REIGN ON ASHES

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

NOVA

My third day at work. My disguise is perfect. If anyone from my past saw me, they’d never recognize me, ever! One of the few things they taught us while in that hellhole they called a lab, was how to alter our looks during operations that require us to show our faces. Wearing a disguise is one thing, but completely altering the way you look is another.

The disguise I used to kill Dr. John is totally different from the look I have now as Hazel. Even if someone were to figure out that my look while I killed John was a disguise, no technology would be able to figure out what I truly look like, and even if I pass by him now as Hazel, he would never be able to know it’s me, that’s how accurate my disguise skills are.

“Good morning everyone! I got Coffee!” I cheered, holding up the two boxes of coffee I had stopped by to grab before heading to work. The smile on my face was wide and beautiful, I know because I stand in front of the mirror every morning, looking at my new face, practicing gestures and expressions. How to talk cutely and cunningly.

“Oh, Hazel, God, you are the best! Would you believe I was up all night trying to get the scoop on that governor! That f*****g bastard managed to hide his mistress away. Hence, my night out was in vain.” One of the reporters who had gotten close to me, thanks to my skills at communication which I also practiced to perfection, muffled, leaning on my shoulders, taking her coffee from me.

“Honestly, the scoop I was after, I did get much, Hazel, the witch will kill me if I tell her I came empty-handed.” Another reporter cried.

They all told me their names when I resumed but I didn't memorize them, there was no need to. I’d be leaving them as soon as I get what I came here for.

If I could, I’d keep them all at arm's length, I know what happens to people who get close to me. They all die! And the people I am after, they have more than what it takes to kill these people the moment they figure out I am on to them.

But I can’t keep them at arm's length. To get what I want, I have to be one of the best employees and if possible, the best colleagues. Even though I’d end up betraying them at the end.

“I might be able to help you out… Both of you.” I said with a cunning smile. Their eyes glimmered at the sound of that. “For the governor, the reason you didn't get the scoop was that the mistress lives in the same house with them.” I dropped.

“Huh?” her brows arched, “That’s not possible, the only people that live in that house with the governor are his wife, his butler, the security man and the housekeeper, all his children are abroad.” she muttered, “If the mistress lives in the house then…” she gasped, eyes widened, hands over her mouth, “The housekeeper?”

I asked, “Who said a mistress had to be a woman?” I shrugged.

“The butler?” the two reporters yelled at the same time and I nodded.

The corrupt governor is gay!

“Oh, and for you… Remember that businessman you were after for embezzling money from his father-in-law’s company?” I rasped, and the other reporter nodded. “He is not the culprit, it’s is wife, she is having an affair with her sister’s fiance, the accountant that framed her husband… oh, if you go out now, to Villa at mascot estate, you should be able to catch the two of them together and I have a file that proves the husband's innocence, I'll send it to your email.”

“Hazel!” They both cheered, lips pouted, “You are the best of the best! I love you so much!”

I giggled.

“Hold on, what about you, how come you didn't steal our scoops?” one of them asked.

I chuckled, “Trust me, I have something louder, I’ll need to share it with the boss before I go ahead to publish it, because it’s going to cause a whole lot of drama in the city and all over the news.”

“Good luck!”

I don’t need luck.

Scoops like this are what he lives for… I can’t wait to see the look on his face when I drop the news to him.

Knock knock.

I placed a gentle knock on his door, hands holding the files in my back.

“Come in, Hazel.” I heard his voice through the door. I opened and walked in, with a practiced smile on my face, I pushed through and slid into the chair in front of him.

He leaned into his chair, hands wrapped around his chest, flexing his gym biceps, not bad for an old man… should I call him old? Well, whatever.

“Stop checking me out, Hazel.” his low voice cut through my thoughts.

Huh?

“I wasn't.”

“Your eyes were on my biceps.” he blurted.

Ah, I forgot he is a reporter, he is very attentive.

“Are you sure? Do you have proof?” I fired back.

His head fell back laughing, “Oh, I knew hiring you was the right move… so tell me, why brings a busy skilled woman like you to my office, because I know you didn't just come here to feel my biceps.” he winked.

Ugh, I groaned, “I wasn't checking your biceps, don’t flatter yourself.” I hissed.

The more I groaned at him, the more he laughed, almost as though he enjoyed making me pissed.

What’s his deal?

I rolled my eyes and placed my file and laptop before him. “I need your green flag on this.” I pushed them.

His eyes dragged between the file and back at me. “Hey, why do I feel scared to open the file?” he mumbled.

“That’s how you know it’s going to be a good story.” I winked, leaning into my chair.

Do you want to know why I decided to work for this company? Why was my next mission to work in a news company that has nothing to do with the people I am hunting? The people I want to murder?

I’ll tell you.

This man sitting in front of me, this boss of mine, Mike Dunwell, is the only reporter who investigated the missing children and even published a report on one of the failed laboratories. This man knows about the experiment on us, and even though he suffered a huge blow, causing him to lose his left leg and his wife, and a huge burnt scar on his daughter, he never stopped investigating them, he might have stopped publishing their story but I am sure somewhere inside this company, this man has the information I need… The thorough detailed information I need.

This man is my stepping stone to finding my next target… because I'll get revenge for what they did to him and his family!

I swear on my life!