Project X - Agents & Assassins [COMPLETE]

Chapter 8

'That kid really beat me up, you know that August?', said Thomas as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a tiny towel. The room itself was dark and still a bit damp but was illuminated with the net screens and light bulbs. August nodded as he read some hacked information on one of the screens. 'Yes, my daughter tends to be a handful,' he answered. It was quiet for a moment, just a moment of silence until Thomas opened his mouth. 'My son would've liked her spirit,' he mumbled. August stopped reading and turned around towards Thomas. Thomas, once an enthusiastic fellah with dreams and hopes. One of his best friends, when August himself was Scarlett's age. But they both grew up, and only one of them lived up towards their dreams. 'Thomas, it wasn't your fault he-'

'I know,' Thomas interrupted him. 'Don't you think Dawn tells me that every single day? That there was nothing we could've done?', he said with a lump in his throat. 'They say there wasn't any hope or chance in the first place of his survival. And that's the sad part,' he said, 'there once was.'

August didn't know what to say. Thomas had a family, a complete one. A handful of people he loved and cared for. But it went wrong when it became publicly announced that Thomas was a high ranged secret agent. Information that, because of the stupidity of all the societies, should never have been leaked. That monster of a man, Scarlett's real father, Raphael Addams, had seen opportunities in this and had taken Thomas and his family in his hideout. They had been there for almost a year, but no one decided to pay for them. They had been mutilated, tortured, broken but together. Never had August known a family stronger than theirs. At that time, it seemed like August was their only hope. He'd gone to the hideout, by stealing information from the secret society, and visited with all the money he had. It was a tiny wooden cottage, close to the woods. He could still remember the smell of rain in the air. And there she'd been. A tiny toddler in front of the door.

Her cotton pyjamas were smeared with mud as she giggled. August wasn't very sure if this was the place he was meant to be. But when the front door opened he could've sworn he'd rather not seen the man in the doorway. His hair was dark brown like his and their faces looked similar. "Brother!", Raphael had cheered. He'd let August inside once he'd shown the money he had. The little toddler behind him crawled further away from the house, into the woods. He was surprised Raphael didn't look after the poor thing. 'Your daughter?', he had asked. Raphael nodded and showed the three bodies in the corner of the living room. 'There they are. Anything else you want, a cup of coffee?'

August refused, of course. He just wanted to get this family out of here as fast as he could. Dawn had leaned on him as Thomas and his son walked behind him. They might never know what Raphael's twisted mind could do. They walked outside of the house, slowly but surely. The following events happened quite fast and August didn't quite remember every detail. He remembered how he saw Raphael take the 9-year-old boy, how he'd thrown him back into the house. How the house exploded and everything went black.

How he heard the loud cries of this little girl in the black smoke. It was Thomas who had taken her away from the burning house and woods. And right now, August wished he could have done the same for his son.

'It wasn't anyone's fault except Raphael's,' said August after a long moment of silence. He looked at Thomas who was looking firmly in front of him, like a soldier. 'You're right,' he answered without a tone in his voice.

'Hey gents!'

A high-pitched voice echoed through the room as Dawn climbed down the stairs. 'Hey Dawn,' August said with a different tone in his voice. It was good Dawn showed up; a positive aura to lighten the mood. 'How is she doing?', August asked. Dawn smiled. 'It took me a while. She wouldn't stop talking about her new training sessions and how she was looking forward to the real weapons. But after all is said and done, she is finally asleep,' she laughed. Thomas smiled as he took Dawn by her side. She was a lot smaller than him, but they were a cute couple nonetheless. 'So, have you found anything?', asked Dawn to August. He nodded as he turned back to the screens. 'The new agent must be around Scars age now, but she hasn't aged as Scar had done. Technically, she should only be alive for a couple of weeks now.'

Thomas laughed, 'oh dear.'

August smiled. 'Yes, she should not be too far away from here. So, the most likely place for her to go to school is, Oakriver high,' he said. Thomas nodded. 'You're sending in Scarlett, aren't you?', he asked. August nodded. 'Yes, this is a perfect job for her,' he said, 'we have to eliminate the new agent or at least find out what Raphael's plan is.'