Author's note: This chapter is rated Mature for violence.
Once he saw the syringe approaching his neck, Agent 18 closed his eyes expecting to feel a poisonous prick but didn't. He opened his eyes and saw a reticent Agent 47 withdrawing the syringe from his neck.
The guilt and shame had overcome him; he couldn't bring himself to kill Agent 18. He slowly stepped back from the surprised looking assassin and sat down on the couch.
"What are you doing?" Agent 18 asked him.
The syringe tapped against the glass coffee table once he set it down and answered, "There has to be another way."
An exasperated sigh emerged from his mouth, "There isn't."
His gaze examined his perfect physique which led him to an idea, "We could work together and defeat ICO."
Shaking his head, Agent 18 replied, "No. We could both die or worst, I survive and you don't. I don't want to be killed by branded cattle nor do I want to rob you of a life that you deserve."
"The only other older agent I've seen was slow and weak. You're neither..how is that possible?"
He shrugged and grinned, "I always thought it was good genes but I'll never know. Besides, that doesn't matter."
"It does. We can do this," he tried to encourage him.
"I don't want to die a selfish death. Please, think of Karina and the life that you will have together," he pointed at the syringe.
Before his eyes could fell upon the poison filled needle, his mobile rang, it was Diana.
"Forty-seven, please tell me you haven't killed Agent 18 yet!" Diana said once she heard him answer the phone.
Her urgent tone concerned him, "No, why?"
"Norman Gateson's wife, Patricia, she and I have been speaking to one another. I told her the truth about the Organization. She is disgusted and horrified.."
"And?" he was interested and a little shocked.
"And she just left me a voicemail telling me that she will help us take down her husband and the Organization. She'll even let you right into their home giving us security details, and other vital information!"
His heart nearly stopped, "She will?"
"Yes! And thank God because Gateson was going to have Agent 50 be a part of the ambush he had waiting for you!"
He remembered how dangerous Agent 50 was during his time at the school, "Any more details?"
"No, I called you first. I have to call her back but I after I do I'll contact you with more details," she told him.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, Forty-seven. Be safe," she hung up.
Although he only heard half of the conversation, Agent 18 was clearly intrigued, "What's going on?"
"There's another way," he said hearing relief in his voice.
"How?"
"The President of ICO, Norman Gateson..his wife is going to help me."
"She is?" he said sounding stunned.
"Yes, she's going to let me into their home. They have security. I'll need your help. I understand if you don't-.."
"I will," he nodded.
He blinked, "Just like that?"
With a modest smile he replied, "Of course. This is now our chance to take down the man who has prevented us from living a truly free life. Besides, this is our ambush attack; we have an advantage unlike before."
Before he could respond a familiar voice spoke from the living room's entrance.
"What the hell is going on?" Karissa asked while looking perplexed and astounded.
"Sweetie, what are you doing here?" Agent 18 asked his daughter.
"I thought I could stop this," she told him in a meek tone. "Why are you two just sitting here talking?" she asked then walked over her to father.
Agent 47 silently watched them interact.
"We have found an..alternative solution to our problem," he said to his child.
Her stare went to Agent 47, "You have? How?"
"Your father and I are going to kill ICO's president. My handler called, she said that his wife is willing to help us," Agent 47 felt proud telling her.
Shocked and ecstatic, her lips fell open, "Really?"
"Yes," he grinned.
Agent 18 interjected, "And for what it's worth, he couldn't bring himself to kill me."
Her eyes became flooded as she looked at her father then at Agent 47, "You couldn't? I knew you were a good man."
His mouth opened but he couldn't respond to her compliment.
Agent 18 took his mobile from his pocket, "I'm going to call your mother and tell her."
She pointed at the syringe on the coffee table and knew what it was for, "May I throw that away?"
"Yes," he nodded and then followed her to the kitchen.
They both watched the potassium chloride squirt into the sink's drain as she pushed down the syringe.
"Do you want to know why you remind me of my father..other than what I told you before?" she asked him disposing of the empty syringe in the kitchen's trash can.
Wanting to know her answer, he stepped closer to her, "What?"
"I feel safe when I'm around you and it's not because I know you're armed and highly skilled," she gladly told him and wiped away two stray tears. She then smiled at him.
Hearing her words and seeing her smile filled him with elation, he had regained her friendship. He never knew what it was like to have a sibling but he suspected it was the same feeling he was experiencing with her.
Without saying a word, she reached out and squeezed his hand.
The ringing of his mobile phone interrupted their moment of reconciliation.
"It's my handler," he answered and returned to the living room as he spoke to Diana. After he finished his conversation with her, he then told Agent 18 and Karissa the details of the plan. The unexpected occurred.
"I want in," she told them.
Their protective instincts kicked in, and in unison both assassins told her, "No!"
Her dark eyes rolled, "You both need backup and Dad, you're probably rusty. It's been years since your last.." she noticed his gaze travel to his lap and knew the truth, "You've never stopped! You've been lying to me all these years?"
"For your own good," he stated, "I was afraid you'd tell me to stop."
She folded her arms, "I wouldn't have. I was ten and I was ok with it..Even now I am-wait, do Mom and Alana know too?"
"Only your mother and now you.." he assured her.
"So that's what you do on your seasonal trips overseas. I knew those 'research trips for the boutique' excuses were off," she pointed at him.
His forefinger pointed at her, "I understand you're upset but that is no excuse to point at me."
"Hypocrite, you're doing it right now!"
"That is different, I'm older and your father."
"Sorry." she softened her face and voice.
"It's ok." he tapped her knee and grinned.
"Anyway, this is my decision," she told them, "I know I can do this, I can fight and I'm a perfect shot."
"You've never killed anyone before," Agent 47 said to her.
"I don't want you to start now, this is our fight."
"This is OUR fight because this is our family! I won't change my mind, I'm going and that's it," she crossed her legs and looked harshly at both men.
"Damn it, why did you inherit my stubbornness?" Agent 18 said as he held back a smile.
Agent 47 couldn't believe what just happened, "You're letting her go?"
"She is a grown woman and besides, if I try to physically force her to stay she will put up a fight and I need to unharmed for this assignment," he explained.
"You're damn right I will."
"Don't say that."
"You say it," she retorted.
"Damn it, you're right," her father answered with a small chuckle.
"We have to tell Alana though."
He sighed, "I know and she may want to go as well."
"She won't..she's pregnant," she grinned.
A burst of jubilation shot through him, "She is? That's amazing news! Why didn't she tell me and your mother?"
"She's only six weeks, she wants to wait until after the first trimester..and she doesn't know that I know. Nick let it slip."
He successfully held back his tears of mirth and cleared his throat, "I just told your mother and she is coming too in case we get hurt. And now that you are too..we also need Jason."
His words upset her, "No way in hell is he going! He doesn't know about you and Frank. If I tell him.." she looked down and then back at her father, "he won't want you in our lives."
"You won't know until you tell him," he replied and added, "we need him in case we get hurt."
She knew he was right and took out her mobile phone, "Ok, I'll call him and we'll meet for lunch. There's still one issue left.."
"What?" Agent 47 asked her.
"ICO? Gateson gets killed and then what? Who takes it over?"
With noticeable yet restrained eagerness in his voice, he gave her and Agent 18 a detailed answer.
Impressed, Agent 18 leaned forward and nodded, "That sounds incredible, innovative, and compassionate. I have to admit, I'm a little embarrassed that I didn't think of it myself."
"I think it's perfect," Karissa told him wearing a grin, "it's like you and my father are coming full circle."
"Really?" he was glad to see her reaction.
"Yeah, you two will be fixing everything that's wrong. I'm proud of you both," she felt her phone vibrate in her hand and checked it. "It's Jason, he sent me a text, excuse me," she got up and headed towards the kitchen.
The look Agent 47 was giving him piqued his interest, "You look like you have another question for me?"
He was now used to his new friend's intuitiveness, "I do.."
"What?"
"Those other women you've been with..What did you say to them?"
A coy smirk spread across his lips, "I would start off with a compliment to break the ice. Then I would ask basic questions like how their day was, where were they from, their careers, interests, what kind of view did their room have and the one that mattered.. if they were single?"
"And it worked?"
"Most of the time. It was the 70s, a time where most women felt free to express and explore their sexuality. Why do you ask?"
"Curiosity."
He slowly eyed him as if he were trying to decipher a secret code, "Karina..she was your very first, wasn't she? Karissa told me how she helped you court her."
Nika was the only person he was comfortable with when it came to discussing sex. Instead of looking into his eyes, he gazed away and muttered, "Yes."
His uneasiness was amusing, "It's ok, I think it's wonderful. In an ideal world, Isabella would have been my first lover as well. But I was a young man. Not even all the conditioning that the instructors put me through could suppress my natural carnal needs. And we both know how exhilarating it feels to finally surrender to them," he winked.
"Definitely," he looked at him before his eyes fell upon the clock on the wall. His flight was set to depart in less than an hour.
From the second floor corridor, Nika heard the front door close and assumed it was Elaine. She made her way to the stairs then stopped when she saw Agent 47 standing at the bottom.
"Frank, what are you doing here?" she eagerly descended the staircase and held him once he was in her reach.
He cupped the side of her face, "I didn't kill Agent 18."
Her eyes grew wide, "What? Why not?"
"There's another way for us to be together.."
She couldn't believe what he just said, "How?"
"I can only tell you that when it works we'll never have to worry about ICO," his thumb stroked her cheek.
"That's great! But how long will be you gone for?"
"A few months but," he reached into his coat pocket and handed her a mobile phone, "I'll call you every Sunday until I return."
Knowing that she'd be able to speak with him pleased her because unlike before she would have some form contact with him. She accepted the phone, "Ok, but I have to know..how dangerous will this be?"
He didn't want to lie to her but making her worry wasn't going to help, "I won't be doing this alone like before. I promise I'll come back."
The conviction in his words was enough for her, "I know you will."
He gently brought his mouth to hers planting a slow soft kiss savoring the taste of her lips hoping that it would suffice until he returned.
Agent 47 peered into the door's peephole and saw a brunette woman standing at his door.
"I'm Isabella, I need to show you to our suite," she looked right into the lens.
He opened the door and took a moment to look at her. The resemblance between her and Karissa was remarkable. They had the same delicate nose, modest dark pink lips and high cheek bones. Her figure was also in impeccable shape for a woman of her age.
With a warm smile, she brushed her long chestnut hair behind her shoulder and offered her hand to him, "It's a pleasure meeting you, Frank."
The strength in her grip was unexpected but he didn't show it, "Likewise," he then picked up his two cases of weapons.
After a few steps, she broke the silence, "Thank you..for not taking my husband's life."
Never once had a person thanked him for sparing a life, he didn't know how to react, "It's..it's nothing."
She briefly scoffed and grinned, "Your modesty is endearing but what you did, it means everything to me."
"I should thank you for being here," he spoke hoping to change the subject.
"They're my family, there's no other place I'd rather be," she stopped walking and used her keycard, "we're here."
He gestured with his head for her to enter first.
The smile that was pulling at her lips was into a grin, her husband always insisted having women enter a room first. She graciously thanked him before walking into the suite.
"Hey," Karissa weakly smiled at him from the couch.
The sadness in her usually warm demeanor registered with him, he noticed that Jason was nowhere to be seen.
"He's not here," she told him, "he-uh..he's not talking to me. I don't blame him."
He couldn't help but feel responsible for the rift between her and Jason. If he hadn't walked into her brother-in-law's store none of this would have happened. The other part of him was grateful towards her, she had helped him connect with Nika, his true love and he had no idea how to repay her for doing so.
"I'm sorry," he answered.
"It's not your fault," she shook her head; "I lied to him."
Agent 18 walked over to the couch and kissed her forehead, "It's ok, he loves you. After some time, he'll come around."
With a harsh edge to her voice, Isabella joined them and spoke, "If he doesn't he's a bastard."
"Mom!" she said clearly not hiding how offended she was.
"Baby, be reasonable," Agent 18 stated as he placed an arm around his wife's waist and looked into her eyes.
"I understand how he's feeling but he knows you," she said to him and then locked eyes with Karissa, "and if he really loves you. He should be able to accept certain things that can't change. I did and I'm actually married to your father."
"Mom," she said sounding exasperated, "he's not you. You and Dad have always been honest with each other..I should have been the same way with Jason but I wasn't. Can we please just go over the plan now," she turned to Agent 47.
"Of course," Agent 47 nodded as he finished connecting his laptop to the flat screen television.
After Agent 47 finished reviewing their plan, they all packed up and headed for the door.
"Ladies first," Agent 18 said to his wife and daughter.
"Thanks Dad," Karissa said with a grin and walked past him.
Isabella leaned into him and whispered into his ear, "I plan to show you my gratitude tonight."
His lips curved into a smirk, "I look forward to it," he leaned in for a kiss but was denied when she pulled her head back.
"Be patient," she teased him with her sultry eyes.
"I don't know how you two only made three of us," Karissa shook her head.
"Birth control," Isabella told her.
"One of the world's greatest inventions," Agent 18 stroked his wife's hair.
Agent 47 and Karissa shared an uncomfortable look.
"What? Do you think grew out of the ground?" Agent 18 loved teasing his daughter.
"We have to get going," she told her parents as she opened the door to find Jason standing in the corridor. She felt her lips fell open.
Jason looked at his wife with uncertain eyes, "I-um-I'm still upset…but it felt wrong not to be here for you," he took the case in her right hand.
She held back her tears and nodded, "Thanks."
As they filed out of the suite, Agent 47 heard Isabella whisper to her husband.
"You called him didn't you?"
"I had to make it right for them," he shrugged.
She cupped his face and kissed his forehead.
It amazed Agent 47 to see how after thirty-four years of marriage the attraction and love between Isabella and Agent 18 was still fully intact. He hoped that his relationship with Nika would be just as successful.
On the way to Gateson's home, they drove past a farm with cows grazing on the pasture and chickens running around outside their coop. This image caused Agent 18 to quietly chuckle to himself as he drove the SUV.
"You're thinking about Doug," Karissa smirked.
"Of course I am," Agent 18 said as he looked in the rearview mirror.
"Wasn't he your first date?" Jason asked.
"Yes and my father wanted him to be my last," Karissa she shot her father a fake glare.
"What did he do?" Agent 47 asked her.
"Well," she turned in her seat to stare at him, "he was supposed to come over for dinner but he forgot the time. When he called my house, my mother and I weren't there. So my father answered and purposely told him to come two hours early."
"Why?" Agent 47 asked Agent 18.
"I took him to a farm just like the one we passed. He helped me pick out a chicken for dinner," he casually answered.
"He's leaving out the part where he brought the chicken home, beheaded it, removed its organs and plucked it as he told Doug the importance of respecting a woman's decisions and body," she told him while sounding annoyed.
A loud laugh came from Agent 18, "He had to know about boundaries. You're my daughter and my baby."
"He never asked me out ever again! I was fifteen, I thought my life was over!"
Jason laughed, "I had it easy then. All he did was have your dogs growl at me as he cleaned his rifle."
"You were different, my son," Agent 18 told him, "you worked for my wife. I trust her instincts."
Isabella held his hand and kissed the back of it, "I trust yours."
"Thank God because if it were up to Dad I would have never married," she playfully rolled her eyes.
"That is not true. I would have allowed you to marry…after I died of old age," Agent 18 joked.
Everyone chuckled easing the tension that hung in the air.
The opening of his office door caused Norman Gateson to raise his chin in interest and confusion. Patricia had left for a week taking the children with her to her sister's house. He was taken aback when Agent 47 walked in holding his gleaming AMT Hardballers in his hands. The man he had been pursuing was now right in front of him.
"47..how in the hell did you make it past security?" he asked the deadly assassin.
"Your wife," Agent 47 flatly stated while keeping his stare and guns on him.
His eyebrows creased in disbelief, "No..she would never betray me."
"She's staying at her sister's for a reason."
Earlier that morning he had tried to reaching Patricia on her mobile phone and her sister's home phone but couldn't, he now knew why. He was hurt and angered by her betrayal.
"Why?"
"She knows the truth about ICO; she eavesdropped on you and Diana."
"That explains it," he figured out why her behavior had been so odd but he couldn't give it much thought with two guns in his face. He wasn't afraid of Agent 47 and stood up as he dialed a number on his desk phone.
Gateson casual attitude was unexpected; there wasn't a hint of fear in him. There was something wrong but Agent 47 didn't what it was until the bathroom door slowly opened.
"I must say 47," Gateson stood up, "I have to applaud you on your courage and stupidity thinking you could just walk into my home and murder me. You just happened to have chosen the day that I arranged to meet Agent 50," he gestured to the bathroom.
With dead dark eyes, and rugged good looks Agent 50 moved his fit physique out of the bathroom's doorway. If it weren't for the fact that he was a lethal soulless killer; he could have passed for a mere mortal. He walked out of the bathroom maintaining his aim on Agent 47.
"I disagree with you on one point," Agent 47 said to Gateson as he watched his employer head for the door, "this wasn't a stupid decision."
With a cocky scoff, Gateson asked, "What makes you say that?" He opened the door and froze when he saw Agent 18 holding a shotgun to his face.
"Stupid people don't bring backup," Agent 47 answered with subtle pride, "Let me introduce you to Agent 18."
"We need to talk. Close the door," Agent 18 told Gateson and nodded when he obliged, "hands."
"I'm not armed," he eyed Agent 18 and was impressed by how well he had stayed in shape, "how did he find you?"
"Fate."
"So what? You're going to just blow my head off?" He smirked.
"Your wife requested that we make it look like natural causes."
"With this one glaring exception, she is a compassionate woman."
"She also said you wouldn't go down without a fight."
"Wives, they know everything."
"They do," he grinned.
His eyebrow arched, "Well, I just alerted my security team so there really is no point in-.." he stopped talking once he heard gunshots from the floor beneath him.
"It sounds like your team is getting acquainted with my daughter," Agent 18 proudly told him.
"Your daughter?"
The first man she had ever shot and killed laid face down on the carpeted floor. After pushing through her hesitation, she had actually done it. She let go of the last shred of innocence and joined her father and Agent 47 in the gray realm of morality. However, there was no time to dwell on it, four more guards charged towards her in the hallway.
With quick and perfect accuracy she disposed three of them with shots to their chests and heads, their bodies dropped onto the floor. The fourth one wisely hid behind a pillar, she did the same as the last three remaining guards on Gateson's security team entered the corridor. She listened to the surviving guard from the first group instruct two of them to retrieve Gateson while he told the other one to stay with him and handle, "This bitch."
Upon hearing his insult, she reached into her coat pockets taking out two white round bombs and rolled them down the hallway. When two of the guards began running towards the stairs, she pressed the detonator and watched their bodies explode into pieces staining the crème colored walls and lavender carpet.
The surviving guards were momentarily distracted by the explosion and she took the opportunity roll two miniature smoke bombs in their direction. Once she set them off, she took out her voice recorder and pressed play leaving it behind the pillar. The smoke camouflaged her while she crawled across the floor as the misogynistic guard headed towards her pillar telling his partner to stay behind.
The unsuspecting guard didn't even see her as sat beneath the smoke at his knees and emptied her gun's last bullet into his chest. His limp body slid down the pillar leaving a trail of blood on the creme colored column.
"What the fuck?" the guard said as he bent down. He picked up the voice recorder only to have Karissa punch the back of his head and remove his gun from grasp. He quickly recovered and gave her a strong backhand to her face.
Her body landed on the floor and her mouth throbbed in pain as he tried to force his body on hers until she gave him a kick to his crotch. As he fell to the floor, she crawled over to him and grabbed his head. She spat a mouth full of blood at his face before taking her combat knife and stabbing him through the brain stem.
After a few seconds, Gateson realized his guards weren't coming for him.
"It sounds like I've taught her well," Agent 18 smiled.
"You trained your daughter to be a killer?"
He ignored his words, "You can still follow your wife's wishes and die peacefully."
"Thanks but I'm a prideful man. And an unarmed one," he got into a fight stance.
"You know how to fight?" He couldn't but be amused.
"Yes, in the rare case I had to defend myself I hired a trainer. Unless you insist on blowing my head off.."
Agent 18 was a fair man and so, he threw his shotgun down the hall and positioned his fists and feet, "I respect any man who prefers to die with dignity."
As expected, Gateson launched a punch to his face which was promptly blocked. The great assassin countered with a punch of his own but groaned when he received a brutal kicked to his stomach. He remained on his feet and blocked a series of kick and blows that his former boss threw at him. Somehow Gateson managed to kick him in the jaw causing Agent 18 to fall to the floor.
"Not bad for management, right?" Gateson arrogantly smirked as he wiped blood from his lips and prepared to kick Agent 18 in the ribs only to have the assassin grab and then break his leg. He fell flat on his stomach in utter agony.
Ignoring the pain in his jaw, he crawled over to Gateson and placed his head in a chokehold and said, "Your wife was right. Your pride will be the death of you," he broke his neck and dropped his lifeless body to the floor.
Agent 47 looked at Agent 50 and asked, "Dying with dignity, it isn't an option?"
He slowly shook his head.
"I thought so."
Agent 50 followed Agent 47's movements as they circled each other.
"Home field advantage," Agent 47 said watching the confused assassin before the bomb Patricia had set up exploded resulting in Agent 50 losing hold of his guns but not any of his limbs.
The assassin immediately recovered taking out the guns from his holster and started shooting from behind Gateson's desk. One of many pillars provided Agent 47 with coverage as he shot at Agent 50 while dodging the bullets that flew past his head.
A groaned was suppressed once Agent 50 felt a bullet enter his chest underneath his clavicle and then thigh. He didn't care and worked through the pain, he was determined to eliminate his fellow assassin.
He felt two sharp stings on both his arms; he hid behind another pillar and examined himself as he reloaded. There were two flesh wounds on his biceps but luckily, he had things working in his favor, Jason and Isabella and Agent 50 was on his last three bullets.
"Are you ok, Dad?" Karissa helped her father up.
"I am, are you?" He examined her face and saw her bleeding mouth.
"I will be, come on," she handed him one of the security guards guns and together they kicked down the office door providing Agent 47 with the distraction he needed.
Agent 50 quickly shot at the door but missed both Agent 18 and Karissa when they rolled off to the sides of the doorway. He swiftly emptied the magazine then paused when Agent 47 stood before him. His corpse dropped to the floor joining all the other fallen agents who had come before him.
For the first time in his life, Agent 47 felt a great sense of relief and accomplishment after killing someone.
"You were shot..twice!" Karissa ran over to him.
"I'll be fine, they're flesh wounds. We have to go, now," he urged them.
"He's right, we must go now," Agent 18 told them.
Once they returned to the SUV, Jason and Isabella ran over to them.
Isabella ran into her husband's arms before they shared a passionate kiss celebrating their newfound freedom. She happily cried and her wide smile mirrored his as they leaned their foreheads against one another.
Jason went over to his wife and carefully examined her bleeding lip, "How does it feel?"
"I'll be ok. I'm sorry," she held his hand.
With one kiss to her cheek, he forgave her and gripped her waist. Even though she now a killer, she was still the woman he loved.
Watching the couples around him made Agent 47 yearn for Nika more than he already did. The only benefit of being away from her would be their blissful reunion; he held that image in his mind and heart counting the days when it would become fully realized.
"Come on, I'll take care of that," Jason said to Agent 47 referring to his wounds.
"Thank you," before he stepped into the SUV Karissa hugged him.
"Thank you.." she looked at him with gracious tearful eyes.
Their conversation on the roof entered his mind, he felt blessed to see how things had changed and softly smiled at her. He embraced the sister he never had.
As they drove off, Karissa watched the flames devour the countryside mansion. She had set up a lamp with faulty wiring and blanket in one of the bedrooms purposely making it look like the home was taken by an accidental electrical fire. Now, she was not only own a business owner and wife but also a murderer and one time arsonist. A normal woman would have felt guilty and part of her did but she didn't regret her actions. All that mattered was that she helped save her loved ones.
In quiet contentment, Agent 47 watched Gateson's mansion burn to the ground. Although he knew his mission wasn't over, it pleased him to know that he was one step closer to living the life that he wanted with the woman he loved.