“Two years,” he agreed. A lot could change in two years, but if he hadn’t run up against anything dangerous he’d be there.

“Be careful.” She stood on her tiptoes to hug him. “I know you won’t have a problem making new friends. You’re easygoing. Always keep that attitude.”

“I’ll do my best.” He smiled and nodded as his long arms came around her. “Don’t ever change, Maria.”

“You mean I should stay noisy and annoying?”

He laughed. “I’ve never found you annoying. Maybe a little loud from time to time, but never annoying,” he teased.

“Good. You got that right then.”

“At least we’re free to live our lives now.” He shook her gently. “We’re gonna be okay, Maria.”

“Yes, we will be,” she agreed. It wasn’t like she didn’t believe it. Of course she could survive somewhere alone, the question was: Was that life in the future really worth living?

He lifted his head when the familiar sound of a throat clearing drew his attention and he nodded when he saw Val tapping the face of her watch. “It’s time for me to go. No reason to start a road trip that’s God only knows how long with her in a pissy mood.”

“Okay, go,” she nodded, determined.

He released her and stepped around her. Facing her he reached out and tipped her chin up, meeting her gaze. “Two years, Maria.” He tapped his temple. “I’ll see you guys there.”

She nodded wordlessly and hoped it would work out that way.

“Alright, let me grab my bag and we’re outta here.”

“I thought you already had everything in the car?”

He purposefully brushed against Val as he passed her. “Everything but my laptop case and I’ll wanna make sure I have everything I need before you kick my ass out when we get to our destination, my love,” he said with a smirk.

“You better have,” she glared at him. “We’re not coming back here so you should check twice.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he disappeared into the other room.
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Eva
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Re: THE ASSASSIN - AU/CC/Adult - Part 75 - 9/11/16

Post by Eva »

Was this it? All they had been through together and they would just leave and never see each other again? It sounded wrong. So wrong.
Man, is she right! I understand the need to get away as fast as possible but I'm as emotional as Maria. So I trully understand the way she's feeling. But after some lines i just had to smile about her stubbourness and her plan to see Liz, Max and Alex back. Go, girl!

I really enjoyed the discussion between Maria & Michael. She knows him so well... Letting him admit that he felt more for her than he ever could believe, was a big step. She battled for him, for them. And her fight was emotional, beautiful and bitter sweet at the same time. She needed to say all those things, without regret. And he heard it, but he's a slow student....
Take a look at Eva's world
sarammlover
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Re: THE ASSASSIN - AU/CC/Adult - Part 75 - 9/11/16

Post by sarammlover »

SO sad. I feel awful for maria right now. Everyone else has someone and she will have no one. How sad. I don't know what else to say.....my heart is broken!!
keepsmiling7
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Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:34 pm

Re: THE ASSASSIN - AU/CC/Adult - Part 75 - 9/11/16

Post by keepsmiling7 »

finally caught up,
Carolyn
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Double Trouble
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Part 76

Post by Double Trouble »

Eva: Maria isn’t giving up easily. She only has a few people she’s close to and just letting them go and never seeing them again isn’t an option for her.

She’s learned in her time with Michael that pushing him doesn’t work well. He has to be led to the truth in a more subtle manner. He is slow, but the lesson has been taught.

sarammlover: It’s not going to be easy and Maria doesn’t even have any idea what she’s walking into or what her future holds.

keepsmiling7: Thanks for reading!



Part 76

Val shook her head. It was time to bring this all to an end and move on. Why the hell did she feel like something wasn’t right though? Pushing that thought aside she went and joined Maria at the window. “It’s finally over. I’ll admit I didn’t see it coming to the end it did. We had a lot of luck on our side. Be thankful for that.”

Maria nodded, genuinely surprised that the woman had made it a point to speak to her. “I am.”

The female assassin studied her for a moment, easily reading the misery etched in her features. “Follow his instructions. Wherever he intends to get you started in your new life, you can bet he’s set protective measures in place.”

“Yeah, I’m sure he has.”

“You have to understand who he is and why that prevents him from being...” she sighed. “We’re not normal and we’re never gonna fit the 9-to-5 lifestyle.”

Maria stared at her as she tried to figure out which of them she was trying to convince. “We never asked either of you to change. We’ve never tried to fit you into some image of perfection. You’re not perfect so it wouldn’t work anyway.” She smiled faintly. “Anymore than it’d work if you guys tried to do that to me and Alex. You know what the biggest difference is between us, Val? It’s not that you’re trained killers and we’re civilians, it’s not that you see things one way and we see them in a completely different light. The difference is that given a chance we’d try to make a relationship with you guys work. But you guys can’t wait to get rid of us. For two of the strongest, bravest people I’ve ever met, when it comes to matters of the heart you’re a couple of cowards.”

She expected the other woman to be angry, pissed off or any of a dozen different things, but she didn’t see the smirk and chuckle coming.

“So we are in your eyes, DeLuca. As much as Bane and I believe that basing a life on feelings and letting it be ruled by them is foolish...” she shook her head. A few weeks ago she would’ve been ready to kill the woman for such a remark, but now... she had just accepted the differences. “It’s always a matter of how you see things. You might as well not bother questioning our decisions, knowing we’ll never come to an understanding here.”

“No,” she agreed sadly, “I guess we won’t. It’d just be a little bit easier to swallow if it didn’t just affect you.”

Val nodded but didn’t have a response for that one. After a few moments she took a step back. In spite of the other woman’s accusations, she hadn’t asked to be put in this situation. Life had been a lot less complicated before Alex came into her life. ”Make sure you follow his instructions,” she said and turned to glance at Bane on her way out of the room. ”See you around, Bane.”

He nodded but his eyes stayed on Maria. He and Val had never bothered with goodbyes and yet he felt like he needed to say something to her. Anything. ”You ready?” he heard her ask Whitman.

“Valkyrie.”

She stopped in surprise and looked at him. “Bane?”

Just get it out, he forced himself. “Thanks.”

“Excuse me?”

He almost had to laugh at her stunned expression. “You didn’t have to help with this in the first place. So thanks for that.”

“It was either help you or kill you.” She smirked.

He snorted at that. At least twice she’d had him in her crosshairs and she’d risked everything by choosing to not take the kill shot.

“Good luck.”

She shot a brief glance at the woman silently staring out into the darkness. ”Yeah, you too.”

Nothing else was said as she and Alex took one last look around before leaving.

Michael crossed his arms over his chest and listened to the sounds of the car making its way down the long driveway. He thought about the unexpected conversation he’d had with Alex the night before when the rest of the house was sound asleep.

“She’s never been on her own before.”

The other man’s direct approach annoyed him. ”What’s your point?”

“She’s losing everything at once and you’re just gonna throw her in the deep end without any land in sight.”

“What the fuck are you babbling about?”

“In less than twenty-four hours she’s gonna be saying goodbye to the only friends she has. You may not admit to being aware of the softer emotions, but you have to know she’s in love with you.”

“She’ll be fine. She knew goin’ in that I wasn’t stayin’ around once this was over. She’s strong, Whitman. Don’t think she’s some weakling that can’t handle this.”

“You misunderstand my concern. I know how strong she is. You walk away and she’s eventually gonna get past it. She’ll go on with her life, but she’s gonna be missing something essential to the woman she’s finally becoming.” He sighed and pushed his glasses up to pinch the bridge of his nose. ”She’s been sheltered most of her life and she’s losing the only family she has. It’s just a lot to take at one time.”


Even now he wondered why he hadn’t knocked a few of Whitman’s teeth out. Leaving her was gonna be harder than he’d ever imagined but he knew he wasn’t the right man for her. She deserved a hell of a lot better than him. He couldn’t give her what she really needed from the man in her life.

“When should I be ready?” Maria asked without turning to look at him.

“In an hour. You have everything you need?”

She shrugged. “Guess so.” Her gaze fell on a folder lying on a nearby table. “Are we gonna pick up what my dad left me at the bank?”

“No, we’re not. Our mission objective is to get you to your new location.”

“But, my dad - “

“Maria, you’re a moving target. We can’t risk it.”

“Yeah,” she said tiredly, “I know.”

He had every intention of retrieving the contents of the box for her, but he didn’t want her to count on it. If he couldn’t do it for whatever reason he didn’t want her waiting and hoping for it or for him. He had to take Janus out first and he had no way of knowing how long that might take.

“One hour?”

He lifted his head to look at her when she spoke. “Yeah.”

She took a deep breath and nodded before her feet carried her over to where he was standing. “Spend this last hour with me then.” Stopping right in front of him, her wary eyes searched his.

He stared down at her with the slightest frown while he tried to figure out what she had said – or better yet, what she meant. Her hand came up to rest on his chest, the small touch sending a shiver down his spine. He wanted to tell her that this would only make their goodbye worse, but not a single word escaped his mouth.

“I want you one last time,” Maria breathed, certain she would die of embarrassment if he told her no.

He should tell her no. He knew it was only going to make it worse for her. But even knowing that, he couldn’t say it, couldn’t refuse her request. And if he was honest with himself, he didn’t want to say no. He wanted her like he’d never wanted any other woman and he’d stopped questioning it. He’d learned long ago that some things simply defied explanation.

He could read the acceptance in her eyes, the knowledge that their time together was coming to its end. But it was the fear that he would turn her down that got to him.

“One last time,” he agreed, not wanting to give any thought to the strange sensation that thudded in his chest when he said the words.

“One last time,” she whispered.

His hand moved up and around the back of her neck where it threaded through her hair, grabbing it a little harshly at the same time as he forced his lips down to seal hers.

Maria was taken aback at his sudden rush, but she quickly adjusted to his pace and groaned when his tongue forced her lips to separate. This would be their last moments together and it was either enjoy what he had to give or end it right here and now. She knew what she wanted.

He growled quietly when she surrendered to him and he moved, maneuvering her until her back came to rest against the refrigerator. There was nothing gentle about his kisses and she was responding with the same ferocity, their need for each other fueled by the knowledge that this was the last time they would be together this way.

Maybe he should slow it down, take her to bed and give her the goodbye she deserved. He didn’t know. Hell, he’d never been in a position to give a damn about how any of the women he’d been with in the past felt after he was gone. This was completely new to him and it wasn’t a welcome feeling. So when the hand gripping the front of his shirt pulled with enough force to send several buttons flying, relief flooded through his veins. She wanted it this way and he was more than happy to give her exactly what she wanted.

Maria groaned slightly when his grip around her tightened before his hands moved down her body, squeezing her ass then grabbing the backs of her thighs. She gave in to the slight pull and let him pull her up until he was settled right between her legs with her back against the refrigerator. Even though they both still wore their jeans, she felt how hard he was already and the impatient movement of his hips against her showed that he was just as crazy about her as she was about him. Why did he have to give up on that?

She shook the thought off quickly, grabbing his hair and leaning her head to one side when his lips and teeth grazed her neck.

He wanted to mark her, let other men know that this woman was his – but just the thought of it disturbed him. Goddamn it, why couldn’t his brain just focus on the act alone?

Subtlety wasn’t one of his strengths when it came to her and she knew without needing confirmation that the marks he was leaving on her wouldn’t fade quickly. She didn’t care. It would be a physical reminder of him. Every time she looked at them, felt them, it would trigger the sensory memory of this moment.

He felt her nails biting into the skin of his shoulders and he welcomed the stinging pain. It grounded and encouraged him at the same time. He lifted his head to admire his mark on her, satisfied that there was no question she belonged to him.

Not that anyone else would ever know that. By the time she was ready to move on his mark would have long since faded. Stop it, he ordered himself harshly. He didn’t want to think about another man taking his place.

Maria watched him when he seemed to be frozen in place as he stared at her marked skin. It wasn’t easy for him to walk away, she realized with sudden clarity. He’d said as much but she hadn’t really believed him at the time. But he also believed it was the only choice. As much as she wanted him to change his mind, to say he’d stay and they’d give it a shot, she knew he wouldn’t. And she also knew it wouldn’t be right to take advantage of a weakness he’d never revealed to anyone else.

Her hands slid up over his neck, tracing the thick tendons and veins. Reaching her destination, she cupped his strong jaw and brought his gaze to hers. She would never belong to another man the way she belonged to him, but she knew he wouldn’t want to hear that. So rather than speak, she kissed him, and the heat ignited between them again.

This over-thinking had to stop, he thought determinedly when she had pulled him out of his musings again. Desperately, his hands grabbed her ass tightly and he turned them around to place her on the counter in front of him.

She looked good in the skinny jeans she wore, but they were fucking annoying when it came to sex in any location other than a bed. His hands moved to open the button and zipper while his lips never left hers. Impatiently, he grunted when the fabric of her jeans didn’t cooperate as easily as he would’ve liked.

Maria chuckled and wiggled around to help him, hissing when the cold kitchen counter hit her bare thighs.

He chuckled gruffly at her reaction and finished dealing with the uncooperative jeans so he could fully focus on her.

“I’d like to see how you like being the one with parts of your body pressed up against cold surfaces,” she grumbled but ruined it with a little laugh.

“Don’t I always make sure you forget about that?”

She snorted and shoved his shirt off of his shoulders. He did and he knew it. ”I don’t think your ego needs anymore stroking.”

“Got something else you can stroke,” he said and grinned when her hands left his chest to go for his belt.

Maria chuckled but at the same time a rush of heat went straight through her body. The man in front of her looked like he had just jumped off of the cover of a magazine and he turned her on more than anyone else had ever have.

Quickly, her slim fingers worked on opening his belt and buttons, revealing the bulge in his jeans and grazing it.

His hips jerked at her small touch, bringing them closer together. He was going to miss the touch of her small hands on him – there was no denying that fact.

She wished she had the ability to read his mind, to have access to the thoughts he hid so easily. It was easy enough to read him when it came to this – he couldn’t hide the way her touch affected him. When it came to the other feeling though, he kept them locked up in a vault. She forced those thoughts back. He was giving her what he had to give and it was going to have to be enough.

Michael’s hands drifted over her body, taking in every sound, every reaction, and committing them to memory. He’d known she was gonna be a quick study. He’d watched as she became more confident and he’d encouraged her to step out of the shadows and reach for what she wanted. And she hadn’t wasted any time, he thought with a smirk. Her hands were on him, using everything she’d learned, and her touch wasn’t far from undoing him. If he didn’t focus on her for a few minutes though he was gonna be done.

Maria looked between them and then glanced up at him with a small smile. "You’re pretty sexy."

"You're no slouch in that department yourself," he rasped.

Her hands moved over his bare upper body, nails rasping the skin and leaving slight marks. She leaned in and kissed his neck while one hand slipped into his boxers.

Okay, that wasn’t gonna shift his focus. His head dropped forward, just watching her hand as it disappeared past his waistband. Her touch supplied the rest because her head blocked his view when she moved in to leave her own marks on him. His fingers made quick work of the buttons on her shirt, not bothering to remove it, just moving the panels aside so he could get his hands on her breasts – a sensation he fully enjoyed but wasn’t gonna be enough to keep his focus off of what was going on below his belt.

Maria moaned against him and fumbled to push his pants and boxers down a few inches – just enough to reveal his full hard length. His whole body seemed like it was on fire and was taut with tension, it was almost too much too look at him let alone feel him.

He nudged her chin up, taking possession of her mouth as his right hand slipped down to tease her folds. She was already so wet, so ready for him, and impossible as it seemed he hardened even more.

It was crazy what his touch did to her and how easily and fast she had adjusted to having sex with him. She was comfortable with him because he had always made her feel like she was a sexy woman in his eyes.

It was a shame he’d never see her naked on his beach, tanned skin glistening under the sun as she gave him that look that said she wanted him. He had a feeling it wouldn’t take much to talk her into it. Hell, he might not even have to. Her confidence had surged over the past few weeks and it made her incredibly sexy… sexier than she already was. He wrapped his free arm around her and tugged her closer to the edge of the counter.

It was gonna happen on the kitchen counter, she thought, but couldn't care less. Her body was willingly lying in his hands and he could do just about anything.

He could feel her heat and it was driving him crazy. It barely crossed his mind that he wasn’t wearing a condom. The thought of being inside her without the barrier was enough to drive out the niggling reminder that he needed to retrieve one before they let things go too far.

“Michael,” Maria groaned when she felt him entering her with need. In the back of her mind there was a flash of worry that they were doing this without any protection but the sensation of the moment was too intense to form a sentence. Stopping now just didn’t seem to be an option.

He growled, feeling the full sensation of sex for the first time in his life. It was almost too much to bear and he knew he would regret it later because this moment would be stuck in his head forever. “Damn, Blondie,” was all he could mutter against her sweaty neck while thrusting into her again and again.

Her head dropped forward, tasting his salty skin as her fingers clenched, leaving crescent-shaped indents in his back. She didn’t want it to end, wanted to hold on to this perfect moment as long as possible, but she could feel the need for release coursing through her entire body. She had learned the telltale signs that warned her that he was getting close and she knew he was there.

His hand slipped between her legs, finding the throbbing bundle of nerves and applying the friction she needed to send her racing towards the edge. It was an incredible rush, the combination of his rough hand stroking her in time to his thrusts. She screamed his name as the most powerful orgasm she’d ever experienced surged through her body.

Michael did his best to keep himself from falling apart too soon but when his name escaped her lips, a mix of a groan and a shout, he couldn’t hold back any longer and followed her over the edge, his rough panting interspersed with low groans. He felt her hands in his hair, holding him against her own sweaty heavily breathing body. Damn, was it already over? Was this the end?

They stayed in that position for a long while, neither of them moving because they both knew their separation would end it all – everything that had ever existed between them and neither Maria nor Michael was looking forward to that moment.

Eventually the moment came though, and by some mutual, yet unspoken agreement, they parted just enough to look into each other’s eyes. Never in all of his years had he ever felt such a pull toward another human being. He’d always been a loner, never getting involved, never sticking around long enough for women to get attached to him. And he’d sure as hell never bothered to get attached to any of them.

It was more than that though, more than he’d ever imagined possible for him. It was so much more than he deserved. And so much less than she deserved. He could never wash away the blood on his hands. Some things couldn’t be undone and his entire past fell into that category. She still had a chance at a good life and by leaving her he could make sure no one took that away from her.

“You’re gonna be okay,” he said finally, his voice rough with emotion that he did his best to hide.

She just nodded, because she was afraid she would lose it as soon as she opened her mouth.

It was time to let her go, but God he didn’t want to. Slowly he retrieved his hands from her body and reached down to zip himself back up, using a kitchen towel lying next to them to clean her up as good as possible, only now realizing the full extent what they had done. Damn it, he hadn’t used a condom.

Maria watched him, seeing realization dawn on him at the same time it pricked at her own thoughts. “I’m sure it’s fine.” But what if it wasn’t? What if their goodbye resulted in a pregnancy? Could she handle that? She’d have to, because she just couldn’t imagine getting rid of a baby they had made together.

His eyes moved over her, his mind providing him with an image of her carrying a life they had created. He tried to shake it off but then his traitorous mind supplied him with an image of her cradling an infant. He forced that image out of his head. He didn’t want that. Hell, what did he know about kids anyway? Other than the fact that they were noisy and messy, he didn’t know jack about them. And he didn’t want to, his mind insisted. She was right, it was unlikely. People had unprotected sex all the time without getting pregnant. “Right,” he agreed after a moment.

Her eyes fell on the clock on the microwave. “It’s almost time to go.”

He nodded after a moment. “You might wanna take a look around, make sure you’ve got everything you wanna take with you.”

“It’s not like I have a whole lot here.” She shrugged.

He didn’t have any idea what to say to her, how to reassure her. It was a sad reality that half of her life had been spent in this mausoleum of a house and she’d never really felt like it was a home.

“Not a whole lot I want to take anyway.”

“Yeah.” He reached out and ran his fingertips along the open panels of her shirt for a moment before tugging the material together and fumbling with the small buttons.

“Let me do that,” she said, brushing his hands off gently.

He shrugged and dropped his hands to his sides. It was stupid, this need to touch her constantly. He was a grown man; a man used to being on his own, a man who didn’t get involved to the degree he’d allowed with her... and for the first time in his life he felt completely unhinged.

Maria slipped from the counter and walked a few feet away from him, needing the space while she put herself together.

“I’m gonna do a quick perimeter check and then finish loading the car,” he said, thinking that maybe she was distancing herself from him to make this easier on herself.

“Sounds good,” she agreed. It really wasn’t.

He paused in the doorway, plagued by indecision. How the hell did normal guys know what to say and do in these situations? He snorted softly and shook his head, ordering his feet to leave the room. He didn’t know, would never know. He was anything but normal.

When he left she stared at the empty room for a few minutes, her brain basically drawing a blank at the moment and somehow she was glad about it, because it felt better than the worry about the future.

The perimeter check didn’t take nearly as long as he would’ve liked and it did little to occupy his mind. It didn’t matter how far or how fast a person ran, there was no way to outrun your thoughts. He finished his rounds and made his way through the house to the garage, grabbing the bags sitting next to the door so he could get them loaded.

Maria moved around the house, taking in each room for the last time. She had grown up here but it didn’t hold any warm feelings – saying goodbye to this place wasn’t really hard to do.

Once everything was packed he started the car, letting the engine warm up, and he went back inside. He stopped in the kitchen, easily detecting the sound of her weary footsteps as she moved through the house. He filled the thermos on the counter with coffee and turned the maker off before washing the pot out and putting it back. He opened the refrigerator and grabbed the sandwiches she’d made earlier, packing them into a small cooler and carrying it and the thermos out to the car.

With nothing else to do he waited for her in the kitchen, arms crossed loosely over his chest. For once, his pose didn’t radiate impatience; letting her go wasn’t something he was in a hurry to do, even though it was what was best for both of them.

“I’m ready,” she appeared behind him with a bag over her shoulder.

“Let’s get this show on the road.” He started to take the bag for her but pulled his hand back at the last second, certain she wouldn’t relinquish it.

“Yeah,” she replied, her voice monotone as she turned to walk out to the car

He followed her out of the house, locking up and sliding in behind the wheel. He reached up to press the button on the garage door opener, waiting in the heavy silence for it to raise enough to pull out.

Everything was going to change when they drove through that door, she thought when she climbed into the passenger’s seat. It wouldn’t really bother her to leave this all behind if it didn’t mean leaving some good friends and a certain man behind.

“Are you telling me where we’re going now?” she asked when he took his seat behind the steering wheel.

“Not yet, no.”

She rolled her eyes at him and pulled the seatbelt across her body, snapping it into place before looking out through the windshield. ”It’s not like I can tell anybody.” And who would she tell?

He shrugged. ”Maybe it’s a surprise.”

Maria just frowned at him and turned to look out through the windshield again. “Fine. Don’t tell me. It’s not that I really care. How long do I have to stay at this place anyway?”

He shrugged. “I’d recommend remaining stationary for a while. A couple of months at least.” His hand came up to scratch the back of his neck. “But in the end it’s up to you. Your own decisions from that point on, Blondie.”

“My own decisions,” she muttered to herself. Somehow that had sounded a lot nicer a few months ago.

“It’s not exactly ideal, but at least you should be safe.”
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Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
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Eva
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Re: THE ASSASSIN - AU/CC/Adult - Part 76 - 9/18/16

Post by Eva »

And the bitter sweet symphony goed on and on...

A baby from her and Michael ... The though alone maken me happy. Strange, huh?
Take a look at Eva's world
keepsmiling7
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Re: THE ASSASSIN - AU/CC/Adult - Part 76 - 9/18/16

Post by keepsmiling7 »

Great part,
Thanks, Carolyn
sarammlover
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Re: THE ASSASSIN - AU/CC/Adult - Part 76 - 9/18/16

Post by sarammlover »

At least Alex gets it. Maria is losing EVERYONE she knows. Everyone. She doesn't have a single person with her. She can't go back to her life because everyone in her life is either dead or in hiding. What a crappy situation for her. Ugh. So depressing......hard to say great udpate....HA HA HA HA. Great update! See you sunday~
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Double Trouble
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Part 77

Post by Double Trouble »

Eva: Lol, it’s a happy thought indeed. However, Michael’s far from being onboard with that train of thought at the moment.

keepsmiling7: Thanks for reading!

sarammlover: Yes, and Michael can’t fully understand or appreciate her situation. Maybe today’s update won’t be as depressing? *crossing fingers*



Part 77

“Should be,” she muttered under her breath. That wasn’t exactly news, but it was a chance she’d known she was taking when she agreed to testify. Hell, it was the chance she’d known she was taking from the moment she realized that ending the Circle and its activities was no assurance of her safety.

“Maria, just stay there for a couple of months, keep your head down and give it a chance. I think you’ll like the area. I’ve got you set up with a job.”

She snorted. “You picked out a job for me? Doing what? Or do I even want to know?”

“Domestic help,” he said with a shrug as he checked the overhead sign to see how much farther he had to go before they could hit the Interstate.

“Domestic...” she trailed off. “What, like a maid?”

He chuckled at the irate tone in her voice. “What? You’d look hot in one of those little French Maid outfits.” He sure as hell hadn’t gotten her into a job like that but he couldn’t resist teasing her.

“You better have something better than that for me,” she grumbled.

“What’s wrong with it? From what I understand the hours and benefits are good.”

“I don’t wanna clean for other people!”

“Well, why not?” He was really enjoying winding her up with this. “Besides, it’s only gonna be temporary.”

“Yeah, like one hour.”

He shrugged and checked the mirrors, looking for threats. “I suppose you could look for other work if that’s what you want.”

“What exactly did you get for me?”

“There’s some wealthy old dude that needs someone to take care of his place. I figured it’d be outta the way and you’d be safe there.”

“Old dude sounds nasty.”

“Alfred Barkley has a clean record,” he said, wondering if she’d recognize the author’s name. “He lives in Redding, California on an estate that’s got one of the most state of the art security systems and he leads an intensely private life.” He scratched the side of his head. “He needed a research assistant who was able to live on the estate. You fit the bill.”

“The author?” Her eyes grew wide.

“Yeah.” He rolled his shoulders and settled again. “I know you wanted to be a journalist but you’re gonna have to stay off the radar so that’s out the window, but you’d still be able to do all the digging and research that goes into writing.” He winced. “The public just won’t ever know you’re the one doin’ it.”

“I could just use a pseudo name.”

“Maybe one day, Maria. It’s too soon right now. They know your background, they know what you were goin’ to college for, so if they’re lookin’ for you, they’re gonna be watchin’ for you to show up in that field.”

“Yeah, I didn’t mean like right now.” She sighed dramatically.

He shot a sideways look at her. “You’ll probably get along great with Barkley.”

“How do you know him?”

“I almost killed him once.”

“What?”

“You’ve seen the scar on my back, just above my kidneys?” He tipped his head when she nodded. “Got into a FUBAR situation in Morocco when I got jumped by half a dozen gang members. I was holdin’ my own until one of ‘em shoved a blade in my back. It got progressively worse from that point on. Barkley was there doin’ research on the mafia in that part of the world and he noticed the fight and called his security team in.”

“And why would that make you almost kill him?”

“They were goin’ in for the kill when his team showed up. They pursued the guys that attacked me, but I was down and disoriented so when he approached me I attacked. I had him pinned with the blade of my knife pressed to his throat. I still don’t know what tripped the light switch and let me know he wasn’t the enemy.” Uh, maybe the fact that you passed out on top of the stupid sonofabitch? his conscience taunted. He cleared his throat. “I’d lost a lot of blood so I wasn’t on top of my game.”

“I’m surprised he put up with you then,” she snorted.

“He’s never believed my cover story that I was an undercover agent, but he was smart enough not to question it. I was able to give him certain details for some of the research he was doin’ for a new book and in exchange he kept me outta sight while I recovered enough to take off.”

“So he’s kind of your friend?”

He shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t know that I’d call him that.”

“Well, close enough,” she shrugged.

“Anyway, you’ll be safe there and it’s a job I think you’ll enjoy.”

She thought about it and then nodded. “Yeah, maybe.” And she wouldn’t be alone.

“He’s older obviously, but he’s a good man.” Too old for her to even consider thinking of him as anything but a nice old man... grandfatherly even. And that suited him just fine. “He owns a lot of lakefront property so you’ll be on the water. I understand the view’s pretty spectacular.”

“You put a lot of thought into this.”

“Into your safety?”

“Yeah, and into where you’re taking me.”

He shrugged again. “I said I’d make sure you were safe.”

“But it’s more than just safe. It also sounds comfortable and like something I’ll enjoy. And I won’t be alone.” Would he keep in contact with the old man to ask about her, she wondered, but didn’t dare ask.

“It’s the first thing that came to mind,” he told her shortly, denying that she was right. Yes, he had put a lot of thought into where to take her, but she didn’t need to know that.

She didn’t know why he couldn’t just admit he’d put a lot of thought into deciding where to place her. She snorted softly and grabbed a bottle of water from the cup holder. Maybe she was reading too much into it. ”Do you stay in regular contact with him?”

“No. Necessity only.”

She made a humming sound. That sounded suspicious to her. Necessity only? A writer and an assassin? He was full of shit. “So where will you start looking for Janus?”

“I’ll pick up his trail and track him down.”

She wrinkled her nose at his response. ”Don’t hurt yourself with all that information.”

“Maria, you don’t need to know where I’m going.”

“What do you think I’m gonna do? Follow you?”

He wouldn’t be surprised.

“I wouldn’t even be able to and you know it.”

“Don’t try it,” he looked at her briefly, but seriously. “It’s too dangerous.”

“I won’t,” she told him a little harshly. “No worries, I’m not a stalker.”

He smirked at her annoyed tone and changed lanes. “Nothin’ to do with you havin’ stalker tendencies and everything to do with your need to see things through. You’ve seen this through to the finish. Your testimony along with the others’ was enough to tie it all up and put an end to the Circle.”

“Is it really the end?” She shifted and rested her back against the door to watch him.

“Like everything else in life, there’re no guarantees. You guys shut down their operation and now I’m gonna take out the mad scientist and shut off their ability to recruit and brainwash potential assassins.” He ran a hand through his hair. “We have no way of knowin’ what might happen down the road, but with the entire upper level out of commission they’re gonna be hard pressed to put the organization back together.”

“You be careful when you take him down. From what I’ve heard, he’s not an easy target.”

“He’s a bastard but he’s not a trained assassin.”

“Still,” she insisted. “He probably knows that you’ll come looking for him.”

Michael nodded. “He knows and I’ll bet he doesn’t like the thought.”

“He might have surrounded himself with other assassins...”

“Could be,” he shrugged.

“You’re so sure you’re gonna get him.”

“I will.” One hand came up to cup her neck making him look at her for a short moment when the road was clear and straight. “I won’t rest until his last breath. And by the way, I’ve got some help. Val will be with me. Brody offered support too.”

“Yeah, right,” she muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Michael, you and Val have actively baited each other about which of you would be the first to get to him. That doesn’t exactly sound like you’re planning to work together.”

“I’ll do whatever’s necessary to put him down.” He had to make sure Janus was taken out. The man would like nothing more than to get his hands on Max and Liz for escaping before he could turn them. And he’d go after Maria for her part in seeing the organization taken down.
“I don’t have a doubt in this.” She reached over and squeezed his thigh. “I just don’t want you get hurt or worse in the process.”

His eyes dropped to where she touched him before he placed his hand over hers. “Whatever happens, happens. But, worst case scenario, he’s going down with me.” Slowly he removed her hand from him again and placed it back in her own lap. “Janus won’t live past me.”

She sighed in resignation. Nothing was simple with him. Why should she be surprised by that? Nothing had ever been simple where he was concerned. She stared at her fingers for a few minutes in silence, wondering what the odds were that he’d walk away after facing off with Janus. And she had no doubts that he intended to take the man out face to face. After everything he’d done to them, Michael wouldn’t be satisfied taking him out from a distance. He’d want Janus to see him.

“I don’t suppose you’d agree to let me know you’re still alive when it’s all over.”

He shot a sideways glance at her. ”It’s not safe for us to maintain contact.”

“Not even a single line to let me know you’re alive?”

“Messages will be too dangerous,” he dismissed her shortly.

“Just a sign you’re freakin’ alive, Michael. Doesn’t have to be a message.”

“So what then?” he snapped. “Want me to send ya a fucking bucket of roses or what?”

She glared at him. “Just forget about it. Drop me off and then leave.”

“Yeah, well, that was the plan before you started talkin’ it to death.”

“Well, excuse me for wanting to know you’re alive. You can be such an asshole when you wanna be,” she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at the passing scenery. Under other circumstances she’d be enjoying the view but there wasn’t much to enjoy about it with him sitting next to her in the mood he was in.

He huffed out an impatient breath. He didn’t know why she had to be so damned impossible about... hell, about everything! She should know by now that once he placed her in her new location that was it. He’d been telling her since the beginning this thing wasn’t gonna go anywhere. But did she listen to him? Hell no!

*****

Alex shook his head when he loaded his bag into the trunk of the rental car and wiped his sweaty forehead with the back of his arm. “You could’ve warned me that we were going to a place as hot as hell.”

“Believe me, it’s a lot hotter in hell,” she said dryly and climbed behind the steering wheel.

“You must know because you come from there,” he muttered under his breath and got into the passenger’s seat.

“What’d you say?”

“Nothin’,” he said innocently and grabbed the water they had just bought. “So why the hell are you draggin’ me to Cancun of all places? This is like the American spring break stronghold.”

She shrugged. “First off, we just landed here, we’re not stayin’ in Cancun. Second, it’s warm. Third it’s a place no one would expect us to be. Fourth-”

“We?” It was the only word that had really registered his mind. “Are you plannin’ to stick around?” Alex hated the hopeful tone his voice had adopted so easily.

“I need to find Janus,” Val said matter-of-factly. “You will help me find him.”

Is that all, he wanted to ask, but didn’t – loving the fact that she was planning so stay with him for now. “I’ll need a fast internet connection and some equipment...”

“My house has everything you need.”

“Your... house?”

“My house,” she confirmed and reached for the map she’d tossed on the dashboard, shaking it open and then snapping it into position so she could scan it. When he remained silent she shrugged. “What?”

“Nothin’,” he said, feeling his hope increasing when he caught the defensive note in her voice. The only time she ever sounded like that was when he was treading into uncomfortable territory and he’d realized over time that most often that was related to feelings she wasn’t interested in discussing or even admitting existed.

So much for playing it cool, she thought with more than a little bit of annoyance. Was it a mistake to bring him here? She’d purchased the property some time ago, carefully burying it under a mountain of corporations and false identities in order to protect its location and ownership. Like all of the safe houses, she’d never been to this one, but it was the one she’d spent the most time working on from a distance.

It was a veritable fortress with a state of the art security system. There was an older couple who resided on the estate, maintaining the grounds and house. Javier del Torre and his wife Lucia. If she’d ever owed anyone her life before the recent cluster fuck she’d been involved in, it was them.

Javier was a landscape gardener by trade, a man who loved history and had wanted to become a teacher. Caring for a large family after losing his father to a long illness had kept him from pursuing that dream though. His family had saved for years without him knowing about it and on his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary he and Lucia had been presented with a trip that had sent them to Rome where he had stood in the Colosseum in wonder.

She had been twenty-one years old at the time, already an assassin for two years. She’d been injured in a bombing several thousand miles away, taking shrapnel from the resulting explosion. Concerned about becoming a liability she’d patched herself up and moved on to her next assignment. She’d put the worsening pain down to not stopping to rest and it wasn’t until the assignment had been completed that she’d realized she was burning up with fever. Blending in with the tourists wasn’t going to work in her condition so she’d stopped in the shade to catch her breath and that’s when she’d spotted the older couple.

She knew several languages; it was helpful in her line of work, so understanding his excited rambling was easy. She had watched them, entranced with their interaction because it was so foreign to what she knew, yet it was something she craved for herself deep down inside where she hid all of the softer emotions she knew she didn’t have a right to have. She’d known right away they weren’t well off financially, but their joy at being together and experiencing one of the world’s greatest wonders had just radiated off of them.

She didn’t believe in fate, destiny or any of the other things people attributed their luck to, good or bad, but somehow, when the infection raging in her body had finally won out against her wishes, they had been the ones to find and help her. If not for them, she knew she would’ve died right there on the street. Several years later, she understood a lot more about wounds and treating them and she was a lot more vigilant in caring for herself.

She hadn’t understood when they’d refused to take money for saving her life. Who turned down free money? Lucia had simply smiled and shook her head, reaching out to cover the hand holding the money, and explained that no reward was necessary for helping out another human being. Her confusion must have been written clear as day on her face because the woman had patted her hand and blessed her.

Two years later when she’d made the purchase of the house and grounds she’d decided to hire full time personnel to maintain the property. She’d made sure if the couple applied for the positions that they were hired, regardless of who else submitted applications.

“So, where exactly are we going?” Alex asked after they’d been driving for a while.

“Cozumel,” she answered shortly.

“Cozumel... uh-huh. So, what, you’ve got a helicopter stashed somewhere?”

“No, boat.”

“Of course. I’ll bet the fishing out here’s great.”

“Could be,” she shrugged.

“I don’t suppose you fish.”

“Only when I’m hungry.”

“I’ll bet you’d get a kick outta deep sea fishing.”

“Why’s that?”

“It’s challenging. We both know you’ve got the patience for it. Anyone who can spend hours on top of hours just waiting behind the trigger for a target would have no problem waiting out a decent catch.”

“It’s something completely different though,” she denied.

“Oh, c’mon, out in the middle of the ocean? No one around to bother us?” He shot a glance at her. “You in some sexy little bikini.” He paused a moment in thought. “Okay, scratch that, we’d never get any fishin’ done.”

“I don’t need to pretend to go fishing for that, Whitman.”

“What pretend? I think if you gave it a chance you might just like it.”

“Unless we’re out of food I can think of better.” She pointed a look at him. “We need to find Janus.”

“Well, later obviously. I didn’t mean right this second.” He rolled his eyes at her. “Finding Janus is our first priority.”

“It’s our only priority,” she said. “For now.”

“Of course.” He dropped his head back against the rest and closed his eyes. “Any idea where he’s gone to ground?”

“Not yet, but maybe I have something to start with.” She shifted in her seat and pulled a piece of paper out of her jeans pocket. There was a name scribbled on it. New World Foundation.

Alex frowned. “And?” Somehow it seemed like he had seen or heard it before, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

“When we walked into the compound, I saw that several times. Think you can find out what the foundation’s about? I googled it, but nothing relevant came up.”

“Sure, I should be able to dig something up.”

“I don’t know if it’ll lead us to anything significant, but it’s worth a try. Maybe it’s some codename they operated under. Or a company they created to funnel their money through.”

“Yeah, agreed. It could be something or nothing. We’ll figure it out. It’s a place to begin.”

“If it’s nothing then we’re gonna have a problem.”

“It could be a reach in the dark,” Alex agreed. “I know people were working on software that would be able to use publicly-installed cameras to find people.”

“That would explain how they located Evans and Parker so quickly. Hell, you can’t go anywhere without having a camera watchin’ every move you make.” She considered that for a moment. The couple had sworn up and down that they’d followed their instructions to the letter and she’d been inclined to believe them. They weren’t seasoned or hardened but they also weren’t the rookies she’d first dismissed them as being.

“With the right software, the right monitoring programs, it’s possible they could’ve pinpointed their location that way.”

“They have to have some sort of database to use, right? I mean, they’d have to have search parameters in order to pinpoint the individual they’re looking for. Otherwise they’d just be finding random people.”

“If they had any kind of photo of the two of them they were good to go. A face is like a handprint after all. The space between your eyes, the shape of your lips, the length of your nose... give the system those parameters and it’ll give an alarm when people matching that description are recorded on the cameras.”

“It’s can’t be as accurate as a handprint.”

He chuckled at her stubborn tone. “Well, there were probably plenty of notifications that didn’t match, but it would be good enough to get them started.”

Val rolled her eyes before checking the mirror. It sounded like a shot in the dark to her. There were millions of people caught on those cameras every day, so the odds of actually locating a specific person seemed fairly impossible. Okay, sure, if you could narrow down the search area, maybe you had a chance at finding the target. ”If they have a program like that we could use it to pinpoint Janus’ location.”

“Yeah, I could-”

“And once we’re finished we’ll destroy the system.”

“I don’t really think we’d be able to do that.”

“Why not? A government system like that, it may be operated in multiple locations, but the sites are probably linked into the same server.”

“They probably have several backups.”

“So you think our chance of destroying it is unlikely.”

“Pretty much, yes.”

Her thumb tapped out an annoyed rhythm on the steering wheel as she considered what he was telling her. “Alright, we can’t take it out all at once. Could it be taken out in stages?”

“Isabel,” Alex sighed. “The problem is that there could be copies elsewhere. Look... it’s like you upload a picture on the internet. Anyone can see it and save it. There’s just no way to be sure it’s deleted for good.”

She made a face at his use of the name given to her at birth but for some reason she didn’t understand she didn’t bother correcting him. “I guess I can see what you’re saying. I just don’t like the way certain technology is advancing, giving the government so much access to our lives.”

“Tell me about it,” he snorted.

“Well, they sure as hell don’t have access to the compound.” And they never would, she vowed silently. She was tired of running, had been tired of it for some time, and while she’d never known if or when she’d ever stop running, she’d always taken special care with the property in Cozumel.

“That’s good. Tell me about your house?”
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Fics: A Xmas Story - A Merry Mt. R. Xmas - Cupid's Revenge - Double Trouble - Double Date - Double Dare - Double Empire - Double Xmas Wish - In The Course Of A Lifetime - Mountains So High - Not A Question At All - Surrender - TIC TAC - Two Double Dates at Xmas
keepsmiling7
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Re: THE ASSASSIN - AU/CC/Adult - Part 77 - 9/25/16

Post by keepsmiling7 »

I'm still laughing about Maria......and the fuss she put up regarding domestic help.
Thanks,
Carolyn
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