Page 24

CHAPTER 24

A THANKSGIVING TO REMEMBER

Nadira

F or the past few weeks, Julian and I haven’t left his mansion. Instead, we busy ourselves with the files we took from the orphanage. Because there are so many, representing the thousand kids who were there during my stay, we’ve established a process to minimize the handling of the documents. It’s cumbersome and at times frustrating.

As we go through the files in one of the empty basement rooms, we make copies and laminate them before vacuum sealing the originals and storing them in an air-tight container. Once we copy a file, we feed the papers into a scanner to digitize, then use a program to enhance the contrast into readable text. Julian then screen grabs the text to put into a data mining software. Alastair, dry wit and all, has been a godsend in getting us what we need to stay somewhat organized.

So far none of the names spark any memories, not even with Julian providing extra background about my past interactions with them, of which there were only a few. Just like in my past, I’m not one to be overly friendly. When I click with someone, I stick with that person. For everyone else, they barely exist in my world.

On top of not recognizing anyone, neither of us has found what links the rest of the children the orphanage took custody of, or Julian’s connection. We haven’t gone through all the files yet, so it’s possible we won’t find a common theme until all the data is in.

“If you keep poring over those files, we’ll be late to Danae’s get-together.” Julian strolls in with Leaper on his heels.

I glance at the time display on the computer. “I can’t believe the time got away from me so quickly.”

“Yes, it’s easy to spend a few hours on all this stuff and think only minutes passed by.” He looks over my shoulder at the most recent documents I scanned into the computer. “I picked out an outfit for you so you won’t have to debate what to wear.”

“Thank you.” I turn my head to kiss his cheek but stop at the intense concentration on his face. “Do you see a clue?”

“What?” He shakes his head as if he was in a cloud. “No, I wish though. Go get ready while I pack the food I made.”

I nod and head to my bedroom. To Alastair’s dismay, Julian moved into my room rather than transferring my things into his. When I saw his space, I understood. A bed and dresser are the only pieces of furniture in the room. There’s nothing to soften the interior, not even drapes over the windows. Since Julian delights in being surrounded by my things, I haven’t insisted on a change. No small part of my decision is the delight I receive being surrounded by his arms all night.

On the bed is a cream cable-knit sweater and suede pants that complement the slightly darker shade of the exact outfit he has on. The items are new to me, which makes me wonder when Julian bought them. I smile as I imagine the pointed looks we’ll receive as we enter Danae’s home in these outfits clearly chosen to paint us as a couple to the world. Next to the clothes are thin golden hoop earrings, and what I call my auburn vixen-next-door wig. I quickly dress and meet Julian at the car.

When he spins to face me, his mouth drops and his gaze warms with appreciation. I fluff the giant curls framing my face and trailing to my waist.

“Do I meet with your approval?”

“When you’re the blueprint, what’s to approve?” He closes the distance between us and leans in to kiss my lips.

One brush isn’t enough for me, so I lick the seam of his mouth until he opens and submits to my silent demand. Julian wraps his arms around my waist, and I tunnel my fingers through the hair at his nape to pull him closer to me while I devour him. I can’t ever get enough, and from the pressure poking my lower belly, he’s just getting started. With genuine regret, I separate us and wipe my lipstick from his mouth.

“Let’s go before I forget my friends and tie you to the bed for the rest of the day.” I walk around to the passenger side and enter the car.

“Tease.” His lighthearted response belies the heat simmering in his golden irises.

“You want to be tied up?”

He glances at me from the corner of my eye. “At your hands, there isn’t much I don’t want.”

My skin flushes with the power he willingly cedes me. It’s a gift I won’t abuse, and I begin to think of all the things I could do to him while he’s at my mercy. But the wetness seeping into my panties warns me to curb my thoughts. Entering Danae’s home and dragging Julian into an empty bedroom to handle me will put me at the center of my friends’ jokes. Julian and I will already be everyone’s focus as they drill him to gauge his character.

With my body on a low simmer, I study Julian. He has an odd look, similar to the one he wore when updating me on the time. I let it go before, but my instincts are telling me to dig deeper now.

“Something is bothering you.” I take his hand from the gearshift and lace our fingers together.

“Jason called, requesting me for a job.” Julian’s lips firm.

“Is it odd for him to reach out?”

“Maybe if I hadn’t told him I would be on an indefinite break.” He lapses into silence while I contemplate what this request means for him.

“Do you think Night Stalker lied? That they know you’re protecting me?”

“The thought crossed my mind. After all, we’ve been skeptical of everything else he said when we interrogated him.”

“True, but if they know you’ve defected, you won’t be able to infiltrate their systems. With the files we have not jogging any memories or giving me any clues, we’ll have to go to the source.”

He brings our joined hands to his lips and presses against my knuckles. “I hate to break it to you, but I think they’ve suspected me for some time. During my last interaction with Jason, I warned not to send anyone for me. He didn’t reassure me that would never happen or tell me I was being paranoid.”

“Sounds like we have another task on our never-ending list. Find clues surrounding my accident and recover my memory so we know why we’re fighting them. Whatever I knew as a kid must have been explosive since they keep coming after me.”

Julian turns into Danae’s suburban subdivision. As we near the house, Julian asks, “How many times have you visited Danae here?” The super calm way he speaks puts me on alert.

“Quite a few.”

“For Thanksgiving?”

“Once before.”

“And did the neighborhood look this lifeless?”

I survey the streets. There’s freshly plowed snow and a lot of luxury cars parked in driveways and along the streets, but no one is outside. This is peak weather for snow decorations to commemorate the holiday, but the absence of kids playing with their fathers, uncles, and grandfathers or the men admiring the brand-new pickup trucks in the driveways feels off. There aren’t neighbors calling to each other from across the street promising to stop by for a drink or just wishing each other a Happy Thanksgiving.

“No, in this tight-knit community, people usually run between houses sharing stories and food, especially those who need to borrow an ingredient they ran out of but don’t want to do a store run to get.” I check the side mirror for signs of someone following us.

“Keep your eyes peeled.”

“Already on your wavelength, my man.”

He jerks the wheel, but easily corrects himself, a flush blooming across his cheeks.

To hide my smile, I check the hidden panels in my coat. With our line of work, we rarely leave home without a weapon, but since the escalated attacks against me, we pack mini-arsenals into our clothes and vehicles. I might not get away with hiding a shotgun under my coat, but there are other deadly objects I’m well-versed in using.

When we’re ten doors away from Danae’s house, I catch the first glint. “Off to your left.”

“Up ahead on our right as well.”

I search in the direction he pointed out and see something else that worries me. I retrieve my phone and do a quick property search. “Shit.”

“What now?”

“The couple standing on the porch across from Danae’s house? They’re white.”

“And that’s a problem because?”

“Because the real neighbors are an elderly Black couple. The house has no record of being sold in the last twenty years or being listed for rent. So we’re looking at four possible hostiles.”

“They are trying me today. Not only do I finally get to spend a holiday with you, you’re introducing me to your friends, and they want to pull this shit today? Can’t I get one relationship milestone without having to kill someone to enjoy it?” Julian breathes in and out until he calms himself, while I stare in silent amazement that something can make him this mad.

I’ve seen him triggered, but that stems from a different emotion. His usual sanguine approach to every obstacle and danger we’ve faced is admirable, but this side of him… Down girl. I should not be horny at how upset my man is because his people are ruining our first outing as an official couple.

“Okay, okay.” He breathes out slowly and straightens, returning to his usual calm. “I’ll park a few streets over. The snipers are our first concern.”

We agree on an attack plan and split up to take out the snipers. I enter the first house from the outdoor entrance to the underground cellar and silently make my way upstairs. An extended family spanning three generations lies unconscious from the kitchen to the living room. I check their pulses and sigh in relief. Whoever’s upstairs must have used a knockout gas. The method is effective, no fuss, and leaves no evidence behind.

I creep up the stairs and head to the front room where my would-be assassin is having a conversation with himself. This new crop of killers leaves a lot to be desired. They’re impatient and careless.

“I can’t believe I took this assignment when I knew deep in my gut the rumors about the bitch’s death were true. She got blown into minced meat, yet the higher-ups are on some Jason Bourne shit. There’s no way she survived with Night Stalker on her ass.”

“Survived and thriving,” I say before I pull the trigger and shoot a hole into his forehead.

He drops with a thud.

I stand over him and try to place his face. Puberty did a number on him and not in a good way, but I recognize him from the files Julian and I confiscated. I squat beside him and search his belongings. The only personal item he has is a cell phone that I suspect he’s encrypted. Done with my inspection, I wrap him in the white garbage bags I retrieved from the kitchen. “Now be a good boy and don’t get blood on my clothes.” Then I haul him downstairs and dump him behind the evergreen shrubs, relieved he blends in with the snow. It’s sloppy, but I’m running late and there’s another couple on my list.

They better pray they didn’t hurt the nice couple across the street.

Julian meets me at the side of the house across from Danae’s and checks me for signs of injury.

I brush him off. “I’m fine. You?”

“He gave me a little trouble. When the occupants in the house wake, they’ll wonder why their furniture has gouges in it.” He shrugs since there’s nothing to be done about it.

We’re about to round the corner when the back door opens.

I reach for my knife, ready to attack if we’re put on the defensive.

“You take that side, I’ll take this side,” a woman says.

“Let’s get one thing straight. I take my orders from headquarters, not you. Unlike your just-out-of-training ass, I know how to do my fucking job.”

Julian and I share a glance. It’s unusual for contract killers to work together, at least not without trust. I understand unleashing the excessive manpower to shut us down which this organization has, but the least they could do is ensure the people they partner together can work together.

I guess Julian’s employers never encouraged the children to believe in each other. More so than ever, I’m thankful for the strength of the connection between me and Julian that’s kept him going all these years. As we wait in readiness to attack the first person to walk around the corner, something traveling at high velocity whizzes through the air and ends with a choked oomph and thud.

I look toward Julian, but he shrugs as in the dark as I am. Another whizz and thud follow. Convinced another entity discovered our position, I motion to Julian to back away. I take one step and stop when an arrow embeds in the side of the house. We duck and he tries to pull me away. I resist and point at the arrow. Dangling from the shaft is a note. I take the risk and sprint toward it and grab it. It’s lodged deep into the post under the siding, but I’m able to pull it free.

“What the hell?” I push the arrow into Julian’s chest and round the house.

The couple after us are lying in the snow, an arrow lodged in each of their hearts.

“Looks like you have someone else protecting you from the shadows.” Julian frowns at the note that says, ‘Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your gifts.’

“What I want to know is how all these people keep finding my whereabouts.”

“Until then, we have another house to sweep and a dinner to attend.”

While Julian hides the bodies, I check on the couple inside. Like the other residents, they were drugged or gassed into unconsciousness. Because of their age, I call for an ambulance and leave.

Taking precautions, we scout the area around Danae’s house. From the living room window, I spy Moni and Tamara lying unconscious on the floor like the rest of the homes I’ve been in, making me wonder if the reason the entire neighborhood is silent is that our foes filtered knockout gas inside the homes.

Julian and I go through the house to ensure no enemies lie in wait for us. Other than Moni, Danae, and Tamara, no one is inside. I wonder if I have the mysterious archer to thank for that. By the time we complete our search, Tamara moans. I nod toward the door and Julian follows my lead. We wait outside for the other inhabitants to show signs of life before we ring the doorbell.

While we sit tight, I can’t help but wonder why a person is missing from my crew.