Honey Trap

Chapter Five: Talented Exchange

The street was dark, deserted, leading straight passed the border into Mexico. The pair of leather boots crushed the pebbles into sand, making the ground uneven under me, and filled the rare silence of the night- indicating we're very far away from the city and other living things. It smelt of burnt flesh and wood, the warehouse before us were ashes- along with the guards inside that most likely died from the fire but not the attack.

"We were about to leave," The ring leader, John or whatever his name is, stepped forward under the dim yellow light of the only street lamp around. The military machinery was strapped to his shoulder, dangling in front of him like an extra dick- finger on the trigger and ready to shoot. "What the hell took you so long?"

I sent him a cold glare, one that showed anger and rage that I tried my best to push down; but I was too tired and frustrated to do so. "The job is done, isn't it?" I knew what he was doing, questioning my work and/or loyalty to the only family member I had left. A few only knew that Annabel and I shared the same blood, maybe he wasn't in that few. "Ritch men will be here soon, we have to go." I ordered while storming to the only van in sight.

Opening the door, I was attacked by a small body that smelt of methane and rubbing alcohol. Its eyes were wide, full of fear, lips pulled into a snarl, and skin dry like a match book. A kid, no older than eight, the product Annabel wanted us to steal. I pulled he kid away, he thrashed in my hands as I tried to get a good look of it's face; the smudges of dirt and the surrounding darkness wasn't giving me a clear view. However, I did take notice of his eyes, wide and full of curiosity while he calmed down once noticing I wouldn't hurt him; still, he kept his guard up.

"What the hell is this?" I turned to John or whatever, he stepped forward while eyeing the tiny thing.

"A human."

"Don't be a smart ass, what the hell is it doing in the van. Did you two kidnap a boy before getting here?" A part of me knew the kid was the package Annabel was going to take, but I still don't know her intentions in this package. I decided to get the information from the horse, her goons wouldn't give me much and trying to protect the child from them without actually knowing the whole story would be dumb (not the first dumb thing I've done tonight).

"What?" Annabel said harshly on the other line. She was sleeping peacefully, while we were doing the grunt work- same ole Annabel.

"Saw the package you wanted." My statement was vague, but was also enough to know what I'm talking about. "Why?"

There was a short pause on the line, a mental battle inside my older sister as the demonic side of her was pushing down the angel. The demon won. "Don't question it, just bring him to me."

There was a time when we were close, just a year before our parents death- when dad was training to be a pastor and mom still being the lovely school teacher (quite cliche, if you ask me). Death has a way of changing people, me being an assassin that faked her own death to be out of the radar and Annabel being a dirty senate that sticks her nose into illegal business. Both aren't good, and neither reflects our parents way of teaching.

I eyed the kid, it's wild exterior; dirt upon his cheeks, messy hair, scars all over his limbs- a worker in Ritch's drug business, an orphan. After a few mental battles, I stuffed him inside the van and locked us both in there; even though the idea of trading a kid in was very troubling. Hypocrite...

{***}

Returning to Chicago seem like the last thing I wanted to do at the moment, it felt like a storm was brewing inside my chest. The humane part of me wanted to be nice, it still held that gentle essence that even a monster can't get rid of. Walking into my sister's home, both sides were stewing; I wanted to fight, hurt all the guards so I can speak to my sister alone. Of course, that'll be an easy way out.