Faithless Memories

Job Offer

Chapter 27

When they made it back to his office, Mr. Alexandros closed the door and turned to her with a frown. "Kris, I have a hard time believing you have done something bad enough for the Turks to be tracking you down. Do you have any idea why they might want you?"

Kris felt her jaw fall slack at his question, and she couldn't hold in her shock. It took her several moments to be able to speak. Her thoughts had suddenly gone into overdrive and immediately jumped to her missing memories. There had been many townsfolk that felt she had been a prisoner or a spy in the beginning. Could they have been correct, and it was finally catching up to her?

When she didn't speak right away, Mr. Alexandros gently took her arm and led her to a chair. He took a seat across from her and tried to give her a gentler look. "I can tell that you didn't realize they were Turks. I suppose that means you don't know why they are here either?"

She was at least able to shake her head. At that point, he sighed. "I doubt there is any way you can get out of here without them knowing. It might be best for you to go with them. I'll be fine here for the afternoon. If I don't hear from you by tonight, I'll see who I can contact. You have been the best thing to happen to this store, and I'm not letting anything happen to you if I can help it. I may not seem like it, but even I know a few people."

Kris gave him a crooked smile. She was still nervous and worried, but his reassurances made her feel slightly better. At least she knew that he didn't doubt her. As she calmed, she also remembered that the redhead had mentioned asking Zack. She came to realize that if they asked Zack and it had been something serious, her brother would have said something already. That thought had her shoulders slumping in relief. She was able to stand at that point. "Thank you. If they talked to Zack already, then I don't think this is because I'm in trouble. At least I hope not. I'll be back as soon as I can."

He gave her arm a squeeze before he followed her back out. The two men in suits were still standing near the entrance where they had left them. She swallowed once before she was able to talk. Her nerves had not gone away completely. "I'm ready to go now. How long do you think I'll be gone?"

The redhead smirked. "As long as it takes, yo."

Kris couldn't contain her glare. She knew it would be wise not to make them angry right off the bat, especially since she didn't know what was going on, but she nearly snapped at him. She was stopped when the tall bald one spoke up.

"Our boss just wants to talk. You should be back this afternoon."

"Man, why you gotta kill my fun?"

Kris glared at him when she realized he had been making it seem worse on purpose. She bit her tongue, though. She felt it would be best to get it over with. Her reply wasn't devoid of snark, however. "If you are done being a prick, can we get this over with? I don't need to miss too much work."

Her glare deepened when he just grinned at her. At least he turned to the exit, so she didn't snap again. She gave Mr. Alexandros a nod before she followed the two men out and to a transport that was waiting in the street. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she wasn't about to let them see it.

They hadn't made it far when the redhead spoke up again. "Name's Reno, by the way, and this is my partner, Rude. He don't talk much."

She gave him a nod. "I'm Kris, but I guess you probably knew that already."

He chuckled at her tone but nodded. "Yeah, the amazin' Kristobel Fair. Your name's all the rage these days. You can't go to the Soldier floor without hearin' it at least once, yo."