Immaculate Spirit c1-242

by Newbiel

  Walking back to his mother office, Nathaniel was surprised to see Lucie was waiting for him near the door.

  "You already found something?"

  "No but I realised I will be more useful there with you than with Lina, checking names. The fact is Lina doesn't need my help, she's ten times faster than me in this sort of research."

  "And you think you will be more useful with her?" Nathaniel asked with a neutral tone.

  "I think I can convince you of that. I have a master in Psychology after all." She smiled at him.

  "Alright, you can come." Nathaniel shook his head with a faint smile. "But what I said to Scott and Camilla also applies to you. Let me do the talking, focus on her and keep your face as blank as possible. The less you give, the less she can use against you."

  Pushing the door open, Nathaniel walked inside followed closely by Lucie. Ivania was still sitting on the chair that she was occupying before Scott was positioned to the door while Camilla was near the window to the side. Walking past her, Nathaniel chose to sit on the desk, his legs under him while Lucie chose to stand behind the desk barely holding a rolling of her eyes at her employeur choice of position.

  "Glad that you chose to play nice there while I was away posting my new instagram story. I very much appreciate that." He made a silly smile.

  "Well, It wasn't like I had much choice. These two were ready to shoot me each time I moved an inch in my seat and they are not even talking to me." She made a pout.

  "I believe you move more than an inch Amanda. There is a pair of scissors and a letter opener that is now missing from the desk. You wouldn't know where they disappear by any chance?" Nathaniel lifts an eyebrow in her direction.

  Hearing what Nathaniele just said, Camilla and Scott raised their gun back at her at the same time. They had kept their eyes on her the entire time and they never had seen her moving closer to the desk at any point. Staring intensely at her for a moment longer, Nathaniel's face suddenly split into a huge smile.

  "Oh it's no big deal, I'm sure they are going to resurface another time." He said, waving to the side to dismiss the problem entirely and also a cue to Scott and Camilla to put their weapon back down.

  "You are keeping some interesting company, Nathaniel." Ivania said.

  "Hum? How so?" Nathaniel asked almost absently.

  "First, there is that man near the door, military no doubt about it and a highly trained one, I will be willing to bet on Delta Force based on his demeanor and the way he holds his weapon. He suffered a severe injury on his back which is healed now but there is still residual pain some time that he tries to mask. Interesting fellow. Then there is the latina which was also military but I very much doubt that she is still one, way too strong headed to follow order. She's also crazy and has been watching me for the last ten minutes straight trying to figure out if she can take me on. Word of advice girl, you just can't. And now the pretty blonde behind you who is wearing designer clothes and would be much more in her place at a fashion show than here. But behind that pretty face is an even more impressive intellect that wants to prove herself to you. Definitely not American, I'm betting on an western european old and wealthy family. And finally, they all seem way more competent in the craft than their years or upbringing suggest. They also all respect you, even the crazy latina, which is curious considering you age but something I kind of understand. You have been training them all."

  "Very good." Nathaniel nodded faintly in her direction. "What other things did you learn while investigating my family for the Saudi's?"

  "I learned that all of your family except you were in the city here while your grandfather was abducted. That none of them seem to have the connections or the willingness to orchestrate something on that scale. I also learned that the sub basement of the tower has been renovated recently to straighten the fondation but curiously, I could find no permit or blueprint of the work that has been done underneath it, almost like they vanished into thin air. To top it off, the only stairs that was going down here have been sealed shut. That looks like a lot of work just for some basic renovation. So I did my own research using another database and learned that there was an old anti aerial bunker under that tower that was abandoned almost five decades ago. I tried to find an entree to that bunker but so far I ended up empty handed. I also couldn't figure out from whom that was coming from, the answer was just under my eyes I just couldn't bring myself to think that an old comatose kid had the skill, intelligence and the motivation to do something like this. I can't even fathom the why." She shook her head.

  "Effective as always I see Ivania."

  "So now that you know everything, you are going to kill me. I know too much now."

  "We've been through this Ivania, I will not kill you unless you give me a reason to do so. Now. I want to know what changes in you. Two years ago you would have used the first moment I was out of that room to kill Scott and Camilla with the cut opener hidden under your left leg and then start making your exit with a blazing gun. Best case scenario, you will manage to get out of here, in the worst case you will end up dead which is better than being captured and then tortured. Why didn't you?"

  Looking at him, she pursues her lips and turns her head away, refusing to answer. At that moment some furious knocking starts to echo in the office.

  "Right on time." He smiles, getting to his feet and walking to the door.

  Seeing the excited face of Lina, Nathaniel raised a finger to delay the torrent of information that was coming enough to close the door behind him.

  "Now, go. What did you find Lina?"

  "I found it! I found what changed!" I almost missed it considering how well it was hidden! That woman is a genius but I'm better!" She shouted excitedly. "Just look!"

  Taking the piece of paper that was almost thrown at him, Nathaniel's brain seemed to freeze for a second realizing what he was seeing. It was a certificate of birth dating from the ninth of september of last year. But that was not the thing that made him freeze. It was the name of the father put on the birth certificate.

  The name was Marc Sanchez.

  Chapter 188: :

  "Nathaniel? Are you okay?" Lina's voice broke him out of his scrambling thought.

  "Hum? Oh, yes I am."

  "You're sure? You seem a little lost for a second." Lina asked with a hint of worry.

  "Yeah yeah, I'm good. Do you have an address for me?"

  "I do! They are close! they lived in a little town called Edison in New Jersey!"

  "Of course she is." Nathaniel grumbles unintelligently before clearing his throat. "That was an excellent job Lina. Don't do any more research than that on her but put a flag on that identity, the baby and their house. If anyone made a search online or if they appear on the news or on radio, I want to know about it right away, alright?"

  "Of course, a piece of cake." She answered with a desinvolte attitude that brought a smile to his lips.

  "Thanks Lina, you're the best." He complimented her, ruffling her hair quickly before going back inside the office.

  Being faced with the looks of curiosity from the members of his team, Nathaniel nodded in their direction.

  "Please, clear the room guys, I need to have some privacy with her. Lina will bring you up to speed if you choose to know."

  Having some reservation about leaving him here alone, they still exit the office quickly, confident in his abilities and his judgement making. Closing the door once they had all left, He walked back to the desk but simply leaned on it this time, looking at her with a piercing stare.

  "What is going on?" She asked.

  Wordlessly, Nathaniel just gives her the file that he had in his hand. Taking it hesitantly, her face became white as a sheet upon reading it. Nathaniel could see something he had never seen on her before, vulnerability.

  "How did you find out this fast?" She asked in a little, defeated voice.

  "I have very competent people working with me and I know where to look for. Is this true? Is Marc really the
father?"

  "Yes. He was the only one I was sleeping with for the last five years so it's easy to be sure."

  That was true with Marc also and they had in fact a little 'rendez vous' that was consistent with the date of birth of that baby.

  "And you called your son Nicholas." Nathaniel said, looking at her.

  "Yes, Marc was raised by his grandfather who had that name and he always spoke fondly of him. I just thought it would be a fitting name." She answers.

  "It is, more than you know." Nathaniel nodded, his eyes and thought far away.

  Even if Nathaniel was and will never become Marc, he will also never go back to become like Nathaniel from the past. Having Marc memories and experiences had changed him to the core of who he was and what he wanted to become in his life. Like that, even if he could never look at that child as his own, he could also not think about him without any feeling in his heart.

  "What are you going to do with me and my child?" She finally asked with worry and fear in her voice.

  "Honestly? It depends a lot on your answers to my questions. Why did you take a mission after becoming a mother?"

  "Believe me or not but it was supposed to be the last. I took this one because it was near home, the money offered was good and the risk appeared minimal. Obviously, it didn't turn that way but in my defense, no one could have predicted the truth."

  "That is my point exactly, you know better than anyone else how everything can happen on a mission. This is not about yourself anymore, there is someone who needs you now like never someone needed you before." Nathaniel said, staring at her angrily. "Get up." He ordered coldly.

  "To go where?" She said back with anger, not appreciating the fact to be spoken like that by a kid at least twenty years younger than her.

  "Where do you think? My mother wants her office back, preferably without a trained killer in it. While you're at it, drop back the thing you stole from the desk. We are going to my office."

  "I wasn't aware you had an office." She answers, putting back the letter opener and the pair of scissors on the desk.

  "On this floor, I don't." He responded quickly before pushing the door open, revealing everyone waiting for him. "We are going to the bunker, she's coming with us."

  "Nathaniel, are you sure about this?" Lucie asked, walking swiftly to be by his side.

  "Yes, I'm tired of choosing carefully what I'm saying and how I say it. Everyone in the elevator now! Scott, take us there." He ordered.

  "Yes sir." He answers, sliding his key card into the reader and pressing the button to the underground parking.

  While the elevator was making its way down, Nathaniel suddenly chose to speak.

  "I know what you have in mind, Ivania. You are currently thinking that it's now or never to flee. You already have your plan of attack ready. You identified Lina as the weak link among us so you will hit her fist with a jab to the trachea, take her gun and then start shooting hoping for the best. You know I will not kill you but if you choose that path, I promise you that I will have no calm in breaking both of your legs and arms, if that's what it takes from refraining you to do something stupid, I will do it. I'm already pissed at you, don't test my patience even more." He said with a voice so cold that it made everyone in the elevator shiver.

  Looking with surprise in her eyes at Nathaniel who had his back turned on her, Ivania didn't know what to say. It was almost exactly what she had in mind but she had no idea how he did figure it out. The doors of the elevator opened in that moment, showing a huge reinforced door in steel.

  "This is not underground parking." Ivania remarked offhandedly.

  "No, it is not." Nathaniel answers, taking the time to enter his personal password after having his retina scanned. The system confirmed that he indeed belonged there, the huge door opened, letting them inside.

  "No governmental logo on the screens?" Ivania asked again, looking with professional eyes the entire space. It was not her first time going into place like this. She had even worked for the US on some occasion in the past.

  "We are not working for the government." Lucie answers, going to the armory to secure her weapon, followed closely by Lina who was eyeing Ivania warily.

  "Than from whom you are working for?" She asked. "None of this is cheap to construct and even more to maintain."

  "Let's just say that we are concerned citizens and leave it at that. Follow me Ivania."

  Walking to his office, Nathaniel let her in before shutting the door behind her. Sitting behind his desk, he made a movement to invite her to sit in the chair in front of it.

  "I expected your office to be more extravagant." She said, looking around.

  "Well, I like simplicity and most of the time I'm on the other side with them. I use this office when I have something to say to someone in particular that does not concern the others."

  "How very… military of you. So, what am I doing here exactly?"

  "You are here because I wanted to speak freely. I'm going to tell you what I expect of you and what I'm going to give you in exchange for that."

  "I'm listening."

  "Alright. I'm going to ask you to give me every contact you have and a detailed accounting of every operation you took part for the last twenty years. I also want the name of every person you worked for and in what government or organisation. Finally, You will never be allowed to go back to that line of work ever."

  "WHAT? You're crazy! You don't understand what you are asking!" She shouted, alarmed.

  "I do in fact. In exchange, you will be given Marc personal stuff and the money that he had in his bank account and stashed in various places will be placed in a new account at Nicholas' name that he will be able to use when he turns eighteen. I will also cancel the three differents arrest warrants for you here in the US and help legitimate both of your identities. You will also be allowed to walk out of here like nothing ever happened today, completely free."

  Hearing the offer, Ivania lay back on her seat. Seemingly considering the offer seriously.

  Chapter 189: :

  "How can I trust you to do what you are saying?" Ivania finally asked after staying silent for a couple of minutes.

  "How could you not? I was very open with you from the start but I think the principal reason for you to trust me is easy. You are still alive right now which is more than you should be and honestly, more than you deserve. I even took the trouble to bring you here despite the many security issues than you pose for me and the rest of my team. I'm giving you a chance to turn your life around Ivania."

  "What if I choose to refuse your offer?" She asked after she processed what he said.

  "Simple, I will take my phone, called the director of Homeland Security and tell him we have The Lark in custody. I don't think it will take them more than ten minutes before taking you from my hand and sedating you. You will wake up in Guantanamo Bay where they are going to tell you to cooperate or your child will be left in front of the worst orphanage in Syria or something like that. I told you I will not kill you but I don't really care for you that much to be honest. I'm giving you a chance in the name of someone who saved my life, it's up to you if you are going to take it or not."

  "And you would be willing to sit back and watch while your savior's child is being tortured to get me to talk!?" She shouted, appalled.

  "Of course not, I will intervene but you will have no way of knowing how and when or even if I can. Not knowing will eventually break you and at that point you will not be of use anymore and you will be disposed of. Ultimately what happens to you and Marc will happen to Nicholas as well, growing up without his parents around. I'm sure you don't want him to endure what you did in your childhood." Nathaniel adds the last phrase with a neutral tone.

  Hearing that, Ivania could not keep from shuddering at the thought. She still vividly remembers how her life came crashing down that day. At the time she was only eleven, her parents were investigating ruin in the Sialk province when they were attacked by a gang that did not
appreciate that a foreigner and his traitorous wife came to the region to desecrate their land. She had witnessed first hand her parents getting chopped down before being taken by them. What followed for her was five years of hell where she was regularly abused, physically and sexually by the top members and the leader of the gang.

  Despite being in a situation that would have broken everyone, she never did on the inside and inside the gang she found a way to become strong, a way for that to never happen again. Using their resources, she learned how to fight, how to steal, how to shoot and how to move quietly in the shadow. That's how one morning when she was weeks away from turning sixteen years old, a horrific sight greeted the city of Kashan. In a decrepit building in the slum of the city, forty two bodies were found dead.

  Upon entering the building, the police were baffled by what they saw inside. It was not the amount of people who died but how they did that shocked them. None died the same way. Some had gun wounds, others were cut down using a long knife and others saw signs of strangulation or breaking necks but they all had one sign in common. To the basic grunt to the leader of the gang, they all had the same sign carved in their skin. A bird was on their forehead, a lark to be exact. The police never found the group or the person involved in the killing but never noticed that one body was not among the other members of that gang, the one belonging to a certain young girl.

  That day, Ivania vanished but a legend was born, The Lark was born. The exact same woman was now sitting in front of Nathaniel, her eyes unfocused seemingly lost in some painful memories.

  "Do you even have the authority to offer a deal like that?" She finally asked.

  "I wouldn't be offering it if I didn't." He answers curtly.

  "Before I'll accept, I'm going to need something from you."

  "I'm listening." Nathaniel answered in a neutral voice.

  "Because of my… let's just say occupation, there are a lot of people who are not really happy with me and are tracking me down as we speak. I'm going to need help in order to disappear, I already have a good plan in place but I could use some of your ressources."