Liability

one

The hot water numbed my skin. I sunk my head deeper into the liquid, letting it engulf me. Inch by inch, covering my face until I could no longer breathe. The ceiling above me shifted with the ripples of the water. I wondered how long I could stay here. 

If I really tried, I could imagine the ocean. The waves crashing above me. The seagulls muffled calls. I wished I was really there.

Away from all of this.

I had s**t to do. I needed to get up.

With a loud splash I lifted my head and leaned against the inside of the bath, gasping for the air I lost. Once I gathered myself, I reached over the side of the tub and checked my phone, leaving wet finger prints on the screen.

3:32pm I have a bit more time to relax.

I thought to myself. I grabbed a lavender bath bomb and threw it in, it immediately fizzing up and causing small bubbles to form around me. 

I needed to get out of my head, there was no room for thoughts like that.

In a little over an hour, I had a mission. I always tried to take a bath before doing a job because it helped me focus. Helped clear my mind. Helped me feel a little more normal, even just for a bit. Today was just an off day I guess. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the sweet scent.

A loud knock coming from my front door spooked me and took me out of my zen state of mind. I sighed and rubbed my temples, I knew exactly who it was. The aggressive knocking continued.

"Come in!" I shouted so they could hear me from my bathroom, "Don't know why you bother knocking..." I mumbled to myself.

Knowing they had a key, I figured they would come in eventually whether I liked it or not. I heard the front door of my flat open and feet shuffle in. I didn't bother getting out of the tub, this was my 'me time' and they weren't going to ruin that. Plus I was comfortable with my body.

"I'm in here." I called out, picking at the skin around my nails.

Three large men walked into my bathroom, all immediately looking shocked when realizing I was naked in the tub. I rolled my eyes and traced shapes in the water.

"What's wrong, you never seen breasts before Sebastian?" I mocked, just wanting a reaction.

Immediately his eyebrows furrowed. It was easy to rile him up. The three men all uncomfortably lined up against the wall, trying to create space between us in the small London flat bathroom. I never understood why they always traveled in threes. What could a small girl like me do to them?

Oh yeah, my job.

They were called The Coterie. Which means 'an exclusive group' or 'clique'. Each assassin had a Coterie that watched over them, gave them their assignments, and reported back to the higher ups. It was supposed to make things run more smoothly and the group of three would make it a fair fight if the assassin decided they didn't like one of them.

"f**k off Violetta." Sebastian spat, crossing his arms.

Even after all these years, it is never natural to hear my alias. Violetta. My real name is Vera, but it's safer if he doesn't know that.

Ignoring Sebastian and his short temper, I looked over to his right, "Hi Ryder."

A soft blush came over his face, "Hi Violetta." He lifted his hand and waved, keeping his eyes above my chest.

The third man's name is Ace, but he didn't talk much.

I yawned and stretched my limbs, "Alright, what is it that you want?"

Sebastian immediately spoke up, "We have a new target for you."

I turned to look at him, "Already? I haven't even finished todays."

He shrugged, "If you don't think you can handle having this many I can always call the higher ups and tell them how much of a disgra-"

"-She can handle it," Ryder interrupted, saving us from a fight, "This one isn't for a couple days. You'll have time to prepare."

Taking my attention away from the conversation, I noticed Ace looking around through my drawers. I hated when people went through my personal stuff. 

"Hey! Get out of my s**t!" I snapped.

He dropped what he was holding and looked at me with a dumb face, still not speaking. He was the largest of the three. Could probably kill someone with one blow to the head. I wasn't sure if I've ever heard him make more than a grunting noise.

Sebastian pulled out his tablet and typed in a password before handing it to me. 

"The targets name is Noah Quinn." He quickly backed up against the wall, "He is a journalist for a small newspaper company here in London."

I swiped through the photos of him on the screen, taking in all his features, "What did he do?"

They never truly answered that question when I asked, but sometimes Ryder would give me a hint. I wondered if they even knew.

"Been a little too nosey." Was all Sebastian answered.

I studied Noah's face a bit more before handing the tablet back to him. I glanced up at Sebastian, he would be decent looking if he wasn't always frowning. And maybe if he let his blonde buzz cut grow out. But even then, his abrasive personality always irritated me.

"Younger than my typical targets, no?" I asked, starting to feel chilly in the water.

"We don't choose 'em. Just deliver." Ryder shrugged. 

We stayed in uncomfortable silence for a minute, "Well if you guys are done, would you mind getting the hell out of my place? The water is getting cold and I have a job I need to get ready for. No dumb boys need to be in my way." I began to stand up in the tub. 

All of them turned away, Ryder a bit slower.

"Jesus, you have no shame!" Sebastian groaned before walking out of the bathroom.

I grabbed my towel and finally wrapped it around myself, "It's my home that you are in. I can do whatever I please."

The Coterie filed their way out of my bathroom and were about to leave before I called out to them, "Send me the target's photos on the secure emai.l."

No one replied but I was sure they heard me before they walked out of my place. I was left standing dripping wet and alone on my cold bathroom tile.

"They really f****d up my Vera time." I mumbled to myself, "Or Violetta, my bad." I mocked.

I liked my Alias, I picked it myself, but sometimes I wished I didn't always have to go by something else.

My legs brushed together and I realized they were very hairy. If I wanted to have an easy take out this evening, I needed to be as 'sexy' as possible. I groaned and went to my shower to grab the razor to shave my legs.

This better be quick today.

My phone vibrated so I went to go check it. It was the photos and details of the Noah target from Sebastian. I opened it up and looked through it again. 

He was actually pretty handsome. I was so accustomed to targets in their late 40's to 70's who let themselves go and smelled of cigars. Not to mention nine times out of ten these old men were cocky and perverted, it just made the job all the more unpleasant.

 I swiped through the information, it was vague, didn't tell me why I was taking him out, but told me he was 24. A year younger than me. He had thick brown curly hair, green eyes, and was around 6 foot. 

I sighed. 

He must've done something awful... They wouldn't have me kill someone so young for no reason, right?

Shaking my head, I tried to get rid of these thoughts. It wasn't my place to question the mission, it was just a job. Nothing more, nothing less.