Mr Black

5. Guy Black

Guy knew this day would come, when his lies and secrets would catch up to him, and he would have no idea how to explain his actions without giving away who he worked for. Nonetheless, he had not prepared himself for such a day when Cassidy would walk out on him. She was the love of his life, and no woman would ever compete. So hearing her say, "Goodbye, Guy," with such disdain towards him felt like he'd been shot all over again, but this time in the chest. His heart crumbled like wet sand, and he physically and mentally didn't know what to do with himself other than to lie in pain.

He was lucky to be alive after being shot. There hadn't been an exit wound, the bullet had been lodged inside of his torso and causing more damage then it needed to. Luckily, the bullet hadn't hit any vital organs that would cause permanent damage and was easily taken out during surgery. However, the loss of blood already had an impact on his energy. He found it difficult to accomplish measly tasks such as leaning over to grab a cup of water. 

It was going to take a lot of training to get back into shape again once he recovered. He had hoped Cassidy would be by his side, but he already knew that wasn't going to happen. He wished he could tell her the truth, but that would only endanger her life. As much as it hurt him, he knew her leaving him was for her best interests, especially with the Charles Kingsley fiasco that MI6 was still clearing up. 

Guy flinched as he leaned over and grabbed the cup of water and felt the stitching ripping against his skin. He hissed, dropping the cup, and it clattered against the ground, spilling water everywhere. 

"Stop making it worse." Miller walked inside the room, signing off some paperwork and handing it over to a lawyer, who handed him another piece to sign. "I need my best agent to be back to his usual self for the next job. We've just had a report that Lady Annabel Darlington–"

"I quit!" Guy heaved angrily. "I've had enough of being your little spy! I can't keep lying to my friends and family. I've already lost my girlfriend to this mess because of you. Do you know what my original plans were for this evening? After the opening of the art gallery, I was going to ask Cassidy to marry me! You took that from me!"

The heart monitor started to beep loudly as his voice rose, and he clenched his fists, holding back the hot, angry tears that clouded his vision. 

"And yet despite those original plans, you still couldn't help but say yes to my job." Miller smiled to the lawyer as he handed him over the last of the paperwork and sent him on his way. "Face it, Guy: you could have said no, and I would have placed one of the other Number Agents on the job, but you said yes because you love the adrenaline rush that pumps through your veins during a mission which sends you on high that makes you feel like you can accomplish anything. It's like you become a completely different person altogether. It's why you're my favourite agent. It's why you're Agent One. You will never find a feeling like it anywhere else." 

Guy's face hardened as he glared at Miller. He hated that he was right. Guy loved the rush of adrenaline that coursed through his body with each mission he took, but he knew deep down in his heart that it had to stop. Otherwise, his brother would walk out on his life next time, and he couldn't lose the only family he had left after losing Cassidy. 

"I mean it, Miller. I quit!" 

Miller stopped in his actions, finally noticing the serious tone in Guy's voice, and frowned, taking his sunglasses off, and scoffed at him. 

"Fine, but then you will never find out what happened to your parents." 

Guy's teeth clenched together, and his throat felt sore, like a pebble was stuck in the back of his mouth. How dare he use his deceased parents against him! It was the same tactic Miller had used to recruit him into MI6 when he was sixteen years old. He'd promised that if Guy worked for him, he would help him uncover the truth surrounding his parents' death, which was clearly a cover up. Miller had come across a file but wouldn't let Guy read it and instead used it to continue to bribe him into working for him.

"I've been working for you for six years. I have prevented wars, stopped terrorist attacks, taken down an underground organisation, been shot at so many times now that I've lost count, and I've done so much more for you." Guy hissed as the pain reverberated through his body during his angry outburst. "And what do I get out of it? Nothing! I deserve to know the truth about my parents!"

"And now you never will." Miller slid his sunglasses back on without a care for Guy's feelings. "Of course, if you stay with us, I'll let you read the first page of the file about your parents." 

Guy's hands curled around the bed sheets. It was a tempting offer. He wanted nothing more than to learn the truth about his parents, but he knew if he said yes to Miller's terms, he would find himself back in the never ending, vicious circle he could never seem to escape from. At the end of the day, he knew Miller would never tell him the truth. There was a reason Miller was the director of MI6. His secrets had secrets. Besides, Mikey seemed to be able to survive without knowing the truth about their parents, so why couldn't he?

"I won't say it again, Miller. I quit!" 

Miller sighed and nodded his head. "Fine, have your little tantrum. But mark my words, Guy, the second the boredom kicks in, you will be crawling back. And when that day comes, I'll be waiting." 

"You'll be waiting a long time!" 

Miller's nose crinkled up, and he turned on the spot and marched off, taking his security team with him, including the police guard until Guy was finally left alone in peace. For once in his life, he relaxed. No more secret missions, no more undercover work or lying to the people he loved, but most importantly, not being shot at anymore. However, he was still little too late. Cassidy was already gone, but he would make sure to win her heart back no matter how long it took. 

*

It was two weeks before Guy was finally discharged from the hospital. He painfully clutched onto his side as he fumbled around in his jacket for his keys. It had been a tiring two weeks. MI6 had frozen his bank accounts and had been causing all sorts of havoc to try and manipulate him into rejoining the agency. They'd also kept Danny for a couple of days, making him sign confidentiality papers that made him promise not to tell a soul what he'd witnessed, or he would be tried for treason against Queen and country. So now Danny wasn't on speaking terms with him at the moment, considering his life was threatened by the government.

Despite everything, not once did Guy fall for temptation and managed to stick with his guns. He was a civilian now, not a spy. He was just thankful for creating a trust fund under his brother's name, where he'd stashed spare cash over the years and had managed to save a tremendous amount. Enough to keep his apartment for the next year, but after that, he had no idea what he was going to do with his life.

"Here, let me help." Mikey took the key from Guy before he could protest and opened his apartment for him. 

Guy was hoping for a big welcome home banner and everyone jumping out from their hiding places and surprising him. Instead, he was welcomed home by silence and brown boxes filled with Cassidy's belongings that she would pick up at a later date. Even the flowery scent from her fragrant candles was replaced with a stale, lifeless smell. The apartment looked dull without her feminine touch, and already Guy felt an overwhelmingly feeling of loneliness. God, he missed her so much and didn't know what to do with himself. His heart ached, and the first thing he did was walk into the kitchen and grab a bottle of beer to numb his feelings.

Mikey shot him a judgemental look but didn't stop him. His brother sat down at the breakfast bar opposite him and folded his hands together. 

"I don't exactly know what job you've quit or what happened to you, but my band still needs a lead singer, and you're still more than welcome to join us. Maybe it will be good for you." Mikey shrugged. "Distract you from Cassidy."

Guy raised his eyes and finally looked at his brother for the first time since he'd gotten shot. He hated lying to Mikey, but it was for his own protection. Maybe it would be good to hang out with his brother. 

"Why the hell not?" Guy chugged back his beer. 

Mikey's eyes lit up. "Really?" 

"Yeah." Guy shrugged. "I'm unemployed and have nothing to lose. Let's have some fun." 

The big smile on his little brother's face made him smile for the first time since Cassidy had walked out on him, and he felt his heart warm up and repair itself. He couldn't wait to actually have fun with his brother, time he had taken for granted when working for MI6. Quitting had to be the best thing that ever happened to him. He finally felt free. He just hoped that it would last.