Bad Decisions

•SIX•

Her phone was dragging her awake.

It was chirping and vibrating on her nightstand, under the note Noah had left. Aurora rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and popped an eye open to see who the fuck was calling her at this hour.

It was Riker.

This would not be a fun call.

Thirty minutes later, she was standing at the clinic, police lights making the area glow blue and red, white sheets over bodies.

"I'm the head of security," Aurora said as she stepped from her car to the cops who approached. She had her own work badge, and the police were partially bought out by M.I.N.D Labs, so they let her in. Riker was already standing in the burned out husk of the clinic.

"No other casualties but our two security guys," he said as she got to his side. "This is the worst we've seen it. Layton will be asking for an update on Sebastian come morning."

"I know," Aurora said, toeing a piece of charcoal. "He's very slippery, skilled at what he does, and determined ."

Riker caught her eye. "And a dead man," he said pointedly.

Aurora agreed. "When I have the chance, and can get him alone."

They left the burned out building, Aurora already on the phone with the legal team to make insurance claims. Riker got the identities of the two security guards to pass on condolences to the families, if they had any.

"How's your dad?" Aurora asked as Riker walked her back to her car an hour later, after they filled out some paperwork. She watched his face fall.

"Still hooked up," was all he said, before he turned away to get into his own car.

Sunrise was a few hours from then, but Aurora didn't go back to her apartment. For the second time that night, she found herself sitting outside the new residence of Noah Sebastian.

She had to give Layton something of substance in the morning, but she just didn't know what to give him.

And by the time he was stomping into her office hours later, she still hadn't figured it out. He slammed the door shut, and glared at her.

"What the fuck is taking so long, Kestrel?" Layton demanded. Aurora closed her eyes. Fuck.

"Like I told Riker during the night-" she began, but he cut her off.

"I don't give two shits about what you said during the night. What the fuck have you been doing?"

"Researching. We don't want to cut the head off and have three more replace it," Aurora snapped, standing up.

Layton set his jaw, and leaned his fists onto her desk. "You're the best at what you do, so I expect the fucking best, Aurora. Just kill the fucking Hydra." He didn't say the quiet part out loud. Get me my results, or else.

He stormed out of her office, flinging the door closed so hard the glass in it cracked.

Aurora's day only got worse when Lucas called her.

"I need you to take a few days off to cool down," he said, and Aurora could feel irritation boiling up in her.

"Fine," she snapped, and hung up the phone.

She was going through addresses of Nicholas when she found it. One of the addresses, lumped in with houses, vacant lots, and convenience stores, was a nightclub. It wasn't high end, fancy, or anything special, but it was known to be a hangout for the seedier type of people.

And she had a feeling she would find exactly who she was looking for there.

She showered when she got home, taking her time to wash, exfoliate, oil, and moisturize her whole body before stepping out to do her hair and makeup. She opted for a dark, smoky eye, using waterproof mascara over her eyelash extensions, and used a colorless lip glass to shine her lips up. She did one single bubble braid down the back of her head, and to seal the deal, slipped on a little black dress. The neck plunged, showing off her cleavage, and was so tight it hugged her ass. And to top it all off, a leather jacket, and Doc Martens.