Checkmate

Truth or Lie

"You are an asset" Alessandro's voice filled my head again and again as I waited for the meeting inside the office to end.

It's a fact. He stated it as a fact. No truth or lie in it just fact.

I suppress the thoughts and soon am allowed to enter the room.
"Madeline, darling" he says and hugs me tight. "I have a job for you if that's alright?" His eyes look apologetic and I know he can't bear himself to ask.

I sigh, "who is it?" I watch him look through the file cabinet and pulls out a thin Manila folder.

"His name is Amodio Vasquez. He owns one of the largest Latino crime organizations in the country. He is a threat to the Italian mafia and will cause war if not handled. I need you to study him and his men and see whether his fall would trigger outbreak or disloyalty."

I raise an eyebrow, "that's it? You don't need be to bring him in or anything?"

"In due time, Madeline." He wipes dust from his cheek and clears his throat.

"Now let talk about you" he folds his hands on the desk and wait for me to talk. This was the usual conversation after he asked me to "bring someone in." We sit and chat about nothing until it becomes too awkward to stand and I leave.

"Am I just an asset dad?" I give him a straight face and close my fists on the folder.
He chuckles, "what are you saying? Whoever gave you that idea"

Biting my lip, I decide not to give away Alessandro's loud mouth. "I did"

He stands from his seat and walks to the corner of the rooms putting his hands in the pockets of his suit pants.
He stands there for a minute or two, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet before turning to face me.

"Madeline" he laughs and leans against the desk, "you're my daughter and I love you with all my heart but you have become so much more."

I snicker, "sure more like I'm your machine." I get up and move towards the door before I'm called back.

"Madeline!"
"No! I'm just a machine! Something you can use whenever you want" I lowered my voice to a whisper, "I'm just your asset" I slam the door open and run down the hall and out out the door.
"Madeline, I'm going shopping want to come?" I shake my head no when Claire comes out of the garage.
I hop into a BMW-I8 and start the engine.

I hear the door open and watch Alessandro's figure sit in the passengers seat. He's wearing a black suit with a matching tie and placed a pair of sunglasses over his eyes.

"Where to?" I look straight ahead and ignore him.
Claire gets out of the drive way safely before I put the car in drive and pick the speed up to 100 MPH. I swerve past cars and turn into an abandoned backroad. I'm going 165 now before Alessandro holds onto the door.

"Snow down! Slow down! SLOW DOWN!" When he yells I hit the brake hard and we skid to a stop.
My breathe is heavy and my heart pounds. I open the door and step out of the car, Alessandro right on my tail.

"What the hell what that?!" He yells and grabs my shoulders shaking me a bit.

I push him aside and start to walk back towards the car. He shuts the door and leans over me.

"You were right." I whisper

"What?" He comes closer to hear me then shakes his head.

"You were fucking right! I'm just an asset! A soldier! I may look like some princess to you but I'm not! I'm just an asset" I watch his eyes soften for a moment but he quickly recovers and brings back his usual cold stare.

"Madeline, yes you are a soldier.. an asset. But why can't you be so much more? There's potential in that dumb skull of yours," he touches my temple,

"find it."