Ah, the Covenant. London’s attempt at an organised crime syndicate. Four families in London split into four territories—North, South, East and West—with an agreement that goes back to the 1900s.
They’d been losing their footing to the Albanians, desperately trying to claw back control and power. But, it all imploded thanks to Luca Knight.
Who saw the opportunity to make his own move and well…I may have helped, just a teeny tiny bit.
Not that Andrews knows that. Nor does he need to.
“The Covenant is dead. We witnessed the aftermath.” Hell, I’m still living it.
“Come on, they won’t die easily. They are like cockroaches. And somehow, Owen King, aka Cooper, finds himself on their radar.”
“Well, that’s foolish,” I retort, trying to keep my voice level. I knew helping Luca Knight would come back and bite me.
“And since John Weston’s death, not to mention the Black family imploding, the remaining members are even more of a loose cannon, desperately clawing to hold onto their thread of power. The leaders may be keeping a low profile, but I can assure you, the Covenant and its members are still very much in operation—and just as dangerous and poisonous as ever. They will also do anything to stop whatever Owen has from getting into the public eye.”
“You don’t even know what he’s got…I’m going in blind?”
“He has confirmed he will brief the assigned detail when they have been selected.”
“Hmmm,” I reply, mulling it over.
Owen Cooper, a politician. Looks like I wasn’t the only one who buried a part of themselves when they changed their name.
“Three months, five million pounds, no more me, and you don’t even need to kill anyone. This will be a walk in the park little one.”
Itwould befor a target who was anyone else other than Owen King.
I run my thumb over the picture.
He’s handsome, he’s filled out. He’s grown up. Gone is the little boy who I spent my childhood in the foster system with. Gone is the little boy who used to hide me in the cupboard from our foster father.
But also gone is the little scared, pale girl with dark hair who used to hide in the darkness until it was safe to come out.
Except sometimes I’d come out too early—and one day Owen stopped protecting me.
Lucy vowed to never be a victim ever again, and I had said goodbye to her fifteen years ago.
Now she is Kara Snow.Iam Kara Snow.
I scan the file reading the information Apex has gathered on him so far. Trust Owen to try and make a better life for others. I wasn’t convinced that being a politician would be the way to do that, but at least he’s trying to make a difference. He always said he would change the system for kids like us.
If anyone could do it, it’s him.
“Three months, five million, and we’re even?” I glance up and he nods, watching me as I glance back down at the picture. I lean down and open my bag, throwing the file in as it rests on top of the sniper rifle that has just claimed a man’s life.
“Okay, I’m in. Tell the target I’m in.”
“Client. He’s aclient. Keep him alive, Kara. That’s your job. He so much as gets a splinter, and it’s our heads on the chopping block.”
I stand and grab my bag. “Don’t be so dramatic. I want all the information, though, none of this classified bullshit. If I’m going to protect him, I need to know why the Covenant wants him. Set up the meeting. I’m off for my bubbly bath.”
“Three months little one. Three months, and you can say goodbye to Lucy permanently.
I thought I already had.
Seems the past always has a way of catching up with you.
2
