When he was awakened by the bright light slipped in through the gaps of the curtains, she was lying beside him, looking at him quietly with a cigarette in her hand. The steam from coffee cups on the table beside the bed slowly rose and disappeared in the air.
"Good morning." She exhaled, passed the cigarette to him, he didn't take it.
"I quit smoking a while ago." He shook his head, "You should quit too."
"I'll take that into consideration." She laughed. With the sunlight, he could finally see her tattoos clearly for the first time. She had several scripts tattooed on her right upper arm, a phoenix on her left, a snake crawling around a sword on her left thigh. She noticed he was checking her tattoos, so she turned around, "Did you see the one I have on my back?"
"Not until now." He ran his finger down her spine, she had a dragon tattooed from her left shoulder, all the way down to the spine, "Are you inspired by 'the girl with the dragon tattoo'?"
"Pretty much." She laughed, turned towards him, inhaled then slowly exhaled, "She and I, we both had ridiculously rough lives."
He kissed her on the forehead.
"Don't get attached, Heinrich." She said in an unusual peaceful tone.
"Don't get attached, O'Sullivan." He said in the same way as she said it.
"Good." She curled her lips, "Romeo called, Dean wasn't in Natural, there's a possibility he may be hidden in Braddock's safe place. Any ideas?"
Daniel Heinrich didn't answer right away, he paused, reached over her to get his coffee. Giving out Braddock's safe house address wouldn't potentially do any harm to him, plus right now he was the key to the next step. After balancing the benefits and cons, he finally spoke.
"Yes." He said, took a sip of coffee in between, "Contact Leontes, ask him to search the address."
Romeo Leontes quickly located the address Daniel Heinrich provided, it was a beach house in Seattle, they decided to reach there as fast as possible before Astoria Leontes could warn Braddock. Immediately after Velika O'Sullivan hung up the phone, she jumped out of the bed, got dressed, and started packing up her bags.
Daniel Heinrich sat there silently watching her, her hair was messy, she was in a definite rush. It seemed she was weary and next second she would fall apart. He gradually began understanding what had shaped her personalities, the distressful relationship with Dean O'Sullivan was the priority, then her job followed up closely, all her life she had no choice for herself, she always followed the rules others created, only obey, never rebel.
Or at least he presumed to be like so.
"O'Sullivan," He held her wrist, she stopped her movement, pulled her towards him, "You need to relax for a second."
"Why?" Asked her with an inkling, she lifted her head and directly looked into his eyes with complex expressions.
"Do you even know who, or what are you fighting for?" Daniel Heinrich said in a scolding tone, "You are nothing but a marionette, let people tie threads on you. Like I said before, I'm smarter than you think. I know you carry multiple secrets on you, but please, sometimes you need to fight for yourself."
"Daniel Heinrich, didn't I tell you before that I don't need your advice?" Velika O'Sullivan smiled contemptuously, "You think you know all about me after I told you my past? Herr Heinrich, your arrogance and ignorance caused your downfall before, and still in effect. Let me tell you this straight, I only fight for myself, you'll see."
Daniel Heinrich shook his head, he sneered in return: "Now who's the one fulfilled with arrogance and ignorance?"
Romeo Leontes sent a helicopter for them after they packed, they took off to Seattle, ready for another dangerous mission. They had no clue what was waiting for them. perhaps Astoria Leontes had already warned Braddock and they were going into a trap, everything was possible.
Daniel Heinrich never liked Romeo Leontes. That man put people between life and death, and himself was standing behind in the shadow, gathered all the success or retreat completely when his plans failed, leaving the accountability to others. Romeo Leontes' desire for dictatorship was no less than Astoria Leontes, thought Daniel Heinrich, and that was the reason he sent Velika O'Sullivan, who pretended to be loyal to him on this mission at the first place. If Velika O'Sullivan was intelligent enough, or like she said, she was fighting for herself, she would be the double aliases and got what she wanted in return.
A war between brother and sister-in-law, how ridiculous, Daniel Heinrich couldn't help thinking, that was the example of how threatening it was when astute family members turned back on each other, he nearly laughed but held back, didn't want Velika O'Sullivan to know what was on his mind.
The helicopter dropped them half a mile away from the beach house, so they had to go closer by themselves. Several guards around the house, with no heavy weapon in sight. Velika O'Sullivan and Daniel Heinrich had seen the map Romeo Leontes sent them, there was a side door on the left side of the house and normally nor guards around but required the key on the guards.
Their target was a guard alone by himself at the left corner of the house, Velika O'Sullivan would go to the guard, asked random things to distract him and meanwhile, Daniel Heinrich went up from the back and knock him out.
"Honey trap." Said Velika O'Sullivan, she winked to him when she was leaving for the guard.
She flipped her hair and went straight to the guard, pretended she was lost, the guard saw her coming and yelled:
"Madame, you are not allowed to approach."
"I'm sorry," Said her, showing her innocent, anxious look, "I'm so very sorry, I can't find my way, I came to camp with my friend, but I couldn't find him. Did you see a tall guy with green eyes by any chance?"
"No, I…" The guard was so focused on her and didn't realize Daniel Heinrich had come from behind. Daniel Heinrich knocked him on the top of his head, and he fainted. They carefully pulled him to the side and took the key from his pocket.
"That was easy." He shrugged when she was trying to open the door.
"Nice. "Said Velika O'Sullivan, the door was unlocked.
Daniel Heinrich rolled up his eyes, she smiled kindly, gestured him to be quiet, then she twisted the doorknob, and slide in together assiduously.
A very beautiful house, well decorated, newly furnished, a vintage chandelier was hanging on the spotless ceiling. It was quiet in the house, deadly quiet. They punctilious went upstairs without making any noise, Braddock was supposed to be in his study now.
They found the study; someone was typing on the other side of this oak door. Daniel Heinrich found his heart was pounding, he was about to see his former boss again, but this time, everything was different, he transformed from half loyal to treacherous.
He counted to three and Velika O'Sullivan kicked the door open. Braddock wasn't as shocked as they expected, he didn't even bother to turn around, he continued typing on his computer.
"You are early, I didn't expect you would come so early." Said Braddock casually, "Please excuse me, I have to finish this paragraph."
Daniel Heinrich and Velika O'Sullivan exchanged looks, held out their pistols and both aimed at Braddock, Braddock seemed unaware of the urgent circumstance, he finished typing and finally turned to face them. He rose his eyebrow witheringly when he focused his sight on Daniel Heinrich.
"Please, have a seat." Braddock gestured, there were two seats in the study, like he prepared for them, "You are here to talk, so let's talk."
They sat down, stared at Braddock skeptically, wondering what he was up to. Braddock sipped his coffee, the steam slowly vanished in the air.
"Ask me whatever you want to," Said Braddock neglectfully, "We are not going anywhere, and Ms. O'Sullivan, just put your pistol down, will you?"
Velika O'Sullivan glared at Braddock and put her gun down reluctantly: "Why do you work with Astoria?"
"Mutual benefit. "He said insouciantly.
"Is Dean O'Sullivan here?" Asked Daniel Heinrich.
"Oh, Daniel, haven't seen you for so long," Braddock said sarcastically, "now seems like you are on the 'good' side."
"Mutual benefit," Daniel Heinrich said indifferently, and repeated, "Is Dean O'Sullivan here?"
"No. But," Braddock paused, "Even I admire your courage, but a person smart like you should know what will happen next."
Daniel Heinrich frowned, he knew it was impossible for Braddock just sat down and had a nice little chat, telling them what they wanted. Then he instantaneously realized that what he had thought before was true, he bit his lips and saw the sardonic smile on Braddock's face, once again indicated his prediction was right. He exchanged look with Velika O'Sullivan, she too started discerning what was going on.
"Set up, it was all set up." He murmured.
"What?" Velika O'Sullivan stepped up and seized Braddock's collar, "What the hell are you up to?"
"Do you think I would let you in and allow you to question me?" Braddock sneered, "As I said, I know you are coming and certainly I'm prepared."