The Recruit (18 page)

Jaz released his arms and sat up covering her mouth with her hand. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t find the words to express her horror. She slid off Ryan to the mat as he sat up. ‘What…?’ Her eyes probed his.

‘What happened next?’ he asked for her. ‘Well Franko and the boss no doubt dusted off their hands, had a drink and probably ordered someone to clean up the mess they’d left. I didn’t stick around to find out. I took off down the hill to get to Chris.’

Jaz’s eyes just about fell out of her head. She couldn’t imagine what state Ryan would have found Chris in. She couldn’t imagine seeing a wound in his head, let alone broken bones and scrapes from the fall. She shivered with repulsion. ‘Was he alive when you found him?’

Ryan turned his head, as if he was looking out the front windows of the gym, but his expression was blank and unseeing. ‘No, he would have been dead the moment he went over the railing.’ He paused, only their steady breathing could be heard in the empty gym. ‘It took me over six hours to carry his body back out to where my vehicle was hiding. We’ve been best mates since I was recruited. I will not rest until I can avenge his death.’ His words were venomous.

Jaz saw Ryan swallow, his eyes set hard while her own eyes filled with tears. She reached out for him, rubbing his arms and rested her chin on his shoulder. His pain was still so raw. She remembered him when he’d first came to the gym. They’d had some fun together and he obviously could hide his pain. Right now she realised just how well he’d hidden it.

She wanted to ask him how they’d covered up Chris’s death for his family, but knew that it didn’t really matter. They would have found a way to hide the truth and after all, it wouldn’t change the fact that Chris was gone. Jaz wasn’t going to learn anything by that, so she swallowed her question and just sat there silently with Ryan as she blinked away her own tears.

It felt like hours, but maybe it was minutes, before Ryan turned to Jaz and smiled. He took a deep breath to steady himself before reaching out to touch her necklace as she dropped her arms from the embrace.

‘Is this special? I’ve never seen you without it,’ he asked as he tried to read the medallion.

‘It’s St Michael, he’s an archangel. Apparently, he’s like this commander of God’s army against Satan’s forces.’

‘Sound’s like a cool dude.’

Jaz grinned as Ryan’s thumb ran over the medallion. ‘I’m not religious; I wear it because it’s from my dad. He gave it to my mum before I was born and it’s all I have of him. He died.’ Jaz turned the medallion over to show Ryan the engraving on the back. ‘Mum hates that I found this and kept it. But I refuse to give it back. It’s all I have of him.’

She watched Ryan read the engraving on the back.
Salvatore D.L
. His body suddenly went rigid as his eyes flicked up to hers. ‘Have you ever tried to find out what this means?’

‘Well it could be my dad’s name or maybe his dad’s name, or a favourite uncle. I don’t know because Mum won’t tell me anything about him or this. But Anna and I Googled it, but do you know how many Salvatore’s there are out there? And who knows what the D and L stand for. That could give a million middle name and last name combinations. Mum threatens to take it off me if I ask too many questions. She just reminds me that Paul is my dad, has been since I was two and that’s all that matters. He loves me.’ Jaz sighed. ‘But still I see I’m different from them and I want to at least know something about my real father. Even if he is dead.’

‘But what if it’s not good, he’s not good? Maybe your mum is saving you from something horrible. Have you ever thought of that?’

‘Sometimes I do. Yet when Mum does talk about him, like when she slips up, I can tell she cared about him. I believe she loved him.’ Jaz pulled her necklace from Ryan’s hand and let it fall back against her chest. ‘I got his skin tone and my mum’s blue eyes. A rather weird mix,’ said Jaz with a shrug.

‘But it’s what makes you so captivating.’

Ryan’s voice was soft and quiet but the words he spoke reverberated through her body like he’d shouted them. Jaz was sure he was aware of the electricity sparking between them too.

‘The name Salvatore certainly goes with my skin tone,’ she added.

Cold detached eyes looked across at the far wall, in a way that brought chills to Jaz’s skin. ‘What? What’s wrong?’

Ryan stood up. ‘Nothing. It’s not you. If we don’t get moving again we’ll probably seize up.’

Jaz took his hand as he pulled her up but his eyes avoided her. Was he upset that she’d seen him at his weakest? Blokes like to pretend they are tough and he is a secret super agent, so it’s probably twice as bad. Ryan went to walk away but she grabbed his hand. ‘You okay?’

He tensed but then squeezed her hand, his shoulders dropping slightly. ‘Sorry. It’s not you.’ He sighed. ‘You know how you hate certain names attached to an awful memory or person?’

‘Yeah,’ said Jaz, instantly thinking of Minka. Just the sound of it grated up her spine.

‘Well, I meet a lot of shady characters so I dislike a lot of names. Salvatore just happens to be one of them.’

‘Oh.’

‘Don’t worry about it Jaz. It’s just a name that rubs me up the wrong way. I can’t help how I feel when I hear it.’ Ryan squeezed her hand before walking away.

Jaz didn’t know what else to say. So she just reverted back to what was normal and safe. Picking up her shirt she yelled to him. ‘You know I won that round, don’t you?’

Ryan glanced back, for a moment his old playful smile returned. ‘You hang on to that, as it won’t happen again.’ But his face darkened before he turned back towards the change rooms.

Oh well. She couldn’t expect him to be joyful after he’d just unloaded that painful burden. Maybe she wasn’t even supposed to know about it. What if she doesn’t join up, will they kill her for having too much knowledge?

Jaz laughed at herself. Talk about overactive imagination.

The siren rang out and you could feel the relief of five hundred students as they headed for the exit doors like stampeding cattle. Jaz was walking with Taylor. They’d had the same last class together, which was her favourite because he was in it. They strolled along as kids rushed by, eager to escape school. Taylor’s name was called out every so often in a ‘bye, catch ya tomorrow’. No one around here would exert that much effort on Jaz, but if she were as popular as Taylor was then maybe she’d have more than three friends. Four if you counted Ryan!

‘So I was talking to Anna in History and she’s keen to come to the firing range today, are you? I know Bags has The Ring open on a Thursday, so no excuses.’ Taylor grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze. ‘Com’on, you know you want to.’

‘Why, have all your popular mates deserted you?’ she laughed as she enjoyed his warm hand.

All too soon, Taylor let go of her hand to put it over his heart. ‘Oww, Jasmine! It hurts me to hear you say that. You know you and Anna are at the top of the list.’

‘I heard my name. I hope it wasn’t spoken in vain!’

‘It’s Anna Banana. Hey beautiful, ready to knock some rust off your aim?’ Taylor joked.

Anna had her hair swept up in a loose bun, with a few soft curls that had dropped free. She really was beautiful when she wasn’t hiding behind a book or computer screen.

‘Yep! You coming too, Jazzy?’

Jaz normally would have jumped at the chance but a part of her wanted to go to The Ring and see how Ryan was today. Yesterday had been so full of emotion and weirdness and she wanted to make sure things were still okay between them. But she didn’t want to miss out on going to the range with Taylor. He was really making the effort to spend more time with them than with his more popular friends of late. She wondered if there was something behind it, or maybe he’d just finally realised what a hissy cat Minka and her friends could be. Whatever the reason she didn’t want it to slip by either.

‘Yeah, count me in. I have eight shots that need to hit a target!’

‘That’s my girls,’ said Taylor, wrapping his arms around each of them.

Together they all walked out into the afternoon sunshine. Their matching white school shirts, black ties, their red tartan skirts and Taylor, who still won the award for the best butt in the standard uniform black pants. Jaz felt invincible with her two best friends by her side, as if they could accomplish anything as long as they were together.

They walked through the school gates and towards the car park and Taylor’s waiting Mustang.

Jaz threw her bag into the back of the car and turned at the sound of her name being called.

Ryan jogged to them and paused beside her in his sandy-coloured cargo pants and a black singlet. He was still sexy as Hell but the uncertainty was still in his eyes. He wasn’t a hundred percent himself.

‘Hey, what’s up?’

‘I thought I’d walk or jog with you to The Ring, if that’s okay?’ he asked.

Jaz opened her mouth but no words came. She turned around to Anna and Taylor who were about to get in his car. Anna’s smile was ridiculously overboard and Taylor had a frown that was bound to give him wrinkles. What was she to do? Maybe this was an opportunity for Taylor to get to know Ryan. She would like them to be mates, and besides they shared a common interest…guns.

‘Can Ryan come with us?’ she asked her friends. Taylor looked less than impressed, whereas Anna clapped excitedly.

‘Yes, of course. Isn’t that right, Taylor? More the merrier,’ said Anna.

‘Yeah, sure. Why don’t you come?’ he said blandly. Taylor really wasn’t throwing out the welcome mat.

Jaz turned back to Ryan. ‘Well, do you want to come? We’re going to the firing range.’

‘Really? Sure, thanks.’ He slid into the back seat with Jaz, his long legs folded up behind Anna’s front seat.

Anna was already trying to find Red FM on the radio as she chatted to Taylor. Ryan was watching the houses flick by out his window, deep in thought. Jaz touched his leg and he nearly jumped through the car roof.

‘You okay?’ she said quietly, so the front two couldn’t hear.

He nodded and asked, ‘Why you say that?’

Jaz shrugged a shoulder and wished he hadn’t asked why. ‘I don’t know, you just seem a little preoccupied, that’s all.’ And detached, not yourself and distant towards me at times, she wanted to add but lost her nerve.

‘Just deep in thought. Trying to sort out a problem.’

‘Well if there is anything I can do, I’m right here.’

He glanced back out the window so Jaz slunk back into the seat and looked out her own window. Now she was deep in thought, thinking about him!

It wasn’t until they got to the firing range and Derik was handing out weapons that he perked up, almost to his old cheerful self.

Taylor had gone first and fired all eight shots from his Browning 9mm on target.

Ryan’s face was a little gobsmacked.

‘See, I told you he was brilliant,’ Jaz beamed.

Taylor went a little pink from her praise, but she knew he was loving it.

Taylor handed over the gun to Ryan. ‘So, you ever used a gun before?’ he asked Ryan.

‘Once or twice,’ said Ryan as he loaded the new clip with blind precision and fired off all shots quicker than Jaz could say ‘wow’.

Taylor’s eyes just about fell from his head as the target zoomed closer for inspection. Not only had Ryan hit the target’s head, but the shots were all that close they’d blown out a circle the size of a penny.

‘Holy shit. The man knows his stuff,’ said Taylor, still amazed.

Then that was the end of Anna and Jaz’s existence. Finally Taylor had someone who he could actually share gun talk with, besides Derik, and someone who he could compete with. They talked guns, ammo and everything in between, while Anna and Jaz found their own booth.

Fifteen minutes later while Anna was having another shot, Taylor tapped her on the shoulder. Jaz shifted her earmuffs from her ears.

‘You were right, he’s okay.’

Jaz looked at him, dumbfounded. ‘What, you’re best buddies now? God, I will never understand boys!’

‘Well we
are
from Mars, isn’t that what Anna reckons? Speaking of Anna, I think she needs my expertise.’

Taylor gave Jaz a wink and stepped around her to get to Anna who was trying to get her stance right.

Jaz felt eyes upon her and glanced at Ryan. He looked like a bad-ass with a gun in his hands, enthralling to boot. It looked so natural, like it was a part of him. His movements with the gun were like that of a normal person with their mobile phone. She walked slowly towards him and took the gun he held out for her. She knew he wanted to see what she could do.

He hadn’t even unloaded it, so with swift fingers she emptied the gun and slipped in the new clip. She was feeling a tad bit nervous with him behind her. The pressure to do well was forefront on her mind.
Please don’t miss, please don’t miss.
Jaz breathed in and as she let out a slow even breath, she fired all the rounds.

After the last bullet was spent, she turned around to face Ryan, emptied the gun before putting it down on the table and took off her earmuffs. The target rattled behind her as it grew near but she didn’t turn around. Instead, she watched Ryan’s eyes. Saw him glance to the target and then smile in approval. Had she just passed another test?

‘Well?’

Ryan removed his own earmuffs. ‘You’ve exceeded my expectations, yet again.’

She couldn’t wipe off the stupid grin she knew was on her face. They stood staring at each other for a long moment before Ryan cleared his throat and said, ‘Taylor, on the other hand, is better than half our operatives.’

‘Yeah, that wouldn’t surprise me. He loves this place and comes all the time to practise.’

‘Hmm, it shows.’

‘Are you thinking of recruiting him too?’ Jaz asked jokingly.

‘It’s a thought, but we don’t do recruits that often as we can’t cope with too many. We like to give you all one-on-one training with a qualified agent. But if you say no, then he’s more than a possibility.’

Jaz was taken aback; she didn’t know what she thought about that. She was just joking, but Ryan was deadpan serious. Taylor as an agent? Especially if she said no — what the Hell! Jaz realised that if Taylor signed up, she’d be next. She couldn’t let him do it alone. He could be hurt or killed like Chris. She didn’t know if she liked that idea.