Book 2 – Ch.#9
“Are you ready to follow the rules now?”
…Rule number one… obedience. Always follow the orders from the boss. No questions asked.
I‘d broken that rule. I knew I was breaking it the moment I‘d chosen to run that night. I knew it would land me here. And yet I still did it.
I pulled my body upright from the old bed, more sluggish than I would have liked, and hated how I still felt so sore from the injuries inflicted several days earlier.
‘Days‘. That was the key word.
That was how long I‘d been trapped in here, alone with my thoughts as it forced me to reflect on every decision I‘d made leading to this point,
Because, at its core, that was the true punishment.
It wasn‘t the pain. No, that was always over quickly. Gavin did a great job of making sure the damage inflicted was swift yet efficient. Always enough to get the point across and never seeming to even flinch as he did what he did.
But it was the psychological punishment that truly made it horrific.
…‘Days‘.
I’d been in here… for days.
Alone.
In pain.
Wondering how I’d managed to convince myself that running had been worth it. Wondering how much longer it would take before punishment was finally over.
And now this was the first thing spoken to me after all that time. This voice of my father on the other side of the door, asking if I was ‘ready to follow the rules‘.
Yes, I was ready.
Of course, I was ready.
I was about ready to do anything, to say anything, if it meant finally getting out of here. I‘d learnt my lesson the minute Gavin had ripped me from my bed. There was only one authority in my life and that was my father. It had always been my father.
…Someone I just wanted to be free of.
I forced that thought away as quickly as it sprung to mind. It was thoughts exactly like that which led me to this moment. Testing the patience of a man who had none. I wasn‘t exempt from the rules because of our relationship. If anything, this punishment had been necessary. I‘d clearly become too complacent in its absence and needed the reminder.
Really, it was my fault.
All my fault.
“Raven?” prompted my father.
legs out of the bed and stood up, taking a deep breath. The first one I‘d done in so long, my
committed to this
I heard it. The sound of a key clinking for a few seconds before the satisfying click of the lock.
towards me. “Because there
to be given another chance. This was a good thing for me. A moment to redeem myself. A moment to show that I
nod to show how grateful I was. Forcing myself to believe that very thing. “It‘s a clean–up job,” he simply said. “You know what to do.” …And,
attire that made it impossible for anyone to recognise me; this being accomplished via
important things when completing a mission like this. Making sure that no one saw me. Or, at least, if they did, then ensuring that
one wanted to be recognised at a
left my house and swiftly started heading to the location, choosing to stick to the shadows of the night and alleys along the way. Thankfully, my speed and strength made the journey easier, but I‘d be lying if I said my injuries weren‘t interfering at all. Truthfully, even back in the fresh
in mind of proving myself to
to enter the run down looking apartment complex, but as I did so, I felt something that wasn‘t
experienced on the
teeth against the pain and pushed through it. This wasn‘t the time
now, I just needed to focus
I slipped through the front door silently, making no
being nottced. It was late at night but not late enough that people wouldn‘t still be around, coming home from the local pubs and bars. Yet I knew this wasn‘t
straightforward job, all things
hadn‘t wanted to press for more details since it wasn‘t something
follow the orders from
I finally came upon the room I was looking for; apartment
subsided, something I was doing my best to ignore. In fact, it made lockpicking the front door harder as concentrating became
This almost guaranteeing the target‘s exact position. All I needed to do was sneak up
took a few cautious steps, testing the floor for any weakness that may create
–You don‘t have to…’
voice suddenly spoke behind me, and I instantly crouched to the ground
no one was
whisper and yet I‘d heard it so clearly. As if
wasn‘t just
difficult to focus as I looked around, frantically trying
the armchair in front of it. A confirmation that whoever
walking to behind the armchair. Moving quietly until I stood right behind
was now or
lifted my arm and aimed my dagger, going for a spot that would make this quick. There was no
You don‘t
to silence whoever it was once and for all. To stop the intense, sharp pain it seemed to bring me. To make
there was no one there… but I thought I knew what was wrong now. The same thing that had been
…It was that drug.
drug that Kieran Lycroft
been in my system. Now, it was interfering with my
T2R51QfAhpD2+iqh8PYO0dudHpOIoJ1lfmddpO+GkS2T9czducJl0ACiyLlcYTVRsCp5q4dNG9JssPszbj8OpFEggF6ZUg2qUrDGDu8AxXjErVs5nfLXaVKAfTNlbfKjHyjLfEVypueRKszFWQhcMNFN43Z0ydxv2O1v28tmOAJ3F1LmLzCDlixVlPizf1yKtGUHMhmfAnthzB6VxKEkpldK8l3WHOCommXdzt9pYknrxIFrjikp/AGgyee0oMfL89wRC9u79Du24NjqLxF8l/aFlsJK6DmFbp+XLQvoi1TXY4OzcV5JPc3mksLrSgaRJ9X80j5u+K00SWd+VyeoQGyJNK4MRzevwscfVsjR//LzVMbQcARTKsxbPaaJT7zCm6qPJzUxy2W8zCFNxXb0y3QsoWsiTu7TpPO1Y0kyN8AItjm32STi4B3gOhN+SY1/zEUNpvPAPGIPkZEdzeNWRXODGGEPWeDMlWXYWI4hoqzdeTLPDXD3Jf4DzMqXqvQxIB+zfq73utPgD+NZ2fDWr4N1KSexLBEQgKGgnbhlHE9bi3IZfxy2Wn6Pl44NEsq4OpuuTDnN170hRnvdNazrMMvgXAiRonNe3OHE66ww+SD1bh4oe/4Hl48pS7wZV+Phml/OU+VswprOCPVK02lbeppUhS0ALtXMsAV/9QjlMV01O1pg6UuXoYDyMbCbEYtbOhOlIONggH7OSvVqvfPgLExE/uaFgV06TTlnuaqRYQp16jL48BkGKsXEaBl1UPkFLzO/HX+sbF/gwG7gnvPSno0vTEJrf4jdUhzUc1KWitxTqYI+k84GGvEVbxzxJl8aw4uO8GhsGMqnrOMSaEedyrq9olIioVDcY8BRsKiAHx5T1Wm+G3mCAw4RXQhff8a2YHPBOSfo7NXDjgMddD7Oi6nw9gQDYInUmPILuVGia4qMjU11Xp0lcpF4p/ey/HfrfcTk/eArAk0XD1O4xmTSNWfik15cPAPOo/AdckTndF89rJdOKLY76Y/wvKuRvyqkBzN0dqKQRg/16Ah7q3dCHwfwxC/d1PDxUph4xREPdl95mJlDHYo3sv5exV/ORj+TYDwrsIUHH57ET3CPGHF/x+zg+NcaicGSdI+1Ziv0YS1yC281n59pJJKyzREja01Sh1LrYGTpdtNsr6yTnUf6jCxq2KeJhwpecUgPLI7PYlRz8mPP1paVnAPAIR9dz6b6gVJWAzN1vXCepzABk0tYuCuLT0BDP8AfaDg74qavs5Pr7YLjqQZkqriYLItJzrSvzUP6KWGj3f8NcDlUNT+U5/P1RdTNEy2t9ShovfHw70XYq0vKFcwL2hGo62bzOLTGM94RKZ4Jy1SNOnYiiM9BOn2bqX4fTVBX18Y7JVyqtcXx0Xd3yaLL9ssW4ktARsGQBcSSbNOY04HMQvbV9+P/nBo5HSuRmZ1Ks5s8FyGaPvnZPv3nTcE7iOP5e4kQA8zKWnv6tVBUGldCqQnuQdRb23RYTVrH3//BOodIRCByQB/9e8uQd4gyEMXd2xEzpZLhg/G0Qpoott6Tpf5q4H6AD8agv/Gk1OdHxcI8+9UgU4/jwj8ksogW2gzBq1GOroJ9V5wTFMaFBjORZ0HMScVJ4EbNaBXr4qfbWeyPuwm9jEciaxbFf9/YRwyGizDRUFbBJp3dV34YeZAYi3+soHHtBdB3E63oTSC7qPZdL6qkgsUnzwFN1p4qvRp/roMZ9ARn3tFWXllUx/8PZJUwWURIp06snrBfOwFiD/e2iu5KPNN3RMz/nMbB52R24LEsdGLmXnzcrCJo5wb5x/hCnjxeyVP7SCM3jQ0atxPV/wij8NCS0akHS/eTPLY0+sqBa8tbt0YCRDVufAoa5wWnz6u5852li9+WMe4szhJSXWC3B8AJJflY9EzqYFisv5bldzA3UAFxdwCe6UXUTc5yy+VxvWOoN0ls7dNW3gLYGmxzIzQr9A2kXtibm2QTYPFkHaKxkLEVddAPixPSc6mxe96a2q8qzlA/RFjHIDjyu3RgHkJZmDbY+kybAsGMGZrspNx+RPHDH2b3hZmK1YbmhoGlSNVcE1HzwQWUThRUYlMc+mE5oSkuwmM7W8/PIZ53IIiYi/iJFnUZsvdYMYE4QP5JxHlRRUFIucOtHfJU468DqgpAoIG7UIX2XcPuT4kqxt0mXxnUZw0fRLPgLBbzMJGaa4Xm5zua3HliCllCUrVxK0+sKh5XHk0+GZCtZaLOEX7VpYeZFXUeL71ZG9wxfZokXt4/lW0qW2ROLHkPNuEoHrS6ECrbUWQmWsiU+7jtxQ+Hd4/dyzXa0LxYRWnTGh1k/oCIzibCDKKCqG2xqbdNc/CVpxzL5WKDCa6MDFjwj2V465lQkRbSjjQYrWK4J1XRQZdv7tTgSZNyscKquD5JS4oBBhJFH8fPBnNK9lMAcf5NUY4/C7eo3PS+Uw46jrT1tvYL6Gd7wDegmxvhf1BydQm1HKje0Y9iL2xzYEb9pKbtNvwOrZ1ajfMCJWOA1zvaxn5ae5In94J8tPPPMpajW77hTPU4PU/jgVdxfmmHvm0DogWQbiGYv+LfhtcQgf10frwSbwaWpxzQS+qYHbpnCfhrypdkowb46haEu2a0IU5cyG5wq1sNJV+0Ml6Ek+LcsHFrkUaPFU7emluy6Qyx2Msd/lk3Rk/207i4memeDO5PpEagoFYPJYMus8YJkLdtvy2+bKtAOdLnlkdvzc9kNOO7Ge1FypZbDC/D0ecuFfCuxv58tj28YPBKCi3sZKegcQV7PFwObsPM0iZSiH1krijngczChoYKUhlbn1sFsM21GCgFZXbARhJ+gBnYxIsFWKmNP1u1FMMXE49vDhYonPj00dJpA2Y/Pxn6YyDcpqFAroEHg5k0kNQ7GeE3MV/CXCfqbnLp8uHqTMDihU/JyasLyHDo9JyoJK5vCpRU4+sMRlhtMEuW+Cvyjgh/SdSIYpNiLAC7FrmxJKB9+SmytUbwFRuZi8jjJ/Sob28LxSNm32SkAOOoaFYz5tzUGXvK59t+6G8qrTvkH4xjVAWdEs0NHSIL2W4BuPNcqei7aRpB/dQCtgvXEj21aD85j+k6ekark55y+kgU8QdvxasAXHgdEv8PVL0H3XjdtFuyqaZ8mZCE6AFnr13UaU3vN/ryf3KRTffOx+xw6xgBHL8HcQAl/CuiOqWomCjr4ymdO2HLa0CkaxHy/LeWXVtEucYNurg4f+2NNUBQIuR5OvFH31aFPDpxyGywoi7aV5vjhxYMSvRkR1a9s9ImzxwdWJiRDP4HsIjzR9hHANe5yqkxq+t1FW0XguRl+0L0/5rJmOqBaI39hCSfPHTfbvjn1nUlN95KWG2cfcG23mffNcWHEY2An0+GSMOgZRnnJDhfSpnHChRgLbG8O+k+FFHy9KmiTbbJDHR66iuwX+12tvQ+/17/QBWE5o0vwnxTGOx7OLGxxUr5O+JYx91IfBUlmPBlvMx47wJzsqP84y+vlMjBWYV6tTdeVjth8z3q5ezgahmCMJj15bufc/kna+hJcNemiTs6YwQKjNan05m5WqerZqMsjNKKdVyZm9gVkZ3pfasf4gAQfwY50FlzyBbN9oHAe3Y78idQJ2c9s5pFXUrxWaM3FruRKJNdGmAwkf/T9sYAyTR+itRU13nESxKRB3ALtfV000AuinimeCzepK7Y/GV68GzhM6+UvgNW4f1NoG7KlWCaexUOg0eF4ZDvvfTQyofMESZTjfCW5eK+plIMTdnd9jaM2cUcfnZGPZxkFfO4TsBY1SI9dda9x3hHO89yTNS+hrC31B+MbK/RX721XNXq6bClbgF3YZBM5/Jtzvfx7rXkvbwLpBSsZX/smvwZrUIjuOiGAhtKk5zVFj4umeH4ZI/PSTHZ2v+7ZobfI5MBBbeMGpolyQAVtXpGgdB0hi6uvK4d9dXaq57dZ39yEaYIMDI4nrjPRtA01/H2KdZZkv0Xuv6sRonwhIFmzjI7sToa99aW+9QIH1UWkR3XNUIr6OIljrk0OfeH7ewL/XxM5xaXZU59o9I93lNGPqGzEpIlX6aAUkq6nt70XsNt7b8burjSoIm1j7RyiMc+UoYsyzk5068+xVaeoZOWJS03Ufuq9nob/bKeFEihDfGDzl/en4UvXC96vLpzkjriML0M6Ts6FokEpHGD7x8Uj/Uw5vlO+9pDQ2pwq5mtUPt/mkf5dzXJlrSB5y8VhkEuyIjev0GmWk3hmeSOVB0IqN1ZNMTLUGDG2SduWfSJzEsmSVhi2fv9Z3xqJSiW1v1vZm+wZJGBuVQR33NEPQUsnBnqHZNUpwZfvxoJz4GmLtMO+66VGcLjlQhiecS1sr2QmNTZyyGC8U9k3tC2Bw51/NIuI8eKmuYNngaQDCYfFkLN8xg9mcUyK8EtRFp31/xQJxVWK56ENJhvfKxaQf+p4H1KI8q58T9luNKefb4Nwvy2OO9F2U7sMnJcv3n4co1NK0PQfUSyeebtp00WWTCGcvtIEioHC8mzwi7jiCtU12KWCEP0N1wXuKy2Q1KqGDvG9fEp0RhtfuH+L5JjRJMBZz6irZgLS413L0dwl9NEm7/9nPe3MqFLdoXMfwkvvcS9obEqwzF6+PmAGd06bASu6pyn9s2372MNjdZ+UJbVGBfpyvTd0da/4gSnV3t2YP9kXD8vsOH+CQbkv6KLuGq6Z8TD/9pwY8y6nzF88l6v39vtB4ur0L4QmaWqgZNzpNOT7s2CcLmpksklA8H4wlf8ahMHj3hYAc4/2czCJsvjnR3gYwy2VHUUBBsTFZbiXRaDpLUfzSRqgbPnSFDO2GDn1NTQISNI5DF4WEqsz72TUGX2TbALRsXABP97facFYyemkZoPaqySLEjbs3Y227yenw+WmxzWHlJpbvoy56b7nsHZNh8GHY1o/lbLMNZFlbNuUHBXNLZYfx6YuY26DJBzEZ0BoMScTfIAHyRLjzbqHorkci0GolX4tCclsJtJT4wHLtXw8h03Cqo5Qd/yCk6TXue/ml9oVa+FEU3ta7ZJK8q7WZ/9Dxq6vD2VXiVHuQwxtoN0l50nJt9PMNzT68Vcy/X9yLbZ4KdiNJWV7AHoJcuO+bzECPwBtQVTjlOBRLB2itkRNWr6UsbG28pM/OyTPSmqVKASvRm0lj2qm9nUmuja0tgBvZgJEQuWAbvR54OdKaFx7D95Uj4UvQ75aIE8sd9n7/1nSVLdiOlXokFbd5/5Q3Y+0XcMDEqbSVb2wpYOatiuoAC6ay/3QgN7F0+YvTPxj5QPP2I4mxa973N3LsOya5tzEIynrf0oBNF5avmhJe0pKZd57euwZF54/sZkVJO3klLihvzcrKUlLUEClIsXuvGeMN2QHFsDxev13n36OE/IkK4sJ7niFYA1Bw06eYeb3TPO6Xr6BcRbOUELF6pS+ffj48PnL0PMG8Bmod9qWqBJMpvLUIm5ODTJ3+OUc+kBZj+V8T+O5it4pzHgM0UTqZPoWU+VgDKQNAQWZmcNrWB/Qb2CD59rztBf8DOpomjJPMYVPadJ5eyDb9Mn7sb/fGkt0frgcuSW3ChTMYRrvk2iYJeOgRCa3CM8pav8VgIzoWIMmPncPTWE7Sw71GJh/4MYXdOjeOLGosPgQWwMSeMsvGcrDUoT/yDP7IfM+WpvaTjSnz9+PZgk5Ovt01sGCMi1Eb1spbbnih9VJa0spHi4071TteSNixS8sTLyesasLyCcLaeMZf6GFvMiP93KtZLjw0k63kJXSVVUbgHxNRiK+mem1Iz/NVbRzDdD1g4CGQ3tApO6mr1qdwV7IGiBX1ffSX4ml3estE9817hTRsCfN5FvJA1ECnIYR99nGQGYPGS4jaaEf8nQfPaE8a6xdYRETa0vM0PNBD/d8SZEsQ+aiJtIYZ24z8a7Ono6403rKjulM10/NHdBm6jYwGAlFhSBKgJIgsSXGPmGnKSLbVdgNxPu7xedgCPhnESdPJBdI7ImNN/CobjpHYpqG5blI6sy0MtdPBH3AHRny0y7hht8eEc6XoGXRfbtaBhu8sxuT9kBf80CePLO6XkISm/o4Zf9mrMOpyGnahyZjYmGi4ssNOoTdbsXjX47FcF8kpXI2TdiTRpVr4yD2gM9aQYmE2j597DlNurViHXsflAXP3vbANBJZnWRUgwAdaMxx3CAg6dnCF2PGSEwhAqNH16O2GuH4TT+fJ3yxUiDJwp2wAjJ/BoFVZ1Az0RD+Sedl1rNIDdgrds3wVjkEYlhUQ+fLfaFJYWhTqEy9Fwt90ssyigu89OZAYexOo2+e+1qxv+Mm8KnOrrOSJofRHOffjQr6CsGtgWyUn+T3xX07LzTvMHhznHxPVZ0jXgL3POAJfwATX3/vcuGu+afLPH8MW95LV50JUZE40QzeF86fZMuuE2ef1G8H2nGBBkM/plw4kPiOH3JapamhGd5g5LAw9cM/PHsgLwUtfekHixdDDIk7dNS9eKAG9pitNPdMFiP23CZRXdqV4iHS/nM0qYFFUz259rVlsc5pGzVyMjH4BZOmqeo4y3Lu1V1asdP6Wu/kjPByeEjhZzHcPRq4oOOzb4GxrAoW4f9FdrXDc4H2oyxbP9T4RnDaqnSBigQA8C1XBCS9nc6goHR2yAlIvDbGyjZAZXip1eRUgYpKzr9BuCJGBqliDyBNw0e3jFZ7SwvMZuY0wvnS+oHy654WBms55NrdMD7u6o7PC0xvFJl6sDaGSQNXnWtE17vukdgPZyt2OBadVjaREmJOUCbI4W8C5TL18mOuTG5b/PMA5PHHhzwjud92tG7CIHiE9e/D0KQ8pzOW9MbpFikzBG3DQbc7+wXm4i18HQSg3io5iuc3bduuHIqwL4EUOxYBsCfKuwELf23+S1aG9em3sTaFZNrvze93LzL3mpNMfcyVFzW5o2/WdWD5tqkgXKS6xhT+8efclBJisTAY5GebdfvP/2F/LSNXZA/Y1oi86g5qWByAEDDHfFTZtcxpvIk2hs+rhM2XBOCZQKqqJogmVJ1EV9N0F+0YgfhX1pGOAy86R8MM2Q/MX7uUEwwF1X2AsSa5zs8To7+KQg9GK+4H7J9fVe6kT+GyEkaKGRNRziYes6WoGskuPbrxxBGvMhBif0Ra1B7xqRuooohX4LPEc+yn8Y0YdK5FcuGFCXHTH2RhbdAl/+cZBmEO7NQpn00cphT5TolbUgUardEHAIliQPAqbh/VUfhYoOG4wO9+uXlPvO23i0YvBynFvhyp1ueBpucNnZQBKx/f10v8Gpd/Izi72NaktcWIaFw2yK0/Sz/aNhRc64+RkfQi6tbOlokcE96nAxQ5DGaX4MMsjaiZi1KItIb9Lt3Wi65AuGSO9iXlsG3ItxIfZpdz6bnLQh7HL0QDGj92mjVHhhIQZpFQyWXVyOxHd0kNiaCkrdFJ/pTqPTVltwEqgIBRer6Rms4xirehZpKf6zhmpBZ+AVWrm5Hl7T8I0v0NuiF+IqC/p+CDgZaRjGBbn0in/bqvCd7lu3aiQSogDwDzJMrzbJkB2hyRy66xOSsjsVEtu8Vjc367I69wt+OUJ/F6/jZOygBOHknnNjKq0S3bW3RS/h/ylNSNjkYSdd/YpT809mxRen96s0o+4cCJNraz3cnkC5pxE4DaG9ymacrZePAC9yV9HQhOSMVwnz7SUnMPEIWpNuDwqg843l8c1atg2S9IKvDVRv0O05v3MA1yrYluUm3zJG7BMeZitYgvpI3Rw+Yqy3gypA=
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!