"What do you mean she escaped?"

"She was in the office looking at the items on the wall," Jackie whispered. "I was talking to her; she wanted to leave when I brought up her parents. It looked like she would stay, but she left the office and was in the general area when the alarm went off."

"Where did she go from there?"

"I don't know," Jackie said, "everyone was scattering and moving around. She was nowhere I could see."

"Did you know she set off a homing beacon in her vehicle?"

"There was no beacon in her vehicle when it was scanned in the park," Jackie said, "someone else set that beacon."

"You promised you would deliver," he bent to stare at her, "you said you'd get Zander and Kelsie to join us."

"I was close with Kelsie," Jackie said, "I have no idea where Zander is. His company was taking care of him."

"They're Assassins; what do you think they mean when they "take care of" something?" he bellowed, "I need them alive to bring out their parents. We need that other section of the emblem."

"What?" Jackie frowned, "they don't have that; I would have been told."

"Really?" he sneered, "Why? You were their friend?"

"Yes," Jackie nodded.

"You betrayed them anyway," he sneered, "you would have raised their daughter and nephew if you were truly their friend. Instead, they sent Kelsie to Connie, and Zander disappeared altogether until a few years ago."

Jackie felt something ignite inside, "They were my friends, and I told them to think of what was best for their children. If that wasn't me, I'm happy with that."

The hand met her cheek, whipping her face in the opposite direction. Pain sliced through her cheekbone, radiating down her back. Stifling her groan of pain, she met his cold, calculating stare.

"That was not your orders," he said coldly, "even the suits we received from her company didn't help."

Jackie shuttered her expressive face and eyes as thoughts flew through her mind. Jason had been correct. This was extermination, not a containment, all because of a missing piece of the emblem. She had to find a way to help her people, clan, brethren, and keep her fellow Assassins from extermination.

"Do you have anything to say?" he asked, feigning politeness.

Silently she shook her head.

"Take her back to her cell," he ordered, "and lock her in."

Staring him down as her wrists were bound, not giving the customary greeting as she was marched to the door.

"Oh Jackie," he called in a singsong manner; she stopped walking but refused to turn to meet his gaze, "Fides et veritas."

"So you say," she said, leaving the room.

"Do you want retribution, Sir?" a security guard asked.

"No," he frowned, "there will be time for that."

The security guard returned to his post, awaiting another order for another task.

Sitting at the large oak desk, he looked at the picture on the wall, "Well, overthrowing you was easier than I thought. It's been decades since you have been seen. It's only a matter of time before you come to me willingly for your death sentence."

"Whose death sentence, Sir," the officer asked.

"The ruling family, of course," he murmured, "there will be time for everything." Opening his laptop, he fired off an email with the latest updates, "Money buys many things along with loyalty and your own version of the truth."

Outside the door, two guards glanced at each other, concern in their eyes; they knew it was better not to question anything ... at the moment.

"Are we safe here?" Jason asked, looking around the cave, "no one knows of this place?"

"Doubt anyone does," Zander said, "Dad used to bring me here as a child for survival training. We have fresh running water further inside, three exit points beside the entrance, food supplies in the other cave, a sleeping area and an eating area."

"All inside?" Kelsie asked.

"Yep, we will not be seen if we don't want to be," Zander said, "this way."

Kelsie followed Jason and Zander through a maze of tunnels taking note of where everything was; a training area was set out in one of the areas. The floor was sandy; most caves had high ceilings to stand in and move around freely. Something about the area felt different to Kelsie.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Zander, when was the last time you were here?" she asked.

"Not in many years," he replied, "why?"

"Did you stock up when you came here? Clean everything down? It must have been very dusty," Kelsie said, looking around.

"I brought a few things, but most of this was here already," he said, "there was no need to wipe down any surfaces or gear. It was already useable."

"Was it covered at all?" Kelsie asked.

"I don't think so," Zander frowned.

"You haven't been here since you were a boy?" Kelsie pressed.

"No, where are you going with this?" Zander asked, frustration dripping from his words.

"Kelsie, what is it?" Jason asked, watching her every move.

"If this place hadn't been used in years, the training area would have old equipment. The dust from the floors would have settled on everything, making it necessary to clean everything before using it. There wouldn't be all this food," picking up a can to read the expiry date, "with expiry dates for next year. Nothing here would be this prepared."

"I've been here two days," Zander said, "there has been no one coming or going."

"That you know of," Kelsie countered, "how well do you really know this place?"

"Well enough to get in, live and get out," Zander said, "there was never time to explore as a boy. Dad kept me busy doing all sorts of activities."

Kelsie nodded, wandering to a wall, running her hand over the rough stone; it pulled at her skin a little, then suddenly ... it didn't. Stopping, she pressed her hand against the wall and allowed her senses to absorb whatever she felt.

"This area here is satin-smooth," she said, "as though there is a door behind a veneer."

"Not possible," Zander said, "I would have found it."

"You've been here two days, and you didn't even notice how lived in this place is," Kelsie shook her head.

Slowly running her hands over the surface, she located an indentation and pressed it. The dirt around the doorway showered down in a mini dust storm making her cough and move back.

"What the..." Jason muttered, staring into the area behind the door.

"That's not possible," Zander murmured.

Looking into the revealed space, she blinked, "That is the current state of the art technology," she said, pointing randomly, "how?"

Zander shook his head, walking into the room, "No clue how this is possible," he whispered, "Jason did you know anything about this?"

"No," Jason said, "but it looks like whoever it was disappeared really quickly."

To the side of the room, an open door still moved. There had to be more to this place.

"What is that?" Kelsie asked, pointing to a monitor.

"A tracking program," Zander said, touching a key on the keyboard; two faces popped up on the screen.

"Oh my ..." Kelsie gasped, "that's..."

"You and I," Zander finished.

"Why are we being tracked?" Kelsie whispered.

"I don't know. There is a countdown on this site," Zander frowned, "how much time do we still have to get to the house?"

Kelsie pulled the disc from her pocket, "Sixty-nine hours and thirty-four minutes."

"Same time on the count down," Zander sighed, "why is this place here?"

"Any ideas, Jason?" Kelsie asked, turning and finding the room empty.

"Jason?" Zander called.

"In here," Jason's voice called from beyond the door.

Following his voice, they found him staring at a wall of various papers and photos. Every wall and desk held information, journals, current books and maps, and a family photo hung on wall.

"That's mom and dad," Kelsie smiled, "who is that?"

"My dad," Zander said quietly.

"This is the family history," Jason's voice cracked with emotion, "they're still alive."

"Who?" Zander and Kelsie asked in unison.

"Your parents," Jason whispered.

Kelsie sank into a chair while Zander stared at the information on the walls and table.

"Perhaps the directions to Jezebel's House are here somewhere," Kelsie whispered, "I still need to get that information out."

"If it is, we'll find it," Jason nodded.

Standing slowly, Kelsie wandered around the room, "Why was I sent away? What was the reason for not being in my life for years?"

"Here's a thought," Zander frowned, "what if the capture of the two of us is some plot to get our parents to come out of hiding."

"But why?" Kelsie asked, "what is so special about our parents for those extremes to be taken?"

"The answers may be here," Jason said, "let's clean up, eat, and rest a little before tackling the questions and looking for answers."

Nodding absently, Kelsie followed them out of the rooms into the main area. The door automatically closed as they entered the general living areas.

Silence filled the room for a few moments before a small bookshelf moved, and three people came out slowly.

"That was close," one man whispered, "they nearly found us."

"I still think we should show ourselves," the woman sighed, "she looks so beautiful."

"All in good time," another man whispered, clearing his throat, "he has grown so big. Besides, we need them to get to Jezebel's House to claim our heritage, and so can they."

"Trust Connie to do something crazy enough like this," the woman said, "have you heard from her?"

Silence followed the question. The woman looked between the two men, "What is it?"

"She was found dead about an hour ago," one man whispered, "double-tap to the heart, one to the head."

"They killed her," the woman's eyes misted with tears, "why? Did they torture her?"

"She was running in the park," the other said, "no signs of torture. Just extermination."

"Extermination," the woman whispered, "could the faction in the white be teaming with the black assassins?"

"Everything seems to be pointing in that direction," one of the men nodded, "how long do you think they will stay?"

"Their time is running out," the woman said, "they will need to find what they are looking for quickly; let's get to work and make sure they can."

Silently they went to work.