Liar, Liar

3 - Hunter

Julian's laugh bounces off the office walls.
It's not a nice laugh. It's a sarcastic one.

The kind I try to avoid.

"What do you mean you left her there?" Julian looks at me as though I've just let a murderer walk free.

Which, apparently, is exactly what I've done.

"I don't think she was a threat," I say.

"You don't think?" A wry laugh escapes his lips. "You don't think?" He takes a hold of my throat and smashes me against one of the concrete walls of his office. "Not thinking is what will get you killed, Hunter," he hisses. "I don't think he was still alive. I don't think they heard our plan..." he mocks, his grip growing tighter around my neck. "Hmm, I don't think the girl who's parents were associated with one of the biggest murder plots this agency has ever seen is a threat because I had a hunch." When he releases me from his grip I try not to gasp for air too loudly. "That is why I run things here Hunter. Not you. That is why I call the big shots. Not. You. And if I ever have to call you out for making a mistake like this again, this will be the last time you will ever set foot into the PCAA again. Do you understand?"

Despite only being a few years older than myself, Julian has the ability to scare me stiff by simply narrowing his eyes or changing his tone. It has always been this way, and I hate it. But I can't do anything to change it.

"Yes. I understand."

Julian nods. "Good." He walks around to his desk and lowers himself into an unnecessarily large leather chair.

I turn to leave. "Just you wait. You're not getting away from this that easily." He beckons for me to come away from the door. "This is a problem, Hunter. A big one. And, seeing as you're the one who caused it, you're going to fix it."

"You want me to kill her?" I ask warily.

A smirk appears on Julian's lips, sending an uncomfortable shiver down my spine. "Why, of course not." He kicks his feet up onto the desk. "You seem to know what's best, so I'll give you a chance to prove that to me."

"Ok." I nod vigorously. "How?"

"If you can, somehow, convince me that the girl is, in fact, just a sad, innocent, lonely girl who thinks her parents were tragically murdered by some psychopath," his fingers trace the sharp, wooden edge of his desk, "I will let her live. But if you can't..." he looks up, his black, lifeless eyes piercing into my skull, "I'll kill her myself." I gulp and nod my head slowly. "And you, Hunter Pierce, will be gone."

Gone.

The word ricochets through my head. I can't go. This place is all I have. All I know. I can't go. I promised them. I promised them that I'd save others from the same fate. Save others from feeling the pain I've felt since that night. I can't do that- can't keep that promise without the agency.

I can't go.

I should've killed her when I had the chance.

"How do you want me to do that?" I ask apprehensively.

Julian sighs and taps his fingers against the arm of his chair. "Well, seeing as you know what's best, I'll leave that up to you. But my personal opinion is for you to go undercover." I  stare at him as pulls what looks like and I.D. Card from one of his desk draws. His eyes wander over it. Smirking, he throws it to me. "The name doesn't really suit you, but I guess that's not my problem."

I look down at the card.

Roberts,                                                     ID: 142 826 527
Finn M.
                                                                       Sex: M
10 E 93rd Street                                       Height: 6'-0"
Manhattan, NY                                         Eyes: Brown

DOB: 4/12/2000

Expires: 4/12/2018

"Finn? Who's Finn?"

Julian sighs. "I had a number of I.D.'s made for any agent who needs to fly 'under the radar'. You're lucky that after the stunt you pulled I'm so generously offering you one. They weren't cheap, you know." I look back down at the card. "If it were up to me, I'd go figure out what school she goes to and enrol yourself. Get close to her. Find out what she knows." He stands, smooths his suit down with his hands and walks towards the office door. "You have one month." He turns to leave, but pauses. "Hunter? Do me a favour and make the most of this... schooling experience," he says in what I think is the most venomous tone he can muster. "It wouldn't hurt for you to actually learn something."

With a smirk, he leaves; the door slamming behind him.

QOTU: Any advice? :0