Agent Rogue: Renegade

Chapter 17

Derek Barnes

His text said to meet him in the abandoned tube station in Central London. That was it. Nothing more was given. When I asked him for anything more, he just repeated himself. The abandoned tube station in Central London. I swore at him, getting no reply as I expected, then set off out of the apartment. It did not take long to find out its name -- Aldwych -- but travelling there took a fair amount of time as I not only had to catch a tube, but walk from the station. He could have told me the name, yet he didn't. It had to be intentional. He was stalling. For what, I could not know. Not that it mattered. I spent a long time sitting on the steps of the station, twirling the unloaded gun in my hands. He said he would meet me there. Was he lying to me? He was no stranger to it.

What would I do when he arrived, I wondered? Would I hurt him? Kill him? My stomach sank. I hated the man more than anyone else in the world; just thinking about him made my blood boil. He ruined my life -- he killed my family -- but he was still the only family I had left. No matter how much I wanted to... could I bring myself to end his life?

I watched the gun sway in my loosening grip. It was Amber's. She would be angry at me taking it, but I was sure she would be more concerned that I snuck out of the apartment without a word. I gulped. I told her I would never do that but I would come back... I hoped. This was necessary. I had to do it. I had to end it. It was dangerous, of course, and both Jade's life and my own was at risk but I had reassurance that the agency could track me if they wanted. They had access to all the security cameras across London; they would find me eventually. Amber had probably already got them looking. 

My eyes fixed on the gun and I brought up my arm, resting the weapon on my knees. Never before had my hands shaken when preparing to take out a target, not since I had just turned twenty; my first. But, then again, it was not every day that my target was my own father.

Something stirred down the tracks. My head snapped to the side. "Kane!" The sound bounced along the tile walls of the tunnel, vanishing in the dark. 

It was then, as I looked down into the abyss, that I realised I had been ready for this for so long.

With a burst of energy, I jumped up from the steps and stormed down the platform. My shoes scuffled against the dusty platform as I reloaded the gun.

I hopped onto the tracks. The sound echoed as the rubber of my shoes slammed against the dirt and metal with every step. I almost bolted into a run as I headed into the shadows, gun at the ready.

"KANE!"

A mouse squeaked and I shot the floor beside it.

"Christ!" I breathed, jolting backwards. My gasps ricocheted down the tunnel and I almost keeled over in shock. "Idiot," I cursed quietly. "Such an idiot."

"Yes, you are."

He stepped into the light, face solemn and gun at his side. There was a darkness under his eyes -- no, not darkness... exhaustion. I came at his command but he couldn't have looked less prepared. "You came," he said.

"I don't abandon my family."

"You and your mother abandoned me."

"I don't abandon the ones that are worth it."