The Innocent Assassins

by Pema Donyo

  “Professor George, you’re coming with us to Rome?” I raised an eyebrow at the professor. At least he might make negotiating the contract easier.

  “No, kid.” I flinched at the familiar mocking nickname. “We cannot bring your professor. I am talking about your other boss.” Tristan never let up the Italian accent for a second, but his tone no longer held any amusement. “Adrian King. Mr. King is coming with us to Rome.”

  ****

  This was ridiculous. Insane. Unbelievable.

  And somehow reality.

  I hadn’t waited for Tristan to catch up with me after class. The sight was maddening—watching Professor George welcome him into the classroom with open arms and blind eyes. I’d always thought CO agents were intelligent.

  I marched straight to the CEO Headquarters after class. I could hear Tristan calling out my name with the strange Italian accent again—“Mizz Lu!”—but I sped away. Now was not the time to be confused by Tristan again. Now was the time to figure out what CO’s next CEO could possibly be thinking.

  I tried to ignore the part of my mind telling me I wanted an excuse to talk to Adrian. I didn’t need an excuse to talk to him—if I wanted to talk to him I would, even without questions about a contract. This sped up the process a little, nothing else.

  I pushed through the double glass doors of the entrance to the CEO headquarters. The receptionist stared at me as I entered, a bored expression on her face. Her eyes flicked over the business attire which marked me as an executive.

  “Can I help you?”

  “I’m here to see Adrian King.”

  “I’m sorry, but Mr. King sees executives by appointment. Now if you would like to book an appointment for next week, that is the soonest he is available.”

  “Tell him Jane Lu is here to see him.” I struggled to keep my tone firm, even as I tapped my foot in impatience. “See if he’s willing to meet me then.”

  The receptionist raised an eyebrow, but conceded defeat and stood up. She picked up the telephone and dialed a number.

  Her eyes fixed on me, she said into the receiver, “Mr. King? I have a Jane Lu here to see you. She says she doesn’t need an appointment, but I’m trying to tell her…” A puzzled expression crossed her features. “Are you sure? But Mr. King, you said… all right, sir. Whatever you say.”

  I allowed myself a small smile. So Adrian agreed to see me after all.

  The receptionist waved her hand to the back. “You may see Mr. King now.”

  I didn’t need to be told twice. My black pumps sank ever so slightly into the carpet as I walked toward the door marked “ADRIAN KING, CEO ELECT.”

  I held my breath, pushed opened the door, and stepped inside.

  The navy walls of Adrian’s office reminded me of the ocean at night and the cool white curtains behind his desk flowed like sails on the sea. The entire room seemed nautical, with an anchor framed next to a desk the color of worn out rope. My stomach clenched when I saw framed pictures on his desk, the back of the frames facing me so only he could see the pictures. Was I in one of them?

  “Can I help you?”

  My toes curled at the sound of his voice. It had been a month since we were alone together—nearly an eternity, as far as teenage time is concerned. The eyes were the same, but he looked so worn out and tired. He was as I’d seen him when I returned from the CIA, not like the night at the Griffith.

  His voice had deepened, like someone who’d had to spend the majority of his time talking to adults who never joked and who thought laughter was a curse. There was no trace of the boy I’d known. The boy I knew always had a smile ready on his lips; that boy laughed at the slightest scene which amused him.

  “Jane?”

  I shook my head, forcing myself to end my open analysis of him. I seated myself in one of the dark blue leather armchairs and planted my feet on the floor. “Today in my executive class, there was a man named Javier Medici. He said you were coming with us to Rome.”

  Adrian crossed his leg over the knee of his other leg, his expression unreadable. “I am. What of it?”

  The coldness of his baritone voice chilled me. How could I be so stupid? Why would he answer my questions? He thought I cheated on him. He probably let me in because someone canceled an appointment at the last minute.

  “I was wondering why.”

  “I need to oversee a contract as part of my CEO training.” Adrian shrugged. “Harry Croyden is one of the most important businessmen in the world. If he wants a younger trainee at a cheaper price, I need to make sure you’re doing your job. He has agreed that if he likes his first contract with CO, he will become a regular client and purchase contracts at a full price. This is a business deal, nothing more.”

  I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. So I’d become nothing but a business strategy to him.

  “But have you seen Javier Medici?” Surely Adrian recognized him from the night at the Griffith a month ago.

  “I have. He and Harry Croyden met me a month ago.” Adrian raised an eyebrow. “I have no intention of letting past romantic liaisons affect my ability to run a business. Whatever is between you and Mr. Medici is between you two.”

  “Fine. If you’re going to act this cold with me and ignore me, that’s okay. I made a mistake coming here.” I stood up, fists clenched. He didn’t want to talk to me? Whatever. I didn’t want to talk to him.

  I had already opened the door and stepped one foot outside the room when I heard him call out behind me, “Wait!”

  I inclined my head, my expression expectant.

  “I…” Adrian pressed his lips together. He seemed suddenly at a loss for words, as if he were struggling to say what was in his mind. “I want you to know…”

  I held my breath.

  “I’ll see you in Rome.”

  I exhaled. “See you then.”

  I thought I heard a few muffled words behind my back as I left, but I couldn’t be sure. Obviously Adrian hadn’t wanted me to hear them.

  I stormed away from the room, armed with answers but still frustrated. So Adrian didn’t care about me anymore and thought I cheated on him. Great. It wasn’t like our relationship was working out anyway, right? It wasn’t like my chest burned every time I saw him with Emma and whenever he talked to me in such an icy tone and scanned over me with such abysmal disregard.

  It certainly wasn’t like I missed him.

  I made my way back to the bathroom and reached for the compact Tristan had given me. I opened it, looking at my reflection in the mirror while I spoke into the lipstick container.

  “Tristan, what are you doing?”

  “Bella, bella, call me Javier Medici now.” The tiny speaker crackled with the sound of his laughter. “All right, kid, you got me. I’ve got everyone else fooled though.”

  “Since when have you been a spy again? I thought you said the CIA was keeping you off espionage till my mission was over.”

  “Central Intelligence made an exception, kid. Marge is going to meet you in Rome, by the way. I’ll be undercover, so she’s your informant while we’re there.”

  “Tristan, what exactly is going on? Since when have you been involved with Harry Croyden?”

  “Since the CIA decided they wanted to figure out what a contract for CO was like and they needed someone to gain Croyden’s trust. Croyden needs his brother killed, and I told him about how CO operates. Thanks to your information, of course.”

  “I’m not experienced enough to handle a contract, Tristan.” I resisted the urge to groan in frustration. “And how did you talk to Adrian without him punching you again?”

  “Ah, so you talked to him. I knew you would, kid.”

  I bristled at the nickname. “Don’t ‘kid’ me, Tristan. I haven’t even seen you since the Griffith. For all I knew, you were dead!”

  “Not dead, undercover in Italy building a relationship with Croyden. You should see the Piazza Novano, kid. I’ll show you while we’re there.”

  I shut my eyes and leaned
against one of the bathroom walls. “Tristan, we need to talk about what happened last month.”

  “Hey, right now we focus on the mission. We can talk about how much you enjoyed the kiss later.”

  “What enjoyment? You ambushed me. And then Adrian punched you!”

  “So what if I took a hit? Won’t happen again. And good job, by the way, getting Adrian so worked up. You have made an impression on him. The minute I entered the CO office building with Croyden, Adrian took one look at me and went white as a sheet.”

  I nibbled my lower lip as I imagined the scene. “What does Marge want me to find out?”

  “How clients handle contracts, how executives handle contracts. All legal stuff. George said you were great at writing contracts.”

  “Well, Professor George’s exams and a real-life murder contract are different things. But fine. I’ll let the CIA know whatever you guys need.”

  “‘You guys’?” Tristan laughed again. “You’re an unofficial member of the Central Intelligence now. You’re one of us, the good guys.”

  I narrowed my eyes. The good guys who injured my best friend and left her in a critical condition? The ones who caused her so much bleeding that she was still in recovery a month later? Yeah, real good.

  “Tristan, I don’t know if this plan will work. Adrian’s not an idiot. You should have discouraged him from coming.”

  “You have to trust me, kid.” A pause. “He needs to be there too.”

  I sighed. “If you say this is going to help the CIA and bring down CO, then I’ll go along with it. Just tell me what I have to do.”

  Tristan made a kissing sound from the other end of the receiver, and I winced. “Ciao, bella. Andiamo!”

  I closed the compact with a click and tossed it into my bag. As long as Tristan didn’t try to kiss me again, I’d be fine. But traveling with Adrian was a different story. My stomach twisted at the thought. How could he continue to pretend like nothing had ever happened between us?

  I unlocked and pushed open the bathroom door. I walked past Adrian’s office, determined to leave the headquarters as soon as possible and get away from how awkward the encounter with Adrian had been.

  Then I noticed the door to the CEO’s office was slightly open. My eyes drifted back to the receptionist’s desk. Empty. The receptionist was out, the CEO’s door was open, and no one was in the lobby.

  I walked forward and slowed to a stop right before the wooden door. It was pushed wide enough to reveal the end of a large oak desk and leather chair similar to the one in Adrian’s office. Adrian stood against one of the other leather chairs. Both of his hands gripped the back of the seat, and his brows furrowed.

  “Not anymore!” he shouted. “There’s no need anymore.”

  A gravelly voice from the other end of the desk answered him. It sounded like steel sliding on cement, a combination of strength and something rough mixed together. The tone was steady, measured, calm, but every word sounded like a warning—a veiled threat against whoever might be listening. “Your little trip is wasting precious time, Adrian. Consider my less costly alternative.”

  “No! Let me try. I’ll take care of it while in Rome.” Adrian’s voice sounded frantic, the complete opposite of how cool and controlled I’d seen him in his office minutes before.

  “You’ve got one chance, you hear me? If you don’t succeed, we do things my way.”

  “I understand.”

  There was a sound of a chair turning, and footsteps paced in the room over wooden slats. Adrian seemed to be watching the pacing figure before him.

  I crept closer, hiding my body behind the door. All I could see was more of the desk and a wider view of Adrian watching the pacing figure.

  “You know what’s going to happen if this situation gets out of hand.”

  “I lose the company.”

  “All your hard work will be for nothing. You will have nothing.” The rasping tone of the CEO magnified his threat.

  If I leaned further out to see inside the room, I could make out a figure behind the desk. I was surprised to find the CEO’s room was dark, with curtains drawn against the open window. The walls were dark blue like Adrian’s room, and even the desk was an austere dark brown color.

  The figure approached Adrian, still shrouded in shadow, and clapped Adrian’s back. The gesture brought into relief a pale hand. “Don’t make me regret my choice. I am glad you finally took my advice and ended your relationship with the girl.”

  I gasped.

  Adrian’s head turned, searching for the source of the voice. “Who’s there?”

  He walked closer to the doorway, right where I stood, in pursuit of the eavesdropper. He closed in with long strides and footsteps muffled by the carpeted floor.

  I ducked out of his way in time, hiding myself behind one of the walls at a right angle to the office. I held my breath as I heard his footsteps reach the doorway. He didn’t bother to look behind the corner, where I stood pressed up against the wall. After what seemed like forever, I heard the final click of a door shutting and another click locking the door.

  It didn’t matter; I’d overstayed my welcome. I strode out of the CEO Headquarters. I didn’t care where I was going, so long as it took me away from the CEO Office.

  I readjusted the bag on my shoulder as I committed the conversation to memory. “You finally took my advice…” The CEO knew Adrian and I had been in a relationship? Well, relationships between CO agents weren’t exactly common, but with Emma and Adrian flirting up a storm and other agents starting to openly declare their relationships within the last month, it didn’t seem like as a big of a deal as it once was back when Adrian and I got together a year ago. The issue wasn’t how we were CO agents…

  Bam.

  “Oh, oops, I’m so sorry.” I bent down to pick up the books from the wooden floorboards. The person I’d collided into remained standing as I collected the books. Oh hey, these titles were familiar. The Art of Assassination, Our Operatives Ourselves, Introduction to Fundamental Contracts. These were all executive titles. And those shoes were familiar too—I knew those heels. I’d bought those heels before, as a birthday present for…

  Oh, great.

  “Nice to know you took my advice.” Emma peered down at me, but she still held her nose up in the air. “Adrian was too dangerous for you.”

  I stood up, her books gathered in my arms. The urge to suddenly drop them back to the floor again was almost too strong to ignore. “I see you’ve taken advantage of my break from Adrian. Seems like he wasn’t too dangerous for you.”

  Emma scowled. “You know what I told you was right. I warned you.”

  “You split us up,” I seethed.

  “I told you the truth.”

  “Adrian told me too. Just not as soon as I wanted.”

  “Call it what you want. If you think Adrian isn’t still hiding secrets from you, you’re blind.”

  “I can see you told me those things about Adrian to make us break up.”

  Emma flipped her hair and snatched the books from my arms. She leaned in toward me, her voice lowered. “Listen. This should show you how you and Adrian could never be in a relationship together.” She beamed, triumphant. “Maybe he wants nothing to do with you anymore.”

  Maybe I should take one of those books and hit you with it. Yep, Intro to Contracts definitely seemed heavy enough to inflict a mild concussion.

  “You know what, Emma? You’re right. Adrian and I had serious problems, and he was keeping secrets from me, and everything else you said. So go ahead. Feel free to flirt with him all you want and do whatever you please with him, because I don’t care anymore.”

  A throat cleared behind me.

  “What?” I snapped. I whipped my head around. My face froze when I saw who it was.

  Adrian King stood there, back rigid and spine straight, his face an immovable mask of indifference. He held up a sheet of paper to my face. “This is your flight information for Rome. The flight leaves on Novemb
er third.” He nodded to me, then to Emma. “I’ll see you both later.”

  Then he walked away without another word.

  My face flushed in embarrassment. How much had he heard? The parts about me not caring about him anymore, no doubt.

  It couldn’t be further from the truth.

  CHAPTER NINE

  November 1st, 2013

  Hi Jane!

  Hello from college! It’s Lucy here, sending you a letter snail-mail style to let you know how I’ve been settling in. Dave’s coming to visit me next month. Tell me when you can come see me as soon as you can. I talked to Emma. I know she comes across as competitive and she has a crush on Adrian, but deep down she’s trying to tell you to be careful about him. She thinks he’s planning something dangerous for you, and she knows she’s safer with Adrian than you are with him. Not saying you can’t work for him as an executive — but maybe being in a relationship is too close and too dangerous. Maybe it’s time you moved on and started a new chapter of your life with someone else. Just because he’s the first guy who likes you doesn’t mean he’ll be the last. Please fill me in on everything going on in your life — I miss you so much.

  I love you,

  Lucy

  I could fend off the British royal guard, CIA operatives, and a pack of hungry Swiss marmots, but I couldn’t outrun a woman selling me scarves at the price of four for fifteen euros.

  “Five, fifteen!” The woman held up five fingers, her scarves draped across the same arm. “Good cost!”

  I shook my head. My feet flew faster across the piazza, headed straight for the vendors selling paintings.

  But the woman persisted, her heels right behind mine. She leaned closer to me, her scarves nearly flying in front my face as an evening breeze blew. I felt a scarf being pressed into my hand. I tried to shove it back toward her.

  “One for one euro! One euro, final cost!”

  “Fine.” I plucked a euro coin from my pocket and handed it to her. Actually, one scarf for one euro was a pretty good deal.

  The woman handed me the scarf, took my money, and walked away with an unceremonious huff. I was left with the scarf, a sudden loss of dignity, and one euro less than before.