Agent 34 (Book 1)

31. Keep your problems to yourself, Samuel

Quick apologies. I had every intention of updating shortly after making that post on my profile. I had a good section of the chapter finished and intended to finish the rest of it between working on some Christmas stuff over the next day or two at the most. However . . . things never seem to work out the way I want them to. In working on a couple of gifts I was making for some of my family members, I actually ended up hurting/damaging/messing up-whatever you want to call it-my hand/wrist. So since typing with one hand was really not going anywhere, I just kind of held off until my hand didn't cause me a whole lot of pain while trying to type.

Don't get me wrong, it still hurts and I still need to wear a brace, but it's much better now than it was before. So, back to writing again. For real this time.

Anyway. Enjoy!

Oh yeah, and Happy New Year!

Everly's POV

Marrek stared at Sam for a long while after Sam had explained to him why we were there. Sam stared back. Both of them looked equally annoyed with each other.

Noelle and I were both standing with our backs against the wall across from where Sam and Marrek had been talking. The woman, Quinn, was sitting on the small couch in the living room of the cabin, a sketchbook in her lap, drawing out some sort of mountain landscape.

The dog-more like wolf-who's name I had learned to be Hunter, was lying on the soft carpet rug in front of Quinn, his head on his paws, his eyes looking up at her. Periodically she'd stop in her sketching, smile at him, and then reach down and scratch him behind the ears. To which he always gave a happy bark and a tail wag.

The man looked like the equivalent of a human tank. He was tall, broad, and all muscles. However, he didn't come across as the kind of guy who went and worked out at the gym for a perfectly sculpted look. Rather, it seemed more likely that his physique came from hard work and more than likely repeated combat training. He had dark skin and his eyes were so dark they looked black as he'd studied every single one of us with such suspicion. His dark hair was trimmed into a neat buzz cut, which I suspected was more out of habit than actual preference. He kept his eyes narrowed and arms crossed over his chest as he stared down at Sam, the sleeves on his flannel rolled up just below his elbows.

The woman was the complete and total opposite in comparison to him. Her height was on the average side, however next to Marrek she looked so small and frail. I could tell that wasn't the case, as when she'd removed her jacket once stepping into the cabin, I could see she had some pretty good muscle definition as well. Nothing like the muscles on a fighter, but more like the kind of muscles one would acquire when you did something repeatedly and fairly often. Her skin was so light and pale, and I hadn't even noticed until she'd removed the beanie from her head and the jacket why exactly that was. The woman had albinism. Her hair was long and silvery white. Her eyes a pale sort of pink.

Visually she was the man's opposite in every way. Of course, just two minutes in their presence and it was pretty clear to see that it wasn't just visually. Where he'd regarded us with nothing but annoyance and disdain, she smiled and regarded us with warmth. She was still on guard, I could see that. She was no stranger to danger, but she was so very welcoming and friendly whereas her partner was very cold and unwelcoming.

It was strange to me, how these two even knew each other. And how Sam knew them as well. Although, from what I'd heard, it seemed to have something to do with his sister.

Marrek's head turned in Hunter's direction as he let out another bark when Quinn once again reached out and pet him. Marrek then turned and looked at Sam once more. "No," He finally said.