Agent 57 (Book 2)

Chapter 2

Cody's POV

"Not another word out of you." The guard growls at Devin.

Devin widens his eyes and points at himself. "Me?" He questions in mock surprise. "What? Never."

"Not another word!"

Devin crosses his arms over his chest and pouts like a child. Jason's having the hardest time keeping his laughter contained. I smile slightly and shake my head. Chase just rolls his eyes and gives Devin a look of annoyance.

It's silent for a long period of time, until...

"Popsicles."

"That is it!" The guard yells and starts towards Devin's cell, pulling the baton off his belt. He doesn't get more than two steps before the door to the room's thrown open loudly.

Garrett walks in looking down at his phone as his fingers type on the screen. The guard stops and turns towards Garrett. Garrett holds up his hand to the guard as if telling him to wait for just a moment as he puts the phone to his ear.

"I was expecting you to call me, not the other way around." He says into the phone. "I'm going to assume that you've actually come through this time...Oh I don't." He removes the phone from his ear and places it in his back pocket.

"Good news guys." He says looking over all of us. His eyes lingering on me with a hidden anger in them. "Your bail's been posted."

We all share a look with each other, Chase shrugs and both Jason and Devin give me a confused look probably mirroring my own.

Several more guards enter, two walking into each of our cells, one holding a gun and the other a pair of handcuffs. Our hands are cuffed in front of us and we are escorted out of the room at gunpoint, two guys on either side of us and Garrett leading the way.

We're lead through a series of hallways and rooms before finally coming up to a large bolted in metal door. Garrett types in a series of passcodes before pushing open the door with some effort. Sunlight floods through the opening and we're all momentarily blinded and shoved forwards through the door.

It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust and a notice Devin staring straight ahead, his whole body tense. I look off to where he's staring. I let out a gasp of shock, causing both Jason and Chase to look in the same direction.

There's probably a good 20 armed men and women standing in front of us, assault rifles all aimed at Garrett and his men. Each person is decked out in bulletproof vests, helmets, padding, and several other weapons.

Seven cars are parked in a line behind them, along with one large black SUV. But that's not what captures all of our attention.

Thirteen leans back casually on the hood of one of the cars, completely calm and in the middle of it all. Same black pants, boots, and a tank top. Her dagger strapped to her leg, nestled in a sheath I didn't even know she had.

Her arms are crossed over her chest, one of her legs propped up the car behind her and the same blank, cold look on her face. Her eyes have yet to even look in our direction, instead she hasn't taken her eyes off Garrett.

He smiles smugly at her and she doesn't even blink. He stuffs his hands in his pockets.

"You bring what I asked for?" He questions her. She still doesn't remove her eyes from him as she reaches down to the backpack on the floor next to her.

She pulls out a black case from inside and holds it up so he can see it before putting it back in the backpack and removing a large manila envelope repeating the same steps. She then zips up the backpack and tosses it to him, he catches it effortlessly.

He makes a gesture to the men pushing their guns into our backs and they shove us forwards toward her.

Finally, she looks over in our direction but doesn't make eye contact with any of us as she hands the guy next to her a set of handcuff keys.

"Unlock them, load them in the back of the SUV, and make sure they don't come out. No matter what." She tells him. He nods and moves towards us, doing as she says.

We all pile into the SUV and turn in our seats to look back at her, thankfully the windows are rolled down some so we have no trouble listening in.

Garrett opens the black case and pulls out a dagger, identical to the one Thirteen carries around except it's black in color. He raises his eyes from the dagger to Thirteen.

"Our deal?" He asks her. She makes no move at all, giving us no indication as to what he's talking about.

"This is the part that can go really wrong." We all whirl around in our seats and face the girl sitting in the front seat.

Her denim cap sits backward on her head. Her light red hair falling down her back and framing her narrow face, her bangs hanging down over her eyebrows slightly. A pair of black framed glasses sit on her nose contrasting with her bright blue eyes and pale skin. She's wearing a simple yellow crop top and a pair of light blue skinny jeans matching her cap.

"How long have you been sitting there?" Jason questions.

"Since you guys got in the car."

"Who are you?" Devin asks. "No offense but you don't look like anyone Thirteen would associate herself with."

The girl gives a look of confusion. "Thirteen?"

Before any of us can answer, Garrett speaks up again.

"I asked for three things," He states as he takes a few steps forwards, still at least 7 yards from Thirteen. "You've given me two, now how about that last one."

Thirteen stares directly at him, making no moves and her face showing no emotion as she simply says, "You're not getting it."

"Is that so?" He takes another step forward. "Then why bring all three here with you?"

"I didn't."

"Don't lie Thirteen." He says as he turns the dagger over in his hands a few times. "Did it escape your memory, that I'm the only person in the world that can tell when you're lying."

"Didn't forget," She replies calmly, "Just didn't care."

He raises his eyebrows, "Oh really?" He takes one more step forward, his fingers pressing a button on the dagger I hadn't even noticed.

The black blade of the dagger suddenly gives off a low hissing sound and turns a bright vibrant orange-gold color.

"What the hell is that thing?" I mutter quietly.

"What he wanted back." The girl responds simply.

"Back?" Jason questions.

The girl just shrugs. "Forty-five stole it from him a few years ago...he wasn't very happy about it."

"Forty-five?" Chase asks her, but she doesn't respond and simply watches Garrett and Thirteen's exchange very carefully, as if analyzing the entire thing.

"You know what?" Garrett announces loudly, putting his hands up in the air as if surrendering, a smirk on his face. "Go ahead, leave now while I'm feeling generous. Before I change my mind." He takes a step back.

Thirteen's eyes narrow in suspicion, but none the less she motions for everyone to get in the cars. They all back up slowly, their guns never leaving Garrett or his men. Thirteen is the last one to turn away and start for the driver's side of the door. Garrett opens his mouth to talk one more time.

"Oh wait, before I forget..." Without any warning, the dagger in his hand goes flying across the open space just as Thirteen's turning back towards him.

She lets out a cry of pain and falls to the floor on her hands and knees. One hand grasping the handle of the dagger in her shoulder. Immediately all four of us try to open the doors of the SUV, but they won't budge.

"Let us out!" Devin yells at the girl and she shakes her head, a look of regret on her face.

"She made me promise I wouldn't" She replies.

"What?!" We all yell in unison.

Garrett wastes no time in stalking over to her. He grabs the back of her shirt and hauls her to her feet before slamming her head down into the hood of the car and throwing her backward on her back.

He pins her good arm down with his foot and leans down over her, his hand grabbing hold of the hilt of the dagger. He whispers something that only she can hear. She glares at him and shakes her head.

She suddenly lets out a scream of complete agony as he slowly begins to drag the dagger up her shoulder. He says something to her again and this time she says something too, but it's not to him.

"Open fire." As soon as those two words leave her mouth everyone in the cars starts shooting at both Garrett and his people. Garrett jumps up and takes cover, giving the Thirteen the chance to run, and she takes it.

She's on her feet in no time and running towards the SUV. She throws open the door and slides into the passenger seat, her hand covering the massive gash in her right shoulder.

"Drive." She orders simply.

"I don't need to be told twice." The girl says as she floors it, the rest of the cars following ours.

Thirteen leans back in her seat, her eyes scrunched closed and her breathing labored.

"I hope it hurts," Jason says after a moment of silence. Devin socks him in the arm.

Thirteen lets out a humorless laugh. "It does, thanks. Would you like me to show you just how much, you freaking as-"

"We should really get you to a hospital." The girl interrupts and Thirteen's attention goes back to her.

She shakes her head. "I'm fine Nicky." So that's the girl's name. "You know I'm still waiting on my thank-you for saving you morons."

"Well you're not getting one." Jason bites back. "You don't really deserve one since you turned around and abandoned your team."

She turns around in her seat, wincing in pain as she does. "Let's get one thing straight, I'm not a part of your team, I never was a part of your team, and I never will be. And I couldn't care less about you guys."

"Then why come back and get us at all? Why didn't you just leave us to die like your first team? And any other team you were on after that? I'm not entirely convinced you didn't kill them yourself!"

"Cody!" Chase shouts at me but I don't care, I'm barely listening. I lock eyes with her but her expression stays the same as always, cold and blank and pissed off. "That's taking it too far."

"No, it's fine." Thirteen says, her eyes shining with anger as she stares directly at me, not backing down, but neither am I. "Why don't you and I take a walk later and I'll show you where I buried them. In fact, I'll let you get nice up close and personal with them, you know, like down on their level."

"Wow." I hear Devin say but neither Thirteen or I break eye contact. "The s****l tension in here is so thick you could cut it with a knife."

Thirteen grabs the first thing she sees after we both turn away towards Devin, and hurls it at him. It happens to a paperback book. He just laughs hysterically in his seat.

"Next time, I will leave all of you to die, or better yet...I'll save Garrett the trouble and kill you all myself."

"Should've done it this time," I tell her. "That way none of us would've had to see you again." I watch as her hands clench into fists but she does nothing else.

"Believe me, none of you were supposed to ever see me again." She turns back around in her seat away from us.

"Oh I believe you," Jason speaks up. "I mean that's what you do, isn't it? Just keep running away from people that actually gave a s**t about you. You're good at that."

"You're right. I am." She says simply and leans her head against the window. "One of the many talents I've acquired throughout the years. That and how to get away with murder, remember that."

"Why did you come back?" Devin asks her after a while.

"Didn't have a choice."

"Wow, that makes us feel so much better." I retort sarcastically.

"Hmm doesn't it?"

"I'm glad you're back." Devin says, "No matter how short a time." I just barely see the corners of her lips tug up as if she wants to smile.

"Thanks Devin." She responds. She says something quietly under her breath something I just barely catch.

"I'm glad to be back too."