"Someone had to call the shot to have me cleared, and why do they want to know why we are here alone."
Claire was no longer looking at Marcus. She was sipping through her straw, staring at Jack.
"Claire, I am right in front of you, and you are looking at them?"
"Sorry about that. I was a little distracted; what were you saying?"
"Nevermind, where are we going after this? How about your place?"
"I will take a rain check on that. I have some files to submit. I have a life also, you know."
"No need to jump down my throat."
"Marcus, let's join your sister and them."
"You can go join my sister. I am leaving."
"Why do you want to leave? The night is still young."
"You just said you have a life, and you have to study."
"Yes, I do, but that can wait till tomorrow."
"Silencer saw us over here, you know, by us going to them, it could endanger them."
Claire looked at Marcus, "You have a point."
Silencer and his guys walked toward Marcus and Claire. Jack had noticed the slasher walking towards them. Silencer pulled out a chair next to Claire, "soldier. I see the new one is still alive. I thought the general would have killed him by now."
"You just answered your own question. Do you know the rules? You can't associate with soldiers, or do I have to call the general?"
Silencer stuck out his tongue, exposing the missing four from teeth. He then moved his lips to Claire's ears. "There's a story I like to tell; this dog thought he could bite everything until he lost his teeth and became a stray dog. No one wanted him; never bark at your owners who knows they can put you out when your worthiness becomes unworthy."
Claire stood up, as well as Marcus, "that's enough, silencer."
Silencer turned towards Marcus, then grinned, "a stray dog has no worthiness to bark." The three men grabbed Marcus, and just as Jack was about to intervene, a tall man entered wearing a black cloak with a black hat. Walking up to Claire, the silencer's eyes grew wide as he stepped back. "General Sir."
The general looked at the three men he was with and nodded. They immediately grabbed his arms, pulling him out of the bowling center. He pleaded for mercy, and Claire was speechless. Marcus had never met the Reaper until today. Jack turned his back towards the Reaper so that the Reaper doesn't recognize him. "I apologize for Silencer. I can assure you he won't disrespect you again, soldier."
Claire nodded as Marcus stood up, looking to the ground, "Sir, it's an honor meeting you."
The Reaper looked at Marcus with his cold blue eyes and walked away without saying a word to Marcus.
"He looks like a soul collector," said Marcus, "how did you get him here so fast?"
"I did not; that's what confuses me. Could you be bugged, or is it purely a coincidence? That guy gave me chills and wore that cloak like a costume. Everyone thought it was a performance."
Claire looked at Jack, and she smiled as he turned around and made eye contact with her. He nodded.
Nicole had noticed, "I think we can leave now. I am starting to feel abit dizzy."
"Sure, let's go," Jack walked over to Marcus and Claire, "have a good one, guys. We will keep in contact."
"Are you leaving this early? It's only 9 pm."
"Yes, Claire, for some of us on dates, 9 pm might be early."
Angela rolled her eyes at Nicole and Claire's drama.
"Have you noticed the reapers tattoos on his face? I mean, who writes death on their forehead, with eight strips and lines across, tattoo teardrops, and a cross on the front of his neck."
"Marcus, can we leave?"
"Wait, you just said it's still early?"
"Yes, Marcus, it would be early if this was a date, but it's not, so don't get ahead of yourself."
Marcus had started to dislike how Claire was treating him. On their way out, they bumped into Max. Max stopped, "Claire, it's been two days. Is everything okay?"
Claire smiled, "I am fine. I mean, I am not the one who had my ass kicked."
"I never had my ass kicked. I was just off-guard, but bring jack's ass to a match, and I will take him out with one punch."
Marcus laughed, "if your actions were as loud as your words, you might stand a chance."
Claire laughed, "anyway, you have let me down, Max. You grabbed a pistol from me and nearly killed Jack with it. If Jack hadn't been so fast and skilled, you would be charged with murder."
"I wouldn't have used it and had everything under control." Marcus couldn't stop laughing, "don't you get tired of your own bullshit?"
"Not a bullshitter Marcus. Perhaps you should stop hanging onto your buddy's tail for his leftovers." Claire smacked him, "how dare you insult me, Max. I have been nothing but good to you, and this is the thank you I get?"
"Lucky you gave him that smack; my punch would knock him out."
"Claire, I am sorry. I never meant it like that."
"No, it's fine, Max; at least we both know where we stand."
Claire turned around and walked away. In the parking lot, Claire saw Angela's car there. "I thought they said it was late and that they were leaving?"
"Who cares, Claire? If they want to be alone, let them be."
"Goodnight, Marcus. Perhaps some appreciation for me standing up for you would be greatly appreciated."
"See you when you are not obsessing over Jack."
Did she make it that obvious? He notices that she likes Jack, but Jack looks at her differently than he did before, and something changes. Claire was sitting in her car when her phone rang. Unknown number. Hesitantly she answers the phone; a deep voice says, "orders to be carried out tomorrow will be sent in an encrypted text. It can only be opened once; thirty seconds after viewing the message, it will disappear. Remember the instructions to carry it out. No mistake is accepted."
This is the first instruction Claire receives as a soldier. She was nervous; she had paced back and forth. She scrolled down to Marcus's name and returned to the home screen. She drove off, looking at the streetlights. Is this the life she wanted? She had two thousand dollars on a limited edition card, giving her that security status.
"Claire, where have you been? Did you see the time?"
"Dad, I saw the time; I was over studying at a friend's."
Her father stood cross arms, "what friend is this?"
"Dad, why all the questions?"
"No, tell me what, friend."
"Angela's dad, Nicole, is over by her house. She is staying there."
Her dad nodded, "so, whose these strange men wandering around our house lately?"
"What are you talking about, dad?"
"Don't act stupid. I have seen what you have been up to lately."
How could her dad know? If it comes out, her family is in danger.
"Dad, I have no idea what you are talking about?"
Her dad walked over to the window, "that black Mercedes, those guys have been up and down the road for the past three days, looking at our house.
"Why do you think they are with me?"
Her dad walks to the door leading to the lounge, peeking out then closing it, "it's okay to lie, but just don't lie to the extent where you convince yourself because that's where you become blind to those around you."
Claire couldn't make eye contact with her dad, but she had no idea who those guys were and why they were there, she was going to find out when the conversation ended. Claire sat there for over thirty minutes listening to her dad go on about life and decision.
After he had lectured her, he left the lounge, and Claire went upstairs to her room. She was furious at those guys outside her house and dialed Marcus.
"Marcus, I am having guys outside my house. Are you aware of this?"
"Yes, but they only get sent out to protect you, Claire, and blend in. You weren't even supposed to know they were there."
"Even my dad knows they are there. How do I get rid of them?"
"You're a soldier, and you are protected. It's time to move out and get your own place."
"No, I can't; there will be too many questions, Marcus."
"It's your choice. It's either that or you are risking your family's life, and there is no getting out when you are in the circle."
"Marcus, why didn't you tell me all this when you told me to join you?"
"I would never have expected you to become a soldier. The reaper or general never met you, so I had no idea it would get this far. Only one person can get you out; they call him the ghost."
"How do you get in contact with the ghost?"
"You can't. That's why no one knows how he looks or who he is."
"How do I get out of this mess if I can't get hold of Ghost?"
"You will have to move, Claire. Pack your things and get out of there