Crossing Borders

Assassins, Hormones, Whipped and A Whole Lot of Understatement

When they reached downstairs everyone was at the receiving area, eating and talking.

"You took your time." Jared says seeing them walk down the stairs.

"Yeah, well, Astrid said she needed a breather..." Damien smirks, Derek choke on his food, causing everyone to turn to him, not noticing Damien's pun. "Food down the wrong pipe, Derek?"

Astrid gave Damien a questioned look, which he answered with a raised a brow at her as if saying what? Astrid rolls her eyes and shook her head.

"You ok there Derek?" Astrid asks walking toward the coffee table where the food was.

Derek took a swig on his water bottle and raised a thumb.

Damien sat on the comfy chairs and Astrid settles by his foot taking her share of food and another for Damien. Dimitri watches them moving in sync and frowned, while the others had another thing in mind

Astrid was about to eat when she noticed the others watching her. Everyone was watching her, waiting for an explanation after Dimitri's little outburst earlier.

"I won't be able to eat peacefully if you're all looking at me like that." she says putting her food back at the table. No one spoke, "I guess I have a lot to explain?"

"Well, it would be great to know who and what we are up against," Collin says, "Should we be expecting trouble?"

Astrid glances at Dimitri who shrugged; he pulled out his phone and tossed it to Astrid.

"You have five houses eyeing you," he continues to eat, "including Duchovny."

"No surprise there." Astrid mumbles checking out the assignment profile, "The Jetsons as well? Hm, others are underdogs."

"Still, you shouldn't underestimate them." Dimitri says, "You know how father keep tracks of assassins all over the world? Well, his man was hit a couple of weeks ago and we haven't had any updates of new recruits or how each houses are doing. The only thing we do know is that we've lost almost a quarter of our, uhm, clients since you left."

"It's just been a couple of days." she says. "The house isn't that lame, you still got Spencer and Lila."

"What are these houses?" Derek asks.

"Assassins all over the world has a house of their own, I am- or rather, was part of the Duchovny house. It is one of the most in demand assassin house in the world-"

"That's after Astrid joined us. Back then, there were only father, some old assassins and me..." Dimitri says. "But no one wanted old killers, regardless how good they are. In this industry they don't go for the person with more experience, they go for new recruits."

"Why is that?"

"They're disposable." Astrid and Dimitri say in unison.

"Well, wouldn't killing the teacher be better?" Jared asks, "Killing from the root."

Astrid shook her head, "You wouldn't want to kill the source, then you wouldn't have anyone to hire again. New recruits are easy to dispose of, when they didn't want to pay the bounty; instead they'll pay the handler for the assassin's life, which is cheaper."

"All business." Jared nods, understanding.

"Houses needs the money, so yeah, it's all business, either money in exchange of an assignment, or for a life. It all depends on who cleans up first." Dimitri explains.