C.A.R.M.A

22

Taylor tucked a lock of her long dark hair behind her ear, unbound for once, and stared at the blueprints of a house on her work table.

Becca, Max and I rushed to her penthouse suite and pounded on the door until the Head Vixen answered. It was well after the sunset, and knowing Taylor likes to have dinner in her suite, we figured this would be the best place to find her.

And the three of us laid the story before her, explaining the mistake and our new theory for who the real assaulter is.

"My husband is looking at property in Maine," she finally said after we finished telling her what we found and showed her the pictures.

I exchanged an uneasy gaze with Becca, but when I turned back to Taylor I found her eyes locked on mine. In a gaze filled with ice. Taylor sighed through her nose, "I want to retire, Thea. All you continue to do is show me that you're not ready."

It took more than I thought it would to not flinch.

I'd only been in my mentor's elegant penthouse, the crown jewel of all the rooms in our headquarters, fit only for the crowned ruler of the organization.

"You were supposed to be smarter than this," she hissed.

This time, I did flinch, and Taylor gave me a smirk. Because she knew the exact memory that she was forcing into my mind. Breaking through every barrier I'd thrown over the memory and forcing it to the surface.

Suddenly, I'm nothing more than a little girl handling a gun for the first time. Suddenly, I'm just a little girl hurt after a training accident rushing to my mentor for comfort. Suddenly, I'm broken back down to a simple, stupid little girl running to this penthouse for comfort.

My shoulder burned, like fire ants were crawling under my skin, even after all the drugs the hospital pumped me with. Everything in my new world was still too big, too loud and grand for me to fit into. Before I knew what I was doing, my little fist pounded on the penthouse door, and Taylor opened it.

Staring disdainfully down at my small tearstained face she said, "What are you here for?"

My small voice began to tell her the story, gesturing to my shoulder but Taylor held up a hand.

"Do I look like your mother?," she huffed.

I stared up at this woman. Larger than life.

She scoffed at me again, "You were supposed to be smarter than this." And slammed the door in my face.

I should apologize; bow my head and accept her plan and verbal punishment.

But I would not submit. I raised my chin, defiance filling my eyes mirroring the ice in hers.

For that little girl with her tear-stained face, I would stand up to Taylor.

"You were supposed to be smarter than this," I hissed back at the Head Vixen.

She blinked in surprise.

"You're final call as the fucking Head Vixen led me to Sloane," I spat. Max and Becca hovered at my sides, watching Taylor and I anxiously.

For the little girl who would become me, I glared right back at my mentor. Letting her see that I was ready, and that I don't need her to fix this. That it was me who caught this mistake.

And me who was going to fix it.

I turned on my heel, calling over my shoulder, "Let's go to the office, guys. We have a lot of work to do before the night is over."

I heard Max and Becca fall into step behind me.

"What office?," Taylor asked sharply, following us out into the hall.

I turned as we stepped into the elevator and smirked, "You want to retire, Taylor? Then retire. I'll keep the Head Vixen seat warm."

And the doors shut, showing me one last look at Taylor's surprised face, one last look at my mentor for answers.

"What now?", Becca whispered as the elevator took us down, one level below to the Head Vixen's office.

I didn't answer my friend, or look at her or Max. I looked dead ahead until the doors opened.

My feet felt heavier than normal as I trekked down the hall, past the elephantine globe, twinkling in the evening light, past the other agents monitoring worldwide missions.

I stopped in front of the large windows, with the Puget Sound glittering with cargo ships below.

Taylor's office felt too big - no, my office.

I looked at Max.

Our office.

"Now," I smiled at my friends, at my Max. "We get another desk in here."

My companions laughed.

"Now," I continued staring back out to the Sound. "Now, we call Quinn. We call the best Revealers and Questioners and Murderers."

I turned and saw two wicked grins that only grew as I said, "Now, we go to war on Alexia."