A Spy's Keeper (Chapter 3)

Honestly Akemi had no idea what was running through her brain once she saw his angelic face sitting there in her worn out armchair. Her spy training instincts must have kicked in she noticed, for when her thoughts cleared, she found herself clutching a knife and slow pressing toward the walls in direct access with multiple exits.
"What are you going to do Kemi, stab me?" Caden laughed bitterly.

Sure, I thought sarcastically in my mind, but I never could. While one half of her brain calculated the approximate amount of time it would take to lurch and render him unconscious then disarm him, the other half raced on about how much she just wanted to run up and hug him tight. Deep in the farthest depths of her mind, something felt off about this reunion; like he shouldn't be here now... they shouldn't be meeting like this.
Unfortunately, Akemi's "wishful thinking" side got the better half of her, and she dropped the knife quickly. Without thinking, she sprinted up to a surprised Caden who stiffened when Akemi wrapped her arms around him and sobbed about how she'd been looking for him since the night of their mission.

"It's been hard without you, Caden! I missed you so much! Where have you been? How did you escaped? When did you get here? How did you get into my house? How did you find me?..." Akemi bombarded Caden with question after question until he finally snapped.
"Shut up Akemi."
"What...?" she asked hurt, her raging tirade abruptly interrupted.
"Shut up. What don't you understand? I know you heard me."
"Why are you acting like this?"
"You don't know me anymore Akemi."
Akemi sensed something off about Caden and for a moment she felt scared. He was her only weakness... she couldn't ever hurt him, and he knew that... or so she thought. Caden began slowly inching towards her, an unnatural sarcastic smirk plastered on his hardened face.

What happened to him... she wondered to herself sadly, he's not Caden anymore....
Silently chiding herself for completely disarming and letting her guard down, Akemi made a break for the door, knowing but mostly hoping she'd see Caden again on better terms. Their weird encounter left her confused and unsettled... it made her think he hated her.
"That couldn't be...." She whispered quietly while bolting through the door.
"Wow honey, you've gotten much faster since the last time your lazy ass gave out on an easy mission." Caden chided as he ran after her through the hallways to the chilly outdoors.
"I've been working out. I felt I had to after I left the force and tried to become a ballerina." she breathed and she steadied her pace past the confused cab driver that was yelling about how she cheated him his money.

Caden caught up with her quickly, showing off that he was still physically superior to Akemi. He laughed when he was her surprised face as he reached to pull her to a stop. Akemi speeded up in turn surprising Caden as she full-on sprinted down the street. "I may not know you anymore Caden. But you sure as hell don't know me anymore either."
The two of them continued the intense chase down the streets of the neighborhood until Gerard pulled up next to Akemi and yelled for her to jump in. Without stopping or slowing the car, Gerard smoothly pulled in next to her and Akemi leaped effortlessly through the window and into the passenger side, safely. Caden sneered from beside the car, "Oh looky here. Gerard, the family gardener, here to save the day. You still look like a creeper G-man, pull over the car so we can chat," Caden laughed harshly, he then turned his attention back towards Akemi when he saw that Gerard was ignoring him and said in a sickly sweet voice, "Akemi babe, I need to talk to you. Why are you running from me?"

"Caden what are you doing here? I thought you were taken...." She whimpered. Seeing him now was really tearing her apart.
"It's funny you ask, I didn't realize you're full acting potential apparently." Caden shook his head to himself.
"What do you mean? What the heck is going on...?"
"You are in no position to be confused... considering you set up my disappearance."
At that, Gerard had sped up and left behind a panting Caden. Akemi stared at his figure as it got smaller and smaller until he had fully vanished. Tears rolled down her cheeks while she sat clutching her legs and burying her face in her knees. Questions pressed down on her and it felt as if she was holding the weight of the world.

"Can I stay at your place for a while Gerard?" Akemi asked once they arrived at Gerard's temporary room that he had been renting in a motel since his apartment was recently blown to bits.
"Sure thing. Just leave your abandoned house up to me. I'll watch it for you."
"No it's okay I'll pass by once in a while to check on it; to get some clothes and make sure no one has robbed the place."
"Uh-uh I don't want you within fifty yards of that place. I'll grab some of your streets and I'll be back in a jiffy. Got it?"

"Gerard, who honestly uses the word "streets" anymore?"
"I do, Sugar Puff. Ciao for now." He smiled before Akemi could argue about the ridiculous nickname she had forbidden Gerard to call her.
Slowly taking in the ratty run down motel room, she slowly edged to the bathroom where she intended to take a hot bubble bath. Drab white walls coated the room accented with tacky Hawaiian drapes. Only one window put any hope of freedom into the hopeless mood the room let off.

I need to think, she sighed grabbing a robe from the closet and preparing her bath. As the piping hot water gushed from the facet she slid in, feeling relief as her tight muscles relaxed. Everything about her bath soothed her, seemingly putting her into a trance as she reminisced her past.
"Akemi come here." Izen called from his study.
"Yes, father?" she asked obediently as she walked into the elegant and formal room. Bookcases surrounded the walls, decorated with elaborate gold finishings. Her father sat in a heavy brass chair that commanded attention its fancy environment.
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" he sniffed while organizing a stack of papers then finally settling he is cold gaze upon his only daughter.

"A ballerina."
"No you don't."
"But father, I love to dance, my teacher says I'm a part of the academy's elite."
"Ballet is a foolish child's dream. You will become a top-notch spy for the SST."
"Spy for whom?"
"Yes, your mother and I will train you. Caden will be your mentor. There is much to discuss about your future vocation but for now I assume I should tell you the agency in which you will spend your entire childhood preparing for; SST stands for Surveillance and Specialized Tactics."

"But father, I'm only six, spying is for grown-ups."
"None-the-less. You will be a spy. Now carry on, I'm busy. Go play with Gerard. Do not mention this conversation to anyone. The family secret must be guarded by all costs."
"Yes sir. But didn't you say I was not permitted to play with the gardener's son though, father? You said he was a bad influence."
"Why are you still here? I told you to go play. Get out."
Akemi trudged out of the office dreading every minute of her pre-destined life.

Akemi sighed and gazed at the fluffy white clouds, or as her private tutor called them "Cumulus Clouds".
"That was the like fifth sigh you have let out in less than ten seconds." Gerard said as he emerged from behind the over grown rose bush.
"I'm thinking is all..." She said as she began to imagine the clouds as ballerina's floating through the sky.
Gerard let out a sound of false distaste and sat beside her taking off his gardening gloves. "Not that 'wishful thinking' of yours again."
Akemi sat up and started to pluck at the evergreen grass with frustration. "Father says I can't be a ballerina. It's not fair Gerard."

Gerard frowned as Akemi began to cry, "Hey what's the number one rule when your around Gerard?"
Akemi sniffed and rubbed her eyes, "That if I cry, I cry on your shoulder."
Gerard smiled and patted the soft patch of grass next to him. "Come here sugar puff."
Akemi scooted over and rested her head on his shoulder. When the tears subsided she wiped her eyes and Gerard gave her a friendly pat on the back.
"Gerard?" his father called in a deep baritone voice. Gerard jumped at the sound of the urgent calling.
He frowned. "I have to go we'll see each other later, okay?"
She nodded and he picked up his gloves and ran around the hedge disappearing into the lovely rose bush.
She sighed and gazed into the sky once again imagining ballerina shaped clouds.
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Akemi snapped out of her thoughts as the water began to over flow.
"Shit." She turned off the water and stared at the revolting white porcelain tub.
The front door opened startling Akemi out of her wits. She stealthily got out of the tub without making a noise and pulled the towel from the rack nearest her. She searched for anything that would suffice as a weapon and upon spotting nothing she cursed and pressed herself against the wall waiting for the attacker to pass the bathroom.
When the footsteps approached close enough, Akemi crouched low and stuck a leg out the room tripping the person. Before the assailant could recover she strattled him and put her hands around his throat.

"You know I could have crushed your wind-pipe."
Gerard smiled. "You're not wearing anything under that are you?"
She stood up and re-wrapped the towel. "Pervert," Then she smiled.
"Did you get me good 'streets'?" Akemi snorted.
He shrugged and gestured to a suitcase of clothes.
Later when she found him she was in gray jogging pants and a white tank top. Clingy clothes cut off flexibility that could be useful in tough situations.
"This will have to do I guess," She sat down on a chair facing the front door and the exit towards her back.

Gerard sighed. "You're doing it again."
She looked at him with a befuddled expression, "Doing what?"
Gerard stood up and started to pace, "Your acting like you used to; using your training to predict things, like take now for instance, I bet before you sat down you calculated where all the exits and entrances were. You're acting like the old Akemi."
Akemi frowned at his accurate calculation. "I'm just being cautious."
He sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. "Admit it, your back again."
She closed her eyes trying to subdue her raging feelings. "I have to be more alert if I want to protect you."

Gerard cursed and took her face in his hands. "I'm not a baby anymore Akemi! Christ, I'm two years older then you! You have to let me look after myself."
Akemi sighed. "It's hard to know that you couldn't be here tomorrow or the next day or the day after that."
Gerard titled her head towards his face and she stared into his innocent eyes. "I'm not like him Akemi, I won't ever leave you."
He walked out of the room and Akemi rested her head in her hands.
What am I going to do with you Gerard....
She got up and walked over to the hideous brown leather couch laying out and falling into a deep sleep.
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"Faster Akemi you won't kill anyone with those reflexes." Caden yelled as Akemi wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.
Akemi sighed and picked up the sweat towel. "That's it for today Caden I'm done."
"Whatever you say," He gulped down some ice-cold water and then poured the rest over his head.
The sound of clapping was heard as Gerard moved from behind the marble pillar.
"That was amazing Akemi you get better every day."
Caden chuckled. "You aren't allowed in this section gardener boy."
"Sure I am ninja turtle."

Caden cocked an eyebrow towards Akemi. "He is. Father allowed it."
Caden frowned. "Well whatever. I'll see you later Akemi."
Caden turned a corner and disappeared.
"I don't like him much," Gerard said.
Akemi laughed and leaned against a pillar. "Why?"
"I don't know he gives me the cocky white boy vibes." He shivered and leaned against the pillar staring at her.
"What is there something on my face?"
"Yeah, a huge bumble bee nested in your hair."
She screeched and when Gerard started to laugh she blushed. "You're such a liar."
A servant suddenly entered with a solemn expression and whispered something in Akemi's ear.

Akemi gasped and asked when and how and then the servant left.
"What happened?" Gerard asked as he looked at Akemi's heartbroken expression.
"Mother and Father.... their dead," She slid down the pillar and began to cry her heart out.
Akemi woke up and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Remember what father used to say spies don't cry Akemi, they control their emotions.
That was the last thought before she returned to the realm of slumber.