Chapter 3

*Author's note:*

Sorry I never kept up with posting this! Life happened, time got away, writer's block hit, etc etc. I'm now revising chapters I wrote, and posting them. I will write more and continue to post them as time allows. Sorry again for such a gap in time from when I started to posting again now.

Thank you for reading it, and I hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 3:

Ashton watched as Sage laid unconscious on a cot. He walked around the cot to where her head was, grabbed a chair and sat down next to her cot. Ashton sighed deeply and ran a hand through his brown hair. Sage looked so calm, yet he had seen the scared, pained look in her eyes. He saw the hurt and betrayal in her face. Guilt rushed through him; Carson had demanded to know who her parents were. Ashton, being her charge, knew. Reluctantly, he had told Carson, now Sage’s past was revealed; Carson labeled her as a trouble maker. Yet, he told Ashton he would give Sage a chance to prove herself, if she seemed obedient, he would not do anything to her.

Sage murmured softly, her eyelids fluttered slightly as she started to wake up. Her eyes snapped open, she sat up abruptly and started scooting away from Ashton. Her eyes were filled with confusion and fear; she fell off the cot onto the concrete flooring.

“Sage, it’s me!” Ashton moved towards her and grabbed her hand to help her up.

She pulled away. “You-you betrayed me.” Her whisper was hoarse.

Ashton reached out towards her again, “No, I didn’t.” He looked at her eyes, they had a glassy, faraway look. “Sage?” He asked, in a soft voice.

She looked up at him, “Wh-“ Her eyes suddenly cleared from their glassy look. She took in her surroundings and suddenly burst into tears. She suddenly remembered where she was and wiped her tears.

Ashton knelt next to her. “Hey, it’s ok.” He whispered. He grabbed her hand gently and looked into her eyes. “It’ll be fine.”

Sage sniffed and wiped another tear trailing down her face. “What happened?” She asked.

“Carson interrogated you, and you passed.” He forced a small smile.

“He-he injected something into me.” She stared hard at him. Her brow furrowing slightly, “And then.. you-you injected something into me.” She whispered.

“It was to help you. If I didn’t then…” His voice trailed off.

Sage slowly stood, her legs wobbled slightly. Ashton grabbed her arm to steady her. The door swung open and Carson strode in. “Ah! She’s awake.” He looked at her. Ashton quickly removed his hand from her arm and stood straight.

“Yes, sir, she is.” He replied.

“Good.” Carson motioned for Ashton to leave. “Now, if you’d please, let us chat a bit.” He ordered.

Ashton nodded but didn’t say anything. He quietly left the room. Carson stood in front of Sage. “Well, young lady.” He started. “You’re a secret agent, are you?” His dark eyes glowered at her.

“What?” Sage crossed her arms. “I am not.”

“Oh, right.” Carson tapped her elbow with his finger causing her to flinch. “Your parents were the secret agents.”

“How-“ She stammered.

“How do I know?” He chuckled. “I have informers. I know all about your past, Sage Bennett.” He leaned close to her, his breath falling on her face. “I know everything about you and your family.” Carson stood straight again.

Sage held back the anger building up inside of her. This man was evil, now he would drain information from her. She didn’t say a word, but lowered her head.

“And you, my dear,” Carson tipped her chin up with his fingers. “Can tell me much more information.” He forced her to make eye contact with him. Lowering his hand, he turned on his heel towards the door. His boots made heavy clunks on the floor as he walked. Carson’s hand rested on the doorknob, before opening the door, he turned back to Sage. “We will chat more later, Sage.” He opened and shut the door with a firm click.

Ashton walked in moments later. Sage was sitting on the cot, her cheeks were pink. She looked up at Ashton, her lips parted slightly, then she closed them shut, staying silent. “What?” Ashton asked.

She brought her eyes to meet his, “You told him everything, didn’t you?” Her voice came out in a whisper.

Ashton stood in front of her, “I did.” He replied softly. “But you have to understand-“ He started but Sage cut him off.

“How could you?” She demanded, pain streaking her voice. “You know what kind of danger you put my whole family and the rest of the agency into? Why?” Tears filled her eyes. “I lost my family, my parents, my life, and now you might have just endangered them and signed their death warrant, along with mine.” She stared at him.

Ashton knelt in front of her, to view her better. “Sage, you have to understand, I didn’t have a choice but to tell him.” He drew in a deep breath and continued on. “If I didn’t tell him, it would have gone badly for both you and me. He already knew everything. I had been order to confirm it.”

Sage ran a hand through her messy hair. “If he knew, why would you have to tell him anything?” She asked him.

Ashton slowly stood. “As confirmation. Assurance. Making sure the information was not misheard.” He turned on his heel towards the door. “Now, you have to get back to your job, and I have to get back to mine.”

~*~

A woman, probably in her mid thirties, sat in a jail cell. She sat on a stringy, dirty mattress. Her head throbbed, dirt streaks were on her hands and cheeks, and her hair was pulled back in a messy braid.. “Kinsley Bennett!” A guard by the jail bars barked.

She slowly stood, grimacing as pain pricked her legs and body. Kinsley slowly brought herself to the bars. “Yes, sir.” She croaked.

“We have orders to take you back for questioning.” He opened the door and swung it open. “Move along!” He hurried her.

Kinsley hurried out the door, her mind swam with questions. The chief of the prison was demanding information about the agency she worked in. Each time, she refused to share anything. The guards tortured her, trying to pry the information out. They left her with no food or water for a day, worked her endlessly, and questioned her tirelessly. However, they never laid a hand on her body. The guards didn’t dare touch or harm her.

A door opened to a small office. A light waved, adding an eerie glow to the room. A desk sat in the middle of the room, papers strewn in different places, pens scattered on the desk, and a pair of black, hard boots sat on top of the desk. Kinsley followed the boots to the chief’s body. He sat in a chair, his arms crossed. “Hello, Kinsley.” He greeted her with a sneer. His feet fell from the desk and landed on the hard floor with a thud. “Have a seat.” He motioned to the chair across from him. His dark blue eyes glinted.

She sat down in the plush chair, careful not to make herself comfortable. She stared at her folded hands in her lap.

“You likely know why I called you back.” He picked up a pen and twirled it between his fingers.

“Yes, sir.” She whispered.

“Well, this time it’s not just for questioning.” His chair creaked as he leaned back for a moment. “I have other matters to discuss.” Maverick slid a picture across the desk and pointed at it with a finger. “I’m sure you recognize this young girl.”

Kinsley leaned over and studied the picture. Her breath caught in her throat, it was her daughter — Sage! Her green eyes were dull and tired, yet a small smile tugged at her lips in the picture. Kinsley nodded slowly. “I do know her — she’s my daughter.”

“Oh yes, I know.” Maverick pulled the picture away and stuffed it into a drawer. “I also know where she is — at a prisoner camp. Not only do I know where she is, I know the commanding officer of that camp.” He twirled the pen again. “Carson and I are actually good friends.” His piercing blue eyes stared at Kinsley. “You get what I am saying?”

She looked at him, confusion clouding her face. “No, sir…” A strand of her brown hair fell over her eyes, she blew it away.

He chuckled and pulled a paper out and placed it on his desk. “Well, you see, we can make things difficult for little Sage at the camp. If you don’t cooperate here,” his teeth flashed at her, “I can contact Carson, and we can change things up for the girl.” He leaned over to Kinsley across the desk, his breath fell on her face. “Either you cooperate or you cause your daughter’s pain.”

Kinsley stared at this man. How could he be so evil? He had no heart inside of him. She lowered her eyes. “I will never betray the agency.”

Maverick laughed and leaned back again. “Oh, Kinsley, Kinsley!” His voice grew deadly. “We are not asking you to betray them; we are asking you to tell us about them. There’s a difference.” His hand poised over a phone that laid on his desk. “You refuse to talk, I make the calls, Sage gets the consequences. You do talk, I won’t make the calls, and we all live happily.” He tapped his fingers on the desk.

She lowered her blue-green eyes. “Can I have some time to decide?” She asked.

Maverick stopped tapping his fingers and folded his hands together. “Fine.” He stood and rounded the desk to where Kinsley sat. “You have two hours.”

She stood and moved to the door, her heart now racing. “Yes, sir.” She slipped out the door and back to her cell. She was left with a hard decision, her head throbbed harder and tears pricked the back of her eyes.

As she sat on the cot, her tears started to spill. An image of Sage flashed to her mind, “Please don’t hate me.” She rocked herself back and forth, trying to maintain her tormenting thoughts and come up with a final decision.

~*~

2 hours later..

Maverick sat in his office, a smirk spread across his lips. He fingered the telephone on his desk. Finally, he picked it up and dialed a number. After several rings, a male voice growled through the line.

“Hello, Carson speaking.”

“It’s Maverick.” He replied, leaning back in his chair.

“Did she spill it?” Carson asked.

“No. I gave her a choice.” He pulled a paper close to him. “But, I think you know what it will come to.”

A low laugh rumbled through the phone. “Oh, yes.” His voice grew serious again. “Also, I have a soldier I believe is a spy. Yet, he has proven time and again that he isn’t.”

“Well, if he’s proven to be a worthy soldier, stop questioning him.” Maverick spat. “Besides, if he turns to be a rebel, you can always…” His voice stopped. “Wait, I must go, Kinsley is coming back. I think her decision is made.” A chuckle sounded.

“Fine, fine.” Carson replied. “Let me know the final decision.”

“Will do.” Maverick hung up the phone. “Come in!” He called to the door.

Kinsley walked in quietly. “So, you’ve made your decision?” Maverick asked.

She raised her head and glared at him. “I will never tell you anything about the agency and the work I did.”

Maverick leaned on the desk. “So, you prefer that your daughter suffer, then tell me about your agency?” A humored look masked on his face.