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(An Education)

Anna stared through the back window of the limousine until the lights of her quiet neighborhood disappeared in the distance. Her heart drummed in her chest as she turned and looked across from her seat at Nina. She hoped for some sort of reassurance, but her sister's gaze was fixed out the window, a serene expression on her face, looking pristine in her sleek, short, black dress. Anna's nails dug into her palm as their vehicle made a left turn and took a street that led them out of Dublin.

"Is this just another boring assignment?" She asked, and was met with Nina's stony silence.

Anna cursed under her breath as they left the city lights behind.

They were on their way to meet with the Byrne crime family. Their leader had died of a heart attack a few days earlier. Nina had tried to find out who his replacement was, but had only been met with unreliable rumors.

And now, the limo drove on a road by the seaside. Anna's mouth felt dry. No people, no lights, no witnesses. And she didn't have a weapon. How is Nina so damn calm? She stared at her, tried to will her to turn her head, but Nina remained immobile, eyes fixed outside.

It had been the same thing all day, with Nina going out of her way to avoid being in the same room as Anna and outright ignoring her when they were forced to occupy the same space. Being enclosed so near each other, Anna could swear that she felt Nina's hate. It was almost radiating from her. She continued to stare at her sister, hoping to get a reaction, but still, nothing. Anna felt her own anger begin to spark; she hated seeing her so calm, hated her long, blonde hair, hated her for wearing black yet again.

At that moment, Anna realized that Nina had worn only black since the day their father had died. She really was mourning, it wasn't an act, her sister was mourning someone she loved. Nina had been so close to Richard, was so much like him; maybe she had lost part of herself. Maybe that was what Nina was grieving. Anna felt a knot in her throat and wished that she could take her sister's hand, that she could comfort her in some way, but it was impossible.

She sighed and looked out the window, wishing it was daytime so that she could see the ocean. She absently ran her fingers over the embroidered bird on her new red dress. She loved the way she looked in it, loved the way it made her feel, and she hoped with all her heart that it would not be the first and last time she wore it.

About ten minutes later, the limo turned into a private road. Anna was relieved when she saw bright lights in the distance and a magnificent Victorian mansion coming into view.

"Who lives here?" Anna asked.

"The Fitzgeralds," Nina answered without turning her head.

Anna watched her expecting, maybe hoping that she would say more, but Nina was silent again. Anna turned her attention to the Fitzgerald estate. She knew who they were by name but had never met them.

The artificial lighting pushed back the night, showcasing the immaculately kept grounds, the trees, shrubbery, and flowerbeds. Dozens of vehicles were lined up along the sweeping, paved driveway. It was no place for a private meeting. The limousine stopped, and a few moments later, the driver opened the door and helped both girls out.

Anna tried to take in every detail of the estate, from the ivy covering the first two levels of the brick and stone house to the number of windows. There were men in dark clothing walking the grounds; again, she wished that she had her gun, but Christina had explicitly forbidden it.

If they wanted to kill us, they would have done it already. But perhaps it was only wishful thinking.

A man in his forties dressed in a well-tailored, grey suit walked down the front door steps to greet them. "Right on time," he smiled. "We've been expecting you, follow me, please."

They followed him through the heavy, double doors and into a grand entrance hall. As they stepped onto the white, marble floor, Anna smiled despite her situation. Men and women in formal attire mingled and laughed while a live band played soft music in the background. Her eyes were drawn to the crystal chandelier above the double staircase. There were no gold accents, no gaudy paintings, not even antiques; every piece of furniture and decor was modern. The mansion's interior looked like it belonged in a city like Paris or London, not the Irish countryside.

"A party?" She whispered.

Nina simply shrugged.

Anna scanned the room for any visible threats, she saw two men dressed in black suits at the top of the staircase, but everyone from the serving staff to the guests seemed innocuous and at ease.

"Please wait here a moment." Their guide said before walking away.

A member of the serving staff carrying a tray full of champagne glasses walked up to them. "May I offer you a drink?"

Anna smiled; a drink was exactly what she needed to ease her nerves. As she reached for a glass, Nina grabbed her wrist.

"She's underage," Nina said sternly.

The server looked taken aback. "My apologies." She smiled politely before leaving.

"What the hell was that?" Anna hissed as she wrenched her hand away from Nina's grasp.

"Don't drink anything," Nina whispered. "You have no idea what-"

"If they wanted to kill us, they wouldn't do it in front of the social elite.

"It doesn't matter, you need to have a clear head. No drinking."

Anna rolled her eyes. "I have a higher tolerance than you think."

Nina scoffed. "You would."

People were beginning to steal glances, especially men. Ordinarily, Anna would have welcomed the attention, but it made her feel exposed and vulnerable in this situation. She felt a wave of relief followed by dread when their guide returned a moment later.

"This way, please, they're waiting." He headed for the staircase without waiting to see if they followed. Anna walked swiftly behind him with Nina at her side.

The second floor was a stark contrast to the contemporary luxury of the first. Dark wood trim, wallpaper, and antique paintings lined the corridor. The sound of the revelry downstairs fading with each step they took. Anna's heart beat faster even though she reminded herself that there was no way they would have been brought to a party at a mansion just to be killed.

Their guide stopped in front of a man dressed in black guarding one of the doors. The man nodded in acknowledgment, opened the door, and stepped aside.

The guide gestured to the door. "Please, ladies."

Nina entered without hesitation, and Anna followed, head held high, hoping that her nerves didn't show. They entered a quiet and spacious office. Three men were sitting on dark leather chairs, their expressions hard. A much younger man with a slight smile on his face stood leaning against a bookcase, there was something familiar about his face, but Anna quickly forgot him when her gaze shifted to the man sitting behind the desk. Her mouth went dry.

"Anna?" Seamus Quinn, the principal of her school, a grey-haired man in his late fifties, spoke in mild surprise. "For a moment, I thought they had sent someone else in, you look different, all grown up." He looked at Nina. "And you must be Richard's oldest daughter. I started working at the school shortly after you finished. It's a pity we didn't cross paths."

"Yes," Nina said flatly.

"Sit." He gestured to two chairs that were set up in front of his desk. They did as they were told. "I would like to begin by offering my most sincere condolences, Richard was a very valuable asset. He will be missed."

"Thank you," Nina said.

"I'm going to get to the point." Anna had heard him say those same words in that same tone more times than she could remember. "I am very concerned about the events of this week. Richard's death was difficult on its own, somewhat problematic, though not entirely surprising in his line of work." He shook his head, then gave them a look of disappointment. "But the retaliation was excessive. It seems that you two girls are targeting my associates. Three dead in one day…" He shook his head again. "It's excessive. It makes the authorities ask questions, and it puts the rest of my associates, as well as myself, in danger. We can't afford that, especially now with all the changes we're undergoing."

Nina crossed her legs and sat up straight in her chair. "The Callahans murdered our mother and father. The retaliation was not excessive, it was just. And you and your associates have nothing to worry about, what happened was an unfortunate overlap and nothing more."

Quinn looked intently at Anna. "Anna, you usually have so much to say, why don't you tell me what happened?"

"...I…" It was a nightmare; the principal of her school was going to decide her family's fate. "...What Nina said is true."

"Why don't you tell me your version of the truth?"

Anna glanced at the men around the room taking in the hard expressions on their faces. She looked at Quinn again, and she hated him at that moment. He was questioning her because he thought she was the weak link, just like Nina, just like Richard. She needed to turn things around quickly. "I'm sorry," she said, "you were the last person I expected to see here. I'm trying to adjust."

Quinn nodded. "That's understandable."

Anna folded her hands on her lap. "There is no version of the truth, only the truth. To be completely honest, until my aunt told me, I didn't know the Callahans were involved in your business. I thought they were independent, like our father. What Nina and I did was not an attack on you or any disrespect. It was justice. And if we had known who they worked for, we would have come to you first, but Father never told us anything."

"Nina, how long have you been working?"

"Five years."

He nodded. "So tell me from the beginning, how did this all start?"

Nina responded. "Six years ago, Robbie Callahan tried to kill my father with a car bomb but killed my mother instead. When Father figured out who her killer was, he told me, and I asked him to let me pull the trigger."

Anna fought the urge to look at her sister. She thought she knew Nina back then; she couldn't imagine the sister she loved asking their father to let her commit a murder.

Quinn's brow furrowed as he leaned back in his chair. "You were a child back then."

Nina shook her head. "I was fifteen, I was not a child."

He gave a short, wry laugh. "In my profession, a fifteen-year-old is a child."

"This profession, or your daytime profession?"

Anna knew Quinn, the time to speak was now, things would begin escalating quickly. "Our father saw things differently."

He regarded her for a moment. "You wouldn't be sitting here otherwise, I suppose." He exhaled. "I understand wanting revenge for your parents' death. If you had been more discreet, I might have been willing to forgive, or even overlook the incident, but you killed Margaret…" Quinn slowly shook his head. "I met her once, she was intelligent, polite," he looked pointedly at Nina, "was that necessary?"

Nina's hand tightened around the arm of her chair. "She killed my father. It was necessary."

Anna's heart sank, but she kept her eyes on Quinn, trying to keep her face impassive. Was Nina lying to Quinn, or had she lied to Anna? She had said that Margaret reached for the gun. Had she shot her even though she posed no threat?

"Pity. So young." Quinn turned to Anna. "And you killed Thomas and his bodyguard?"

"Yes." Anna's arms felt heavy, hearing herself say it made her feel worse about the situation. She felt the men's eyes on her; everyone knew that she was a killer.

"Was this your first time?"

Sitting in front of his desk felt terrifying and familiar at the same time. She knew him. What he liked to hear was the truth.

"I didn't go in there intending to kill anyone, I just wanted answers and took a gun for protection. When I told Mr. Callahan that I knew Margaret killed my father, he tried to kill me. I defended myself, his bodyguard went to see what the commotion was, and I had to kill him too."

Quinn sat silently, looking her in the eye. It was the same look he gave her at school when she was caught smoking, or falling asleep during a lesson, or failing yet another assignment. She always fed him some lie that he obviously didn't believe, and she had always stared right back. But he had never called her out on her lies and had never told her father. This time she was telling him the truth, and she hoped that he believed her.

Quinn regarded both sisters carefully. He finally spoke in an irritated tone. "Normally, I don't condone violence against young people, even though I took on this new position, I became an educator because I had good intentions. I help young people, I steer them in the right direction, God knows I tried with you, Anna. I knew who your father was. He was in my employment once and was very effective. I had no idea what you were capable of; there were rumors about your sister, but…" He shook his head. "You were never children, you are not like other girls your age, you are dangerous. Thomas Callahan was very valuable; he was my accountant, and he had good contacts. If a job needed doing, I could count on him to do it. I-"

"He was a man of many talents." Nina leaned forward in her chair. "But he had a problem with my father, and he sent his teenage daughter to do his dirty work. That was his second attempt on my father's life, the first time, he sent his eighteen-year-old son, and my mother paid the price for it. I'm sure he was an excellent accountant, but you can find better services elsewhere. As for contacts, I have several of my own. Tell me what you need, and I'll find you either a buyer or a seller. Europe or Africa, but I can find them somewhere else if that's what you need. And if you're worried about the authorities asking questions, I know that Callahan had ties to the IRA. It won't be difficult for me to spread a few breadcrumbs in their direction. The authorities are eager to believe they're the culprits in every crime anyway."

Goddamn, she's good. Anna couldn't let her sister fix everything. She had to offer something as well. It was the price to pay for what she had done.

"You can count on me too."

Quinn looked at her as if he'd forgotten she was in the room. "What can you do?"

"It was my first time, and I brought down two experienced men on my own. I adjust quickly, I learn even faster, and no one will ever suspect me when they see me walking down the street. Anyone will let me get close."

Quinn looked intently at her. "Do you know what you're offering?"

Anna felt a wave of nausea. She had just offered herself as a contract killer in an attempt to one-up her sister. But what choice did she have? What if he only spared Nina because she was the only one who had something to offer? And she couldn't let Nina take all the credit for saving what was left of the Williams family.

She looked Quinn in the eye. "Yes."

Quinn looked at the other men in the room. He looked them in the eye one by one as if looking for an objection and spoke when he found none. "I wish you were normal young women with typical goals and dreams, but you're not, and it's something that I should use to my advantage after all the trouble you've caused. One of you will need to tie up all the loose ends."

"Thank you," Anna said sincerely as she felt relief wash over her.

"We won't disappoint you," Nina said.

Quinn nodded, his expression softening. "Just a few more minutes to get some details worked out, and we can all enjoy the party. My friend, who was kind enough to let me use his office, is celebrating his tenth wedding anniversary."

"We thank you for the offer," Nina spoke politely. "But we are in mourning and should go home to our aunt."

Quinn nodded solemnly. "Of course… It's a shame about the Callahans, Thomas' wife, Bridget, must be heartbroken. It's one thing to lose a husband, but to lose both of her children, a woman can't survive that." He stood up, and all the men followed suit. Anna and Nina did the same. "I would like to speak with Nina for a moment." He said before they left the room.

Nina looked at Anna and gestured toward the door. Anna saw the men filing out, and she walked after them. The man guarding the entrance watched her carefully. Anna walked to the opposite side and put her back against the wall, watching the door just in case Nina needed help.

She turned when she felt a presence near, the young man from Quinn's office stood next to her.

"I know you." He said, smiling broadly and looking pleased with himself. "It was hard to recognize with the short hair and all dressed up like that, but I remember you from Charlie's Pub."

In the brightly lit hallway, she recognized him as well. A few months back, he and a friend had bought drinks for Anna and Jenny and afterward had taken them to a nice hotel. The young man was handsome, and he hadn't been terrible in bed.

"I remember you too." Anna returned the smile. It was probably a good idea to make friends with Quinn's associates.

The young man crossed his arms and leaned in slightly. "So that night...was that some kind of assignment or…"

"No," Anna answered quickly. "That was just me doing something fun in a boring city."

He nodded. "I remember your cousin too, my friend liked her."

Anna's stomach tightened. He was talking about Jenny. She didn't want him or his friends anywhere near her.

Anna laughed. "She's not my cousin."

"You said she was."

She shrugged. "I also said I was American. She's just someone who was helping me with my schoolwork. She has no friends, so I thought I'd show her how to have some real fun. But it was too much for her, and she confessed to her daddy. She's damned lucky he didn't send her to a convent. I haven't spoken to her since."

"What about you?"

"Me?"

He gave her a wolfish grin. "Was it too much for you too?"

It took every ounce of self-restraint she possessed to smile instead of rolling her eyes. "No. Since we're being truthful, did you tell me your real name that night?"

He chuckled. "Um...no, it's Michael."

"Like Saint Michael, the warrior angel." She leaned in closer. "I remember you well, and you were no angel."

"But I am a warrior."

It can't be this easy. Anna giggled and put her hand on his bicep. "You're going to be a bad influence, I can tell."

"Only if that's what you want."

She tapped her forefinger on her chin. "I don't know, I think I need to know more about you first. What do you do for Mr. Quinn?"

"He's my uncle."

The door opened, and Quinn emerged, followed by Nina.

Michael gave Anna a curt nod. "Nice seeing you again." He said before walking away.

"Anna, a word, please." Quinn motioned toward the office, and Anna followed. She looked at Nina as she walked past and was met with a blank expression. "Have a seat," Quinn said as he closed the door. "I will be retiring from the field of education at the end of this school year for obvious reasons." He said once he sat behind the desk. "But before I go, I'd like to do something for you."

"What?"

"Give you bereavement leave for the rest of the school year."

"What about my grades? My exams?"

"Now they matter to you?" Quinn chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll continue to receive barely passing grades."

"...You were the one who was doing that for me? Why?"

"I was doing it as a favor to your father."

"Did he ask?"

"No, I took it upon myself, hoping that some kindness would sway him to join us eventually."

"What do you want in return?"

"I want you to take care of someone."

Anna had seen that same look on his face many times. He was serious. He wanted her to kill someone, and it had been the agreement, but she didn't think it would be so soon. What if she couldn't do it? What then?

"Who?" She realized that she was wringing her hands and clasped them tightly on her lap.

"Emmett Walsh."

"What did he do?"

Quinn leaned forward. "I know that you are new at this, so for future reference, you never ask about what they did or if they deserve it. You just say yes or no."

"My first time was self-defense, what if I can't-"

"You are the perfect person for this. Emmett has a well-known history of...making unwanted advances toward women. You are a minor, and you just lost your father. You'll have the public's sympathy in your favor. If you are caught, everyone will be eager to believe that you were defending yourself against a vile man. You won't see a day in jail, I almost guarantee it."

Almost. If she thought she had a choice, she would have declined.

"He's attending this party, and you were seen here already, the pieces have practically fallen into place all by themselves."

Anna nodded slowly. That was why he had wanted to meet with them there instead of somewhere private.

"He goes to Shea's Pub every Saturday." Quinn continued. "It's an easy job. Once you turn eighteen, you will get more offers from other clients. I'll make sure no one bothers you until then."

"Did you give Nina something to do?"

"Never. Ask. Questions. You'll receive your exam scores when everyone else does. They'll be good, not great. Now you should go home, I'm sure your lovely aunt is worried about you."

Anna stood up and followed Quinn out the door.

The guide who had welcomed them earlier was already waiting in the hallway. Quinn thanked Anna and Nina for their time then retreated to the office. The guide smiled as he gestured down the hall, the two sisters followed him.

Never ask questions. Yet questions were all Anna had. Questions and a sick feeling in her stomach.

A/N: Two more chapters, next one coming soon!