Chapter 68: The First Person To Kill
Once I left my "conversation" with Batman, I felt a huge relief flood over me. Whether it was the fact that Batman wasn't totally pissed off that I suddenly came back after resigning from my position, or that the whole ordeal was over with me and Alexander - for good hopefully - I didn't know. But that's okay. I mean, I couldn't know everything, and I didn't want to anyway.
Patrick had already convinced me to talk to the team again. Sure, they didn't know what the hell was going on - that I resigned so I could marry Alexander just for their safety - but I had been gone for months. Patrick had been on the edge just with the knowledge of my wedding. And he was the stable one of, well, the whole Team. Now that he was part of it...
"Calm down. It's not like you're about to get executed."
"You're brother is here. And from everything that I know about him, just seeing me walk in with you might just push him further toward the edge. Or even off. It's kinda hard to tell with you Harper's."
"Since when did this all come to my brother. I thought I was the superior one of the family? Considering the obvious fact that we dated, instead of you two."
"And yet you still doubt everything I stand by. Including the fact that I'm not yours. And I'm not your brothers. I'm as free as a bird. A free bird that's in a fifty mile cage, but still free. Slightly."
"Your similes confuse me."
"Well, your jealousy and rage towards everyone I come in contact with confuses me. We must be even, then."
"Let's just go. Before one of us looses it."
"And by 'it' you mean sanity, correct. 'Cause I think one of us may have already lost it."
"Let me guess. She's five-seven, blonde hair turned black, blue eyes, and madly in love with me?"
"Funny. No. He is six-two, has brunette hair and green eyes, and is completely, insanely mad."
"What are you? An English Poet?"
"You wish."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He struck a confused face.
"Don't tell me you don't remember that English teacher..." He face grew bright red.
"Shut up."
"Uh, huh. Thought so."
It suddenly became quiet and I couldn't help but stop as we walked to the area the Team was. Their voices bounced off the walls, but I couldn't bring myself to enter the room.
"You didn't choose, did you?" It was more of a statement than a question, but who really cared. All I could think about was the disappointment in his voice.
"How could I? To choose between fighting for the good of all people and fighting for the people I love? Even if they're dead... I loved being part of the Team. Believe me when I said that. These kids are... amazing and talented. Throughout my life I had only seen a few people use their abilities for the good. And I had affiliated with them. But I don't belong here. I'm... an assassin. A killer. A trained murderer. No one like me belongs here."
"Is it the same for Artemis, then? She doesn't belong here either?"
"No. She belongs here. She's nothing like me. Who you're born to doesn't always affect who you are and the choices you make. Artemis is the proof of that. Jade never cared as much as I did for her sister like I did mine. Our lives were so similar, even. The way we were raised, our family trees, hell, we even had the same God damn job. We were like copies of each other."
"What does Jade have to do with the equation?"
"A lot of things. For one, her love for her sister - which was there, don't get me wrong - was hidden and masked by her own stupidity, sorrow, and selfishness. Artemis never got the chance to see that side of her like I did. Which meant that Artemis grew up without thinking anyone loved her. Which makes a huge hole in your heart. This team. This team is the one that filled that hole. She has team mates, coaches, trainers, people who love her for who she is and nothing less. This is her family. This is a family. And I can't rip them apart more than I already have."
"They consider you family, too, Sarah. You, me... everyone. Even Madeline."
"Madeline?" I spoke, my throat suddenly getting dry. "What the hell did you do?"
"Calm down, she's safe here."
"Safe here? Are you mad? What do you think will happen when everyone finds out about her? You told them she was your daughter, I presume. So what about the questions? All those stupid questions about her mother? What are you going to say?" Patrick went still and quiet. "Whatever you do, Harper, you better watch your mouth. Madeline's mother is dead. That's the story. Simple. You spill anything, and so help me God... Just remember. I'm not part of the team. What I do is based solely on me. And believe me when I say that I'm dying to kick someone's ass. Try not to be the first person I kill this week."
I smiled - or more like smirked - at Patrick, attempting to act as if he wasn't a bother. But he was. He always had. Even when I loved him.
Despite my warning, I knew the outcome. Patrick was going to spill everything. And I just had to make sure I was there when it happened, or there was no going back from the truth.