Operation: One percent

Chapter 33

Ace

Margaret met some shady guy and exchanged something with him, and I could tell that it entailed a transfer of money. Perhaps it was the same thing that was making her addicted. 

"What did you buy from that guy?"

Dismissing my question, she just went ahead and pushed several pills inside her mouth. 

"Are those what I think they are?"

"So what if they are?"

"Margaret there is no need for that attitude. I wasn't accusing you."

She shrugged her shoulders. 

"I am sorry."

"Apology accepted, now, I know you don't need a lesson, but I think you need support. Once this is all done, I will ask you to go to rehab."

"Once this is all done, we will go our separate ways."

I clenched the steering wheels. 

Margaret was in many ways suffering, and I found myself fussing over her. Perhaps I got attached? 

She was right, I really am weird. 

But how else am I supposed to justify my heart speeding up whenever she looks at me or hugs me? How do I justify my need for her presence, even with the truth that hit me like ton of bricks? 

In any case, I need to figure out how to get out of this shit.

 "So, now that the secrets are out in the open, I would really need you to spill more info."

Her body stiffened; she was clearly uncomfortable with the notion. "Do you know who sent you that bounty offer?"

"Sent me? It's up for anyone that has access to the boards."

"What is the bounty amount?"

She showed me the pad, and indeed there was no doubt. Someone pretty high up was responsible for this. How else could I justify an exuberant sum like this?

"What is the deadline?"

"Less than a week. I assume that you will have more heat on your heels now more than ever."

"Why?"

"If we fail, all who have accepted the bounty are going to have deducted penalty fees. In the beginning, there were several assassins after you, but later, I guess they chickened out and stopped pursuing you so their status is now idle. The same goes if I decide to resign the bounty."

I raised my eyebrow at that. 

"Do you still want me dead?"

She swallowed, arms wrapped around her.

 "Mr. Mountague...I have a question."

"Why so formal?"

"I have my reasons. Anyways, I never took you for a forgiving type."

"I am not."

"You aren't? Well, if my mind serves me correctly, you practically played wild, wild west in the park when you thought that I sent someone for you, and now you know that I indeed had the intent to kill you, but your reaction was... not what I expected."

I wasn't forgiving, but when it came to her, I couldn't be anything but.

"I should ask you the same. Why didn't you do anything when you had the chance?"

She furrowed her brows in silence.

"Don't ask questions you can't answer yourself Margaret."

"I guess we will never know."

"I guess we won't," I responded.

"Why do you always have to have the last word?" She was annoyed.

"Why do you always answer a question with a question?" So was I. "We are always running in circles with these arguments and you know they won't help us much."

 I tried to be mature.

"I don't see why I need to help you with anything." But she was testing me. Constantly.

I decided not to respond to that, as we were finally here. This apartment was under the name of the man that came to me because he couldn't pay what he promised me when he asked for my help. I felt sorry for his wife who was raped by the bounty hunters, so I agreed to assist him under the condition that he would track down the hacker Cobra.
Their place was simple and small, and I paid off their hotel stay until this fuckery ends. It was a one-room condo, with one bed and one sofa. She seemed to be pretty tense, so I decided to freshen up in the bathroom to let her have her time until she gets accustomed. His clothes were smaller but they would have to do. I opted for a white shirt and green pjs which were freshly dried. Walking out, I could see Margaret scoping through the kitchen, and decided to take in the scene, not disturb her or scare her.

"Mr. Mountague, I can't see a pan anywhere."Only when she called me, I came closer. The pan was visible from my point of view, and it was on a pretty high shelf right above her."It's over here."Now, I was standing behind her, and as I leaned above, her back was pressed against me. I didn't think it through, and I immediately regretted being so close, but she didn't try to move away.