Bleeding Hearts

Chapter 9

I woke up and felt as if my head had been hit by a freight train. I slowly opened my eyes and blinked couple times. I felt something cool on my head, then it disappeared and came back again. That's when I realized there was a person right beside me. Instinctively, I kicked my leg up hitting the person in the groin. They cried out in pain and dropped to the ground groaning in pain. I tried to stand up but something bit into my right wrist and pulled me back. I looked and saw I was cuffed to a metal pole. Seriously? I looked around trying to find something to use to defend myself. I glanced over at the person on the floor and saw them slowly starting to stand up. Here goes nothing. I picked up the chair I'd been sitting on and threw it against the wall. Nothing happened. I picked it up again and did it two more times before a chair leg fell off. I threw the chair to my left and picked the leg up just as the person was able to stand again. I swung the chair leg towards the person's knee as hard as I could, but just as it came close, the person jumped up and I heard the chair leg connect with the persons ankle followed by a loud thud. I swung the leg down to where the person was laying but it connected with the floor instead. Who the hell does this person think they are? Wait till I get out of this cuff, I'll kick the shit out of them. I look up to where the person rolled when they dodged my swing. My face felt hot and my blood boiled.
"Stop!"
I was a bit startled that the person said anything, but I was to pissed off to do anything.
"Who the hell are you? Just wait till I get loose you'll wish you were dead."
"Just let me explain god dammit!" I could tell this person-or female by the sounds of the voice-was trying very hard to contain her own spark of rage as she spoke.
"Explain? Explain what? Why I'm cuffed to a pole? Why the hell I'm not in my car driving?"
"Yes so shut up!"
I took a breath through pursed lips trying to calm myself down. I nodded my head for the person to speak.
"Look, yes I admit I'm the one who used a dart gun on you to get you here. Yes, I also cuffed you to a pole. Guilty as charged. Here's the thing, if I would've asked to talk to you, would you have said yes?"
I snorted. Of course not. I don't have time for-
"Right there. That's my point. The minute I asked you your face distorted into disgust. You must think you're too good for me don't you?"
I looked over to meet the person's gaze but the hood shadowed the face so I couldn't see.
"Actually no. In fact, I don't think I'm better than anyone else. If anything I'm you friendly neighbourhood average joe if that makes sense. I just don't have time for stupid distractions when I have an important job to do. So if you'll be so kind as to un-cuff me, I'll promise not too beat the living day lights out of you as much." This time it was the women's turn to snort.
"I'd like to see you try Agent Young."
I tried to hide my shock. I felt like someone sucker punched me in the gut. I forced out a laugh.
"I'm sorry but I've never heard that name before. My name is Katlyn Re-"
"Katlyn Reed. I know, that's the name I chose for my very last mission."
"Last mission?"
"I believe your name is Nari Young. You work for the S.T.K. If my research is correct you're half-Canadian and half-Korean. Mom was Korean well dad was Canadian. On July 7, 2003, a 12 year old girl awoke to screaming. She ran downstairs to see a man gut her parents. She hid behind the corner just as he looked her way. She muffled her cries praying to God that he would leave. Eventually he did but he left the girl alive, and she called the police. He was caught a week later and sentenced to life in prison. The girl on the other hand was put in a mental hospital and had therapy almost every day for 2 years until she finally escaped. After about 2 weeks of running trying to find a place to call home, the S.T.K. showed up and took this girl in. She's been working for them ever since taking down criminal after criminal. She trains harder than any other agent in the field, and her criminals never escape. In the end they all have the same fate. Death. I do believe that you're familiar with all of this?"
My throat was dry. I never told anyone what happened to my parents or the 2 years of therapy that was crap. Not even the S.T.K. knew. They asked me constantly, but I refused to ever tell them. I always told them that I'd take that story to my grave, so eventually they gave up and let that part of my past stay buried.
"H-how...do you know..?" I croaked. I felt tears build up in my eyes but I refused to let them fall. I took a deep breath seeing as how laboured my breathing became and swallowed hard. The tears finally stopped threatening to fall and I was able to think clearly. My fury burned hotter than the sun.
"I said, how. Do. You. Know?" The lady simply looked at me.
"HOW DO YOU KNOW?! TELL ME. HOW? I'VE NEVER TOLD ANYONE!"
I was shouting at the top of my lungs. I hated the reminder that I couldn't save my parents. I hated the therapy, being caged like a wild animal. Now I'm chained up, and this person marches in just to tell me they know who I am better than anyone else. It makes me mad. No, it infuriates me.
"Same as how you catch your criminals. Research."
"You have no right-"
"Really? But you have a right to look through other peoples files? You're allowed to go through others lives till you know every detail about them? Did they give you the privilege to do all that?"
"That's different." I spat. "They're scumbags who've murdered for fun. I don't murder because I enjoy it. I hate it. You know why I do it? Huh? Was that in your research?" The lady didn't respond, instead she just stood there, waiting for me to continue.
"That's what I thought. I do it because they've destroyed people's lives. Families have been ripped apart because of people like them. They deserve what they get."
"Maybe they do, maybe they don't. That's not why I brought you here though."
I scoffed. "Then why am I here?"
"I want to help you take Fiona down."

15 minutes later

"Here. Drink this."
Ignoring the water she wanted to give me, I spoke up.
"Why? Why do you want to work with me?"
She sighed and placed the water on a dresser that was on my left.
"Well I guess it's only fair I tell you a bit about me, since I know so much about you."
"Don't even start."
"I'm sorry I didn't mean it that way."
"If you want me to know more about you let me see your face."
She shook her head. "No."
"Why not?"
"Because it's not something people like to see."
"If you want to work with me, you need to pull the hood off and let me see."
She sighed. "Fine."
She pulled her hood down, then removed the bandana and glasses she was wearing. I just sat there studying her sharp features. Her eyes, sorry, eye, was a beautiful piercing metallic blue. Her hair was jet black and she had plump lips. What intrigued me the most was her scar. It started at her brow, then descended down over her other eye and touched the top of her lip. Well one eye was piercing blue, her other eye was milky white.
"Well? This is me." I could hear the nervousness in her voice and knew she was not comfortable with how I was studying her features.
"Dude, the scar is badass. I don't know why you're so nervous, you're still gorgeous with it." I was surprised at my own words but I genuinely meant it. She was gorgeous, she would make all the men's jaws drop and have them howling at the moon. Figuratively of course, although who knows?
She looked up at me shocked, but she quickly turned it into a big grin.
"Thanks." She whispered, if I wouldn't have been paying attention to her I probably wouldn't have heard it. Her face suddenly turned serious.
"I guess I should tell you a bit about me then huh?"
I nod, and she continues.
"Well first off, my name's Natalie Green. I used to work for the S.T.K. just like you. Only instead of them finding me, I guess you could say I found them in a way. I used to be a undercover cop, and I loved my job. The thing with me was I always got in trouble with my boss. I was rebellious, and that was dangerous. Even I knew that. I just couldn't help it. Finally my boss's patience wore thin. She said if I screwed up one more time that's it. She would have to fire me. Of course I didn't want that so I stayed in line. I didn't stray. However, one day I was watching a man to see if he was the thug we'd been looking for for a week. I was only supposed to sit there and watch until he left the bar but I followed him down an alleyway when one of your agents dropped in. I watched as the man beat the living hell out of the thug. It was kinda scary, in the end however, he killed the thug. Being the idiot I was I tried to stop the other man. That's how I got this scar. He ended up knocking me unconscious and took me with him. When I woke up, the Chief, Madeline Merlo, was standing above me. She technically hired me on the spot. She trained me and taught me everything I know. But once a rebel always a rebel. Let's just say I screwed up my last mission big time. I...I got my partner killed." She looked down trying to hide her tears. When one fell she quickly wiped it away before continuing.
"Chief Merlo was furious. She fired me over the phone when I was in the hospital. She said she didn't fire me in person because she couldn't even look at me. Once again, my rebellious streak got me fired. Technically I wasn't fired from my last job....yet. If that thug would've lived, my boss would've found out I'd followed him that day. I knew she would, and I still believe it to be true to this day." She sighed. I took her pause in her story and digested everything she told me. Then I came to a decision. Maybe my life would go to hell, or maybe this was all a big mistake, whatever the consequences I'd deal with them later. I sighed and stuck out my hand. She looked back at me surprised.
"It looks like you've got yourself a new partner."
She grinned and took my hand.