The Assasination Project

Eva's POV "Azzy! Breakfast time!" I hollered for my little sister from where I was in the kitchen. I fiddled with the key to the zoo which was near my heart pendant on my necklace my mother had once given me. I knew very well Azzy would take a while to get down here. She always gave Nancy trouble when it was time for her showers. In the end, it was always me who had to bathe the little five year old rascal. However, today I had woken up late after having to organize a mail merge to send to all our employees late last night. I didn't even hear the alarm go off. What I wasn't expecting, however, was Azzy running into the kitchen in her underwear with suds in her hair. This little child! Why couldn't she just let her mom bathe her? "Morning", she greeted in that cute voice of hers as she got onto her special booster seat at the kitchen island. "Morning", I greeted back and she looked at me expectantly. I passed her a plate with a stack of pancakes and she immediately dug in with the help of her fork. "Let me guess", I put my hand by my chin pretending to think, "You don't want your mom to shower you?" Azzy nodded, as her mouth was full, and suds got all over the kitchen island. "Azzy! Your Hair!" I watched as Nancy entered the kitchen panting. Azzy immediately hopped of her seat and ran behind me to shield herself from her mother. The suds on her strawberry blonde hair got on my bare legs and her honey colored eyes pleaded at me to save her as her mother tried grabbing her from behind me. Funny how Azzy resembled me and my dad more than she resembled Nancy. The honey colored eyes, the strawberry blonde hair, all of it made her resemble us. "I want Eva to shower me!" Azzy exclaimed when Nancy almost caught her. "But you'll make Eva late for work", Nancy tried to reason with the five year old. "No!" Azzy exclaimed once more. "I guess I can call Davin and let him know I'll be a little late", I gave into Azzy's wishes knowing very well that she wouldn't have piped down unless I did. A regular routine of hers. "Your father and I told you that you should have just adopted her. She likes you more than she likes either of us", Nancy told me as we made our way up the stairs and into Azzy's huge bedroom. "But then you two would have no child to call your own", I reasoned as Azzy and I got into her bathroom. The floor was covered with suds and was very slippery. I had to be extra careful. "Hey, I'm thirty five and your dad's forty. I think we can have other kids", I heard Nancy say from outside the bathroom door. I finished showering Azzy and we both exited after I'd dried her off. "And the day I do have another child", Nancy began in that jokey tone of hers, "I am not letting you near them". "Why?" I faked being hurt. I slipped on the dress Nancy had chosen for Azzy on her and began tying her soft hair in two ponytails. "Why? Because every child I have", Nancy pointed at Azzy, "Wants you instead of me from the moment they can see". We both laughed at that and Azzy looked at us both confused. I concluded combing her hair and considering she wasn't whining, I'd say she liked her style. "Seriously though, consider adopting her", Nancy and my dad were not going to stop nagging me until I took my half sister from them, that much was obvious. I slipped on Azzy's sandals and she gave us a twirl. "Mommy's princess looks pretty", Nancy complimented Azzy but all the little devil did in return was stick her tongue out at her. "She's my mommy", Azzy pointed towards me and I looked at Nancy to see that she wasn't actually offended, but rather sending me a pointed look that said she proved her point. "That means nothing", I told her. "Whatever helps you sleep at night", she responded and put her hand out for Azzy to take. Azzy reluctantly took it and the two began making their way out of the room. "School time buddy", Nancy told Azzy as they exited the room. "I'm not your buddy either", I heard Azzy say. I shook my head. Nancy and dad had every good intention of wanting to give me Azzy. I would have agreed on the spot. I already juggled two businesses and playing mom for Azzy already, so it would make no difference if I decided to take her. However, I knew that Azzy needed more than just an older sister, she needed both parents. Besides, I knew Nancy and dad would miss her. ***************************** The zoo was quiet of an human activity at this time of day, especially where I was heading to Davin's office. I knocked on the door and heard him mutter a 'come in'. I entered and was greeted by the scent of lavender in the air. "Are you trying a new air freshener or something?" I asked as a way of greeting the raven haired guy. "Forget about the air freshener", Davin told me which took me by surprise. Usually he'd be more than happy to talk about the various scents of his office. "Why? What's wrong?", I enquired with creased eyebrows as I took a seat opposite him. "There's something big coming", he told me seeming very hyper aware. "Big? What's coming?" I continued to ask. I was becoming hyper aware too. Our zoo was getting something big. We were rarely trusted with endangered species. The few we did get, were safely in the rehabilitation zone. "Another endangered species Eva", Davin lowered his voice as though someone would hear us. This must have been one special creature if he wanted to be secretive about it. Too bad he had to tell me considering I was the owner while he was the co-owner. He turned his laptop to me and I looked to see what he was trying to show me. There on the laptop screen was a picture of a snail. However, it didn't look like any species I'd ever seen before. It had red and orange stripes all over its shell. The shell itself was extraordinary. It was shaped like a wing of a bird. What kind of creature was this. "What is it?" I asked Davin. "That", he pointed at the laptop screen, "Is the Red Shrike Snail, at least that's what their calling it. Slime from that thing is poisonous. Trevor and his crew found it on their expedition in the sss. This could change everything around here". "How so?" I creased my eyebrows together. "It's the only one of its kind and Trevor trust that we can keep it safe. But I'm worried. This thing can kill you on the spot if it wanted two. Dace and Matt are in the hospital after having an encounter with it", Davin informed. "What kind of danger are we bringing in here?"