The Assassins Weakness

Thirteen

It's been three days since I spoke to Aurora in the kitchen. Enzo showed up to my room the morning after and told me it was "for the best" if I kept to my room over the weekend. So I did. I felt like I was going to go crazy. I read three books, I worked out for hours, I devoured every tray of food delivered to me.

Now it's time for Zahra and I to meet. Enzo hasn't visited to tell me I was allowed out of my room yet, so I imagined the meeting was canceled. That is until a knock sounded at my door.

"Hey, May," Zahra said, stepping into my room.

"What's up, doc?"

"I was told it's best we meet in here today. Will that work for you?" Zahra asked.

"Sure, why not," I conceded.

Enzo was probably in the security room watching the show directly instead of getting a report from Zahra today.

"Why is it that we're on room arrest?" She asked, pulling the fluffy chair closer to me and the bed.

"I met one of my old buddies," I half explained.

"As in, assassin buddy?" She questioned me.

"Yeah, she was Aurora's fiancé."

"Well, congratulations to them," Zahra said excitedly.

"Uh, not exactly," I said with a wince.

Understanding crossed her face. "Oh."

"Yeah, Aurora doesn't want to see me around."

"And you think that's fair?" Zahra asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well Aurora was hurt by someone's actions and even though you had nothing to do with it you're being punished for it," she said like it was simple.

"I don't think I'd say I have nothing to do with it. Besides I was very mean to her after the fact," I explained.

Zahra asked me what I meant by that so I recited my conversation with Aurora, word for word. I was taught to memorize words. Those particular words had been ringing through my head for days now.

"Right," Zahra said with a sigh. "So I take it we're back to believing you're a monster then?"

I cut her a glare.

"We already discussed this, May. Your dads shitty genes don't make you a monster."

"Maybe not, but I have done monstrous things," I argued.

"Yes, I'm sure you have. Did you do them because you enjoyed them? Because you wanted to? Or because your safety was on the line?" She asked pointedly.

"I still did them."

Zahra sighed.

"We'll come back to this," she promised. "For now, let's pick up where we left off. We were at age thirteen weren't we?"

I groaned but obliged. I told her in detail about the whippings I received. About being kept awake for days at a time. At slaps of a ruler on knuckles until they bled because of mispronounced foreign words. Of psychological games played on us to pin us against each other. Of all the horrible things I did to the other thirteen year olds to avoid a punishment. All the horrible things they did to me for the same reason.

When I spoke about the memories this time it didn't quite feel like my chest was being ripped out. It felt more like the throbbing, itching pain of a wound beginning to heal. I didn't know which I preferred.

The hour was up before I knew it and Zahra said she looked forward to seeing me again in two days. I told her to get home safe. She told me to have a great rest of my day.

I tried to oblige her last request. I read and ate and did sit-ups until I couldn't move. I fiddled with the TV until I figured out how it worked. I binge watched a show about mermaids that was both ridiculous and endearing. It wasn't a terrible day.

I was getting ready for bed when a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in," I called.

"Hey," Ant said, peaking his head around the door. "I brought ice cream and popcorn."

I sat up at that. Ice cream was definitely my favorite food. I patted the spot on the bed next to me. Ant pushed the door all the way open and walked in with a tray in hand. I snatched one of the ice cream bowls as soon as he was settled.

"What's the occasion?" I asked around a mouthful.

"Oh, no occasion. I just thought you might like company and comfort food," he said, avoiding eye contact.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Ant, you know I was trained to read lies, right?"

"How was your day today?" He awkwardly tried to change the subject.

Whatever his reason for being here, it was making him uncomfortable. I blew out a breath and decided to oblige him. He could tell me when he was ready.

"It was good, boring as hell. How about yours?"

Ant visibly relaxed, "Good. Training has been boring without you."

"I'll bet. Must be tough not having someone there to kick your ass," I teased.

Ant playfully shoved my shoulder. I chuckled. He reached for the TV remote and put on a comedy. We settled into a comfortable silence as we watched. The movie was halfway over when a loud aggressive knock sounded on my door. Before I could yell out, the door was flung open. An angry looking Enzo barged into the room. I jumped from the bed and walked to his side in an instant.

"What is it, sir?" I asked.

"Antonio, my office. Now." Enzo snapped.

My heartbeat sped up.

"He didn't do anything wrong, Enzo." I defended.

"Didn't do anything wrong my ass, May. Just because you're desensitized to all the shit that's been done to you doesn't mean it's okay for someone to pass along a personal conversation," Enzo said.

"What?" I asked, struggling to follow the conversation.

"I haven't had a chance to tell her, yet," Ant said meekly.

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"Tell you that he was working in the security room earlier," Enzo began. "That he recorded your therapy session and sent it to other trainees."