บท 3: 3 Sacrifice
Everyone was gathered in my room. Alex was in the bedroom and I was outside with Michael trying to convince him of my last unexpected and rash decision.
"What were you thinking adding a criminal to our group?" Michael screamed in anger.
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing" I said and and sat down on the couch.
"No you don't." He said that and stood in front to face me, "Getting a criminal in our HQ, do you have any bloody idea what you are proposing here?"
I took a long breath and calmed myself down, "You can shoot me whenever it goes wrong. Okay?"
He pressed his lips and went into deep thoughts battling his wits. He sighed and said, "You know I shouldn't be agreeing with this or trusting you or trusting him. But I will be glad putting a hole in your head if it turns out bad." he said looking me in the eyes. I stood up and started heading back in the room and then stopped and faced him, in a tone of authority I said, "Don't make me remind you, that you are way too weak to talk to me in a tone like that. You better keep your voice low if you wanna live more, Mike." I turned and headed to the bedroom. Michael followed me. He called me and was about to say something when Maddy entered the room. "Hey guys" she said and dashed into the bedroom. Michael looked confused, "What was that just now?"
I gestured that I didn't know. He kept looking at me when we heard some loud sounds that looked like a fight. We both ran towards the room and smashed the door open. I saw Alex standing on the bed and Maddy was standing down on the floor facing her.
"What's going on?" I asked confused. Maddy came running to me with a cry baby look. She looked at me hesitating , I nodded to assure her that I would listen, then she finally said in a blurr, "ca...we ha....with...us?"
I couldn't understand her and I kept looking at her waiting for her to repeat more clearly. "Can we have Brad with us?"
"What?" I yelled at her. "See, I told you she would never agree." said Alex confidently seeming happy to see her little prediction come true. I looked at Maddy again, she was still looking at me with eyes full of hope. "Fine" I said looking at her. "What?" Alex and Mike yelled in a monotone. "What makes you think you can take a chance with a newbie's whim." Michael yelled trying to suppress his anger.
"I have my reasons." I said coldly.
"Let's see how this turns out."
With that he left the room and Alex followed him. I kept standing there for a while to reassure myself before trying to convince them.
Maddy almost cried. I went to her and held her hands in mine. "It's okay. Don't cry." She sniffed back her tears and said, "They are angry from you because of me."
"It's not like that. You should always remember that I trust you more than anyone. Okay." She wiped her tears and nodded to say she agrees. Then she smiled at me. I smiled back. She then went back to her room.
The fact that Edward had a past couldn't be ignored and he has to be observed all the time. My phone started ringing and I saw it was Charlie. He was the link between me and my agency and also my mentor. Without a delay I picked up the phone, "Hello"
"Angelos, have the members been decided?"
"Yes"
"Don't forget to turn in their profiles and start their training asap."
"Okay"
I almost forgot about the profiles. I had to do something quickly. No one was a problem except Edward.
***********
I talked to Brad as well. He took it really well. I was more shocked than him. And that is how my team of six members was complete now; me, Michael, Maddy, Edward, Alex and Brad. We all came back to look for a place for Edward. He needed to be close like everyone else. Michael will also move in the area soon. The place would be for both of them. In that way Michael will be able to keep an eye on him as well. It's not like I don't trust him, it's just a precaution. Afterall, it's my job to be alert.
I came back with Alex and Maddy to my place and sent Michael and Edward with Brad. Alex was still angry at me for getting Brad instead of Rach. But that wouldn't change anything, I was still firm on my decision.
I called Charlie and asked if he could arrange a place for my new members who wanted to live nearby. He then told me that he will need a day and that I will have to manage on my own till then.
This problem has been dealt with but there was still one waiting at hand. The profiles. Everyone else was fine but what about Edward. He has a criminal past and that will definetely not be accepted. I will have to create a fake profile of him soon.
I was thinking about all this and sat on my bed. The room to my door opened and interupted my thoughts. I saw my mom peeping from outside. She looked tensed and worried by something. So I motioned Alex and Maddy to go out and give us some privacy.
"Mom, come on in." and I gestured her to come in.
She entered my room and my eyes were locked on her. I wanted to give her time to collect herself from whatever that was making her sad. She finally decided to break the silence, "Your aunt Jane and uncle Bob are thinking of a divorce." And the reason of her worries was now visible to me too. Aunt Jane and Uncle Bob were the Romeo and Juliet of the family. No one can ever think of them apart and now they want divorce out of the blue.
"Jane called and told me about her decision. Me and your father are going to try to talk them out of it. All four of us have been really close for a long time." she said and I nodded as I understood her reference. She continued, "We will leave as soon as your father comes back from the office. And we will be back by the day after tomorrow."
"Okay"
"You will manage, right?"
"Yeah"
"You can ask your friends to stay the night if you want some company."
" Okay."
She said that and went out of the room. I could imagine, she was worried, afterall Aunt Jane and mom were maids of honour at each others wedding. They were like the perfect sisters. And then there is dad's high school bestie, Uncle Bob. No wonder she wants to try her best to save their marriage.
I heard the door opening again and I saw Alex and Maddy enter. They both sat next to me, one on each side, "That must have been hard."
Alex said sympathetically. I got up from my bed to face both of them. "Now that I think of it. It's good. We will have a place for Edward and Michael by tomorrow and they can stay
the night. That is just great." I said that and went in the bathroom, I could hear them both from inside. "I thought she would be sad." Alex sounded confused. I just heard a hmm from Maddy. "She has changed a lot since the spy thing."
Both of me they know are masks. The sweet and simple Jessica, the cruel and ferocious Angelos, are both masks. I cried my heart out about my aunt's divorce, my mom's worries , my miserable fake lives. I washed my face and called Michael. I told him to come to my house and bring Brad and Edward as well.
I came out and informed Maddy and Alex about it.
***********
We all had dinner and now Alex and Brad returned home and Maddy returned back to her hostel. Michael was sleeping in my parent's room and Edward was in the guest room. I did the dishes and headed towards the guest room. I opened the door and saw him sitting on the bed. The sheets were up till his waist. He looked up and stared at me for a while, "You could've knocked." he said sternly.
"Still don't trust you enough to give you space."
He took a long breath, "Shouldn't I be saying that?"
"How long do you intend to taunt me with that?" I said in an irritated voice. He shook his head and looked away from me, "Till you start regretting that choice you made back then." he sounded hurt and pained. I really did regret leaving him behind like that. But I didn't want to regret trusting him. That would be worse. I went and stood beside the bed.
"What brings you here at this odd hour?" he asked pointing at the clock which showed 11:05.
"We need to talk." I demanded.
"Well" he said "The way you came in was quite suspicious."
I waited silently with a poker face for him to explain that comment. "Do you want to murder me or something?"
"I didn't think about that but I don't mind considering it." I sighed and continued, "The thing is I want you to join school."
He looked at me taken aback by my words. "What?"
"I have to turn in your profile and for that I need you to play along." I said that and sat beside him. He sat there for a minute silently thinking and then sounding offended he said in a disgusted tone, "You want a high class, strong and dangerous criminal like me, to go into a smelly, old, disgusting building full of horrible teenagers, who have no bloody control on their stupid hormones." I cracked in a laughter as soon as he ended his description of high school. "It's not as bad as you make it sound. Once you get used to it, it's quite fun." I was trying to convince him to listen to me and make my work much easier. "Nope" he said firmly and looked away from me. "Is it just me or are you really trying to avoid looking at me?" I asked sensing his awkwardness whenever he looked at me. "No I'm not." he said still avoiding to look me in the eye. "What is it? We are in the same team now. You can tell." I said softly. He looked down and shyly he said, "It's just that, whenever I see you I remember the hotel room. An image of you in a towel pops in." he looked up at me awkwardly. My mouth hung open. Before I could say something, he continued, "or the fact that I might be hunted down soon." I understood he was referring to the criminal life he had.
"You remember the other people in that room?" I nodded in return as I was so absorbed by the heaviness in his voice to say anything. He continued, "They must be hunting me down right now. If I return with them I live, if not then" his voice trailed off. I could see in his eyes that he didn't want to return. He looked up, his eyes searching something in mine. A hope, an assurity, amnesty. I locked my gaze in his. "Don't worry, I won't let you go away that easily, I promise, not after you have seen me in a towel." I said assuring him. He let out a small laugh. He leaned forward and my heart started racing. The way he searched something in my eyes made my stomach churn wildly. He kept closing the distance. No I thought he's a criminal and an enemy. I held the sheet covering half of him and pulled it between us covering his face. He pulled it down again from his face and looked shocked by my reaction. I collected myself and stood up looking at him with my usual warning glare, "It's gotten late. You should sleep now." With that I left his room and ran to mine. I lied down on my bed trying to calm down my heart which was now beating like a hammer against my chest.
***********
I was standing in the furniture shop next to a wooden single bed. I heard footsteps behind me and I turned to see Edward. He came closer and held my hand. I kept looking at him unaware of his next move. He smiled coyly and swayed me on the bed. We both fell on it.
"Is it comfortable?"
"I really don't think you being that close to me is comfortable."
He laughed and with a smile he said, "I was talking about the bed." I kept staring at the roof behind him with a thinking face and then turned to him, "Yeah. It's good."
He got up and held out his hand offering help. I refused to take it and got up myself. He called the salesman and a high school kid turned up. He must have been a part time worker. Edward waited for him to come closer, "We'll take this one." he declared.
I was woken up when Maddy rung the doorbell today. She wanted to go shopping for Mike's and Ed's, that's what she called them now, new house. We decided that splitting up would be easier and faster. Maddy and Brad were supposed to buy clothes. Alex was in the bathroom supplies section and Mike was up for grocery and kitchen supplies.
Few hours later, we all went to see their new house. It was at the end of my street. It would be convenient to have him close to me. We entered in an empty drawing room. The walls were painted cream. At the right corner there was a kitchen. And up the stairs two doors on the left were bed rooms. We all settled them in. We had dinner and started to leave. I went to talk to Edward before leaving. He was filling his clothes in the cupboard.
I knocked on the open door. He turned to see me and nodded. He had that expressionless face again. I took that as a yes and entered. He turned towards me and stood quietly waiting for me to speak up.
"So, you look comfortable enough."
"Enough for what?"
"The talk."
"What talk?"
"From last night." I somehow managed to say it out loud. The last words reminded me how I felt when he came closer. "Will you join school?"
"Nope"
He turned his back towards me and continued with his clothes. I was very disappointed with his answer.
"Tell me if you change your mind."
He gave no reaction and with that I left. I have to agree with him, he is way too precious to be sacrificed over a little problem.
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