Love filled with Lies

13.

​My heart skipped a beat and I felt my face heat up. Oh my god, he knows about me and Conner, was the only thought that was going through my head. I then faced away from him and walked over to my desk because I didn't want to see the look of disappointment on his face.

​"What, what are you talking about, Nigel."
​I still had my head down avoiding eye contact.
​"I know everything Agent 1, you can't lie to me anymore."
​I then finally turned around and looked him in the eyes.
​"I'm sorry Nigel, I just didn't want you to get angry or take me off this assignment!"
​His expression looked confused.
​"Why would I take you off the assignment? You didn't do anything wrong except for not reporting it to me. I understand that you and Crystal are colleagues, but what she did was wrong and it could have affected this assignment."

​I then realised Nigel wasn't talking about Conner and me, he was talking about how Crystal deleted the scan.
​"I know Nigel I'm sorry I didn't tell you. She only deleted just her own file and I'd already looked at her scan so I didn't think it was a big deal."
​"It's up to me to decide if something's a big deal or not, but I accept your apology agent 1, now if there is anything else that happens you are to come to me and inform me straight away! Do you understand?"
​"Yes, I understand," I replied.
Nigel then turned around and left without saying another word and honestly I was relieved.

​The next morning, I woke up early, and my body felt rested and ready for training. As I was walking down to the track I heard a scream and I then saw everyone sprint towards the arena. I followed them over and what I saw made the colour drain from my face. There is the fight ring was Crystal tied to the corner post. She had a gunshot wound in her forehead and she was... dead. Everyone was crowding around the ring; some agents were in tears and others just stood there completely still. We were all in shock.

Bloody writing was sloped on Crystals head saying 'UR NEXT.' Nigel entered the arena and all the agents moved aside to make way for him. He stepped up and ducked under the rope, entering the ring and examining Crystal. He then turned around and faced us.

​"The intruder strikes again!" he shouted angrily. "She has gone after another agent and this time it is publicly. This action is a bold statement telling us that she IS NOT afraid to kill. It's time to up our game agents. If you have any information on anyone I DON'T CARE HOW CLOSE YOU ARE WITH THEM, YOU TELL ME! Oh and if the intruder is here right now standing amongst us, I just want you to know that I will find out who you are and when I do I will KILL YOU. So if you want to live you better run, run far away otherwise you WILL DIE!"

​Nigel's face was red with anger as he screamed at us. I couldn't stand to stay there any longer. It felt like my lungs were closing up and my head was about to explode. I had to leave. I turned around and sprinted back to my room. My vision was blurry from the tears I shed. I felt responsible for Crystal's death because I hadn't worked hard enough to find the traitor. I was glad to see Conner standing outside my door when I arrived.
​"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, what's up? Isabella, what has happened, are you ok?" I fell into his embrace, mainly because of my legs giving way.
​I was struggling to breathe as I tried to tell Conner what happened. "There...Crystal... dead... our fault!" were the only words that managed to come out of my mouth. Conner was now rubbing his hand up and down my arm trying to calm me.
​"Ok, ok, just breathe, ok, just breathe and everything will be all right."
Connor took my key and led me inside to the sofa. I sat in Conner's arms trying to get the picture of Crystal's dead body out of my head. Eventually, my breathing returned too normal and I calmed down.
​"Ok so if you're up to it, tell me what happened," Conner said.
​"Crystals dead, she was shot in the head and tied to the ring." As I said this my eyes started to water again.

Conner appeared shocked and he kept holding me tight.
"It's all our fault, she's dead," I said. "It is because of us Conner. We should have found out who the intruder was, but instead of concentrating on the assignment, we were cuddling at the beach. This is your fault because you're the one who was distracting me with dates, swims, movies and picnics. And now someone's dead because of you!" My voice was raised accusingly and I was crying. I was no longer in his embrace.

​"My fault; how is this my fault? I have done all I can to try and find the intruder and we will find her Isabella, we will, but it's just taking time. I know you're just upset and saying things you don't mean."

​"I mean exactly what I'm saying, you should not have distracted me, and then we would have worked harder and found out who the traitor was by now."

​"What are you trying to say?" he asked, with a worried look on his face.
​"I'm saying that we are done."
"Isabella, are you breaking up with me?" The hurt in his voice made me want to run into his arms and kiss him until my lips were numb but I knew I couldn't because I would not let anyone else's death be on my hands.
​"Yes, I am."
Conner just stared at me and his ocean blue eyes were now full of hurt and probably a little anger. We both stood in silence, looking into each other's eyes waiting for - what, I don't know. He then slowly turned around and walked out of my door without saying another word. I wanted to scream out for him to stay, but I had to let him go for the sake of finding this murderer.