None of this makes sense. Athena mused as she went through the stacks of paper on Morgan’s desk.
All she could see, from the stacks of papers in the cupboards, on the library shelves, and now on the desk, were hotel bills, receipts for books, or ho appliances bought. There was nothing relevant, not even a clue leading to the drugs, the guns, or even the political figure behind this ss.
Had this been a wasted effort? She wondered, sitting tiredly on the comfortable bed. Should they have waited?
She shook her head imdiately. She didn’t think so. If she had waited even one more night, Susan would have been dead. That made all the efforts worth it.
Sighing wearily, she gave up on the stacks of useless papers and turned to Ewan. Since the search had started, she had been taking furtive glances at him, and so far he hadn’t opened any secret doors. Was it that there were none here?
She got to her feet in resignation, about to suggest they get out of here, when Ewan, squatting in the eastern corner of the room, exclaid, "Aha!" right before a space in the wall caved open.
A safe space? Athena called it, feeling hope flicker in her chest. Maybe they would find sothing worthwhile!
Quickly, she covered the distance between herself and Ewan, squatting beside him when she reached the spot, smiling in satisfaction, unable to help it, when she saw another stash of papers nestled with so gold bars, a gun that had a governnt insignia, and a journal.
The journal didn’t surprise her; anyone who was a reader often developed the habit of writing as well. In this case, this was a huge advantage for her.
"Aren’t you going to empty the space?" She asked Ewan, noticing his inaction. "Are you sensing so booby trap?"
Ewan chuckled softly and shook his head. "Not at all. I just thought you would do the honors..."
Athena hated the pool of satisfaction that swayed comfortably in her belly.
Clicking her tongue in distaste, to Ewan’s chagrin, she collected the journal first.
Ewan followed suit, a little grumpy, retrieving the stash of papers.
They both sat on the ground, as if sharing the sa thought that most likely the president’s secret society was already nearby, and they didn’t want the latter to have these findings.
"What do you have there?" Ewan asked, dropping the papers that depicted so kind of transaction between Morgan and a man with the code na Crayfish. Ewan hadn’t seen any code na so ridiculous.
"Nas of people he has been sent to kill, along with the nas of governnt officials who wanted them dead." Athena’s voice was tainted with awe and excitent.
Ewan’s mouth opened slightly. "Really?" He asked, shifting closer to Athena so that he could glance into the book.
Athena, not pleased with the closeness, cleared her throat, stood up, and walked hastily to the desk. She splayed the book on the table and continued reading.
Ewan wasn’t sure what happened, but he was curious about the journal. So he got to his feet and walked to the desk, peering down at the journal.
"Wow..." He muttered, recognizing the nas of prominent n in governnt, including a few religious figures. "This is a goldmine."
Athena nodded in agreent. "A backup plan in case things go awry. He could literally survive on this. One na here would cost more than a million dollars."
"Have you seen the na attached to yours?" Ewan asked after a few monts of watching Athena flip the pages.
Athena shook her head, flipping faster, skimming through the nas. There were so many, and they weren’t even arranged in alphabetical order; rather, they were listed in the order of assassination.
She paused and skipped to the latter parts of the book, smiling when she saw the year tagged to that section; it was the year she first t the Scorpion’s gang.
"There’s your na!" Ewan exclaid, pointing at the row titled Athena Caddels.
"Hired by the CIA?" Ewan pursed his lips in disbelief. "I thought you worked for them?"
"I thought so too," Athena muttered—shock replacing the eagerness to find out how Ewan knew she had worked for the CIA—tracing her na.
"What do you think happened? Did so case not go as planned?"
Athena clamped her mouth shut here; she wasn’t going to talk about this with Ewan. The only one who deserved this explanation was Susan, seeing as it was the mission that claid her mother’s life.
Pain numbed Athena’s heart as mories of that night flooded her mind. The CIA? How could they? She had suspected it though, which was why she had resigned. Still, to be confronted with the truth didn’t make swallowing it any easier.
Was the boss aware of this? What about Shawn and Eric?
"Athena, can’t you cut so slack, seeing as I’m being helpful here?" Ewan pressed on, cutting Athena’s thoughts short.
"I didn’t ask for your help, Ewan. You offered it. Don’t try to ask for favors because of that. My story is mine to tell." Athena retorted sharply, angrily, without looking at Ewan, whose eyes dulled with hurt.
"I’m sorry. I just..." He let it go. Hadn’t he promised himself that he wouldn’t push her, that he wouldn’t push so things? "Check the second attempt then. Let’s see who is behind all this nonsense."
Athena, hearing Ewan’s rough tone, knew he was angry, but she just didn’t care. Still, she hastened to the next page and the next page until she saw her na, only that the sender was blank. They looked at each other in confusion.
"Could it be a vendetta?" She murmured, astonished.
Ewan shook his head. "He couldn’t have invented the drugs. Soone is working with him. Maybe he didn’t think to put the na down, perhaps because he hasn’t finished the job?"
Athena wasn’t sure. He hadn’t finished the job two years ago.
She was about to state this fact when a wheezing sound echoed in the room, like the spray can she had given Ewan earlier. She instantly turned to see what was going on.
"Did you hear that?" She asked Ewan, inhaling the air, her eyes widening when she perceived the dangerous gas.
"Ewan, quick! We have to get out of here!!"
As she spoke, she hurried to the side of the wall through which they had first stepped into the room, glaring at Ewan, who had made a stop at the safe place.
"What are you doing? Get out of there!" She shouted, noticing that the gas was actually coming out of that spot.
There was a booby trap after all. But what triggered it?
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