The Lioness

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

I had felt pretty bad about lying to my best friend. She had been sad for me and was beside me in the 'time of need'. Even if she was exhausted with her new work routine, Amaya was there was me. Maybe too much so at times.

Lying to my parents was a whole different story though. The dinner table had never been this awkward before.  Not even when I told my mom I wanted to become an agent for the United States. Dad knew about me, my mutation and that I was modified for this purpose only. Now I had to tell him I didn't make the exam.

My dad kept eating while my mom was happily telling me what kind of amazing jobs I should be applying for now. She had always wanted me to do something more feminine. A designer, hairdresser,  makeup artist or even a singer. Even though she knew I couldn't carry a tune if my life depended on it.

"How about working in aunt Ashley's Boutique? I'm sure she could use some help with all those customers. She'd pay you good, too. And if you come back home, you'd be so much closer to it. Plus we won't have to pay for that apartment in the city anymore."

"Hold on for a second, mom. I know I moved out there to be closer to the agency but I like it there. I won't be moving back in."

"So you just expect us to support you while you do... do what exactly!? Think of what you want to do next? You can do that here with us," my dad said.  He wasn't looking at me but his voice was harsher than usual.

"I'm sorry if I cost you any trouble.  I'll pay my own rent from now on."

"With what!?" he slammed his fist on the table and glared at me. I jerked up at the suddenness. "You can't just sit around your apartment and don't worry about a thing. The rent isn't going to pay itself, dinner won't just be ready, bills won't just vanish."

"I know that, dad. I thought we were over that subject. It was just a phase I went through. It won't repeat itself. I promise," my voice got weaker with every word. I knew he was looking out for me. In his own way.

Thinking back to that time was never easy. I had refused to go to a shrink.  I knew what had been my problem.  My heart got broken and so did any motivation. I remember too clearly how I felt so lonely in this house full of people. I only would leave my room for food, spending so much time watching movies that didn't interest me. My sister and her husband left this big house because of me.

I felt the tears building up, threatening to fall from my caramel colored eyes.

"You guys don't need to worry about me, alright? Thanks for dinner, mom. It was delicious as always." I stood up and went for the door. My mom followed me to the door but knew if she said anything more, I couldn't stop myself from sobbing.  I breathed in the chilly air of the small village, forcing my body to calm down. 

I wanted to erase that part of my life. I did a good job suppressing it, too. A total of eleven months wasted. All because of one guy I met when I was seventeen.

"Good day, Miss Lake. Please select your destination."

"Home." Just as I was about to rest my eyes, I got a call.

"Mr. Malvaux, how can I help you?"

"Meeting point 205 in an hour." And the call was over, leaving me with the static sound. I didn't have any evidence-proofed leads yet. Most of the agents could give me alibis but some were undercover operations. I felt frustrated for not getting any further with the investigation.  It had already been a month and nothing so far.

Maybe Mr. Malvaux has reconsidered my position in the group. At least if I got fired, I wouldn't be a liar anymore. I opened the window and breathed in another calming gulp of air.

-

Meeting point 205 was a very popular restaurant. I sat down outside where it wasn't so crowded and waited. My coffee came and I finished it, still waiting. No sign of Mr. Malvaux.  I was certain that this was 205 and I had made it here in an hour. As I was taking out my phone,  a delivery guy came to me. "Ms. Lake?"

Clever, I thought.  No real contact.  But then again, he could have just sent it to my office.  I opened the letter on sight, too curious as to what it said.

Liam Moore was dead. In my hand was his crime scene analysis and the autopsy. Suicide by overdose. He had been on edge this whole time, accusing almost each member to be the traitor. I came to know that he was romantically involved with Saskia Perkin. His alibi for the first victims was by her. Not that it helped since she was dead before I could confirm it. 

Only unusual thing at the crime scene was a hair on the victim's shirt. Odd seeing as he was bold. Even odder when it belonged to a fox. A fox here in Fall Hill was more than unlikely. I guess that was my first real clue as to who was doing this to our team. Even though Liam was getting more paranoid, he wouldn't have abandoned his mission. A fox. Maybe our murderer was recently in a region with foxes. 

I messaged all the agents to give me their whereabouts from last week to yesterday. 

-

"I can't believe you forced me down here."

"Mrs. Newman, please sit down." A tall, angry looking woman entered my office.

"Cut the crap, Emma. What do you want?" 

"An alibi. Your location for the last two weeks. Or any kind of cooperation, really." I've gotten to know most of the team more or less. Except her.

"So this is about me ignoring you? Unprofessional. Don't you have a job to do?"

"If I wouldn't have done my job, you wouldn't be here. Give me your phone and I'll be out of your hair," I said as calmly as I could. How dare she accuse me of negligence. Her out of everyone.

"I had the week off work. It's called vacation days. I'm not obliged to tell you where I spend my holiday, do I?"

"Of course you do. You're charged with murder and treason. Talk Mrs. Newman." She watched me for a while then, contemplating I supposed. 

"How about I tell you where I was when Liam was killed?" I nodded my head yes. "I was taking care of a resistance member. And his family. And his guards. It took a long, long time to clean it all up. All night in fact." 

"You do realize that you just confessed to murder, yes?" My heart rate shot up a notch. How could she be so calm talking about something like that? 

"So what? It was my first day back at work... You do know what we're doing her-" The door to my office shot open and Mr. White stormed in, taking Mrs. Newman in an iron grip. 

"Did you read your task description, Emma? It says no interrogations from you. What the hell were you thinking?" he all but yelled. I slowly got the file from my drawer and displayed it for him and her to see.

"I was questioning her because I found out what her husband really was. He's a spy for China. Lovely wife for giving him secured information. I never thought she was the mur-, the suspect to my case." A murderer she was anyways, I thought. 

He looked over to Mrs. Newman. "For Christ's sake! Henry? And you would do that?" He muttered a curse word before calling someone. "Go to my house and check the floor of the kitchen and dining room. And send a team to arrest Henry Newman immediately. And I mean immediately."

"I apologize if I stepped over some boundaries. I was just trying to get a confession of some sort," I lied. I didn't need to apologize for anything. I did absolutely nothing wrong. 

Mrs. Newman was escorted out, probably to an interrogation room. I had no doubt that she had told me the truth though. Even if I was considered a part of this elite group, I had no clearance on most of their missions. All of a sudden my heart felt heavy. Peter was in this team.