Wicked Games

Prologue

"After six months of being in a coma, famous businessman, Rowan Kent's son passed away this morning. The accused is his cousin, Alice Kent, who was sentenced to life imprisonment, recently gave birth in prison. We sympathize deeply with Kent family—" someone turns off the TV.

"We were watching that, you know." Connor says.

"Why are we here? You said he wanted to see us." I add.

"You two have new assignment," she sits in front of us.

"Why we?" I ask, checking him out with displeasure.

"Because chief insisted like that, Ms. Deverrò." She shuts me up. "Besides, they didn't want to work together as well, but here we are, half of the job is done." She peers at black TV screen as if she feels sorry for that guy.

"So, what's our assignment?" Connor places intertwined hands on the table, squinting his eyes as if he is trying to see through her. "Are we supposed to be secret agents as well, end up like them?" He cocks his head.

"They ended up perfectly fine, they did what they had to do, very professional, unlike you Mr. Allen." He does that tongue movement where he just smiles and looks at her like he can't stand her presence.

"He kind of looks like you," I notice, remembering that guys picture.

"Everything started with my mistake," blonde woman interrupts us. "Isn't this why we're here, to tell you in detail what has happened." I nod. "Rafflesia medicine, I discovered it for university project. Alice and I were team for this experiment. When we were testing liquids, I tried something new, dried out Rafflesia leaf. Results were shocking, almost too powerful. I decided to destroy everything, so no one could know or use such information, but it disappeared, just like Alice."

"So you are responsible for such tragedy." He accuses her.

"She just said she wanted to destroy it," I argue.

"Can we just continue? Richard is my father's friend, therefore I immediately asked him for help, because I knew Alice, she had something devilish in her that was very dangerous. Richard was already chasing after Rowan Kent, and Alice bonding with him would help. He hired Hope and Kent, I played a bait and here we are, we have Rowan in our grasp. That's what you two have to do."

"How could Fox do such horrible stuff, he made son give away his father with a lie." My eyebrows draw together.

"Stop making this such a big deal," Connor says. "So we have to face someone such as Rowan Kent and arrest him?"

"I'd prefer death penalty." I murmur.

"They did it with Alice, you'll do with Rowan." Richard appears and points at turned off screen. "Hope and Kent will help you to get rid of this arm-dealing scumbag." His deep and strict voice says.

"They seem very dead to me." I tell. "Hope passed right away."

"They're more alive than you two and already started terrorizing country." He only laughs as if he's proud. "She has faked her death at least twenty times, what makes you think she hasn't done that again?" Malice runs in his words.

"So, they're alive." Connor's face light up.

"That's very much what he just said." Tells Vera.

"Your job is to find and convince them to continue working with us. You can threaten them, put gun to their heads, arrest them. I don't know, whatever will work." Richard says.

"But—"

"It's going to be hard, even harder than catching Rowan himself." He cuts me off. "It's against the law, I know but they're nothing like you've worked with before." Yeah, of course, I think in my head. They're just criminals like every other. "I'm not sure you can handle them, but do your best." Connor and I, two rivals, peer at each other. It's not us against each other but us against them.

I open folders placed in front of me. Silas Kent.

"Sir!" Someone rushes inside. "Alice Kent..." he tries to breathe.

"Alice what?" Vera asks.

"Alice Kent— Alice Kent has been stabbed! 15 minutes ago."

All of us snap at Richard's direction as he murmurs. "Hope..."