Hope for Us (NEWT) [COMPLETED]

Ch 31 - Double Agent

~Rebecca~

She looked around several times, making sure she wasn't being observed. Although she'd done this successfully seven times now, she still wouldn't risk the possibility of getting caught.

Just as she did the previous times, she grabbed a glass and poured the wine into it, filling it about halfway. She discreetly pulled out the little vial in her lab coat pocket, popped it open, and poured a few drops of its contents into the glass of wine in front of her.

Cautiously, she lifted the glass from the table and made her way down the hall to his office. With a light knock on the door, she heard Janson indicate she could enter, and he immediately smiled at the sight of the woman.

She observed intently as the man took the glass of wine from her and gulped it down in one swift movement. When he was done he gave out a long sigh, laced with satisfaction. Rebecca gave him her sweetest smile as she watched how the man's eyes became slightly hazed.

"Rebecca, bring her in, darling." His voice was slurred. The contents of the vial took an immediate effect on Janson's mind.

Despite his impaired state of mind, it took everything within Rebecca to suppress her disgust at the man's nickname for her. A nickname that would otherwise be considered sweet if he weren't the man he was.

With a curt smile, she reached for the door and called her inside. "Sara! Your uncle wants to see you, sweetie. You may come in."

The brunette girl timidly walked inside his office, taking a seat on a chair across from Janson's desk.

"My beautiful niece," he gushed. "I feel like it's been forever!"

She smiled. "Uncle Janson, it's nice to see you again."

"Are you sick?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing. "Your voice is different."

The girl cleared her throat. "A little. But I'm fine."

"Look at you! You've grown in the past month or so, haven't you?" his voice was unnaturally higher. He was almost completely out of it, but he managed to keep his cool.

The girl only giggled in response, and Janson continued talking. "You'll always stay with me, won't you? Sara, promise me you'll always be by my side. Remember what I've taught you. Do you trust me?"

The girl remained silent until she gulped really hard. "I do. I promise. WICKED is good, remember? I haven't forgotten."

"Good, good." The previous momentary panic in his eyes seemed to dissolve at the reassurance. "Things are only gonna change for the better, I promise."

Rebecca walked over to the girl sitting before Janson, unable to withstand another second of the whole farce. "Sara, why don't we go get you some lunch?"

The girl was on her feet in a second, and she rushed over to the man, wrapping her arms around his neck before walking off with Rebecca.

"Rebecca," he mumbled, and she turned around to face him. The girl looked up at her in confusion as she, too, stopped to look back at Janson. "After you take her to eat, I—uh... I need you to come settle... a few things with me."

Rebecca sighed internally and nodded—all masked with a sweet smile. This was all too familiar for her. The dread and the feeling of absolute repulsion. She only held onto the small thread of hope that maybe this would all be over soon. She desperately embraced a chance to give anything, anything, for this situation of hers to finally come to an end.

Once they left, the girl took a seat at the lunch table with her food in front of her. Rebecca approached her and leaned into her ear.

"You did excellent, Claire. I'm proud of you. Remember you're doing this for a good cause; to save yourself and your friends. Just be more prepared for next time, okay?"