The Master Assassin

About Time for a Laugh

The realization blows me away. And what comes next just makes the winds sweep me away quicker:

Mark smiles.

He smiles.

Mark. Smiling.

Then it occurs to me: he can read my thoughts. He knows.

And he's smiling.

As in actually smiling.

Then he starts laughing.

Laughing.

It must be the end of the world. Today, the world must explode.

"How on earth?" Mark is laughing, not at me, but because he's just so happy that he's... Laughing.

"How on earth did he do that?" he tries to stop laughing, only to start again. And he's not being very quiet about it, so it only takes a minute for Roy to enter the room. He looks as stunned as I am.

"Mark, did you finally go insane?" he asks, looking concerned.

That brings a smile to my face, and makes Mark laugh harder.

This is so nice. Laughing. Smiling. With friends.

I thought all of this was lost to me. But it seems that it's part of the package of choosing Logan. And Mark. And Roy. And being a secret agent.

Well, no. I don't want to be a secret agent. I want to stay here, with all of these people. These people that I trust, against all odds. More of a spy than an agent.

Call me Black Widow.

No, not really. That's copyrighted anyway.

And I realize then that I now know who I am. Or, sorta. I'm more myself when I have a purpose.

Even if it's a maybe that Logan'll live, I've got Mark. And a reason to slit some guys' throats.

Smiles and rainbows all around.

Am I right or am I right?

"No, I'm perfectly sane," Mark laughs, clutching his side, out of breath. "Well, then are you drunk?" Roy asks, and at this, I burst out laughing.

Roy just stands there looking utterly confused, as Mark and I fall on the floor laughing.

I miss this.

If I missed anything from home, this was it.

I'm home now.

"No, I'm not drunk," Mark manages, still out of breath as he sits himself upright, recomposing himself. I try to follow his example, sitting up and finding myself in a fit of giggles.

"Then what on earth is going through your head?!" Roy walks over, looking at us. "Oh, nothing," Mark smirks, "it's what's going through Olivia's head."

Roy's expression gives me another round of laughter, and keeps the smile on Mark's face.

He looks a lot different when he smiles. His features change, and he seems more like a brother or a best friend.

This must be the Mark Logan knows.

The thought makes me happy. Fills me with happiness. Something I haven't had the privilege to feel recently.

So many happy things today.

I wish I could close the book of my life here, happily, that's what I wish. I wish I could end happily. I wish these were my final moments in life.

But they're not. I still have a long way to go.

I've got to find Logan.

I'm going to save him.

And then I'm going to defeat his enemies.

And pray and hope he loves me as much as I love him.

He probably won't.

He's a trained killer, heartless.

Except not heartless, because he didn't kill me. He saved me. He kissed me. He broke me. He fixed me.

And I love him for it.

END OF BOOK ONE
😏
Book Two Will Be Posted Soon!!!