Ava

I flinched when someone poked my back as I walked down the hall to the cafeteria.

“It’s just me. You’re kind of jumpy today.” Brooke stepped beside me, matching my stride. “So weird. I feel like we’re still back home. This place looks almost identical to ours, though it’s bigger here.”

“I feel the same way.” Tamara slid to my other side. 

“How do you like your partners?” I asked.

Tamara shrugged. “Gene is nice, but kind of smug. Not that I expect us to be friends—”

“Tamara meant to say he has a stick up his ass,” Brooke cut in.

Tamara snorted. “Yeah, I did.”

Brooke waved her hand dismissively. “We’re not here to make friends. Besides, I don’t want to get to know cocky people. They make me feel so tiny. My partner Vince, he’s okay, but I could do without him.”

We stopped talking when the double doors slid open, revealing a cafeteria double the size of ours. Meals on trays had been set on the tables. The officers sat to the right, while the rest sat to the left.

Russ smiled by way of greeting, and I smiled back but disregarded Mitch. Whether he even looked my way, I didn’t care. I was stabbing his heart in my mind.

“Good evening.” Alonzo, one of their agents, stood by the door, greeting those entering. His dark hair gleamed under the light and his brown eyes appeared lighter. “I’m happy to hear you’ve all settled in. Please, take a seat and enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you,” we said in accord.

I directed Brooke and Tamara to the table behind the officers. Sitting close to them gave me better hearing range to eavesdrop, and no one else was sitting there. The fewer people to talk to, the better.

I spotted Justine and Payton at another table. Justine and I exchanged glances, but I turned away. Then someone—no, not one, but two someones—bumped into me on either side.

What the hell?

“Good evening.” Drew had squeezed between Brooke and me, forcing Brooke to scoot down.

The boy named Gene shoved in between Tamara and me. “Excuse me.”

I flicked my eyes to the high, domed ceiling and sighed, and then looked down at the ISAN compass logo on the polished floor. The design of the compass, same as ours, seemed hand painted. The brown and gray texture gave it a 3D feel.

“I hope I didn’t intimidate you earlier.”

Seriously? I came so close to giving him the bird, but I tamed my temper. Actually, I had no choice. We were in a room full of our superiors.

Drew slapped Brooke’s hand when she tried to lift the silver lid from her tray.

“What the f—” She stopped herself and pressed her lips together.

“You need to wait until the highest-ranking officer does it first.” He angled his eyebrows. “Weren’t you taught any manners?”

Brooke’s cheeks flamed. Sabrina, standing on a platform and wearing a sweater as red as Brooke’s face, tapped the mic clipped at her neckline. Had it not been for the officers standing beside the podium, I was sure Brooke would have socked Drew, and I wouldn’t have stopped her.

“Good evening everyone.” Sabrina gave a curt nod. “I’m pleased we’re able to have this time to enjoy a meal together and each other’s company. Mr. Novak and I are in constant communication. Though he’s unable to attend dinner, he will try to stop by tomorrow, but no promises. He wanted me to inform you how proud he is of all of you.”

“Bullshit.” Brooke coughed softly.

I cast a glance over to Payton’s table when a jovial chuckle caught my attention. It sounded like Rhett’s. My insides somersaulted, and I found myself missing him.

My mind flashed back to the time when Ozzie, Reyna, Rhett, and I sat in the cafeteria. I had spat out a mouthful of liquid when Ozzie said the powdered milk was baby formula.

Tune Rhett out. Not the time to be thinking of him.

The clink of glasses resonating throughout the room broke my reverie. The officers had toasted with each other.

“Now to all of us.” Sabrina raised her glass higher.

I had missed parts of her speech. I had no idea what she had just said.

I lifted my glass like everyone else and drank.

“Please, enjoy your meal.” Sabrina flashed a beautiful smile and sat.

Then the aroma of roasted chicken, rice pilaf, and steamed vegetables spiraled through the room when silver lids were set aside.

“Yuck. While the officers get wine, we get—” Brooke shuddered.

“Protein drink. ISAN sure knows how to celebrate.” I set down my glass and saw Drew staring at me.

“What?” I held no annoyance back in my tone.

His eyes widened with surprise, replacing the disapproving frown. Maybe he was surprised I had a backbone.

“Didn’t you just turn eighteen?” Drew asked.

“What’s it to you?” Brooke threw a sidelong glance at him. “Didn’t you?”

“I’m almost twenty.” He picked up a fork and knife and sliced through the breast.

Twenty?

I had been ignoring Gene to my left until he accidentally bumped my elbow with his. He and Tamara seemed to be in a deep conversation and getting along fine, despite her thinking he was arrogant.

“Sorry.” Gene’s soft silver eyes met mine.

“It’s fine.” I smiled and gave my attention back to Drew after biting a carrot. I’d almost picked it up with my fingers but thought better of it. “So, Drew. Explain to me how you’re almost twenty and most of us are around eighteen or younger.”

Brooke tilted her head to get a better view of Drew. “Yes, Mr. Know-It-All, do tell.”

Drew finished a spoonful of rice and rolled back his shoulders. “I don’t have a sappy, forlorn story like most of you. Courtney didn’t take me out of juvie or rescue me from horrible foster parents. In fact, I was selected based on my grades and high achievement. I suppose ISAN is tired of hiring idiots.”

“Hiring?” I pointed my fork at him but kept my voice lower when the officers glanced my way. I faked a coy smile to let them know all was well. Perhaps sitting a table behind them hadn’t been a good idea. “You’re getting paid?”

Drew carefully pushed down my hand. “Yes. I’m helping my parents financially. Therefore, ISAN is technically paying them. We signed a contract not to disclose any information publicly. I have free room and board. Eventually, I plan to move up to be an officer and have a place of my own.”

“That’s not fair.” Tamara’s soft, timid voice reached my ears.

“Nothing is fair. You should have negotiated your contract.” He shrugged. “Oh, wait. You didn’t have that luxury.”

I lunged behind Drew to keep Brooke from stabbing him with a knife, though I wanted to do it myself. Giving her a pleading look, I shoved her back just in time. Drew turned to check out the commotion behind him just as Brooke and I faced forward and dug into our meals. I released a sigh of relief and let out a quiet laugh when Gene and Tamara snorted.

Drew got paid for doing the same work the rest of us did for free? How many of the kids in ISAN West were paid? But why? Had they stopped injecting the serum in pregnant women? That had to be the reasonable explanation. HelixB88 must be powerful, and obviously the outcome much different. I had to find out.

I swallowed a bite of chicken and whispered, “Gene, are you getting paid too?”

“No. Courtney and Alonso reached out to me about a year ago. They said I had special DNA they were searching for. I figured they got the information from my chip record. My next-door neighbor’s daughter also got asked. She’s sitting next to Justine.”

I shot my eyes to the girl next to Justine, wondering if she could be my twin. Her hair and eyes were the same color as mine. My heart raced. Could she?

“What’s her name? How long has she been here?” I asked, trying not to sound too conspicuous.

Gene gulped his drink and dotted his mouth with a cloth napkin. “Her name is Aubrey. I believe she’s with one of the first groups to have started here.”

I stored that information in the back of my mind. Aubrey and I needed to be friends. My next target. So much for sitting closer to the officers’ table. Their conversation lacked any useful insight.

After dinner, the twenty of us and the officers continued the getting-to-know-you party in another room. The room had been already set up with lush sofas and tables. There were plenty of sitting areas to mingle, and soft instrumental music drowned out conversations around me.

Chelsea’s team sat at the back, next to a table stocked with water and neatly stacked pastries. The other ISAN team had joined them. Though the lights had dimmed, everyone was visible.

“What a prick.” Brooke’s nose flared.

I searched for a place for us to sit, but we huddled around a tall, round table instead.

“Who?” I placed my water bottle and untouched cupcake on our table.

“Drew. He’s so full of himself. If he doesn’t watch it, I’m going to—”

“Going to what?”

Brook stiffened and blanched like she’d seen her worst nightmare.

Perfect timing as usual.

I didn’t blame her. Like a ghost, Drew seemed to appear out of thin air. With his hands in front and legs slightly apart, he stood ready but at ease—a perfect ISAN soldier—though he was holding a cupcake.

She whipped around. “Do you mind? For someone who’s all about manners, you stick your nose where it doesn’t belong too often.”

Drew stopped with his cupcake halfway to his mouth and frowned.

Tamara spluttered out pink frosting. Gene handed her his napkin. I imagined them dating and acting sweet to one another. They would make a cute pair.

Stop thinking silly thoughts, Ava.

But I couldn’t help myself. When Gene gave Tamara a familiar longing look, a memory hit me right in the heart.

Nine Months Ago

Rhett’s heated gaze extended across the room to me, causing me to burn with desire. He swaggered toward me, cool and confident.

“You did well today, Ava. No team has ever beaten my time before in MM. Tell me, how did you do it? Tell me your little secret and I’ll tell you mine.”

I almost rolled my eyes, but his grin disarmed me. “You want me to tell you my dirty secret?”

He leaned closer, his scent engulfing me, teasing me. “The dirtier the better.” He pulled back and winked.

I brushed my body against his, playing his game. “Let me show you, then. We should, you know, get dirty together and test our abilities ... through MM.” I licked his ear and spun away.

“Touché.” Reyna gave me a high five, although she had no idea what words Rhett and I had exchanged.

The smirk on my face revealed I won.

But Ozzie had heard. He dropped his jaw as I passed him. Talking to my superior like that warranted several point deductions, but Rhett wouldn’t act upon it. After all, he flirted with me first.

Present Day

“Earth to Ava?”

A light shove lurched me back to the present. “What?” How long had I drifted?

“This is Aubrey.” Drew tilted his head to her. “She’s on my team, and she’s going to the gala with us.”

I formed her name on my lips as if that would cause me to jolt with recognition. My heart kept the same beat. My pulse stayed steady as the summer breeze. Nothing. Perhaps she wasn’t my sister.

Maybe I wouldn’t feel a thing. Then I wondered why she wasn’t assigned to any one of us. I answered my own question. We had fewer team members present, and they had their entire facility.

“Hey.” I took her extended hand and shook it.

“Ava. I’ve heard so much about you. Well, we all have. It’s a pleasure.” Her tender smile, reminding me of my mother’s, warmed my heart. “And your team, too.” She nodded at Brooke and Tamara and then locked eyes with Justine, who was coming toward us.

“Thank you.”

I searched her face for any sign. Though she and I didn’t have any resemblance outside the color of our hair and eyes, maybe she took after our father.

“I wish there were more female assassins here. I could use a friend, or two, or three.” Aubrey snorted. “I mean, ISAN wants us to be a team, but at the same time, they don’t want us to get attached to our team members. Kind of an oxymoron, don’t you think? But I shouldn’t be expressing my feelings.” She cowered a bit, looking over her shoulder at our superiors.

“Funny you should say that,” Brooke chimed in. “I wish there were more guys in our facility. We should trade.” She snickered and stuffed her mouth with a white-frosted cupcake.

“Isn’t that your third?” Tamara chomped into her first confection.

Brooke muttered with a full mouth, “I’m going to eat as many as I can. Who knows when we’ll get to eat sweets again?”

“So true.” Aubrey cackled lightly.

I would trade her for Justine, who lurked next to me.

“What’s going on?” Justine’s eyes roamed to Drew and Gene. “Sounded like you were talking about something fun. That group is too boring.” She gestured at the group she’d come from by the sofa.

Brooke halted, a scoop of frosting halfway to her mouth. “I’m sure it’s not them. It must be you.”

I glared at Brooke. She had promised me she wouldn’t give any reason for Mitch to punish the team or put her in a detention by herself. If given too many warnings, she would be booted. Being let go meant death.

Justine’s cheeks turned a shade of dangerous red. She could have scorched Brooke with her hateful glare.

“Trust me, Aubrey.” I stepped in front of Brooke, hoping to cool the killer exchange. “You’re safer where you are.”

“I see.” Aubrey nodded, eyeing the two girls.

“You don’t want to be with a bunch of flying hormones, Aubrey,” Drew added. “Especially Brooke. She seems off the chart today. I’m sure she’s not the only one. You have an unpredictable team, Ava. You need to get a better handle on them. I’m surprised your team can complete an MM, let alone a real mission. Luck must have been on your side. I question your officers’ ability to evaluate and execute what’s best for ISAN.”

Fire blazed like a wildfire through my bones. It took every ounce of my will not to ram my fist into his chest. But I could always count on Brooke to get riled up.

“What did you say?” Brooke leaned closer, a wild beast emerging in her eyes, dark as midnight.

Drew held up his chin, angling his chest forward. “You heard me. You need to get your attitude in check.”

“Mine?” she said through gritted teeth. Then her expression softened. “You’re right. Perhaps I’m tired. After a good night’s sleep, I’ll check my attitude.” Brooke tripped on her own feet and slammed her cupcake on his forehead. “Oops, I’m sorry. See how tired I am?”

“Nobody talks to Brooke like that except for me.” Justine smashed her cupcake on his head. On her way out, she tugged Brooke’s arm.

“I’m sorry for doing this, but my team sticks together, good or bad.” Tamara grimaced and placed her cupcake on top of Justine’s. She scurried after Brooke and Justine.

Oh, sweet Tamara. I gave her kudos for trying.

“My team might not have the attitude you expect from yours, but know one thing: we will fight tooth and nail to make sure every one of us makes it out alive. And no one gets to talk shit about my team except for me.” Then I smeared my cupcake on his face and dumped water on him, too.

Thankfully, the music drowned out his roar as water dripped from his hair.

“Goodnight, Aubrey. If you ever want to transfer to my team, ask Russ.” I leaned closer to Drew, who was frozen as an ice sculpture. “See you tomorrow at MM. Mark my words, Drew, my team will have the best score.” Then I marched away.

My team drove me nuts and they didn’t get along, but moments like this when they stuck up for each other warmed my heart. If only they could carry this kind of unity every day.

“Ava!”

The door closing behind me drowned out Russ’s voice as I raced out of there. Damn it to hell! He was always watching. Better Russ than Mitch, though. I could always sweet-talk my way out of trouble with him.