ＰＲＯＬＯＧＵＥ
ＡＮＡＳＴＡＳＩＡ
ＥＩＧＨＴ ＹＥＡＲＳ ＥＡＲＬＩＥＲ
The room was cold, the absence of Loretto’s presence sent shivers down my spine.
I had no idea why he brought me here or what task he had for me, but I assured myself he had a good reason.
Once the doors opened, my stature perked in the seat I sat in waiting for his figure to walk through the entrance.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Taylor.” I gulped down the suspicion clouding my saliva.
“Good afternoon, Boss.”
I fixed my legs over one another, placing my arms on either side of the sofa chair as he placed a manila folder onto his desk and cleared his throat.
“What’s this?” I prompted forward, attempting to scan the assignment he laid down in front of me.
“Your task. Ms. Crane and Ms. Long already have their assignments.”
My spherical eyes widened at the curt tone of his voice. “What is the task if I may ask?”
I nibble on my lower lip, chewing on the inside of my cheek as he emptied his throat.
“I’m knowledgeable on the fact that your sixteen birthday passed a few weeks ago, so the board and I have decided to use your skills to our advantage. This is your assignment.”
He briskly hands me the folder cluttered with documents.
I run my hand over the sheets, evaluating a few names that pop out to me.
Nadia Crane.
Brityn Long.
Dominick Moreno.
This information piques my interest. “The task?” I raise an inquisitive brow.
“Your task: Hunt down the mafia leader, take out Moreno and test the loyalty of your two partners. Moreno has been selling traded secrets to our enemies who happen to run with the mafia. If you track down Zayn Thorne, distract him however you please, so we can trap Moreno.”
I press my tongue into the roof of my mouth and clasp my hands together over the faded blue of my jeans.
“What if I fail?” He gives me a ribbing expression. “If you fail...”
He crouches forward to shut the distance between our faces as my breath comes to halt in my chest.
My hands hastily cling to the bars of my chair to maintain balance from the coarse wind of his breath on my pessimistic complexion.
“Then prepare to pay the ultimate price.”
I gulped down a ball of saliva while my heart stridden in my sternum unsteadily thumping.
“I’ll take care of it.”
I rise from my seat, sucking in a few deep breaths from his loaded threat and impasse the strands of my hair away from my face.
“What timeframe are we looking at?” I position my hands onto the back of the chair.
“However long it takes, nevertheless the sooner, the better.” I blow out my cheeks.
“Are there any details I should be aware of?”
I glance at his complexion as a smirk crosses his lips. “There are traitors among us.”
My saliva clogs my esophagus while my vision blinks back several times to register the depth friction of his voice.
“Should I snuff them out?” His pen crashes onto the papers scattered across his desk.
“Only the dog can drive out the cat.”
