A House of Liars
1033 Words
Amara couldn't stop thinking about Marco Bellini.
The name had lingered in her mind long after the conversation ended.
Luca's second-in-command.
One of his most trusted men.
A possible traitor.
None of it made sense.
If Marco truly had betrayed the organization, how had he managed to fool everyone for so long?
And if he hadn't...
Then someone was trying very hard to make him look guilty.
The next morning, Amara woke to the sound of raised voices outside her room.
She sat up immediately.
The bunker had been unusually tense since the attack, but this sounded different.
Angrier.
More personal.
Curious, she opened the door.
Two guards stood nearby.
The moment they saw her, they straightened.
"Good morning, Miss Moretti."
Amara ignored the greeting.
"What's going on?"
The guards exchanged a glance.
Neither answered.
That alone told her everything she needed to know.
Something was happening.
Something they didn't want her involved in.
Unfortunately for them, that only made her more interested.
She headed toward the source of the noise.
The deeper she went into the bunker, the louder the argument became.
Eventually, she reached one of the conference rooms.
The door was slightly open.
Voices drifted through the gap.
"...telling you the evidence isn't enough."
That was Luca.
Amara moved closer.
Another voice answered.
A rough voice.
Older.
"Three guards identified Marco's access code."
"And codes can be stolen."
"Not his."
Amara carefully peered inside.
Several senior members of the organization sat around the table.
Luca stood near the head.
Antonio was beside him.
The atmosphere was thick with tension.
"Until I have proof," Luca said coldly, "nobody touches Marco."
Several men looked unhappy.
One of them slammed a hand onto the table.
"Your loyalty is clouding your judgment."
The room fell silent.
Dangerously silent.
The man immediately realized his mistake.
Everyone else looked away.
Even Antonio.
Luca slowly turned toward him.
The expression on his face was terrifying.
"I suggest you choose your next words carefully."
The older man swallowed.
Hard.
Amara suddenly understood why everyone feared Luca.
Not because he shouted.
Not because he threatened people.
Because he didn't need to.
His silence was somehow more frightening than anger.
Before the argument could continue, a hand appeared beside her.
Amara nearly jumped out of her skin.
She spun around.
Antonio stood there.
Completely expressionless.
"Spying?"
Amara placed a hand over her racing heart.
"You almost gave me a heart attack."
"Good."
"That wasn't funny."
"It was a little funny."
Amara narrowed her eyes.
Antonio looked suspiciously pleased with himself.
"Come on."
He nodded toward the hallway.
"Luca already knows you're here."
Of course he did.
Nothing seemed to escape that man.
As they walked away, Amara glanced back at the conference room.
"Do you think Marco is guilty?"
Antonio was quiet for a moment.
Longer than usual.
"I don't know."
That surprised her.
Antonio always seemed certain about everything.
"You trust him?"
"I've known him for twelve years."
Amara frowned.
"And?"
Antonio sighed.
"And people surprise you."
His answer unsettled her.
A few days ago, she would've assumed trust was simple.
Now she wasn't so sure.
Everyone in this organization seemed to have secrets.
Everyone wore masks.
Everyone lied.
By the time she reached the training room, Luca was already waiting.
He stood near the shooting range.
A pistol rested on the table beside him.
Amara stopped walking.
"No."
Luca raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
"No guns."
"We're using guns."
"No, we're not."
"We are."
Amara groaned.
"Why?"
Luca looked genuinely confused.
"Because people are trying to kill you."
Fair point.
Again.
She was beginning to hate how often he made sense.
Twenty minutes later, she hated it even more.
The pistol felt awkward in her hands.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Wrong.
"Relax your shoulders," Luca instructed.
"I am relaxed."
"You look like you're holding a venomous snake."
Amara glared at him.
Luca looked completely unbothered.
She aimed at the target.
Pulled the trigger.
The g*n fired.
The recoil nearly knocked her off balance.
The bullet missed the target entirely.
Antonio, who was watching nearby, laughed.
Amara pointed the g*n at him.
"Want to say that again?"
His smile vanished immediately.
"Please don't point that at me."
Luca took the g*n from her before anyone could lose a limb.
For the first time in days, Amara laughed.
A real laugh.
Not forced.
Not nervous.
Just genuine.
The sound seemed to surprise everyone.
Including herself.
Especially Luca.
For a brief second, his expression softened.
Then it disappeared.
Gone so quickly she almost thought she'd imagined it.
Hours later, Amara left the training room exhausted.
She was heading back toward her room when she noticed something strange.
A woman standing alone near one of the storage corridors.
Amara frowned.
She hadn't seen many women in the organization.
Certainly not one dressed like this.
The woman looked elegant.
Expensive.
Out of place.
Their eyes met.
Something about her gaze sent a chill through Amara's body.
Not fear.
Recognition.
As though the woman already knew exactly who she was.
The stranger smiled.
A slow, knowing smile.
Then she walked away.
Amara stared after her.
Moments later, she nearly collided with Antonio.
"Who was that?"
Antonio frowned.
"Who?"
"The woman."
His expression immediately changed.
"What woman?"
Amara pointed toward the corridor.
"She was right there."
Antonio's face darkened.
The corridor was empty.
Completely empty.
A strange feeling settled in Amara's stomach.
"She was here."
Antonio grabbed his radio.
"Lock down Corridor C."
Amara blinked.
"What?"
His voice became sharp.
"When did you see her?"
"Just now."
Antonio was already moving.
Guards rushed past them.
Others began checking rooms.
The entire bunker suddenly erupted into activity.
Amara's heart began racing.
"What is happening?"
Antonio looked at her.
For the first time since she'd met him, he seemed genuinely alarmed.
"Nobody besides authorized personnel is supposed to be down here."
The blood drained from Amara's face.
She turned toward the empty corridor.
Toward the place where the mysterious woman had been standing.
And suddenly one terrifying thought entered her mind.
The woman hadn't looked lost.
She hadn't looked confused.
She had looked like she belonged there.
Like she had come for a reason.
Like she had come for Amara.
- Writer
