BLADE (√)

●Chapter Ten●

A/N: short chapter., dont worry there's more afterthis. Enjoy xx

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That September morning, which I had agreed to meet with Bradley and his buddies, nothing felt right. In that last week of planning I had stumbled upon some rather confusing information. Research on your target was never finished. You had to make sure, they’d be no surprises; from their side anyway. EVERYTHING had to be accounted for. I was always thorough. So much so, that I could tell you the colour of their underwear on that day. This thoroughness was what made this job the hardest I’d ever done.

I had walked to the Sunrise as always, wearing the same outfit I always did; black boyfriend jeans and a black t-shirt. When I saw them all, I didn’t think. To finish this job, I shouldn't think. I knew that I had to get Manny first. He was down with the first kick. This made the others the easy fight. They made it feel like a funfair ride and I was thankful, just not enough to spare their lives. That wasn’t part of my job. Bradley looked at me as I grabbed his neck kicking him so that he goes on his knees. I didn't look at him when I stabbed him. There were tears in my eyes, and I saw one fall on his face as I hovered over him to check his pulse.

I crept into the Sunrise right afterwards.  I had a drink, danced to Lorde’s Magnets then quietly walked out.

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The face my eyes saw came like hard slap to the face. It made me furious but hurt really bad and felt like it would bleed. I found it a little hard to breath and this surprised me because I knew well that I was stronger than this. I knew for a fact that I had been surprised by much more brutal things than this. I also knew that the fact that Shaun was not who he said he was should not have shocked me; I did the same to him. What puzzled me was how not shocked he was to see me. His face was calm and aware. He didn’t seem nearly as confused as I did as we walked through the doors of Anthony Works. Tanaka had had him handcuffed and brought to his transportation like a criminal. Shaun did not display his usual soft and carefree face. Instead he was tough and very confident even as a prisoner.

Even after we left the party, I did not ask what had just happened. The last words I had spoken were Shaun’s name and I left it at that. I had not required an explanation of any kind even when he asked me if I was alright, I didn’t look at him nor did I respond to his voice. I was not shaken neither was I mad...just confused. I started joining dots: so Shaun’s back story. What did I know? I knew he worked for Anthony. He was probably their eye on me there was no way Jacobs would have let me have a friend, male, on the outside. It was absurd. Also in my mind that’s all Shaun was ever meant to be, Jacobs eye. Nothing else. This night had changed the situation a little and I became a little angry. 

‘What is going on?’ I heard Jacobs I the other room. ‘What situation? I hope it’s not Amanda again.’

I had never heard him refer to me by my first name before. I thought it was nice. It made him sound fatherly and caring. His face straightened when he saw me walk through into his office. He said my name, my surname and held his hands out as if welcoming me into a hug. I didn’t proceed. He put his arms down just as he noticed who was walking in behind me; Shaun with his arms behind his back then slowly and joyfully Tanaka.
He seemed glad with his night and greeted Jacobs accordingly.
‘Jacobs! I’ve been having quite an evening, what about you? ’

Jacobs looked at me first, his eyes were disappointed and I knew he was wondering why I hadn’t rid the world of  Gray Tanaka. He trusted me enough to not be angry at it. He simply looked away and proceeds to his desk. He sat on his chair and then turned to us and offered we all take a sit. Tanaka did right away and his men forced Shaun to do so too. I stood with my arms folded and my eyebrows bent in anger and confusion.

‘Amanda...’ Shaun called out.  Tanaka laughed. I wondered what it was that was funny. What was his need to laugh out loud like that?

‘Amanda Blade meet Shaun...Shaun Blade, your brother.’ Tanaka said.

There was a silence. I allowed it to float. I wanted it to fill up the room and swallow each and every one of the men in this room. I suddenly wished I hadn’t let Tanaka to live longer than necessary. I was angry at him for saying what he had and I wanted to know why he had said it. I knew I had a brotherly friendship with Shaun, he knew that. Jacobs knew that too. Maybe Mr Tanaka Gray had gotten Brotherly friendship confused with real relation. It occurred to me that had not once asked Shaun where his family was or what they did for a living. I didn’t want him to pry into my story and so I never dug into his too deep. Why would Tanaka mess with that, what did a man like him have to gain from putting that in the air?

‘Amanda...’ Shaun said again sweetly, almost begging. ‘Amanda please come and sit.’

I wanted to listen to him, to hear what he had to say, but I wanted way too many things at that moment that I didn’t move at all. I want to reverse time and plunge that knife into Tanaka’s chest before he got a chance to flip my world the wrong  side up.   I wanted to know why Jacobs never used my first name to refer to me. Why Shaun was handcuffed and why I felt like my heart was breaking and why I was so confused. Why I felt like there was so much I didn’t know?

I looked down to my feet and felt very unstable. I brought my hands to eyes’ view and noticed and felt how much I was shaking. I could feel every vibration my bones were making and I wanted to do something, anything.

‘Blake dear, do yourself a favour—‘Tanaka began

‘Shhhhh’ I said to him. ‘Don’t -say -anything.’

I turned and began walked to the office doors, swung them open and walked out slowly. I walked out of Anthony very slowly. It was as if I wanted them to come after me but no one came. I made it to the last step outside within a couple minutes. I had decided during my walk out that I was only sure of one thing; I needed a change in clothes.