Chapter 4

A piece of folder was slid across the table so Avery could easily reach it. she opened the profile and there was her target staring straight back at her. She felt chills running down her spine as she stood erect in middle of the room.

“Ms. Maeder, you’ve come a long way. This case is about proving yourself to me whether you could move on to the next level by completing this task smoothly. Your task is very simple: kill Berkley Osack. Russian born but naturalized into U.S citizen 3 years ago, CEO of Delta Corporation, one of the leading businesses across the globe, and her product is progressing extremely quickly in this country; maybe its progressing too quickly we are afraid. She holds a very high ability and power in this country and she has been rumored to possess an access to nuclear weapon, a possible threat to this country.”

Avery scanned the portfolio as she listened, absorbing the information at the same time. This was her very first assassin task. She was trained to kill people. She got the highest score on weapon handling and practice enough times on mannequins to enhance her confident in pulling that trigger. Although, shooting mannequins were not the same as shooting real people. She knew this was going to be difficult and it’s going to be her first time to prove her skill to him that she was capable of handling tasks like this.

“Yes sir, when should I start?” there was a hint of hesitation in her voice but she managed to hide it well.

“Ms. Maeder, your target is already on the move.”

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Avery was very confident in carrying out this mission. She was waiting for this moment from the very beginning and she would not blow this up by making a stupid little mistake. She would have to check her steps thoroughly and precisely as if Tom’s life is depended on it.

On her walk back to her office, she had a quick flashback of Tom’s face. She missed him so terribly and it broke her into thousand pieces when she thought about what she did to him. The instant she joined CIA, she tried to get far away from Tom as possible. She blocked, deleted, any contact from him for his own safety. She heard the rumors that the entire secret force member’s families were either mysteriously missing or killed ‘in action’. She loved Tom and was so grateful for him that she promised herself nothing would hurt him because of her.

She was distracted from her thought when someone clicked his fingers together in front of her face. It was none other than Laurence Lachowski, her partner in crime. When she meant ‘partner in crime’, she literally meant the phrase. They would always partner up together as a pair whenever a task was given and end up with the top scores.

Laurence possess what every men wish for. With a gorgeous figure of 5’ 11”, thick rich curly brown hair, olive skin and deep green eyes. He has a toned body and was the hottest man most women had ever seen… until he opened his mouth. 

Since then, she grew up living with Tom and worked at his place. He was the best fatherly figure she always hoped for and was always very grateful towards him. Avery developed both mentally and physically as she tried her best in everything she did, always thinking of ways to make Tom happy.

Tom send her to school and raised her just like a good father who would raise his own child. She managed to graduate as a valedictorian from one of the most prestigious college on her own through scholarship and was offered to join CIA at her graduation.

Nobody knew, including herself at that moment, when she decided to take that offer, she was being pulled into the black hole, where once joined, joined for life. Once she signed the document, she was assigned to the secret force and started her training since that day on. Despite the hard and cruel training, she managed to stay on the top, completing her task with the best grade in both physical and mental training.

Back to the presence, she slump her body as she walked across the hallway towards the main office. The way to the office was dimly lit and she could see self portraits of presidents staring down at her. She had chills every time she passed this hallway, as if they were staring at her walking down the corridor. As she held her id card against the entrance door and scanned her eye, for self assurance, the door slid sideways announcing her arrival. She could see her boss dimly sitting down on the big black cushioned chair across the room facing the window away from her. The setting sun cast his form into just a dark shadows from where she was standing. 

“Did wanted to see me?” Avery asked in a very professional manner.

“Yes, I have a new assignment for you Ms. Maeder.” Avery felt very uncomfortable as she heard his dark husky voice projecting across the room. As the chair spun around and came face to face with her boss, Avery straightened her form once again.  

“Your very first assassin case.”

Chapter 3

 “Avery Maeder report immediately to the main office please.” World’s most loud and obnoxious voice came out from the speaker above the lounging area in the department of Central Intelligence Agency.

Avery rolled her eyes as soon as she heard Miss. Pusum yelling at her through the microphone telling her instructions. This poor lady was over 50 years old but was still single.  Avery suggested couple of physical appearance tips but in return, she got a hard beautiful and firm slap across the face. Avery seriously thought if she could take off those rainbow color glasses of hers, and put some makeup on her face, she could guarantee a boyfriend in less than a week. But if she loves her rainbow glasses of hers so much, there’s nothing more Avery could say.

It has been 11 years since Avery decided to run away from the foster house and face the world by herself. She went around everywhere, hoping for a job that offers to little kids, but it was impossible as she was still 11 years old. She was about to return to her foster house and face the severe punishment that was waiting for her when she stopped by in a very old electronic shop that was looking for an employer.

“Hello? Anybody here?” Avery’s soft baby voice woke the old man who was sleeping in his armchair behind the counter.

“What can I help you young lady?” the old man replied with curiosity in his tone, stretching his limp body to wake up to the world once again.

“I saw the sign that was up on the door and was wondering if I could possibly get the job, sir.”

The old man was staring down at this little weak girl, wearing dirty damp clothes who seems to have not eaten any food for 5 days. He felt terribly bad for this little girl going around this dangerous city looking for a job.

“Where are your parents?”

“I don’t have any parent. I grew up in a foster house with nuns all my life.”

“Do they know you are here?”

“No, I ran away.”

“Look kid, it is very dangerous out there for a little girl like you to be going around in this dark hour. Why don’t you go back to your foster house kid?”

“I can’t sir.”

The old man felt sorry for the girl. But he well knew he couldn’t use her in any way to help him with the business. She reminded him of his daughter who died of child leukemia 2 years ago. He loved her very much and it pained him to see a girl, just like his daughter living a miserable life.

“Well, congratulations you just got your very first job missy. What’s your name?”

A wide smile spread across her delinquent face as she heard his acceptance.

“My name is Avery Maeder, sir”

“Well Avery, my name is Tom and welcome to Tom’s best electronics”

July 28^th 1999

My best friend was adopted two hours ago. My best friend who was here with me since the beginning is now gone.  I have nobody now.  Sister Charlotte told me that I, too, will soon be adopted into a “lovely” family, but I can’t find a way to believe her.

Kids with families of their own love birthdays; I dread them.  Every time my birthday comes around I feel so empty and useless.  I know every year the possibility of me getting adopted gets smaller. Nobody wants eleven-year-old kids. They all prefer newborns or cute three-year-olds.  I want a family that will say ‘I love you’ to me any given moment, and a mom and dad who will tuck me in at night and kiss my forehead before I fall asleep.

I know I should be happy for my best friend, but at the moment I can’t. Maybe it’s jealousy.  Maybe I’m desperate for something that I just can’t get…  Maybe someday, I can be adapted to a “lovely” family too…just maybe.

______________

“Sister Charlotte, can you help me please?” Avery pleaded for the thirtieth time since that morning, hoping Sister Charlotte could give her at least a glance towards her direction.

The little girl was on the verge of giving up until finally Sister Charlotte turned her body around to the little blond girl beneath her, “Avery, can’t you see I’m busy my dear? Please give me some time to help other children who need me at the moment. I will come back to you later. Patience is a virtue.”

After that, Sister Charlotte once again turned her back against her.

Sister Charlotte truthfully wasn’t doing anything. She was just annoyed with Avery’s infamous curious questions about the world.  All the nuns (including Sister Charlotte) tried to avoid her and her questions at all costs.

Avery could see all this through her tiny and beautiful honey eyes as she stood there alone in middle of the passageway.  She once again felt abandoned.  By now it was no surprise to her; she was used to this feeling. Avery thought it was her against the world and she felt like nobody.  Frustration boiled inside the little girl as she gritted her little teeth and held her hands in tight fists. She was so fed up by the lack of interest she got from the nuns and her so called “friends” that she made the unwise decision to get away from the place right there on that spot.

Little did little Avery know that it would be that moment that would set into motion the rest of her life.

Eyes blazing, the Captain looked at her watch and her attention once again fell upon Avery’s body. After she took quick notes in her black leather notebook, she stood up from her chair.

An awkward silence filled the room once again and the two of them gave Avery one last glance before they left the lifeless room to give her some quiet rest. As the door closed ever so gently behind them, a small crystal tear slid down Avery’s pale face like a glittering jewel. Her colorless lips moved slowly and painfully under her oxygen mask.

“Brayden,” Avery breathed.

Chapter 2

Another sunny day appeared, bringing many smiles upon peoples’ faces.  However, Brayden kept his face of indifference on the entire time on his way to see Avery. Deep inside, he knew that it wasn't his fault how all this happened, but he could not get it across in his head.

As he entered the hospital room, the same Avery he loved so much was lying on the bed. He swiftly crossed the room towards the bed where she lay motionlessly as if the world had stopped, but only in this room. He pulled the chair from underneath the bed but saw something peeping out of the cupboard in the far end of the corner where Avery’s belongings were stacked up. He gently pulled out the black leather notebook that he soon recognized as a diary. He knew he shouldn’t be violating her personal privacy but curiosity over took his morals.

He slowly walked towards the window with the diary and looked at his own reflection. A tall, well built handsome boy was staring straight back at him. His painful grey-blue eyes were searching for comfort. Brayden stared back at his own reflection in disbelief. His once smooth, think and rich honey colored hair was now covering his eyes like a curtain, as if trying to cover him up from the world. He turned around to be greeted by Avery’s lifeless body.

As he saw a stream of sunlight reflecting off of the window, shining brightly  on Avery’s form, it reminded him of the first time he had spend his summer with her the year before. He gazed towards the book in his hand and to the window once again as he opened the first chapter of Avery’s life and let her memories flood into him.

“Hi. Is this Avery Maeder’s room?” the brunette sounded regretful and frightened as she quickly scanned Avery’s bandaged body on the bed. The nurse soon realized who she was.

“Yes. How can I help you?”

“Hello, I am Captain Elizabeth O’pry, I came here by government order to check Ms. Maeder’s condition and report updates under the federal protection.”

The brunette stated, staring at the bed, “May I come in?”

“Yes, I’m sorry. Please, take a seat.” The nurse gently pulled out another chair for her to sit on.

Elizabeth walked swiftly across the room and sat across the nurse, her vision never leaving Avery’s lifeless body. There was an awkward silence in the air and the nurse finally decided to break it.

“Captain, may I ask you a question?”

“Please, call me Elizabeth. Of course.”

The nurse shifted in her chair uncomfortably as she opened her mouth to speak.

“You…..you are not going to remove the mask, are you?”  the nurse's voice was filled with tactful pain - the thought of killing the poor girl bothered her.

The brunette stared back at the nurse in a shocked manner, soaking in her question. “Of course not! What made you think such a thing?” At her reply, the nurse let out sigh of relief.

“I overheard doctors discussing the removal of the tube because she was in coma for such a long time. The possibility of her waking up is very slim and it is awfully expensive to keep circulating her with the oxygen mask.”

The brunette at her in a blank manner as she considered the information she had just heard from the nurse.

“I will absolutely not tolerate such an act under my command. She is under the government protection and we will make sure she will be protected under federal law. If any doctor tries to kill her by any means, they would have to go against the government.”

Summer of Possibilities

Chapter 1

How is she?” the middle aged nurse asked, dragging her overworked body through the door. Her grey hair, once tied in a tight bun, was now barely holding her hair loosely in place.

“Not too good,” the doctor shook his head sadly at the girl lying on the nearby bed. “The boy just left a minute ago.”  Her whole body was bandaged up like a mummy; the only recognizable feature was her face, half covered by an oxygen mask, “The poor girl…she’s better off dead than alive.”

“The boy blames all this on himself,” the nurse whispered quietly, adjusting the bed cover. “I can see a trace of tears every time he leaves her. He’s pleading the girl for forgiveness, asking her to wake up, begging me for an answer that she can make it. I can see that he's losing it.”

“There’s not that much time left,” the doctor said gently, taking her by the arm, “It wouldn’t be good if you get too attached to her…she’s bound to die soon, and you know it.”

“Don’t say that!” the nurse snapped.  Her tired eyes sprang to life, anger clearly visible in them.

“You know it’s the truth. There’s a limit to what we can do at this point, you were there. We tried our best. It’s all up to her now whether she decides to come back or not. But it has been almost a year. She’s been holding on for too long now, the possibility of her waking up is almost,” he paused, and a melacholy quiet filled the air,“None.”

But the nurse was not listening. She was looking at the girl lying so soundlessly on the bed. “I wonder if it is the boy that’s keeping her alive at this point,” the nurse whispered to herself as she sat down on the chair next to the bed.

The doctor shook his head, sighed once again and left the room, leaving her all alone with the girl.

While adjusting the mask, she wondered that maybe the doctor was right. Maybe it was best not to get too close. But something about the girl attracted her attention.

“You must have been very pretty without all of these bandages covering you up,” she whispered, pulling strands of hair off the girl’s face.

The monitor besides the girl beeped ever so slowly, giving the nurse chills. She analyzed the name tag next to the monitor. “Avery Maeder….it’s a very nice name…Avery.” The nurse smoothed out the bed covers and once again turned around to leave when the door opened ever so gently, and a tall brunette girl walked in. The expression covering her face was pitiful and sad.