Agent 57 (Book 2)

Chapter 9

Thirteen's POV

I'm going to stab my own eyes out after I rip out my eardrums and cut her tongue out of her mouth.

I figured staying at the office for three days would be long enough to let my anger and hatred for Zero simmer down at least a little bit...but apparently not.

I've been pissed off and avoiding the boys for the last seven or so hours since I got back. I'm at a point where I'm so pissed off, anything anyone says will set me off. And Eleanor has taken the top of that damn list.

She just would not shut up. She was always taking, always asking questions. Which to my great annoyance and anger, Cody was readily answering.

Does the term Secret Agent mean anything to him?

If people came with mute buttons, I'd break hers to the point no one could ever turn it off, and I'd turn Cody's on as well.

My head was throbbing, not from any injury of any kind, but just from listening to her talk about how the water's as cold as Antarctica, and she'll ruin her make up if she gets in the pool.

Devin's already in the pool trying to see how long he can hold his breath before passing out. Does that really surprise anyone?

Cody's standing by the edge of the pool, arms out, trying to coax her into the pool like she's some three-year-old child.

Chase is inside the house talking on the phone. Seemingly sensing the unease in the air as he had made a habit of staying in the house at the moment, busying himself with who knows what.

Jason's sitting on the edge of the pool, legs in the water. He's just giving Eleanor a flat and bored look. Devin swims up and begins to splash him before turning towards me and motioning for me to come into the pool.

"Come on, you can't seriously be having fun sitting there." He shouts, moving towards the end of the pool closest to me.

I slide the sunglasses on my face up till they're sitting on my head.

"I'm having the most fun in the world," I reply sarcastically with a tight smile and he rolls his eyes playfully.

I slide my sunglasses back down on my face and lean back in the lounge chair once more, my computer sitting on my lap as I go over whatever I've already got on Garrett.

It's not much.

I feel water soak through my jeans and I glance up to see Devin's smirking face as he looms over me.

"Can I help you?" I ask sweetly.

"Come on, get in the pool Daggers." Devin pleads.

"A, Don't ever call me that again-"

"Now I'm definitely going to do it."

"B, do I look like I'm in the appropriate swimming attire?" I gesture down at my black tank top, jeans, and combat boots, ignoring his interruption.

"Well no."

"Exactly."

"But the water's so cold." I hear her whine and look over at her.

"She's so irritating," I mutter, unfortunately Devin hears me.

"She's not all bad."

I groan. "Not you too. I thought you of all people would be on my side for this one."

"Well for once I'm on your side," Jason announces as he walks up to us.

"Done being pissed off at me?" I ask, rising to my feet as he comes over.

He gives me a guarded look. "Yes." He finally says before turning away from me and Devin. "I'll even do you a favor to make up for it."

He starts walking in the direction of the pool.

Cody's still trying to get Eleanor to get in the pool and she's still complaining it's cold. Just give up already. Is it really that important?

Jason walks right by them, right behind Eleanor, and stops, dangerously close to her.

"Boo." He says simply.

Her reaction. Priceless.

She jumps like ten feet in the air and lets out a blood-curdling scream, worthy of any horror movie victim.

She tries her best to regain her footing and reaches out with shaking arms to Jason...who pushes her backward into the pool.

She lets out another scream louder than the first and hits the water with a splat, water flying everywhere. She acts as if she's falling into lava.

Jason just stands and stares, an amused smile on his lips as he shakes trying his best not laugh while Cody shoots him a deadpan look.

I however, don't even bother trying to hide my laughter. Even Devin begins to laugh along with me. Jason finally begins to laugh as well.

Eleanor surfaces and begins to sputter out water causing me and Jason to laugh even harder.

The sliding door opens and Chase walks out. He looks between Eleanor to Jason, and then back over to me and Devin. I notice the exact moment when all the pieces fall into place but he does nothing more than rolls his eyes and walks back into the house, muttering something that sounds suspiciously like "children" under his breath.

Wise choice.

Cody begins telling Jason off. Jason holds his hand up to his ear as if he can't hear him before waving him off and walking over towards me.

Cody grumbles as Jason flips him off. Eleanor pulls herself out of the pool and Devin goes over to hand her a towel. Really?

Jason comes to a stop in front of me. "Any good place to get a drink around here?" He asks. I raise my eyebrows at him and motion for him to elaborate further. He rolls his eyes. "If I stay here any longer I'm going to drown her," He jerks his thumb in her direction. "And I don't think you'd be the first person to stop me."

I smile at him, like genuinely smile. I can't remember the last time I smiled like this. I shake my head at him.

"Let's go," I respond simply. "And you're right, I wouldn't stop you." I turn to him and give a sinister smile. "But I'd help you hide the body."

***

There aren't really any bars around here so, me and Jason settle on a Barbecue and Grill restaurant towards the edge of the city.

"Thank-you," Jason says to the waiter as he places the two beers on the table. Jason pushes one over to me, I push it back.

"I don't drink," I reply in response to his curious gaze.

"Don't or won't?" He asks and I give him a flat look.

"I'm underage."

"That doesn't stop a lot of people." He says as he takes a swing of his beer. He pushes the other back over towards me. "And you look like you need one."

I make no move to push the beer away but I make no move to drink it either.

"You alright?" He suddenly asks, eyeing me with a curious and calculating gaze as if he's trying to figure something out.

I shrug. "Yeah. I guess so." I mutter. "I've just had a lot on my mind." He simply nods thoughtfully.

"How come your face isn't plastered all over the internet?"

I look up at him, meeting his gaze. "Zero." I manage to choke out, trying my hardest to hide the anger that's resurfaced. "He controls most of the newspaper and magazine companies. He makes sure my face isn't ever in any of them." He nods and takes another drink. "As for the internet, Nicky developed a software years ago that scans every website in the world, looking for specific faces. If it finds any videos or pictures, it automatically deletes them."

"Cool." He responds. His eyes drift over to the door. I notice how his eyes narrow slightly as he eyes whoever it is that just came in.

I don't bother asking. He'll tell me if he deems them a threat.

He looks back over at me. "Couple uniforms just walked through the door." He raises the beer to his lips again.

"Local cops?" I question, still not turning around to look.

He glances back over at them again. "Not sure. Might be homeland security."

"Why the hell would they be here?"

He continues to stare. "Never mind." He starts, placing his beer back on the table. "I think they're FBI."

Immediately I pull the hood of my jacket down lower, my actions do not go unnoticed by Jason.

"I thought Devin was joking when he said you did something to piss off the FBI."

"Remind me to glue his mouth shut," I grumble and Jason just laughs lightly.

"What did you do?" He asks in a hushed whisper, leaning over the table to talk to me like we're conspiring to commit murder.

I scowl at him. "I didn't do anything." He gives me a disbelieving look.

"That can be proven," I add.

He just shakes his head with a smile on his face and leans back in his seat, picking up his beer once again.

"Do you have a license for that?" Aw crap.

I sink lower in my seat and pull my hood down further. Jason looks up at the FBI agent.

"Pardon?" He asks him.

"The gun in your waistband, under your jacket." The FBI agent states, his deep voice sounding very professional. I mentally scoff at him. "Do you have a license for that?"

Jason adjusts his jacket so the gun can no longer be seen. Not that it was very noticeable to begin with anyways.

"Yes." He replies simply, turning away from the FBI agent and looking over to me.

"Oh really?" I hear the disbelief in his tone and see Jason's jaw clench. "Mind if you show it to me?"

Jason opens his mouth to retort, probably something very nasty judging by the look on his face but I interject instead.

"Do you have a license for the gun strapped to your ankle? Or the one tucked into your jeans?" I question before I can stop myself. "How about the other two hidden under your jacket?"

Both their gazes snap to me. Jason giving me a look as if to say what the hell was I thinking. I can't tell what FBI guy's thinking. His eyes are hidden under a pair of dark shades, his golden brown hair falling slightly into his eyes. He crosses his arms over his chest, causing his muscles to strain under the white t-shirt.

"I shouldn't have said anything huh?" I question as he stares down at me, an amused smile splayed out across his lips. "In my defense why on earth do you need so many guns when coming to a restaurant?"

"Why do you need a dagger and every damn knife in your inventory?" He counters, shoving me over and taking a seat in the booth next to me.

"To kill nosy FBI agents, who clearly don't understand the term personal space." I shove at his huge frame but it's like trying to move a brick wall.

He laughs and Jason looks between the two of us questioningly. Aw catching on are we?

"Seriously, nobody wants you here," I grumble shoving at him harder.

"He does." He points at Jason who just looks confused.

"No, he doesn't. He doesn't even know you. And even if he did, he still wouldn't want you here."

He ruffles my hair. "Aren't you cute." I swat his hands away harder than necessary and my eyes zero in on his sunglasses.

"Are those mine?" I try to pry them off his face but he pulls them off and holds them out away from me, his green eyes sparkling with amusement.

"No."

"Liar. Give those back." I order, trying to reach around him and grab them. "When did you even take those?"

"I hope you're not accusing me of stealing."

"That's exactly what I'm doing. Give them back."

"Excuse you, these are mine."

"No, they most definitely aren't"

"My name's right here."

"You wrote your name on them!?"

"No." He waves me off and places the glasses back on his face. "I scratched it in."

I let out a strangled noise from the back of my throat just as Jason clears his.

"Sorry to interrupt this touching reunion," Gee sarcastic much? "But who in flaming hell are you?"

"I thought it was pretty obvious." He holds out his hand to Jason like the gentleman he's not. "The name's Ryder Stevenson." He places an arm around my shoulder and pulls me flush up against his side.

"I'm her boyfriend."