Home: Book 1

Chapter 2

Alex

Noise. It was everywhere. Ciara stood tall on the stage, gripping the megaphone with determination as she prepared to address the crowd of eager recruits.

"Hello!" she exclaimed into the megaphone; her voice amplified to a startling volume that even caught her off guard. A chuckle escaped her lips as she adjusted to the unexpected amplification. Boy, her reaction was so cute. "Hi," she continued in a softer tone, her character shifting to one of casual confidence. "I am wild card. You'll get to know more about me after your training is complete."

Her gaze swept over the crowd, searching for someone amongst the sea of faces. And then it suddenly stopped. Her gaze was on me. My heart skipped a beat as she called my name, her voice cutting through the din with startling clarity.

"Alex, come up here," she summoned, her tone both commanding and teasing. My initial instinct was to freeze, the sudden spotlight making me feel exposed and vulnerable. But Ciara's raised eyebrow and gentle chiding spurred me into action.

"Ally, stop being shy in front of your juniors," she teased, her words coaxing me forward with a mixture of amusement and encouragement.

I bounded onto the stage, unable to resist the magnetic pull of her presence. Leaning close, I whispered in her ear, my voice barely audible above the cry of the room, "You really know which spot to hit, don't you?"

A smirk tugged at the corners of her lips as she leaned in, her breath warm against my ear. "I know you in and out, darling," she replied, her words sending a shiver down my spine.

The endearment caught me off guard, filling me with a rush of warmth and longing. But as much as I wished to confess my feelings for her, I knew that she only saw me as a friend.

In the midst of the bustling crowd of new recruits, my eyes caught sight of a familiar face among the sea of strangers. A young man stood there; his features strikingly similar to the guy whose images sat on Ciara's bedside frames. Panic surged within me as I prayed desperately that Ciara wouldn't notice the resemblance, but the tightening grip of her hand around mine told me otherwise.

I knew I had to act fast. With a quick decision, I seized the megaphone from Ciara's grasp, using the distraction to divert attention away from the potentially awkward situation.

"All of you will be divided into three groups of six," I declared, my voice projecting over the noise of the room. "And each group will be led by one of us. My friend here—" I began, only to be corrected by Ciara's pointed interjection.

"Girlfriend," she emphasized, a hint of amusement in her tone. The reminder momentarily caught me off guard, the realization of our fabricated relationship flooding back to me with a mix of amusement and affection.

"Right, my girlfriend, she is new to this. So, I suggest you guys go easy on her." I corrected, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. It felt oddly satisfying to refer to Ciara in such intimate terms, even if it was just for show.

But any sense of satisfaction was short-lived as Ciara reclaimed the megaphone with a pointed glare, her words slicing through the air with firm determination.

"You can go easy on me if you want. But, I won't because no villain goes easy on you in real life," she declared, her voice tinged with a strong determination that sent a shiver down my spine.

In that moment, I was reminded once again of why Ciara was the best at what she did. Her steadfast commitment to her role, her refusal to back down in the face of difficulty – it was what made her truly exceptional.

Before I could respond, Lana, our fellow trainer, intervened with her trademark efficiency, her no-nonsense directive cutting through the tension like a knife.

"Get into groups of six. We don't have all day," she commanded, her voice ringing out with cold authority.

As the recruits hurried to obey, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Lana. The loss of Carl had clearly taken its toll on her.