Agent 34 (Book 1)

25. Maybe open with a joke, perhaps?

See, I didn't make you all wait that long.

So real quick. I have a midterm this coming week that I need to study for, a woodworking project to finish, several homework assignments, and various other projects I have to get done by the end of the week. So there likely won't be another update later this week.

In addition to that, the week after is my spring break, so I get a week off from my classes, but I will be unable to update during that week as well since I will be out of town the entire week. So, I will try and see about getting an update done before I leave, but I can't promise anything.

Lydia's POV

2 years ago . . .

I wanted to hit something.

Or someone.

I glared down at the papers in front of me. The proof. Even I hadn't wanted to believe it. But there it was. Right in front of me. I'd gone over everything a hundred times already. At least, it felt like I had.

No matter though, a traitor, I could deal with.

There were so many different ways after all. All the ones that came to mind were slow and painful. For now, I'd use him. Feed him information to pass on. Use him as my pawn in this game being played.

I'd also, continue to play up the part of the villain.

I glanced briefly down at the watch on my wrist. A gift from my father, many years ago. It had many different useful features beyond telling time. The one and only reason I'd kept it, however, was because it was bugged.

My father had given it to me, under the guise of a birthday gift. I'd known better. It had a listening device in it. A direct line to Zero's office. My oh-so-loving father had given me the watch to spy on me.

It was a shame, that his plan was instead my gain.

I didn't wear the watch often. I hated every second I had it on my wrist. But when I did, I made sure there was something worth listening to. Didn't matter if any of it was true, as I tended to spin things in my favor, I let Zero hear what he wanted to hear. I played the part of the evil villain to an audience all the while keeping my true motives secret.

I knew the second he entered the building, as Nathan came to inform me that the traitor had arrived. And as I stared down at the printed-out correspondence between him and his unknown master regarding what would be done about my meddling little sister, I felt my anger soar once more.

Forget using him. I was just going to kill him. But not before I put on a show.

Hyperaware of the watch on my wrist, I silently rehearsed what I was going to say in my head. They needed a villain, so I gave them one. Better to have my sister running after me when I didn't intend to kill her, rather than having her run after the real person responsible.

So I'd say everything Zero wanted to hear. Take credit for everything I'd never done. And kill a traitor all for anyone listening. And the moment my show was over, I'd take off the watch, lock it away in the soundproof box I'd had made for it, and get back to work finding the real person responsible for pulling Garrett's strings.

But before that, I had a traitor to deal with.

"Hayden Torrens," I muttered under my breath as I picked up the typed-out phone call detailing everything that would be done to my sister once Hayden had handed her over to this mysterious mastermind. "You fucked with the wrong family."

Present . . .

I rubbed at my wrist, acutely aware of the fact that my watch was not on it. That was no mistake, I never brought it to my sister's house. Ever. Still, I'd been wearing it so often I was beginning to feel incomplete without it.