The Survivor

Chapter 42

  "Who are you?" She asks scared. She stands up and backs into the dresser. "Addison, it's me," I say, with my voice distorted. I realize that I forgot to take off my mask. I start to walk towards her, and I take off my mask. Her face drops, it's as if she's seen a ghost. "Oh sweet lord," she breathes out. She runs up to me and embraces me in a hug. I stay there frozen for a moment, I drop my mask and hug her back. I've kinda forgotten what it's like to be hugged.

  "You're so lucky that my make up it water proof," she says with a laugh, but I can tell that she's crying. I can start to feel my own tears well up in my eyes. I then pull back and look at her. "Where the hell did you go? Why are you dressed like this? And what's up with the make up?" She questions. But then she hugs me again. I end up laughing at this. "I can't fully tell you," I tell her in a melancholy tone.

  "I just," I pause. "I wanted to wish you and, uhh.." Shoot I forgot his name. "John?" She says confused. "Yes John, I wanted to wish you and John the best with your marriage. And I wanted you to know that I don't hate you," I confess. "We weren't the best family for you," she says. Suddenly the door bursts open. "Addison! Are you ok? We heard noises," Jess expresses. Then they all go pail. "Mace?" Sharon breaths. I give a week smile. I know that they shouldn't be seeing me, but it's to late now.

  "Mace, why are you dressed like that?" Monica asks. "You're face looks so thin," Sharon adds. "Why did you leave?" Monica questions. "I, I had a mission. I thought I'd stop by," I say putting on a happy face. "I'm sorry I left but it was just easier," I tell them. Sharon comes up to me and touches my face. "You didn't give me a reason," she says. I swallow, hard. What do I say? I don't want them to worry. "I- uhh," I stammer. "The food there is not like it is here," I tell them. I mean, I'm not wrong. I literally eat out of a bag.

  "I wish your dad and brother where here to see you," Sharon says. "Tom really misses you," Monica says. I give her a confused look. Who's Tom? "Mace, are you ok?" Addison asks. "I'm sorry, but who is Tom?" I ask. "What do you mean?" Jess asks confused. "He's your brother Mace," Addison says in a confused voice. "Are you ok?" She asks.

  "Oh yeah, sorry," I laugh it off. They all look at each other. "Mace, what's your best friends name?" Addison asks. Well shit. "I- uhh- Tim?" I ask confused. "Why don't you remember?" Sharon asks. "It's Jackson. You and him were teammates," Jess answers. "What's going on?" Monica asks. I mean, I might never see them again. So do I tell them? I take a deep breath and sigh. "Let's just say that the people I work for don't want me to remember," I tell them.

  "What do you mean?" Addison asks. The phone that Morozov gave me starts to go off. I made sure that I took out the tracker, and before I came to the house, I cut out the tracker that they put in me. I sigh and answer it. "привет," I answer. "I sent you the destination of your next destination. A car will be there to take you home," Morozov says. "Спасибо," I thank him, and hang up. I put the phone in my pocket and sigh.

  "What language did you just speak in?" Jess asks. "Russian," I respond sadly. "I need to go. You can't tell anyone that you say me. Not even your husband," I tell them. I grab my mask and put it back on my face. I walk to the window and step out onto the roof. "Why are you leaving?" Sharon asks. "I have to. Don't tell anyone," I remind them in my distorted voice. I close the window and jump.

  Once I'm back at the car, I grab the tracker and swallow it. I end up driving away and to my next spot. As I'm driving a tear threatens to fall, but I can't have them know that I'm weak. Once I get to the destination I grab the bag of money from the back and hop out of the car. I see Hassan and six other soldiers. I hand him the bag with out a word and we make our way back home.

  The ride back home is silent and awkward. I feel a pit in my heart, I betrayed my county, my home, my family. "Good work with getting the money, and an even better job with the assassination," Hassan says in a pleased tone. I just keep my gaze out the window, and in the clouds. "What's wrong Khor Khoreh?"Hassan asks. He doesn't mean it though, I know he doesn't. "I don't hate you you know. I just know that you can be better and because of that I push you," he says. This man makes my blood boil with anger and hatred. I squeeze my fists and not only are my knuckles white, but my veins are popping out.

  "Don't be angry," he adds. I slam my fist on the side of the chair, and stand up. "Fuck you! Your not making me better! Your making me worse! I killed a man today, now I have no regret for a man like him. But YOU made me betray my country and my people!" I shout with anger and rage. And instead of a frown or an evil look, he's smiling. I look him dead in the eyes, wanting to see why he's the way he is and what he's thinking.

  "Oh my little soldier, you need to start seeing the big picture," he says. "I'm turning you into a better soldier. Not only that but it payed off today. This assassination is going down in history, it's better then the KFK assassination!" He says with pride and pleasure. He stands up and walks up to me. "Don't you see, no one will ever take you back into that country," he says ever so slightly shaking his head. "You know what I think you need," he starts. I look at him with a look of confusion. "I think you need a dose of our famous red liquid," he says with a smile. "We changed it this time though, we made it better. And it will make you better," he finishes with the same evil grin.