The Hitman

The Discovery

Nick Sievers' POV

My father inhaled sharply. He slowly turned his head back toward us, ignoring the red hand print appearing on his face.

He cocked his head and gave us a twisted smile. "I see swine can't help but attract more swine."

Brook tensed again, but I gripped her shoulder. "Don't. This is what he wants"

"How could you abandon my mother?" I asked.

Father brushed off his sleeve where I had touched him. "Your mother was dirty, good-for-nothing-"

I clenched my fists. "Don't you ever talk about my mother that way!"  I pulled back my arm and punched him in the stomach.

Silence fell over the hallway. Shocked, I stared at my now trembling hand. What had I done?

My father was as stone-faced as ever. With a steady grip, he yanked my arm with one hand and opened a closet door with the other.

"No!" I cried. I tried to pull away, but he was too strong. I kicked, I screamed, I scratched, I bit.

Yet I was still nearing that black void. Nothing I could do would stop that.

My father shoved me into the closet. I collapsed against the wall as the door slammed shut. There was a click as the door locked. Even though I knew it was futile, I rattled the doorknob, then pounded on the door.

Eventually, I collapsed against the wooden door in a sobbing heap. In the pitch black of a tiny room I wept, with nobody to hear or care about my cries.

When my father came back precisely twenty-four hours later, I promised myself to never give him what he wanted again.

Emily Anderson's POV

Sighing, I leaned against the locked door. There was no sound from within. I felt horrible for Brook, but I knew what I did was for the best. She wasn't in her right mind.

And then Sievers....

He had actually tried to kill Joel. It would be best for everyone once he was dead.

I gripped the cold metal of the key in my hand. Slowly, I turned it in the doorknob and opened the door.

I exhaled. "Brook, I'm-"

The room was empty, with a hole in the middle of the ceiling.

Nick Sievers' POV

"This isn't the time to argue.  My daughters' lives are on the line."  I turned my back on my father and began trudging toward the city, swatting at stray plants.

Footsteps behind me ensured that the others were following. Good.

I checked my watch. 9:30. Only two and a half hours left.

I just prayed we could get there in time.

Emily Anderson's POV

"Can we follow them?" I asked the agents around me. "Do we know where they are?"

Someone cleared their throat, and I turned to look.

Joel. He was on a set of crutches, with bandages wrapped around his abdomen, forearm, and head

"Joel Conway," I said, putting my hands on my hips, "you are in no shape to be up and about."

He shook his head, clearly trying to hide the pain. "I know how to find them."

"Brook and Sievers?" I asked.

He nodded, and I held out my hands. "Well, pray tell."

Joel opened his mouth to answer, but the moment seemed to last for eternity.

"Sievers still has the tracker on him."