“I never did like you.” She laughs, pressing it in tighter.
Fuck.
“Can’t say I’m your biggest fan, either,” I seethe, going to grab the knife from my thigh when she presses the blade further. I feel the sting of the cut immediately, and move my hand away from the sheath.
“If I kill you, I’ll take your oh so special target.”
I laugh. Fuck, I shouldn’t have done that, but she’s an idiot for thinking Cayden would talk to her. “Even if you took my target, he wouldn’t tell you shit. You would be as pathetic as you are now.”
For a single second she falters, and that’s all it takes. I disarm her first, throwing the knife away before wrapping my legs around her neck. I flip her over hard onto the ground, watching as the wind leaves her and she’s gasping for breath. I’m almost positive she’s concussed.
Looking up to the guard, he still shakes his head, so I do the only other thing I can think of: I lift her head up as high as can before forcing it down on the ground with every ounce of strength I have, and Clover passes out. Shit, she might even be dead.
But the guard takes out a token and hands it to me, and that’s all I need for the guilt to fade.
In this moment, I’m not Darlia, the girl Cayden knows. I’m PX-3, The Academy assassin.
Chapter 17:
Bella and I are the first ones back in the training sector, which means no one else has figured it out yet. I’m sure others would’ve seen what I did, and it won’t be long until more come back.
“Well done PX-3, PX-57. You did well. PX-3, go get that neck wrapped.”
Somehow in the madness and adrenaline pumping though me, I had completely forgotten Clover managed to cut my throat in the fight. With a nod, I start walking to the healing sector, Bella by my side. The healing sector has always been uncomfortable; it’s too clean, too quiet. It shows you’re weak enough to get hurt. Everyone tries to avoid it.
“PX-3, sit.” The doctor instructs, and I listen, taking a seat on the edge of the bed, tilting my chin up so my neck is exposed. The doctor puts on a pair of gloves before touching the cut, causing a wince to escape my lips.
“It’s not deep enough for stitches, I will wrap it up to keep the wound closed. I suggest removing it in a couple days to let the wound breathe.”
I nod because who am I to disagree with the doctor?
He cuts off some medical tape, placing small strips in a X pattern across my throat, closing the wound and placing a gauze on top before finally wrapping it with a cloth bandage. “You’re cleared,” he says before going back to the notebook at his desk. I don’t wait for further instruction, and get off the bed, walking out with Bella when Madam stops us.
“My office, now.”
Well great, that sounds lovely. I’m having a wonderful day, thank you for asking.
We follow her to her office where the Overseer, Commander Wolvrin, and Major are waiting. All eyes immediately go to the bandage on my throat. I straighten my back, putting my hands behind me as I wait for my instruction.
“PX-3, PX-57, you have a new mission,” Overseer says, his eyes still on the cloth wrapped around my neck.
“What did the doctor say about the bandage?”
“To keep it on until morning, sir.” He sighs but nods, moving around the table to hand me a file labelled TARGET 106. Cayden.
“Your target profile has been updated. I suggest you reconfirm the details inside and pay careful attention. I would hate for you to go into a mission unprepared.” I nod, opening the folder and looking over the details. So much has changed. His full name is now on show, likely because I know it, anyway. His height is also visible, 6’4, but his weight is still censored. Why that is what they choose to censor?
But it’s the mission details that catch my attention, now visible is a single sentence: Target has an accomplice known to travel with him to and from events, this accomplice is considered armed and dangerous. The accomplice’s name or appearance is unknown, apart from having black hair.
“He has an accomplice, sir? That’s not something I’ve seen?” Marcus. I know immediately it’s Marcus, but if I pretend to know nothing now, I won’t be expected to know later, either. Consider my debt for Lauren’s journal paid. Oh, and the fact I didn’t break while being tortured. Maybe he now owes me one.
“We thought you might say that. We want you to get any details you can on this person.”
“Understood, sir.”
The Overseer nods as I hand him back the file, looking between me and Bella once more before continuing.
“You are allowed to pick between both of your formal mission attire gowns tonight. You have received an invite to a private dinner at the Ashford residence, and we suspect it is an excuse to get information from you both. We expect you to get information instead.”
