Bound by Deception

1.1 Dance to Death

Cross Manor was a large estate. What was once a woodland sanctuary for a plethora of animals had been replaced by large contractors and government officials as a home for Lord Garmond. The estate overlooked a soft river and what was remaining of the woodlands. Covered in ivy and surrounded by prickly rose bushes, Cross Manor, in all of its drab, gray glory, was a favorite amongst the plain, simple townsfolk of Bishops. Night after night, the manor burst alive with bright flashy lights and shouts of amusement. Glamorous, rich folk in their expensive clothes hung onto the bellboys in drunken glee, hobbling like fools with their ridiculous glasses of chardonnay.

On a night like any other, a woman sat hidden in the rose bushes inside a dark car. Dressed in her best clothes, she stared emotionlessly at the party, stalking the guests with her passive gaze. Her mind took pictures of them, searching their inner database for their names, social positions, and crimes. On her lap sat a purse filled with bullets and a small handgun.

Beside her at the wheel was a man around her age, but older and taller and much more handsome than she was. His nearly white hair contrasted her dark, short locks and his skin was just as pale, looking like paper next to her brown texture. He reclined lazily on the seat, spitting pomegranate seeds into the air and catching them with his tongue. Like a cat, he observed his partner scour the area with her eyes, having said nothing for the last twenty minutes.

"The more we sit here, the later it's going to get," he said at last, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief. "Let's get going."

"You look like you have blood on you," the woman responded. She turned, meeting his icy stare with a cool, collected expression. Her anxiety was masked perfectly and the makeup that she wore highlighted her round features. Brown eyes studied the man before she broke into a smirk. "If you want to get out alive, you can't rush this."

"I want to get this mission over with," the man groaned. "I hate wearing suits too. Why couldn't I have worn my regular clothes?"

"The ones covered in blood? Or the ones that make you look homeless?" The girl joked. Her partner scowled and she laughed. "Oh, quit glaring at me, Sterling, and keep your business in your pants. If we play our cards right, we'll be done before midnight."

The man, Sterling, rolled his eyes. "If I kept it in my pants, we wouldn't have completed half of our jobs, would we?"

"I dunno," the girl replied, resuming gathering her information. "I haven't thought about it."

"What? Death?"

"Yes." She unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the door. "Come on. We can go now."

"Oh, so we can only go when it's convenient for you?"

"Well, I am the boss."

"Informally." Sterling hopped out of the car and pulled up his pants. He circled around and stood in front of his friend. "Can you fix my tie? I think I made it too tight."

"Again?" She sighed. "Why can't you learn these things? These are basic life skills, Sterling."

"I doubt I'm going to need to know how to tie a tie on my own, Aria," Sterling chuckled. "Besides, you'll always be around. It's easier to let you do it."

"Lazy-ass," Aria muttered while wrapping the silk around his neck. For a moment, she was tempted to play a joke on Sterling and pretend that she was going to choke him, but that would cause further delays in their mission and she knew that Madame wouldn't be happy if they took too long. Their reputation and pay were at stake.

Once they checked themselves again and made sure that they were presentable, Aria tucked her hand into Sterling's elbow and they crossed the grass onto the concrete. The night was breezy and considerably warm, which caused a glow to fasten over the manor. Upon arriving at the front steps, Sterling lifted Aria into his arms, carrying her bridal style up the thin steps and setting her down in front of the door.