PROLOGUE
No one ever knows when they're going to fall in love, nor with whom. It could be your best friend, a former schoolmate you spoke to in passing, or even an utter and complete stranger. It could be anyone. Even a serial killer or a mercenary. First meeting them, how would you know if they were an assassin or a murderer?
It's one thing not to know when you go into it, it's a whole nother thing when you know who it is you're falling in love with. When you know that the man that has caught your attention is an assassin who has no regard for emotions, as he technically cannot feel anything. A sociopath. A psychopath. A man not afraid to get his hands dirty, despite having a child. A son. Whom he wants to raise to be just like him--a killer.
But what if the one person who can change him, is the one he's so obsessed with? The innocence of the blonde in question, the purity of him and his heart. Is it possible that Angus Macgyver can change Murdoc for the better?
Ready to find out?
Angus Macgyver had known for a while now that he was under surveillance by Codex. Since the incident that led his father to sacrifice his own life for him, they had been watching. Mac wasn't sure if it was because he was considered a threat or because his aunt had ordered them to. Regardless of the reason for putting him under surveillance, the fact of the matter was that Codex had not attacked him . . .yet. Since that horrible day, his aunt Gwen hasn't made contact with him, not even to apologize for what she did. Or for his loss. No matter what his father had done in the past, he had still been his dad.
Codex wanted to rid the planet of almost more than a scary 98.9% of its population and his aunt was the de facto leader of the group. Or she was one of them. The point was that Mac shouldn't be surprised that she had not spoken to him. After all, she was a wanted woman and Mac was one of the agents assigned to a team that was tasked with uncovering and stopping Codex. But what Mac recently realized was that she hated his father. She would never be sorry for what happened to him, nor would she grant Mac condolences. Before it had happened, when she was speaking to Mac alone, she had expressed how much she loved him. That she was sorry that Mac had to grow up alone with only his grandfather to take care of him. That he never knew a mother's love.
Maybe that was why Codex had him under surveillance; Gwen must have requested it and/or asked for them to not harm him. If that were the case, it would never make up for what she had done and what she was planning to do.
Mac quietly entered the briefing room of the Phoenix Foundation, letting the door swing shut behind him as he took in his surroundings. The room was empty, aside from one other person, Russ Taylor. He had taken over the position that a good friend had left behind when she became Oversight. Mac and Russ didn't exactly get along, as the older man thought he was in league with Codex. The huge monitor on the wall held a live feed with Matilda Webber’s face appearing on the screen.
“Ah, blondie, nice to finally see you grace us with your presence.” Maddy speaks and there’s a hint of humor in her voice, suggesting that she was only joking.
Even still, Mac feels a little nervous. “Sorry Maddy, I was out running some errands.” He avoids eye contact with Russ and stares directly at the screen, knowing the other man is watching him.
“That's alright,” Maddy says, moving further from the screen as she stands to walk around her desk. “How are you holding up? It's barely been three weeks since your father passed.”
Mac felt his eyes burn at the mention of his dad, but he doesn't allow any tears to form. He does however shift his footing and look away momentarily, the topic is still too fresh for him to talk about. “I'm fine.” His voice is small and quiet.
“If you aren't okay, you can talk to us.”
Mac is not prepared for the man who thinks he's in cahoots with Codex to say something like that. He looks up sharply, his blue eyes finding the older man’s and he frowns a little. “I was under the impression you didn't trust me. Why would I talk to you?”
Russ opens his mouth to say something in response but Maddy interrupts before he can. “The reason I called is there’s been a lot of chatter about Codex and what their next move is. My concern is that your name has come up quite a bit over the chatter, Mac.”
Take a deep breath. “Is it my. . . is it, Gwen?”
Maddy shakes her head, her eyes holding something akin to fear or worry. “I'm not sure. The chatter just refers to you by name and then. . .”
Russ steps forward. “What is it?”
Mac wonders if Codex is planning anything behind his aunt's back. Would they attack him? Kill him? He knows that there is a reason that they have been watching him. He doesn't know what it is and he's almost scared of finding out. However, he is almost sure that their next move may have something to do with the surveillance of him. If Maddy is worried, it isn't good.
“The chatter is saying that Mac may be the key that they need to move forward. We’re not sure what that means or what it pertains to, but I do fear the worst.” A pause before she addresses Russ. “I want surveillance on our boy twenty-four-seven, starting as soon as I end this call. Whatever Codex’s plans are, we can't let them anywhere near him if their next step is what I think it is.”
Russ nods and Mac remains silent. He knows better than to argue with Maddy about a protection detail. The last time he did that, he ended up locked inside a room in the Phoenix for the night.
“I trust you to keep him safe,” Maddy says, giving Russ a pointed look. The man bobs his head again, his eyes cutting over to look at Mac briefly. “Good. Oversight, out.”
For a moment Mac remains in the briefing room deep in his thoughts. Codex was definitely plotting something and it had everything to do with Mac. Even though it scared him, to have what could be described as a cult that wanted to bring about the very end of the world suddenly focusing its attention on him, he was curious as to why. How was he supposed to be the key to them moving forward? Was there another leader, who wanted to use him against his aunt? Did they think he knew something that they didn't?
A hand touches his shoulder and he flinches, whirling around to face Russ, who he notices is standing way too close. Close enough that Mac can smell his sandal-wood aftershave and see the gray strands in his hair. A stare so intense, Mac could feel it all the way to his bones.
"I meant what I said, Angus." When Russ says his first name, Mac struggles to hide the shiver that runs down his spine. No one addresses him by that, and its rare when they do. "I'm here if you want to talk. I know that I didn't exactly make you feel that you could, what with accusing you of being allies with Codex. For that I'm sorry."
Mac is hyperaware that the man had not removed his hand from his shoulder and he does his best to ignore it. He’s not too comfortable with Russ touching him but he refrains from brushing the man off. Instead, he looks at the man and says, “Thank you, but I'm fine. Really.”
Stepping back, Mac watches the hand fall back to Russ’ side before he quickly turns around and strides out of the briefing room. He can feel the stare from Russ’ dark eyes and tries his best not to let it affect him. He should be used to the man watching him all of the time: he had accused him of treason and must have watched his every move since. Except he's not used to it. Today, it felt different. The watching and the stares, how the man spoke to him.
Mac shook his head and shoved his hands deeper into his pants pockets as he headed toward the exit of the building. He was going to go home and get some rest, maybe tweak a few things with the invention he was working on, and then have a beer or two. Maybe that would help him clear his mind.
