Agent 13 (Book 1)

27. Now that's no way to greet an old friend

Thirteen's POV

For once I don't know what to do. It's been four years since I've seen him. Four years of avoiding him at all costs. Somehow I knew I was going to see him again, I just wish I was more prepared. I feel numb, as if everything around me just stopped, as if it's not going on. I knew I would see him again but there was one thing I wished for every time I thought about it...that I would be alone.

This is was why I wanted to work alone, this was why I was a solo agent. I pull two knives from my boots and grip the handles tightly. I vaguely hear Cody calling my name, asking me what's wrong.

"Thirteen." He waves his hand in front of my face. "What is it?" He questions.

"You get out of here, understand?" I tell him.

"What?"

"No matter what happens you get Hayden and yourself out." I hold the knives tighter. "If I'm not with you when you get out, leave without me."

"Not a chance." He replies.

"It's not open for negotiation Cody."

"Who is it if not Zack?" Hayden questions, though he hasn't tried arguing with me yet so that's good.

"Tony?" Cody suggests.

"No."

"Then who-"

"Seventy-seven." I cut him off, avoiding his gaze. He seems shocked as he says nothing and continues to bore his stare into the side of my head.

"You told me he was dead." He says finally.

"He's dead to me." I pause. "And I never said he was dead, I simply said that he was gone." I turn and move to step out into his line of sight.

"Are you crazy?" Hayden says as he grabs hold of my shoulder pulling me back. "He'll kill you."

"No, he won't..." I pause. "Well maybe." Hayden gives me a suspicious look.

"What are you going to do?"

"Piss him off," I answer. I'm slammed against the wall.

"Then he'll definitely kill you!" I shove him off me and Cody has to grab him to keep him from falling over.

"It's the only way you two can get out without him noticing you. Yeah, he fights better when he's pissed but he also doesn't notice anything else around him except the person who pissed him off." I turn the corner swiftly, I barely feel Cody's fingers on my arm as he tries to grab me and pull me back.

His back is to me as I approach, until he turns, a smirk on his face. I stop in my tracks.

"Been a long time." He turns around fully to face me. He eyes the knives in my hands. "Now that's no way to great an old friend."

I don't say anything in reply, for fear of slipping up and saying something I shouldn't.  He raises an eyebrow at me.

"What? Got nothing to say? No, oh it's nice to see you again, or oh how I missed you."

"One of the only things my father ever taught me was, if I've got nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all," I reply.

"Well you've certainly changed." He says giving me a once over. I say nothing. "You know you're not going to kill me."

"And you're not going to kill me," I reply. "But you're not stopping me from leaving."

"Funny how that works." He says with a sly smile. "Cause if I'm not mistaken you weren't brought in here alone." Dread sets in almost immediately. He starts to stalk towards me. "So where are your little friends?"