Operation 007 (SpyxFamily)

Chapter Twenty-One

The knife glinted in Yor's hand as it spun, a blur of sharp metal so close to ending the man's life.

She stood in his questionable business place, glaring down at him. He was mangled and broken. Bleeding from too many places to count. Too many broken bones. The soft glow of red neon lights that bordered the ceiling, highlighted his darkened features. A bit of illumination to keep the room from total darkness.

The thorn princess had destroyed all other sources.

She was disappointed by how little she'd gleaned and she stepped forward.

"WAIT! WAITWAITWAIT!" The man crawled back, a lame foot impeding his efforts while a useless hand raised in defence. He was more afraid than he'd been in his life. The security of money, connections, and dirty deals had protected him until now. "DON'T KILL ME! PLEASE! I TOLD YOU I DON'T KNOW!"

Yor sighed through her nose, tired of how many of these ended pointlessly. She had one more person to check off her list after this, but she held less and less hope. None of them knew anything of the director or scientists. Was Kiara Mastden the only one? Loid and Yor did suspect she had more involvement than a regular client. "Thank you for the honour of taking your life." She said, disregarding his pleas.

"WAIT—"

Yor barely moved as the knife flicked from her hand and lodged deep into his chest. He jolted back at the thud hitting him, and he fell limp on the floor. A dark spot oozed away from the injury as the Thorn Princess retrieved her favourite weapon. "What a shame." Yor cleaned the blade. "I only have the one name left." She put away her knife and pulled out the piece of paper. "If this doesn't work out, we're left back at square one." She said, leaving the building as she passed those she'd knocked out.

It seemed better not to kill everyone she came across if she could help it. Attacks they never saw coming, never mind her face, left her safely ensconced in anonymity.

She entered a dark alley and it grew darker at her arrival. A convenient veil to hide her silhouette as she leapt off the walls and bounded overtop the roofs.

The Thorn Princess was glad to be rid of anyone who could threaten Anya, but she would not be pleased if this went nowhere.

——————

Becky took the sheet of paper the Professor had a student hand out, and folded it neatly in half.

"You have a week to have those signed and returned to me. You won't be attending the field trip if they are not, so don't forget." Henderson admonished them, knowing many of the consent forms would inevitably end up crumpled at the bottom of their school bags. The dorm students consent forms had already been mailed to their parents, so he wasn't worried about those.

"Aren't you excited?" Becky whispered to Anya who folded hers into a plane.

"Mmhmm." She hummed excitedly. A bit absentminded as she plumped up the paper wings.

Becky had to nudge her in the side when the professor instructed them to open their books. The simple action, lifting her mood.

It was the best kind of warm fuzz that Becky had been feeling lately. A contentedness that buzzed through her, just sitting with Anya. She was consistently resisting the urge to hug her best friend every other minute. Especially the last day or so as the energy finally calmed down. At least, concerning Anya. She appeared a little more relaxed. A little more adjusted than her first day back.

Becky used the contained jubilation to cloud over unwanted feelings. The joy and relief, the buoyancy that lifted each step she took, suppressing the weighing guilt that laid underneath.

A guilt that stemmed from a hurt she didn't want to pay mind to. A hurt that Anya hadn't told her what happened.

And it made it worse.

Becky knew what happened must've been horrible. Becky knew it must've been a traumatic incident. And Becky knew it must be hard to talk about. Her guts twisted up to think that she was hurt Anya had said nothing, regardless.

Becky was her best friend. And Anya had said nothing.

Not a speck, not an inkling, or a clue, or a word of any of it. Not a single thing to elude to her whereabouts, her captors, or even just insignificant comments.

'No. She doesn't need to say. I should just be here. That's what best friends do.' She tried to convince herself. A wave of loyalty that trumped her own selfish needs. Does she not trust me? A little voice emanated from nowhere. A tiny insecurity, more powerful by the second, that wriggled in anyway. 'I don't need to know.' Becky thought stoutly.

Yes, I do.

'I don't need to know. It's up to her'. She reiterated in strong denial.

I'm worried about her.

'It shouldn't bother me, she just needs time.'

Am I bad friend for feeling this way?

'Anya's back, that's all that matters.' Becky thought, drowning the little voice. She would smother the curiosity and guilt until Anya could bring it up herself.

She'd force herself to forget all that. She'd let herself enjoy being with her. She'd smile every time Anya smiled. She'd laugh every time Anya laughed. That's all she wanted.

It could just stay like this, for now. Becky could wait.