Hitwoman

Chapter 22: little sister

(Eden)

"This is the part you die," Eden declared as she looked down at Talitha. "You got away last time and that was a strike on my record." She pulled a flask from her hip and sat it down on the table.

Talitha looked down at it, "One last drink?"

"A choose," Eden sighed. She pulled the gun from her side, "I can put a bullet to your head or you can drink this and sleep your way into death."

Talitha glared at her, "Shoot me. Shoot your best friend. Shoot your sister's mother."

Eden had thought to give her a painless option, but clearly Talitha thought she could cause Eden suffering, "Good bye. Tell my father I won't make his mistake." She pulled her gun up and pressed the trigger. The shot rang out and Eden couldn't help but close her eyes.

She felt the blood cover her as she turned around. What a mess. Eden stepped away without looking back. She entered the bathroom and turned the shower on. It wouldn't do to go back in to the streets covered in blood.

~~~~~~

After the shower, Eden climbed from the window and fell into the alley. She had tracked Talitha down for two days to outside of the city into the wilderness. Too many wild animals. She found Talitha half dead and dragged her back to the nearest motel.

Now Eden as going to see Venelope. She needed to move the girl before she could leave the city.

The home Venelope lived in was fancy. Eden payed a lot of money for it. She walked through the gated fence. A maid met her at the door. "I'm here to see my ward, Venelope."

Eden was lead into the house. The dark oak walls climbed high and dim lanterns illuminated the rooms. It looked like she had stepped into an 1800s house.

The maid left her in a room with.l a few shelves of books and a couch. A few moments later, the door opened. Eden had expected to see Venelope. But there was Cairo. He pressed his hands together, "What are you doing here when you have a woman to kill?"

"For your information, she is dead. And I'm not your servant," Eden jumped up. "I can come here when I want." She put the couch between them.

Cairo rubbed his head, "I've had a stressful day and I've been reconsidering lots of things. And I'm going to extend your contract."

Eden almost threw a knife at him, but he swiftly ducked and the knife stabbed the wall. He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "I'm not working with you anymore."

"You work for me now, Eden. I don't really do this whole 'quitting' thing,"Cairo informed her. "Now I could drag you out of this room unconscious or you could save me the energy and we can visit Venelope together."

Eden stayed still.

Cairo opened the door, "We all have our weaknesses." Eden followed through the door and into the limo. There was another man who was driving. What happened to Nolan.

As if he wasn't sitting beside an assassin, Cairo rested his head back and closed his eyes. "Do you want my brother, Eden?"

Eden clamped her hands together, "I want to leave this entire thing. I have nothing to do with these gangs."

Cairo smirked, "I just wanted to know if you were attached, is all. It seems you don't think romantically. Smart. It will make everything easier."

"What do you mean?" Eden asked, but Cairo gave her no response. They rode of silence the rest of the way.

Aramis met them outside, "Nolan is missing."

"He could be out on a mission," Eden mumbled. Aramis was staring at her.

Cairo folded his hands into fists, "No he couldn't. Nolan was my prisoner." He stalked into the building leaving a bewildered Eden.

Aramis turned to her, "Eden-"

"Where is Venelope?" Eden asked, but she didn't wait for an answer. She was learning that Cairo was a control maniac and he had to keep everything close. She stalked through the halls with Aramis at her heels.

He was still trying to speak, "I told them not to take her. I'm -" before he could say more, Eden turned around on him and tripped him.

Aramis fell to the floor. Eden looked down at him, "I'm going to leave this place. We do not work together."

"No," Aramis pulled him self up. "No we don't, but I care about you."

Eden shook her head, "Then everyone is right. You are stupid." She went the rest of the way to Cairo's office. Somehow Aramis had not left. She threw the door open.

Venelope was there, sitting in June's lap while eating cookies from a tin. Her black curls were pulled back into a ponytail and her feet swung. The vitiligo around her mouth was covered in cookie crumbs. "Let go of her," Eden yelled at June.

Venelope looked up at Eden and grinned, "You came!" She jumped off of June's lap and wrapped her arms around Eden. Even though she was 5 years old, she was easy to pick up. "Don't come near her again," she warned June.

June stood up, "I wasn't hurting her, Eden. Calm down."

Eden put her hands over Venelope's ears.  "Do not touch her, June. Or I'll come for you and make sure you never are able to have kids." She took her hands off of Venelope's ears. "In fact, the only person who can approach her is Aramis."

Aramis looked confused, "Did you not just throw me in the ground and say to not talk to you?"

Eden smiled, "I take it back. I'm using your weakness Aramis. Me." With that, she stepped out of the room and carried Venelope all the way to her own room. She sat down Venelope on the bed.

"That man has tattoos," Venelope pointed out.

Eden sat down at the desk, "Yes he does."

"Do you like him?" She asked.

Eden turned back and layed down beside Venelope. "The only person I like is you."

Venelope smiled and layed her head down, "Well then you can be the only person I like too."