The Assassin - a Denied Spies Novel Book 1

Alex

"That's why you're here," Ava said questionably. Jake looked at her in disbelieve for the second time today.

"You knew?" he asked. Ava looked at him and smiled before speaking calmly.

"That you two are weirdo's that are living in a fantasy world and need a life?  Of course not, you moron!" she snipped. "I'm not a spy, I'm foster kid, that's as exciting my life gets."

I couldn't help it, I laughed. Could she have said anything more stupid? Probably.

"Exactly you're a foster kid, you don't know who your family are, your parents are or rather were spies, it's in your blood." This time she laughed, a dead, lifeless laugh.

"How do you know my family?" she asked sarcastically.

"Because our parents worked together, my dad was the person that put you in foster care. To protect you, it was what your mother wanted when they crashed the car and you were in the back seat. Your mum called my dad and he came and took you away so that other people wouldn't get you. Bad people," I replied honestly and I could see the tears prickling her eyes.

"How do you know my parents were in a car crash? And that someone took me away and put me in foster care? Even I was told that someone had found me outside a café in the rubbish, I only found out it was a car accident less than a year ago," she asked chocking on my words. Was it shock or grieve that was upsetting her? God I can never understand females.

"I already told you, our parents worked together and my dad took you away before bad people came to get you."

"No, it was some random guy that saved me but he couldn't safe my parents so he took me to social services and they put me in foster care. Not your dad!"

"You said it was some random guy, how do you know he isn't my dad?" I had her there, she couldn't possibly know if it was my dad, but there was a chance that it was. And it was.

"Fine, let's just say it was your dad for the time being. Who are these bad people?" Jake took over this time.

"Your dads' parents were the best spies in MI6 and they got moved up a couple of levels to MI8 -the higher the number, the better the jobs, the more dangerous and the most secret. They got a mission to stop an assignation, JFK's, but they failed as you know and were captured. Your grandparents were beaten and starved to death, but..." Ava caught him off.

"What has my grandparents got to do with my parents and these bad guys?" she asked, bored and frustrated. I could tell that she just wanted to know who the 'bad guys' were and why there were after her and her parents.

"I'm getting to it, be patient. Anyway, but the men that captured your grandparents didn't know that they had a son, your dad. When he found about his parents death he swore he would avenge them.

"He devoted his life to catching his parents' killers and joined MI6 too. That's when he met your mum and they feel in love. Your dad was still going after his parents killers but this time your mum helped him - her dad had been tortured and killed by the same men - and they were close.

"Your mum was pregnant with you by that time and with them being so close to catching their parents' killers they couldn't stop. That's when Alex's dad comes in.

"Your mum had to stop working so Alex's dad stepped in for her. Your dad and his dad had managed to get a couple of the men but when they were about to get the third, your mum was in labour so they left it. Let's just say that was a big mistake." Ava and I looked at him confused.

"You can't just finish there," Ava protested. Jake sighed and carried on.

"Fine, when your dad bailed on the third man he didn't noticed that he was being watched by the third person's men and they went after him. You had a happy family for a few days before your mum quizzed your dad and he remembered there were men following him everywhere.

"That's when they realised they were in danger and tried to run, but on their way out of town, something made them crash and your dad died straight away. Your mum was OK though - besides her legs being trapped and she couldn't get out - so she called Alex's dad and he took you away." She still looked extremely confused about something though.

"That explains why they were after my parents but why are they after me?"

"They're after you because of two reasons; one, in case you do the same as your parents and go after them and two, because your parents were the best spies when they were alive - better than your grandparents - and if they were better then you'll probably be better than your parents." I answered. She stared at both of us bewildered. She was in the process of standing up and walking away when Charlie came from around the corner.

"Charlie!" Ava practically squealed, happy to see a friendly face. Charlie smiled when she saw Ava but it wasn't a happy-to-see-you smile more like this-is-going-to-be-hard smile. Ava's smile soon vanished as Charlie gave Jake and I nod in greeting. Yes Ava, we know each other, Charlie is one of us.

"Ava, Jake and Alex are telling you the truth, you're the child of the two best spies in their generations and you could be even better. You're a spy, and so are we," she said gently trying to make it sound like a good thing.

"You're part of this nonsense! Is that why you became my friend? So you could keep tabs on me? Watch me? Was it even supposed to go that far or were you just to watch from a distance like my teachers in school!" Ava snapped.

"Yes I knew, and I didn't become your friend to keep tabs on you, I was to protect you."

"Well you didn't do a very good job!" Ava exclaimed rolling up her sleeves. Everyone sucked in their breaths when they saw the bruises - including me.

"Jeez! I never knew it was that bad," she gasped.

"Well it is!" Then came the water works. Thank God we have Charlie right now - Jake can't comfort shit and I hate slobbery messes.

Charlie wrapped her arms around Ava and whispered "I'm sorry" in her ear. Ava lifted her head and looked Charlie in the eye, "You know you say that too much." Charlie smiled and they started laughing - well Charlie laughed, Ava was half crying, half laughing. Girls and their emotional hormones.

After the tears stopped Ava looked around surprised to still see Jake and me still sitting at the fountain. "So I'm supposed to believe that I'm a spy that's being hunted by a group of bad guys because of my parents and because I could become one of the best spies in my lifetime?" She asked wiping at her eyes.

"Pretty much," I replied shrugging my shoulders.

"The real question here, is do you?" Jake asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Not really, but I'm prepared to try." Jake and I stared at her, confused as hell but Charlie just smiled. "I need some adventure and danger in my life; I'm bored with the same routine." Jake grinned and Charlie high-fived her.

"Great! So I guess its home time," I said stretching as I stood up. This time Ava was the one with the puzzled look on her face.

"What now?" she asked.

"Yip, we'll meet up with everyone else tomorrow and talk about your training." Jake said.

"Who is everyone else?" she asked and I smiled. Females and their one hundred and one questions.

"You'll have to wait and see," I said pulling her towards the bus stop.

Surprisingly, things didn't go as bad as I thought they would have. I was certain that there would have been a whole load more tears and anger and, well, refusal. But Ava is stronger than I expected. Let's just see how she copes once she meets the team and sees the school. We'll obviously have to work a few things out with Mr Rite and that but I'm sure that'll get sorted rather quickly.

Is it bad that I can't wait to kick her ass... The woman needs knocked down a few pegs, if you know what I mean. She thinks she's little Miss Invisible, I'll show her. I have to admit though, she's got guts and skills - what with the diving down a floor onto gymnastic equipment. I still have no flipping clue how the hell she's still alive after that. I thought I'd be scooping up fragments of her body when I saw her hurl herself over the railing.

And before you say anything, I am most definitely not starting to like Miss Ava Smith, I'm merely complimenting her before I break her down and reconstruct her into one of us.