Chapter two

Connor

Connor sauntered into the room with 5 minutes to spare. Kelly wasn’t there yet and people looked relaxed, holding small conversations with each other to fill the time.

“Connor! Over here!”

Duncan was waving a coffee in his hand and signalling to the chair next to him. Connor walked over and took the coffee from Duncan.

“Thanks mate, didn’t have time for one this morning.”

“No worries, was at the coffee shop this morning anyway.” Duncan said. “What’s the deal with this meeting? Do you think we may finally know what we’ve been doing with our eggs?”

Connor shrugged. “Beats me. I’ve got no clue.”

“Oh come on.” Duncan said, eyeing Connor sceptically. “Laying aside the fact that our boss is your sister, let’s not try and pretend that you didn’t wake up in Christiana’s bed this morning.”

“I’m sleeping with Christie, not Kelly.” Connor gave him a look. “Thankfully.”

“She didn’t mention anything? Not even about what today’s about?”

“Nothing. Just that I shouldn’t be late.”

“If you are holding out on me..."

Connor held up his hands defensively, “Mate! I promise, I have no clue.”

“Fine, where’s Katie?”

Connor shrugged again. “She said something about meeting up with her egg early this morning. I think she’s already there.”

“Good morning.” Kelly said as she walked into the room and put her bag on her desk. “Eyes front people. I’m going to keep this brief, today is a very busy day and we need to get started. As you will all have been informed, today you have all been instructed to ensure that your egg is at the agreed location at the agreed time.


“I’m not going to pamper you on this, it is imperitive that you keep by your time and place today. There are no excuses, no changes to plan. Put simply, if you are not in the designated location on the exact second you are meant to be then it will be your egg’s life at stake. And when I say “at stake” I mean that they will be dead. Am I understood?”

Connor joined in the chorus of ‘Yes, Ma’ams’ although he was barely able to focus on anything else. Dead? What the hell? He had supposed that Christie's life was in some form of danger for the level of protection he had been assigned to give her, but this?

“That is all. To your posts.”

Chairs scraped back as people got up to leave. Duncan was questioning something about what Kelly had said but Connor wasn’t paying attention, instead he found himself moving forward and following Kelly into her office. They were both inside the room with the door slammed behind them before Connor’s brain had caught up. Kelly turned to him with a questioning look, Connor had so many questions but none of them were able to find their way to his mouth.

“What is it Connor? I’m incredibly busy.”

“You’re scared.”

Of everything Connor had wanted to say. These were not the words he had expected to come out, he didn’t even know where the observation had come from, but now that he had said it, he saw it on her face. She was calm and serene and completely business like but her left hand was twitching and there was an angry fire behind her eyes, Kelly’s go to reaction when she was scared, was always anger.

Kelly kept perfectly still and looked her brother in the eyes.

“I am,” she said, finally. “I have been for a very long time.”

“How much of a risk is Christie’s life today?”

“Without you, she will most certainly die today.”

Connor was silent once more. Kelly was giving him all she could, he knew that. He considered being angry at her for not letting him know sooner the danger she was facing, whatever it may be, but he knew deep down that Kelly had told him everything that she was allowed to. In this job, sometimes ignorance is the best gift you can give.

“Okay.” He said. “I’ll get her there, I promise.”

“Good,” a flash of emotion shadowed Kelly’s face. “I’m trusting you with her. Do not let me down.”

Connor nodded. “I won’t.”

And with that, he left the room.