“Me neither, obviously. She has no real sense of danger. Or maybe she’d just rather risk it than feel like she’s bothering you. She told me that if I made you pick her up, she’d die of embarrassment.”
That made me feel like shit. Our first interaction was anything but welcoming. Nothing went as I’d planned—which, to be honest, was to just get a basic rundown of what she planned to do over the next month before Ethan got back.
“It wasn’t a sacrifice,” I said. “You and I both know how many freaks are out there.”
“Exactly. That’s why I ignored her request. If you hadn’t gone, I would’ve sent one of our men.”
“How’s everything on your end?” I asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the girl who’s quickly becoming my latest obsession.
“All good. We’ve got more than thirty men on the ground. Only the elite. The resistance has over a hundred and fifty of their best fighters. If everything goes according to plan, we’ll take the government HQ in minutes.”
“Just be careful,” I muttered, annoyed he was putting himself at risk.
“Always, Dad,” he joked, then hung up.
In the beginning, Ethan and I used to join the field teams ourselves.
I’ve never had a problem with death. Or with killing, for that matter.
Every single one of our contractors was special forces. We never lose sleep after a raid or an execution. We’re soldiers, through and through. We plan. We act. We eliminate.
It’s strange that both Ethan and I chose this life, considering how privileged we are. We’ve got more money than we could ever spend in ten lifetimes.
Still, there’s something inside both of us that craves a justice beyond courtrooms. We don’t want to arrest and prosecute. We want to erase the filth from the face of the Earth.
After leaving the military, we built a team and opened a company that—on the surface—handles high-level security around the globe.
Heads of state, royalty, celebrities. They all want our services. Bodyguards making lawyer-level salaries? That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Taking down dictatorships. Rescuing kidnap victims from impossible locations. Tracking and executing so-called “untouchables.”
That’s our real business.
I never gave a damn about the lives I’ve taken. They were scum. The worst of humanity.
For me and Ethan, every mission is a high. The thrill of the hunt. The certainty that we’re making the world better by removing monsters.
But about two years ago, Ethan asked me to step back from fieldwork. Because when I was out there, I didn’t care if I made it home or not.
Last time, I was stabbed, but—bleeding heavily—I kept pushing forward, attacking my target like I couldn’t feel a thing. I think that scared Ethan.
What scared him was my lack of fear.
He doesn’t know that, once upon a time, I welcomed death. Some fates are worse than dying.
Victims of human trafficking would agree. Of that, I’m sure.
Thinking about those kids . . . brings back their faces. The ones who hurt me.
And when I finally find them . . . they’ll agree with me, too—that death is mercy.
I don’t just want to kill them. I want them to suffer.
Their pain will be my cure.
I snap back to the present—and to the beautiful girl currently staying in my home.
Lilly’s alone right now. When I left earlier this morning—after giving up on doing any actual work from home—Ula told me she’d give Lilly breakfast and then head out.
