Her New Perspective

Chapter 5

They had the next day to themselves, hanging around the hotel room and discussing the plan before they went to the party the next night. 
Monika decided to be in a secluded room, waiting for the target, led by Chiara, to enter. Antonio, Gilbert, and Alfred would play distractions, keeping the bouncers and security busy. 
Chiara ignored the Spaniard for most of the day, sleeping the first part away and waking up to learn the plan. Then, she got on her phone and ignored Antonio, even when they were left as the last two in the room. 
He looked down at his phone screen, trying to figure out a way to word an apology. Bella said that would probably be the best way to start, but he had no idea how. 
Was he wrong for suggesting she finds something she'd like to do? 
He set his phone down after a minute, turning to look at her. She was typing a message out, to who he wasn't sure. 
"Chi-" "Sh." She showed no indication that she had even heard him, still typing away. He sighed, grabbing his phone again. 

Gilbert: She's still ignoring you?
Antonio: Won't even let me speak. What do I do now? 
 
"Ugh, not right now." The girl mumbled beside him, causing him to look up. She was now texting urgently. "Don't call right now.." 
"Who is it?" She jumped slightly, and he wanted to use the chance to apologize but she beat him to it.
"None of your business. He knows not to call on a mission." 
"Look, I'm sorry about yest-" "I don't care. What happened is whatever. Even if you didn't piss me off this would still be the last time you saw me anyway." 
"Does it have to be that way?" "Yes. I was supposed to kill you. And on top of not killing you I got stuck on a mission with you as my partner. And on top of that you like sticking your nose where it doesn't belong!" She had plenty more to say, but her phone interrupted her words, loud and shrill. 
"God dammit-" she clicked the answer button. 
"You know better than to fucking call me while I'm working, Margartia. This better be an emergency." 
He couldn't hear what happened on the other end, but he just knew something happened. 
Chiara anger melted away immediately, disbelief taking her features. As the other end kept speaking, she found it harder to breathe. 
There's no way this could have happened. 
How long had she sat there? How long ago did she start crying? She couldn't think, couldn't breathe-
It can't be true. It can't. 
But Margarita wouldn't lie, would she? Was she even at home anymore? 
No, it wasn't their home. It stopped being their home when she called with the news. 
Romulus was dead. Murdered. 
●●●●●●●●●●

Chiara Vargas swore that her life was never going to be normal after her and her sisters were yanked from their home country. After living in that warehouse for God knows how long. When her sister was torn away and sold into servitude. When her youngest sister was attacked viciously for disobeying and left for dead. When she herself was beat multiple times for speaking, for thinking, for moving. When she had to kill to escape. 
The man that now owned his sister was nobody cruel, in fact he took good care of her. She couldn't recall the last time she'd seen Daisy so healthy and happy. But a job is a job, and Daisy had to be freed. 
She had hoped one day she could open her own restaurant, and people had told her before that she was a pretty good chef. She trusted that the amount of seasonings she had used for the meal would cover the poison taste, because it had taken so much for the chefs of the home to trust the new cook to make and serve dinner all by herself. If this plan failed, she'd never get Daisy back.
Even now, she stood to the side as he ate, watching her sister closely. She had gotten a separate plate, something she knew her sister enjoyed. Or had enjoyed, at least. She wasn't even recognized, it had been so long. She shut her eyes for a minute, refusing any emotion to show. It would ruin her plan. 
"This is delicious! I knew you would be an amazing asset to our team." She took the compliment with a grain of salt. He'd be dead soon anyways. The poison wasn't fast enough that it would kill him immediately, but he would be dead before morning. She had to get Daisy out before he passed, knowing she couldn't handle it. "Yea! It's really good. Thank you!" She offered a curt nod, taking the empty dishes to the back to be washed. She returned, bringing dishes of dessert the other chefs made while she made dinner. "Oh, you're spoiling us." He teased, immediately digging in. "This is from the other chefs." She replied instantly, focusing her attention to her sister. She was eating gracefully, elegant and proper like any girl should. 
She'd be back on the streets if you take her now. 
She hadn't an idea why she had an antidote to the poison with her, but she felt the need to use it. She couldn't take her sister until she herself was stable enough. 
A job is a job.. but I have to refuse this one. I hope he'll understand. 
The antidote was slipped into the tea brought to him right after dinner when he settled in the library with Daisy to read. The fourteen year old girl looked peaceful, and was reading intently. She took a peak at the cover of her book- some fairy tale. 
"Come here a moment, Kelly." She obliged, stepping closer to the male. He had a smile on his face. "Do you like reading?" 
~~~
The man was ill the next morning, but not long enough to keep him down. He called Chiara to his office, sitting with that smile again. She was nervous- he was going to call her out on making him sick and fire her! She was sure of it. 
"Kelly, I have to ask you to stop making such good food! I ate so much of it last night I was a little sick this morning!" He chuckled. She laughed nervously. "Is that all, sir?" She stepped close to the door. "Ah, no. Come here a moment, Chiara." 
Her heart stopped. He looked alarmed at her expression of horror. "Oh, don't be upset! You looked so much like Daisy I looked into your file." He stood up, and she flung herself to the door, desperately trying to escape. She couldn't let her fight response kick in, or she'll never get Daisy..
"You are an assassin sent to kill me, but for very little pay. You just want your sister, right?" He didn't move from his desk, watching her with sympathy. "I know what you girls have gone through. Please, don't let yourself fall into this business. I can take care of you. Both of you. Please." He seemed desperate. 
She forced herself to calm down, noting the tears in his eyes. "Why are you so concerned with my profession?" 
"I've gone down that road myself. It's not pleasant. You still have time. You'll be with Daisy again, and I can take care of you." He extended a hand out. "My name is Romulus Vargas. Both my boys, my grandsons, are in college currently. I would love to have company again." 
"You already know my name." She reached her hand out for his. "I guess I don't have a choice. It's here or it's the streets again." She was pulled into a hug suddenly, causing a surprised yell. "I hope I can make your time here worth your decision." 

●●●●●●●●●●●●

When did she fall asleep? She felt numb, emotionally and physically. Now that the only thing that held her life together was gone, she didn't know what to do. 
Finish the mission. Take the money and run. Get your sister. Live a normal fucking life, maybe?  
Her shoulders began to shake again, tears welling in her eyes. She forced herself to stop immediately, realizing she wasn't alone. 
The entire crew was in the room, Monika and Gilbert standing at the edge of the bed. Alfred shuffled against the door awkwardly. Everyone looked uncomfortable, and she knew it was because her hard exterior was supposed to protect her and them from seeing this. Her upset. Her showing emotions. Her being vulnerable. 
Two arms were wrapped around her, and she knew it was Antonio. He didn't look uncomfortable, no. He had pity in his eyes. 
She wondered if Margarita told him what happened after she passed out. 
"Chiara…" "I'm finishing this mission. I don't care." 
"You can't. Not like this." Monika started. 
"How the fuck do you think I've gone through all my other missions, huh? I don't need any sympathy, or pity! I just want to finish this stupid mission and pray to god whatever got him didn't get my sister before I can get to her."
She was overstepping her boundaries. Oversharing to a group of assassins. She didn't care. It felt nice to get it off her chest. 
"I've been in this fucking business since I was a fucking kid! I never got a chance to have a life, like you assholes did! You all gave it up to kill people, for what? Money? Fame? Fun!? Oh, but I'm the bad one for spoiling your little trip-" 
"Chiara, nobody is upset with you." Monika interrupted her, calm and collected unlike the girl in front of her. She looked as awful as she felt, her face red and tear stained, hair and clothing disheveled. 
"We called Bella. They located your sister immediately and got her to the agency. What you choose to do now is up to you, but you can't continue on this mission like this. You know that." 
She took a few breaths, trying to calm herself. 
Monika wanted a conversation, and wasn't going to stop until she got a civil reply. 
"I don't have a choice but to stay. We made the plan." "We can change the plan. This is a little more important." Alfred said from the doorway. "Family comes first. Trust me, we all understand that." She didn't miss the longing look in Alfred's eyes, or the glance that Gilbert and Monika shared. She didn't miss Antonio's arms gripping her a little tighter after that statement. 
It was strange. 
She was never a people person, always preferring to be alone. And especially with the group, that had seemingly had nothing in common with each other. 
But that one statement changed everything they knew about each other. 
Family comes first. 
"Alright, then." Alfred faced the Italian, the look completely removed. He, just like her, kept a mask, and she never would have guessed. "You figure out what you need to do. Mourn, funeral, all that stuff. If you want, we'll still split the money to help you out with that if you gotta leave. But if you do we can't take you back, so you'd have to wait for someone from the agency. That work?" She only nodded, overwhelmed. 
Too much had gone on in such a short amount of time, she needed time to process. She could shove the mourning back for later, reunite with Lovino and Feliciano and help them. No doubt they will take the news hard. 
Maybe Margarita would like to stay with them. 
She couldn't just abandon this mission. Yes, she was upset. Her role was an upset wife, wasn't it? Yes, she could stick this out. It will be hard, but she'll make it. She always has before. 
"I'll stay."

Allow me to apologize for 1: not updating and 2: throwing sudden angst in there