This book will be from two different people's perspective (not including prologue), Sage and a character that is introduced a little bit later on. I hope you guys enjoy it!
Prologue
11 years ago
I stood and watched from the doorway as Celina said goodbye to our baby girl. Sage looked so much like her mother, only much, much younger. They both had the same shade of wavy, brown hair that turned golden in the sunlight, the same oval-face, the same nose, the same everything. Apart from her eyes. No, her eyes were a deep, deep brown with little specks of gold in them. Very different from her mother's, which were the colour of grass. She had my eyes.
Celina had to kneel down to be eye-level with Sage. "Mummy and Daddy have to go out okay? Do you remember what Mummy told you?"
"Don't answer the door or the phone. If something bad happens call Uncle Rodger and go down to the bunker." Celina pulled her into a tight hug. "Why do you have to go Mummy? It's my birthday, I don't want you to go." Sage pouted, sticking her bottom lip out.
Celina pulled away from their embrace so she could look Sage in the eyes. "You know why, Sage. I don't want to go, neither does Daddy, but we have to." She kissed Sage lightly on the forehead. "We should be back by the morning. If something goes wrong, Rodger will pick you up and take you back to headquarters. You'll be safe there."
From where I stood I could just make out what Sage whisper next. "Don't die." She pulled away from Celina and smiled brightly, "now go save the world!" Celina laughed lightly and couldn't help but smile.
"We couldn't possibly leave before I get to say good-bye to my little princess!" I stepped into the room and Sage ran up and jumped into my arms. "Good-bye Daddy!" Sage giggled as I swung her around.
"Good-bye birthday girl. I'll see you in the morning, Mummy and I are very late." I kissed her forehead and gently placed her back down on the ground.
*****
When I stopped the car, Celina jumped out and started grabbing guns and knifes from the boot and attached them to her weapons belt, I followed suit. We crept through the dark bushes, our black outfits providing us with the perfect camouflage. I could see the lights of the house in the distance and immediately was on the lookout for guards.
This particular mission we've had for the past three months. The owner of the house was the leader of a group of terrorists and tonight he was hosting a meeting with the other leaders. It was our job to destroy the group, by any means necessary.
I felt Celina tense besides me, there was something up ahead. I raised my dagger and Celina pointed her gun towards the bush, it had a muffler on it so it wouldn't make any noise when it was fired. I moved around to the back of the bush while Celina covered my back.
But there was no one there.
I relaxed and turned back to face Celina. I met her eyes and she relaxed as well, realising the coast was clear.
All that surrounded us was silence. But still, we didn't move. My gut was telling me there was someone watching, hiding in the shadows and I knew Celina could feel it too.
We scanned the trees, searching for signs of life. Until, suddenly, two loud bangs ripped through air. Pain erupted through my right shoulder, it didn't feel that dissimilar to fire. This was a feeling that I was accustom to, I had been shot.
But I couldn't move, usually I would have just spun around and killed the attacker. They wouldn't have stood a chance, even with my good arm injured. I'd done it before.
But all I could do was stand there and stare. Stare at Celina's crumpled figure on the ground. At the blood gushing from her forehead. At her glassy eyes that saw nothing.
It felt like I stood there for hours, but it couldn't have been more then a second or two. I moved towards her, but I couldn't see much through the tears making their way down my face. I fell to my knees beside her and took her hand in mine.
"I love you-" I whispered, my voice breaking at the end. "Don't leave me." But I knew it was too late. She was already dead.
When you're in the line of business that I was in, you had to learn how to accept death. You have to know that things happen, people die. But this was different. This wasn't just some mission partner that made a mistake and got themself killed. This was someone I loved, that I couldn't imagine living my life without.
Filled with rage I got to my feet and reached for my gun. The pain in my shoulder had been completely forgotten.
I was gonna kill that bastard.
I raised my gun towards the trees, but before I could fire there was another loud bang. Then another and another. I don't know where the bullets hit me, but my legs gave way and I knew this was it. I was going to die.
The edges of my vision began to blur and I could feel the darkness closing in. But right before I gave up I heard a little girl giggling and I saw Sage's bright smile. I heard her like she was right beside me, whispering in my ear. 'Don't leave me.'
I told myself then, that I would get through this, I just had to stay awake until help got here. All agents were inserted with a chip, so headquarters would know if something went wrong. They would be on their way by now.
I couldn't leave Sage. If she had to grow up without her mother, than I would damn well make sure she doesn't have grow up without her father too.
I promise you Sage, I will never let anything happen to you.
The last thing I saw was the face of a man. It was a face I would never forget.
The face of Celina's killer.
