Chapter 11

"You're sure Auggie's not answering his phone?" Annie was outwardly stoic, composed, but the flash of her eyes told another story. Anxiety had never really favored her. She sat rigidly in the passenger seat of the Land Rover, Eyal driving, Danielle broodingly quiet in the back. Every bump in the road was met with a hiss that slid past clinched teeth. She eyed her arm, a makeshift tourniquet and bandage (fabricated out of Eyal's generously donated undershirt) her latest wardrobe accessory. The through-and-through wound was not immediately life-threatening, at least since the bleeding had stopped. However, the state of the ruined jacket she still wore would have lead an onlooker to believe she had been bled dry entirely.

"Positive." Eyal replied, followed by a nod of his head as he gestured at her provisional doctoring. "That needs stitches, Neshema."

"Auggie first." No room for negotiation, no compromises. "I'll live."

And if he doesn't…

Annie shuddered, but no from the cold.

"I see the old Annie has lost none of her stubbornness." Eyal did his best to make light of a not-so-light situation. Annie rolled her eyes, lips pressed into a thin smile; she could not disagree with him. "And of course," Eyal continued humorously, "Auggie had to go galavanting off on his own, when he was clearly told to stay put. What is it with you American agents and not being able to follow orders, eh?" The Mossad agent paused, his characteristic grin faltering. "I swear, between the two of you…"

Eyal's words lilted and drifted away, and an uneasy silence fell over them. Danielle leaned forward from where she had remained silent in the back seat, her hand coming to rest on Annie's shoulder. Annie found her sister's hand with her own, her fingers warm, familiar. Somehow in the chaos that threatened to overpower Annie's last reserves of sanity, Danielle was the calm during the storm. Despite Danielle's inquisitive - and sometimes abrasive personality - she seemed to know now was not the time for interrogations. Annie closed her eyes and inhaled, trying to focus her fragmented thoughts on the task at hand- finding Auggie, and furthermore figuring out why Chinese MSS was so determined to put a bullet in her head.

It appeared the ghosts of Hong Kong were haunting her even more than she had previously thought.

According to Eyal, Calder had contacted them in the wee hours of the previous morning with information that revealed a notable MSS agent, Mai Shin, had been tailing them since they left Tel Aviv. Given that she was dangerous and unpredictable, Calder's orders were to avoid her at all costs. This was seconded by an equally fierce demand of similar sentiments from Joan. They had been told to remain out of sight until Calder could arrive with Oliver Lee and an ops team to help control the current situation - and by control they meant terminate it effective immediately. Eyal had admitted, none to proudly, that Auggie had snuck away before he woke up that morning, and Danielle - who had not yet been told what had happened- had disappeared as well. It was by chance that he stumbled across them when he had been in the alley, a small mercy for which Annie was incredibly grateful.

Annie's eyes fluttered open when she felt the vehicle slow and lose momentum. Danielle's hand did not move from her shoulder, nor did Annie let go of it. She recognized the line of shops beyond the public parking area, and further down the road the hookah bar that housed Joost's shop where most of his dealings took place. The characteristic neon sign, a marijuana leaf, was emblazoned above it's doors. Having set eyes on it, Annie's heart rate quickened, the hair on the back of her neck raised; she felt unable to shake the foreboding feeling that lingered over her. Eyal pulled into a parking spot near the end of a row of cars, killing the engine and assessing the area with a sweep of his eyes before turning to Annie.

"You're sure he would come here?" Eyal inquired uncertainly, unconvinced. "It seems risky."

"He's looking for me." Annie released her grasp on Danielle's hand, removing her seatbelt, and grabbing the messenger bag lying at her feet, trying to bite back a groan. "I doubt "risky" will do much to stop him."

Auggie had a track record for taking chances. More often than not it was hardly the prudent play, but that was his nature. Idle hands had never suited him - now would be no exception. He had likely set out in search of her, hoping to find her before someone else did, and even Annie knew if anyone stood a chance of tracking her down under the present circumstances, it would have been him. In the past she would have never let herself fall prey to worrying about him in such a scenario, but the events of the past few months had her on the proverbial edge. They had lost so much already, all of them, in getting tangled up in Henry Wilcox's cat-and-mouse games, and now they were still being forced to face threats from the fall out.

Annie Walker had decided, long before now, that August Anderson was one thing she was not willing to lose. Not again.

She set the bag in her lap and opened it, pulling the Beretta from the side pocket she had stuck it in before leaving Joost's apartment earlier that morning. Two years ago holding a gun would have unsettled her, but it was more unnerving now to feel how easily it rested in the palm of her hand. Eyal watched as Annie double checked to make sure it was loaded, and once satisfied, she activated the safety. She lifted the hem of her shirt, and placed the weapon at the small of her back, the cool metal biting into the skin there and held in place by the flat edge of her jeans. She ignored the sting of her arm, aggravated by the movements.

Eyal nodded in affirmation, stepping out of the vehicle. Annie motioned for Danielle to follow suit and moved to do the same, but she hesitated when she caught Danielle's reflection in the rear view mirror. Her sister's expression caught Annie off guard - one of disbelief at the mechanical and robotic efficiency with which Annie had handled the gun. It left Annie with an undeniable sense of shame; that Danielle should not have to be here to see this. Annie opened her mouth to say something, to reassure her, but the reality was that there was nothing she could say. As she bit the inside of her cheek, eyes pensive, she again found herself wishing she had done so many things differently. But she would not subject herself to lying to Danielle now, not after everything.

"I'm sorry, Danielle." Whether the remorse was directed toward her sister, or herself, Annie was not entirely sure. She turned in her seat, reaching for Danielle's hand again and grasping it tightly. "When this is over, I'll explain everything."

Danielle did not respond at first, simply holding Annie's gaze, two sisters in search of answers, but neither of them knowing how to find them.

"Promise?"

A single question had never meant so much, and yet coming from her sister, it suddenly meant everything.

"Promise."

Whether or not Annie could keep that promise was another question all together.


A/N: Another special shout out to Ashtordiffe. My go to editor and fixer of words and all things grammar-ish! And of course thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited and reviewed. It is so exciting to take Annie and the gang on an adventure and have everyone so invested in their journey. I love that you love it, because I write for y'all! Much love from me to you. xoxo

Hold onto your hats ladies & gents, we're in for a wild ride.