Page 124 of The Company

And Sasha is still alive.

And Harper is still alive.

There’s more than us still alive too. That kidnapper yesterday morning, for one.

But the Admiral’s order to assassinate the assassins was not my only job. I have lots of jobs. Lots of invested interests. Lots of plans that don’t include the Company.

My eyes dart around the alley as the girls cross, linger on some graffiti painted on the garage in front of Harper’s building, and then settle on my little partner-in-crime Smurf.

Sasha. I remember that message I got about her back in March now. It turns out Sasha really does have a dirty little secret. But she was set up too, so I’m totally on board with her trust issues. Because Sasha Cherlin was promised to Nicholas Tate and that’s why he was visiting her last year. The Admiral wanted her dead, but like Merc, Sasha is not one to lie down and just die. The Admiral left her out on the Colorado prairie to keep her away from Nick.

And even though I don’t know for sure that she was told to kill me when I showed up, I feel it to be true. And she failed, so it’s her turn to die instead.

I watch the girls enter the gate that leads to Harper’s back yard. She’s the only one in the basement, so she will be inside and have that card in about two minutes. I’m about to get up from the roof so I can intercept her on the way back inside my condo when my gaze settles on the graffiti again.

A mushroom.

My stomach flips and my heart gives off one solid thump before beginning to race.

The mushroom comes with a message. It always comes with a message. ‘Are you content now?’ said the Caterpillar, a quote from Alice in Wonderland, is written in a hippie style straight out of 1969.

I frantically search the alley, knowing I am too late because I’m on the roof, when he steps out from behind a truck parked a few spaces down. “Tet!” he calls and then laughs. “Tet, what’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. I thought we got that coming-back-from-the-dead stuff out of the way back at the gas station? No? You’re still recovering? Still on vacation?”

I think… for the first time in my life… I’m not sure what to do. So I start with his number. “One.”

He pounds his bare chest, bronzed to a golden tan from beach living. “The one and only One. Still alive. Still fighting the good fight. Still… winning.” He laughs again. “You’re a good dog, Tet. A very good dog. Dropping the bird at my feet like this.”

I’m confused.

He stops directly below me in the alley. “What’s wrong, Six? Having trouble recalling our deal? That’s OK,” he says, digging a phone out of his pocket and waving it up at me. “I’ve been sending you messages all along, buddy, you just weren’t getting them. Sorry about that.”

“I remember the deal,” I snarl. I remember most of the deal, anyway. “And the deal was I bring you the card. So why are you here?”

“Well, brother, excuse me for not trusting you, but we’re gonna need a new deal. I want something else you have. And it’s not the little girl and it’s not the Admiral’s daughter, either.” He pops off a salute, turns on his heel, and walks into Harper’s back yard.