The Hitman

The Sunglasses

Nick Sievers' POV

The gun in Jay's hand clattered to the floor. Aldridge pushed off from me and studied the newcomer.

"Who is this?" she demanded.

I waved her off. "No one."

"Is he your accomplice?" she asked. "I though you said you worked alone! You lied to me?"

I exhaled, but didn't respond. Instead, I watched Jay's eyes, flickering between the director and me.

"Nicole?" Jay asked.

"I-I swear, Jay, it isn't what it looks like." I held up my hands and approached him.

"No," Jay said. "You can't just talk your way out of this, Nick. I've been following you, trying to bust you out. Heck, I flew all the way to Hawaii just to free you. And what do I see? You don't what to be freed! You're content to just stay here and make love with the Director of the FBI?!"

He turned away from me and faced the door. "The least you could have done was call me."

"Jay, I'm....I'm sorry."

He whirled back around. "Wow. An actual apology from Nick Sievers. Those are rare." He exhaled. "You can't just hide behind your past, you know. You can't use that as an excuse forever. There are other people in this world."

I sighed and glanced downward, feeling to make sure my sunglasses were still on my face.

I had forgotten Aldridge was even in the room until she lunged for Jay's gun and held it to his temple.

"Aldridge," I warned.

But she ignored me. She wrenched Jay's arms behind his back and handcuffed him. Jay never once took his eyes off me, full of hurt and betrayal.

"Let him go," I commanded Aldridge.

"Your freedom was part of the deal," the director said, "not his."

Several men burst into the room and dragged Jay away. He didn't even fight them. He bowed his head and walked out of the door. I could do nothing but stand there, trapped between two loyalties.

Aldridge turned back to me. "And here I thought I could trust you. How dare you lie to me?"

I hung my head, and the door slammed close. I sat back down and placed my head in my hands. What if Jay was right? What if it was time to let go of the past?

I took off my sunglasses and sighed, fingering the cool plastic. Maybe the only way out was through.

With a sense of finality, I held the sunglasses up in front of me. I gripped them so tightly my knuckles turned white.

And snapped the sunglasses in half.

No more fronts. No more facades. No more proving myself to anyone.

And by God, the first chance I got I was breaking Jay out of here.