The Blue Queen (Part 5)

Ciara paced up and down waiting for her back up to arrive when she noticed the adze moving his fingers. She stormed up to him. “Don’t even think about it,” she spat. She place her foot on the handle of Hope’s Glory and heard him wince in pain. “Wait,” he announced, “please stop let me tell you what I know. Lean in for I am weak.” She removed her foot but held her position, refusing to lean in. “I’m not falling for that. Out with it,” Ciara spoke.

“Fine. Have it your way,” he answered loudly. Before Ciara could react she heard the wind howl and felt herself flung against a wall, hitting her head against the brick work. She felt the a searing pain in her head and her body unable to move against the wind. “No, I had you, how did you?” She questioned. Ciara watched as the man ripped her sword out of his shoulder and throw it on the ground. “Secrets,” he whispered, the sound of his voice travelled on the wind. Ciara struggled to keep awake as she watched him walk down the alley. He turned to see if he was being watched and walked to the right. Ciara felt her head getting fuzzy but before she lost consciousness she recognised the man from the bar stood by the entrance to the alley. She saw his hand flick towards the Adze and he turned to walk towards her. It was too much for Ciara and she finally passed out slumping on the ground.

Vanessa rushed to her bedside in the infirmary. She looked worried but knew Ciara would be ok in the end. After a sigh, Vanessa composed herself and asked, “are you okay? Like do you need to rest?”

“No let’s start the debrief now, and then maybe I can get back out there and finish the job.”

“Fine, but you really can’t push yourself too much. You were due for a week off anyway, why not leave this mission to someone else.”

“No, I’ve never once failed and it’s not going to start now.”

“Fine. So according to witnesses, and video from your visor, I’m shocked it wasn’t a vampire. We was expecting it considering the bodies reported where drained of blood.”

“I don’t understand it myself, I mean an Adze what would he want with random people and he doesn’t exactly drink blood so what else is there?”

“He left his hold all in the room, and we found equipment which would allow him to drain blood and bag them. Plus it was enchanted with a cold spell, not need for refrigeration. He could have been draining to sell on the black market. But I feel there’s more too it.”

“Me too. How are the girls anyway?”

“Alive and taken care of. You called for a medic and he came, as always. However, after a thorough check up, there’s more to the mystery. The girls aren’t actually mortal or at least not fully…”

“What do you mean?” Both women stared at each other in confusion. Neither really had an answer. They were silent for a while before Ciara grunted, “all the others, well their bodies. Where they fully human?”

“We thought so but we’re double checking the results as we hadn’t tested that possibility. I think these are more people whose bloodline awakened from… well you know.” Ciara nodded and winced in a pain as she tried to sit up. She grasp at her shoulder and tried to play it off as stretching. Vanessa shook her head and gave her a stern look. “You jumped off a roof, again, didn’t you?” Ciara looked shocked and looked down at her knees. “How do you know I didn’t get that from being slammed against a wall?” Vanessa looked sceptically at her and waited for a second. “Fine. Yes. I jumped off the roof. You jump off a roof what five…”

“Twenty…”

“Twenty… a few times. But yeah, he jumped so I followed. What else was I meant to do? It’s fine, I’m fine. The shoulder will heal once I take some medicine provided by the lovely doctor and I’ll be able to finish this mission. Shouldn’t be hard to hunt him down with our tech and then I have a week off so.”

“Yeah, wait… no, I can order you to take your break now.”

“But you know I’ll just go after him myself so what’s the point in that.” Vanessa sighed as a knock came from the door. “Sorry interrupt but she left this behind,” said a familiar Australian voice. Ciara’s eyes widened in disbelief. “You! You were there…”

“Yeah, I didn’t realise you was on a mission and wanted to meet you. Other hunters mentioned you going there so I took a chance”

“Not that, I mean later with that, but you was walking towards me before I passed out.”

“Yeah, actually I was going to say, it should be easy to track him as well I through a tracking bug on him before he got out of sight.”

“What?! Wait who even are you?” Vanessa held up her hand to silence Ciara. She cleared her throat and began, “Ciara, I’d like to introduce you to Finley Marvell. He is a new agent in the assassin’s and your new partner. Agent Domino meet Agent Stardust.” Before Ciara could say anything the doctor walked in and ushered the others out of the room.

An hour had passed and Finley was sat awkwardly in Vanessa’s office. He watched as she typed away and was working on her report for today. Vanessa had offered to get food with him but he wasn’t hungry. He was concerned about Ciara and hoped he hadn’t angered her by being at Inferno’s Night. His grip tightened on Ciara’s jacket and he waited in silence when a loud and very angry knock came on the door. He turned his head as Vanessa shouted, “I don’t know why you knocked, you don’t normally.” It was Ciara and she sternly walked in. “I know but you know how the magical healing makes me weird. You’re still here I guess.” Finley nodded quietly, still clutching the jacket. Ciara held out her hand and tore it away from it, “thanks I guess.”

“As I was saying, Ciara Frost meet Finley Marvell. He’s your new…”

“Partner, you said. Honestly I was hoping it was another side effect from my treatment. Vanessa, I am a solo agent. So this is a no from me, thank you goodbye.”

“Not anymore. Unfortunately, the higher ups believe that all assassins need to be composed of a team. A control, a mortal and an immortal. So looks like we’re a team now.” Vanessa finished speaking and looked down. “Wait, are those the boots you wore on mission?” Before Ciara could say anything, Vanessa’s eyes widened and she exclaimed, “my new rug! Ciara Ashling Frost. I can’t believe you just walked in with dirty boots. Get a shower, clean clothes and report back. We will work on tracking the Adze and have a location ready when your back…” Ciara looked down at the grime covered rug and blushed. She hadn’t heard her middle name for a long time and other than Vanessa, it only came from her father. Finley stared at the two as silence filled the air. He watched as Vanessa’s and Ciara’s eyes met with anger. “Fine!” Ciara shouted before storming off with her jacket. Finley waited a second and watched Vanessa press her forehead with her fingertips. “I’ll leave too,” he announced quickly chasing after Ciara before Vanessa could reply.

Finley quickly followed after Ciara, chasing her down the corridor. "Hold up, please," he shouted. Ciara sighed and stopped. "I know it's not what you want but I don't think either of us have a choice," Finley said. Ciara looked at him and saw him fully for the first time. He had cherry red hair that was tied in a plait, and chocolate brown eyes that seemed to remind her of a puppy. "I don't care if you want to be a solo Assassin or a partnered one, I just know that I am a solo. I don't work well with others," she spat.

"I'm kind of new, and I heard you was the best, I wanted... I thought you'd make a great partner. Someone who knows what they're doing..." he began, talking a deep breath, she noticed that he seemed to be trying to flatter her, "and technically it’s thanks to me we have a lead on the Adze.”

“First of all, It is not and will never be official. You and me, never going to happen in any way shape or form. Nope. Secondly, I would have found him regardless.” She stormed off towards her room and the showers. Finley seemed to scuttle after her. "Oh, no I don't like you like that, sorry again, I just wanted to meet the youngest Assassin in the society and I've heard great things. So I know you would, this is just quicker and easier.”

"Listen here!" She yelled as she placed a finger on him. He seemed to squirm uncomfortably and his eyes kept darting between her face and her finger. She removed it slowly. “I’m sorry, I don’t like to be touched. This isn’t my decision Ciara…” he said, panic in his voice, he noticed a stern look from her, “I mean Agent Domino. I wanted to be a solo too. I wasn’t given a choice except to pick my partner. Like it or don’t.” He walked out of the locker room and stood against the wall out of sight. He took deep breaths as he heard Ciara say, “they think they're going to pair me with him, they have another thing coming." He waited in case she followed him, but once he heard the shower turning on he walked towards the central hub area.

Ciara let the hot water cover her body and began to wash herself. She looked at her shoulder which was red raw. She twisted it gently still feeling the remnants of pain. She run her hands through her hair when she heard the door open. 'Another girl, probably getting a shower too,' she thought to herself ignoring the footsteps as they got closer. Suddenly the curtain behind her was pulled up and Vanessa was stood there giving her an upset look. Ciara panicked and grabbed the blue towel from behind her. "Vanessa, what are you doing here?" She shouted, her face turning a bright red.

"I wanted a word with you, and stop worrying, it's not like I've not got the same things as you and I've seen you naked hundreds of times," Vanessa spoke firmly.

"Yeah but that was when I asked you to stay with me for a medical exam, not when I'm showering trying to clean myself!"

"I think you upset Finley! He's new, he's nervous and says he's fine just leaving. Now hear this! He is your new partner whether you like it or not. Now, I can work on trying to get it revoked so both of you can be solo agents but until then you have to work together. Hopefully, it’s not permanent then you can spend the rest of life in solitude for all I care. Now, he doesn't like to be touched, I don't know why, I honestly couldn't give a damn. He was the best partner we could get for you. He is the only person who wants to be your partner. There are no other options. If you chose not to partner up with him, then your benched. That’s it, no more missions, no more trying to fix stupid rules. You’re gone. So if you want to keep working here then you are going to deal with it!" Vanessa had begun to shout. Ciara hadn't seen her this angry since she refused to be checked over after the first time she jumped off a roof. "Ok, fine just please leave now," Ciara pleaded. Vanessa smirked and turned around to leave. "I knew you'd see it my way," she called as she left, “oh and Marisol will be here in a few minutes to check that you’re ok to go out in the field.”

Marisol was a tanned short woman with pale golden eyes. She had her hair in a tight ponytail and walked towards the locker room with her left hand flickering at the air. Marisol was blind but had a knack of being able to sense magical energy and seeing through the vibrations of the air. She was the daughter of her tribes chief and was unfortunately cursed without sight from birth. She had learnt to use her magic to sense vibrations and to see without sight but it was never easy for her. She stood outside the door to the locker room and waited. She could sense that Ciara was finishing drying and changing into a second set of uniform so she waited. After a moment she knocked lightly. “Ciara, can I come in?” Marisol whispered.

“Yeah, I’m decent.” Marisol walked in and sat on one of the benches next to Ciara.

“So I know you hate our treatments and that means you aren’t used to the way it works. So I’ll just check you out and make sure everything it stitched up correctly.” Marisol place her left hand in front of Ciara. She waved slowly over her head and nodded. She then came to the shoulder and hesitated. “How did this happen? Please tell me you didn’t jump off a roof... again,” Marisol sighed. Ciara looked saw her reflection in Marisol’s golden eyes as she stared deeply at her. “I can’t unfortunately, that’s what happened.” Marisol looked down and shook her head. “Well I’m not to know the details but you need to stop doing this, it drains more magic every time you hurt the same spot. Amentiam.” Marisol whispered the magical word and circled her hand. Small blue sparks shot from her fingertips, turning to a golden colour as it bounced onto Ciara’s skin. Her skin glowed and Ciara sighed in relief. “I’ll admit as much as I don’t like this, you healing mages are a wonder,” Ciara confessed.

“Yeah well I would normally take offence but I guess this is just because you don’t like medical things rather than me and my magic. Now, that should clear up the pain for you and the tenderness, but you’ll still get some pain so take a this prescription and only take two a day, for a week. If you have any left over you can save it for next time,” she smirked as she spoke. Ciara smirked back. “Thanks, I don’t say it a lot be I mean it and yeah maybe I can. Did Vanessa tell you where she would be after you saw me?” Ciara took the prescription and nodded. “That’s the pain relief talking but you’re welcome,” Marisol replies with a smile, “Vanessa said she would be in the central hub checking on the tracking device.

Oh and Ciara try not to jump off anymore roofs.” Marisol’s voice drifted off as she sense Ciara rush off out the locker leaving her alone.