3 Chapter 3

I stood up as quickly as I can. Wilker is standing in front of his desk, less than three feet from me. "What were you thinking, messing up not one, not two, but three of my assassins?" Anger was still boiling in me, so I yelled right back at him. "Mable I wasn't thinking because I was to mad at them for going three against one. But you don't drag them out of there by their hair." This earns me a slap across the face.

"Don't you dare pin any of this on me. They may of started it, but you should have kept your anger in check. This could of ruined a mission they were on. Did your think of that? No." "Maybe I would have if Zachery hadn't keyed me up on purposes." I could see the anger in his eyes. He never showed this much expression in front of anyone. Especially not an assassin. Unless it was me. An only when he was real mad at me. "What if that had switched around? What is it was him beating you into a blood pool? Because I have your mission for tonight, and I need your face to be in it's usual way. It can't be covered in blood and bruises."

My eyes go wide. "What kind of mission would have me needing my face to look good." "Oh, well you already know." Wilker's face had a huge smile on it. "The kind that is a punishment. You see the stakeout was just to make sure I could have your one hundred percent. This one is to make sure you learn to do as you are told. Farren has gotten a little to cocky. And the only way to get close enough to kill him, is for him to think he is yours. I have gotten you locked 187." I am shaking with anger.

"You wouldn't dare." I screamed at him. ''I would and I am. You know through rules. You decline a mission, you are kicked out of the guild. Now, you are going to give heal the three of them, and then come back." Wilker crossed his arms. "Heal them? No." I said throwing my hair over my shoulder, just to give my hands something to do other than strangle him. "Yes."

"So I get in trouble for defending myself, and they walk free." "Jaycie, so help me god, if you don't go out there and heal them right now, I will personally over see your death." "Fine." I answered. "Are your going to heal them?" He asked. Knowing me, i was saying fine to something I had thought of myself. "Yes." "Yes what?" "Yes, beloved Assassin Master."

My words have a heavy sarcastic cover. I go to walk away and he grabs my arm, literately snapping the bone. I let out a howl of pain. "Next time you use that tone, I will make sure every bone that makes you mouth move, is broken. Got it?" "Yes sir." "Good, now go. Don't heal that arm. I will do it when you get back. Bring another assassin with you. Now go." I stormed out of the office.

When I walked into the training room, everyone stared at my arm. I walked up to Zachery and his friends. "Are you back to take another shot?" He asked. It took all on my self control to not punch him. "No, I have to heal you. Now stay still." I healed his face, then one of his friends, then the last one. As I left the room, my eyes caught on Garret's. He was staring at my arm with a plain face, but I could tell anger welled in inside him. I was so focused one him, I didn't realize Zachery getting closer. He shoved me to the ground, causing me to land on my broken arm.

I let out a long string of curses. When I jumped up, my dagger was out and I was ready to kill him. He was smirking at me, like he knew I wasn't aloud to hurt him. I quickly put up the dagger and turned away. I got all the way to the door way before I yelled, "One of you come with me. Now." "Why?" Zachery asked. He shoved me into the door way and then to the floor. My arm hit both of them and my scream actually caused several people to back away and cover there ears. I stood up, each movement was highly calculated to keep myself from attacking Zachery. Garret shoved pass him and said, "I guess i will go since no one else seems brave enough to go with you."

Everyone was cowering back. If there was one thing they had learned, it had been that when I am angry, just back off. "Well, it would make everyone smart to stay away. I started to walk off as Zachery said, "And the masters little pet is running off to be at his beck and call. He really does keep a tight leash on you doesn't he?" I turned towards him, but didn't get any closer. "You better be glad of this tight leash right now, because it is the only thing that is keeping me from killing you right now."

"Well go on little pet. He must be waiting for you." "I am not his pet. And just remember, in this building you are protected by him, but off this property, everything is fair game. So pick your words every wisely. Eventually you will have to leave." I stormed off and Garret followed at a distance. After a few mutinies I turn on him. "You know, you could have at least warned me that he was coming. I mean, did you tried to stop me, but after I got away did you decide that I deserved to be punished?" "What? No. I was to busy laughing. I tried to get you away, but I mean, you were pretty determined to kill him. I thought he was dead until Wilker came along."

"Zachery is a man of numbered days right now." Before he can answer, I walk into Wilker's office and fall into a kneel. Garret copy's me. I can tell Wilker is mad just by the feel of the room. "Both of you stand. Garret, what happen after Jaycie walked in." "The first or second time sir?" Garret asked. "Is he actually asking someone to give a report one me?" I thought. "After I had her come back with me."

"She walked in and healed all three of the men she beat up. As she was walking out, Zachery came up behind her and shoved her to the ground. She jumped up with a unsheathed dagger, but quickly put it up. When she go tot the door way, she told one of us to follow her, and Zachery shoved her into the door way, then the ground. After a few choice statements between each other, she left. She didn't lay so mush as a finger on him, other than healing him." Wilker nodded, "Thank you Garret, you may go."

He walked out and Wilker walked up to you. "What were the choice statements he was talking about?" "He decided to call me your pet, so I decided to remind him your protection doesn't leave this property. When he is in a alley way in the city, I can't promise that he wont be jumped." "I can't protect him then. He shouldn't key you up." He gently grabbed my arm, and healed the bone.

"Look, Jaycie. I shouldn't have gone so hard on you. I honestly didn't mean to break your arm. Are you okay?" "I am fine." "Okay, you need to go. Leave the guild for today. Clear your head. You already know your mission tonight. I will be there. See you at nine." "Whatever." That was another thing he only ever did with me. He never apologized to any of the other assassins. He had cooled off, and I was winding down. This mission wasn't going to go away, and I knew that. It was made before my fight today. I walked to the door, but his words stopped me.

"Jaycie, you know I hate giving you this type of mission. But you know the only way we can get close enough is if he thinks that is what you are. So this mission is not only a punishment, it is also a necessity." I turn and faced him. "If it wasn't my punishment, would I still have to do it?" "No. I would have given you an option. If you had said no, I would have thought of something eventually." "But we need to do what is easiest, quick?" "Yes." He sat down and walked over to the front of his desk.

"I know I wont say this after I am done with the mission, so don't you dare ask me to say it again later, but I understand. Also, I will try and keep my anger in check, but if Zachery keeps it up, his numbered days will become a much smaller number." "Send the three of them in on your way out." "Yes sir." I walked out and Zachery was standing at the front of the guild, waiting by the door. "Did he kick his pet out for the day." I take a deep breath. "You and your buddy's better get to his office. And quick. He is livid."

"What the hell did you say about us to make him that mad?" He stalked up to me and shoved me against the wall. I don't react, though my hands are itching to punch him. "Nothing. I just happen to be in there before you." I stormed past him and out the door. The second I am out of the gate, I turn around. He is standing just on the inside of the gate. "You done following me. To scared to leave the Masters protection?" "No, i am just smart. I need to go and see Wilker, I don't have time to get in a fight with you now. But we both know I would win." I scoffed.

"You know what, you tell yourself what ever you need to to make yourself feel good." I walked off into the city streets. I went straight to my apartment without any trouble. But the second I got to the door, something felt off. I walked in and pulled out two daggers. I had them held in a defensive hold. I was ready for an attack from any side.

I started in the kitchen, and combed through my apartment. When I got to my bedroom, I had to pick. Under the bed, or closet. I would have to turn my back to one to check the other. "I would think the closet is a better place to hide, so I should check there first, but an intruder would think that too." I thought. "I don't know which I should check first." I decide to check in the closet. Nothing. Under the bed. Nothing. Bathroom. Nothing.

I walk back towards the kitchen, but only make it as far as the dinning room before a blade is at my throat. "Stop." A man said. The voice was familiar, but unfamiliar at the same time. "Who are you? How did I not find you? Why are you here? What-" "Stop." The man said. "I know this tactic. Overwhelm me with questions until you can get away." "Fine. But who are you?" I couldn't pin the voice, but it was on the tip of my tongue.

"You don't know who I am. I am offended." The person pushed me away, pulling the dagger from my throat. I spun, and Garret was standing there smiling. "How did you know this was my apartment?" "I have my ways." He answered. "Why did you act like a intruder?" "Because I wanted to see how well I was at hiding." I rolled my eyes. "The dagger at my throat? Masking your voice?" "I thought it would be fun to try and scare you." "You didn't scare me. You just made me mad." I stormed back into my room shoving him out of the way. "Just go."

"Jaycie, please don't push me away again. What do you mean I don't want someone with as much water under the bridge as you. You aren't broken." I was about to shut the door on his face, but he pushed it open, pulled me into my room, and put my back to the wall. Just to make sure I didn't leave, he put on arm on each side of me, caging me in.

"Garret. Just leave it at that okay. You don't know my story, and you don't know me." " Then tell me your story. Let me in." Garret was practically begging. "No. Okay? Just leave it at that." "Fine, but you can't say that you want me to leave you alone." I rolled my eyes. "Why?" "Because, I won't." "You have to eventually. I have a mission tonight." "What is it?" Garret back away from me and let me walk over to my bed. I plopped down and he sat next to me.

"I am just doing a thing down at The Barrel." "Another fight?" He asked. "You could call it that." I said. But then I thought, "I will want to fight Farren for touching me, and my fists will be itching to try and get near Wilker. I would call it an internal fight. Self-restraint versus everything I have ever been taught in my life." Garret put a hand on my shoulder. "Jaycie, are you gonna answer?" I jump. "What?" "I asked if you actually thought the stake out was a mistake. That is why I came here. I needed to talk to you, and I knew there was no where else I could."

I sighed and stood up. "Garret, if I answer you honestly, neither of us will like the answer." "I rather have your honesty than your cold shoulder." I laughed at his choice of words. "Garret, I can't like you. Sure I kissed you, but like I said. It was a mistake." Garret stood up and walked around the bad to where he was standing in front of me. "Give me one good reason why you can't like me." "I already told you, Wilker-"

"No." Garret practically yelled. It made me jump back in surprise, and a hint of fear. "Wilker isn't the reason. I can tell you have another. Stop hiding behind him." My feelings immediately turned to anger. My way to mask out what ever this was. "Fine. You want my reason. I. Don't. Like. You. The kiss was just a kiss. Nothing more. Nothing less. No ulterior motive or anything like that. I don't like you or anyone else. So just butt out of my life and start hating me like everyone else in the Guild."

Garret was staring at me. He was trying to figure something out. "Jaycie, why do you hide behind anger? When something gets to personal for you, you hide behind your anger. You let it control you. Why can't you let me in?" I was baffled. No one had ever figured that out before. He was the only one to realize my anger took control. "I...because...wait. You figured that out?"

He smiled. "Yes. It happens like clockwork. Why do you do it?" My answer came out on its own. "It is what i have always done. One of the assassins insult me, I throw up a shield. It is just how I work." "Why are you so against everyone at the Guild, and they so against you. I mean, when one of us gets captured, you have seen what happens. Two months ago, Zachery got captured on his mission. You were the one that lead the team to find and rescue him."

I laughed. "I don't know. I mean if anyone at the Guild gets captured, I would go find them. Its is basically the first rule of being an assassin. Pain, loyalty, and trust. No matter how much pain they put you threw, you stay loyal to the Guild. And you always trust that they have your back. We had to get him out of there." Garret took a few steps back and leaned against the wall.

"There is it. The part of you that cares about the Guild. You hate Zachery, but you literately almost got yourself killed to save him. I have seen you do it a dozen times for various members of the Guild. But now that I try and show you that I care, you push me away. What is the real reason?" I shake my head. I want to hit him for seeing through me, and being so smart. "Jaycie, please. Just answer this one question."

I shake my head in defeat. "Fine. The reason I push you away, that I push everyone away, is because I don't want to be the reason why someone gets hurt. If I don't get attached to anyone, no one can be used against me. Every time I have been caught, I have been able to know that I don't have any family that can be used to get information out of me. If I decided to let you in, and then I got caught, they could get you and use you against me."

Garret laughed. I felt anger start making a shield around me again. Pushing him away, pushing him out. He must have seen it in my face because he quickly said. "I am sorry. I shouldn't have laughed. But I am an assassin, just as you are. If they caught you, they would have a hell of a time catching me. You know when someone is caught, everyone goes on high alert. Not only would we be trying to get you back, but we would also know they were trying to get us."

I stood up and stormed into the living room. "You think you can't get caught. I use to think the same thing. Do you remember Lavren? The assassin that got killed a few years back." Garret's face went solemn. "Oh course. You were..." He trailed off, putting two and two together. "Finish that statement. Now." I ordered. "You two were pretty close. He was the only one you talked to." I get a huge fake smile on my face to hide the sadness that the memories brought.

"Yes. We were close. But when he got caught, they found out how close I was to him. I was extra careful, but they still caught me as well. I had to watch him die. I had to watch my only friend in the whole Guild die. Then I almost died my self. Had you guys not found me when you did, I would be in a grave right next to him. So, yes, even though you are a assassin, you could still get caught." My next words came out as a small whisper. "And I don't think I could watch another friend...if that is what you could call us...die."

He came up to and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a hug. "Jaycie, I am know you are scared, but you can't distance yourself from everyone for ever, just to keep them from getting hurt. You are hurting yourself by doing that. I want to be there for you, I am willing to take the risk." I looked up into his eyes. "Do you really mean that. Because let me tell you. On the rare times people catch 'The Female Assassin' they take no chances for me to escape. I have seen how they treat me over others they have caught, I always get the worse end."

He smiled down at me. "I am mean this with all my heart. I am willing to take the risk if you will let me." I feel tears fill my eyes. I bury my face into his chest so he doesn't see them. My voice comes out muffled. "You have no idea how happy I am to finally hear someone say that." His tone changes to a humorous one. "Good, because you made me jump through hoops to get to you."

When I look up at him, he wipes a few tears off my cheek. "And I am not letting you push me back out." Then he kissed me. I didn't push him away, of try to get away. I was just fine with having him stay right here with me.

When my eyes looked up to the clock a while later, I jumped off the sofa. I hadn't remembered sitting down, and by the look on Garret's face, neither did he. "Jaycie, whats wrong?" He asked. "My mission. I need to get ready. I completely lost track of time. I have a shower to take, I need to eat. Oh god. Garret, you distracted me." Garret laughed, "From what I remember, you didn't say one word about me 'distracting you', if that is what you want to call it.

"You kissed me first. So you distracted me." I rushed into my room and pulled my swords out of there sheaths so I could un buckle my suite. Garret was leaning against the door way. "Are you just going to watch me?" I asked. "Make yourself useful and go make me some dinner." "So bossy." He said with a smile. "And I thought Wilker was harsh when he was rushed." I laughed. "Just get going." He left the room and I quickly showered. I put on some regular clothes and, then did my hair. Next came makeup, and finally, I put several types of poison in my hidden pockets.

When I rushed out, Garret made a wolf whistle. "Even when you rush, you still look nice." "Oh stop, I am not dressing to impress. Were is my food?" I asked. "Table." We both sat down. "So how do you know he will pick you?" Garret asked. "Think about it. I tried to show him up in the fighting ring, and I lost. He made pointed out several times I should have been on the other side of the bar, but I said no. What would you do if you saw me up there after that?"

"Point taken. So how are you going to kill him. I mean, they would never let someone in there with a blade. At least not a courtesan." "Calling it a courtesan doesn't make it any better." He shook his head. I know, but I rather call them that because it is nicer." "Okay, whatever. I am going to use poison. Either on my nails, lipstick, or just drop it into his drink." "Good idea." Garret said.

"I need to get going. See you tomorrow." I said walking towards the door. He walked out with me and I locked up. "I am walking you there, and don't you even say no. You don't have a single blade on you and I know the kind of men who hang out in those back alleyways at night." I rolled my eyes. "Fine, but hurry up. Lets go." I lead the way, making sure to stay out of big crowds and to not draw attention to myself. When we got to the back alley way of The Barrel, he stopped me about half way down the alley way. "So, you are entering the back door, like the common...courtesan." "Yes I am entering the back door like the common courtesan. I have to make everyone believe Wilker kicked me out and this is my new job.

Garret held gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "Fine. If you must. Though just know I hate that you have to do this." "Garret, are you trying to make it worse for me?" Before he could answer, two guards came around the corner. They made sure woman weren't jumped. "Looks like someone can't wait to see her." One of them grabbed Garret and shoved him away from me. "Look Mister. You can go in a bid for her like the rest of them."

Garret laughed. "I know. But I wanted to make sure she got here safe." I guard glared at him. That is our job. Now scoot along before we escort you away." Garret threw up his hands in defense. "Okay. Okay. Bye." He walked off, and I was about to go in the back door, when one of the guards grabbed me. "Hey Missy. Aren't you at least going to thank us?" I tried to pull away, but the other one grabbed my other arm. "Thank you for what?" I asked. "We saved you from him." One guard said. "I think we should be payed back." The other said. The first one leaned down to kiss me, but he pulled back and howled with pain.

I took the moment to pull away and fall into a defensive stance. The second guard came towards me. "What the hell did you do to him?" He lunged at me, and I took one of his arms and used it to propel him into the wall. He fell to the ground, but a pair of hands wrapped around me before I could get away. My hands were pinned at my side, and my feet were no longer on the ground. "Let me go." I screamed.

I didn't do anything as he dropped me and fell to the side knocked out. I turned and the other guard was also passed out. Someone slipped something into my pocket from behind me, but when I turned, no one was there. I ran threw the back door and leaned against it, taking a breath. "What just happened? I barely did anything." I thought. After I caught my breath, and took out what ever was in my pocket. It was a note.