The Deadly (Part 3 of the Syndicate Series)

Chapter 7- Old Friends

Rosine:

I knew what the odds were. If Alessio had indeed invited men from all of the main syndicates in the immediate area, then Blaise would be among them. I had done everything possible to have zero contact over the previous years. For my sake and theirs, I never reached out, I never checked on them. I knew Blaise would be a good leader to the men and take care of my sister, what more could I ask for? The couple of times they reached to hire our team for a contract, Forte had met them instead of me, passing along the information. They didn't know who I was.

My friends asked me sometimes if I wanted to know how they were doing, but the answer was always the same. No, I needed that separation for my own sake, but they deserved it, too. If I was to show up at my old home then march right up to the doorstep, it wouldn't take long for word to get around that the rightful heir was home. Not only would it put Blaise's claim to power in danger, but how much longer would it be before people realized who it was? That the murdered Frenchman's daughter was really Allegra, the woman who took their contracts and killed people for them? I had caused enough danger to Blaise and my sister for long enough. Last time I was there, two other family members died because of me.

He would be at this meeting today, and I would have to face him. Some recess of my brain was harboring hope that maybe he wouldn't recognize me and I could avoid addressing the matter altogether. Through my work, I had grown up and aged differently than I expected- injuries that left me scarred, injuries that required reconstructive surgery. Belle and I weren't identical, so maybe he wouldn't recognize me at all anymore.

I was lying to myself and I knew it. Blaise would be a fool if he didn't recognize me, and he wasn't one. Somehow I would just need to temper my reactions and emotions. I briefly wondered if it would have been better to bring one of my teammates as someone to ground me and remind me to stay focused. But being alone would be better- I wouldn't be worried or looking out for anyone but myself, I only had to worry about self-preservation and fulfilling the contract. They would be in my ear anyways, in case I needed help.

Thankfully, I was thinking about my earpiece when it squawked on, so it didn't startle me or make me jerk the wheel. Nyoka's voice crackled through, "How far out are you?"

"Probably about 20 minutes," I murmured as the trees flash by, knowing that the mic was good enough to pick up my voice.

"And how are you feeling?" Nyoka asked hesitantly. I knew what she was really trying to say, and she just wasn't sure if I was willing to talk about what was going on in my head.

The truth was, everything was too jumbled in my head to make sense of it all. So much of the last year was spent in a haze. Forte's death was every emotion at once, hitting like an avalanche and burying me under the ice. I had dug myself out of those feelings now, my head was above the snow and I was able to walk and crawl towards safety. But the cold air of the mountains was making me numb to everything, and there wasn't warmth or help in sight. I was just stumbling and wandering in the wilderness, numb to everything. Only ever feeling the Nothing.

"I feel fine," I lied, knowing full well that I wasn't. I didn't feel anything, and that wasn't right. "I don't think anything will go wrong, but I'll be careful since we've never exactly had a corporate meeting with these people before."

"We've never really had much personal contact with these people at all," Daitan's voice also crackled over the mic to point out. "Just be ready for anything, the men in this industry tend to be a little more volatile without all put in one room. We don't need you getting caught in a dispute."

I checked over my shoulder as I changed lanes, "I know I cased the place last time I was in there, I'll have an escape route at all times."

There was something muttered in the background that I couldn't make out, but it vaguely sounded like Phoenix's voice. A clanging sound rang out followed by some imaginative cursing. It was loud enough to make me flinch.