Page 168 of The Company

“All but one.”

“Number One?”

“No, Harper. He thought he killed One, but One has other plans. So even though One tricked him, that was still a score in Tet’s mind. No, the job he never finished was Number Zero.”

“I don’t know all their numbers,” I say, like we’re talking about current affairs or the weather, and not men who kill people on command.

“Of course not. But you’ve met her. Watched him finish her off just a couple hours ago.”

My stomach rumbles and I just stare at my father, horrified.

Sasha.

How could I have forgotten that James shot Sasha?

And just as I’m thinking that the boat begins to move. “Are we leaving?”

“Did you really forget?” my father asks me, ignoring my question.

My breathing is speeding up and I have the familiar heart palpitations. The sweat starts to gather on my brow and I have to close my eyes and breathe deeply to stop the chain reaction.

A strong hand touches me on the shoulder. “I’m sorry. I thought you were playing a game. I didn’t realize you hadn’t remembered. She was your friend?”

He hands me the bottle of water and I twist the cap until the plastic seal breaks and I take a sip.

“I don’t know why Tet didn’t kill her as he was instructed. I don’t understand why the child didn’t finish the job I sent her to do. She had the element of surprise and she handled herself very well when I sent the assassins to kill her grandparents. So the only thing I can assume is that they were playing off each other. Do you know what they were doing, Harper?”

I swallow my water and look up at my father towering above me. He scares me. For the first time in my life, he scares me. “I don’t know.”

“We need to move,” he says, finally answering my question about the ship. “Her body wasn’t found and it hasn’t washed up. But we can’t risk searching anymore. So it’s better to get out into international waters in case the local authorities come asking questions.” He places a bottle of pills on the table. The orange bottle with the white top the same size and shape as all the others he’s given me over the years.

“I’m not taking those,” I say, immediately pulling myself together.

“No?” He walks back over to his seat just as the servers come in and place a covered plate in front of him. One is placed in front of me as well, and then the two servers remove the silver domed tops at the same time to reveal shark steaks, rice pilaf, and two slices of lime. “You’ve said that before, darling. But you know the pills help. So why deny yourself?”

I just stare at him. Deny myself? That’s an unusual way to put it.

“I’m not going to make you do anything, Harper. You’re a grown woman now. I’ve already stated, you’re not a prisoner.”

“Then let me go.”

“We’re out to sea.”

“We have a tender.”

“Yes, but it’s in need of repair. Which is why Tet had to hire a boat to bring you out to the ship.”

I stop listening and instead take my attention to my food. I’m starving and there’s no way in hell I could resist this meal. I don’t know how many days I’ve really missed, but it’s several by the pain in my stomach. I cut the tender shark steak with my knife and start shoveling it into my mouth. Aside from that one nice dinner with James, I haven’t had many decent meals since I left home.

“So,” my father continues, “now that you’re safe and Tet is off looking for your brother so he can bring that file to me, I’d like to make you a proposition.”

I stop chewing and just stare at my plate. And then I regain my composer and swallow. “What kind of proposition?”

“Your promise.”

I look up at that and my father tisks his tongue. “No, Harper. Darling. You were not promised to Tet. Please have more faith in me that that. Why would I give you to a demented killer?”

I have no idea. “Then who?”

“No one on the ship that night. He’s a secret. A secret so powerful it will rock this Company to the core. You see, Harper, regardless of what most people think, I’m not the head of this organization. I’m just a convenient figure our enemies can focus on when they feel the need for revenge. I’m… a distraction. The real power belongs to someone else.”

“Who?”

“You’ll see.”

“What do you think James will do when he figures this out? And what if I’d prefer James over this… new person?”

“Harper. I know you think I’m out to get you, but I’m only trying to keep you safe.”

“Like you kept my mother safe?”

His expression hardens immediately. “Do not mention her again.”

“Why, because you let her be killed?”

He pounds his fists on the table, making all the silver jump. I jump as well and I find myself scooting back from the table, ready to flee. But then I realize I’m on a fucking ship. There’s nowhere to go.

“Dinner’s over.” And then he stands up and walks a few steps before turning back to me. “Don’t forget your pills, Harper. The deeper you dig, and the more you want to know, the more likely you are to take them.”