Slay Bells Ring

Chapter One – Holly

It’s hard to believe my parents were killed by an assassin thirteen years ago. Thirteen years. It’s been so long, and so much has changed. I was the sole heir of the family’s fortune, but obviously at ten years old I was far too young to run Cooper Enterprises. My parents’ right-hand man, Howard Giles, became both my guardian and the company’s new CEO—until I turned eighteen, anyway.

I’m twenty-three now, and I’m smart enough to know I don’t have much of a brain for managing a company as big as Cooper Enterprises. It’s why I pretty much leave it to Howard even now, while I occupy my time with training.

I didn’t go to college. I graduated high school only because Howard made me. Ever since that night, the only thing on my mind has been finding out who the assassin was and giving him the same respect he gave my parents.

There was a time in my life when I kept thinking: whoever he is, I’m going to kill him.

Now? After some digging and more than a few bribes here and there, I became my own goddamned sleuth. Now the thought’s more like: Kane, I’m going to kill you.

Yeah, the assassin goes by Kane. That’s it. No last name. Just Kane. He works for a place called the Guild, and from what I understand that place employs a hell of a lot of hitmen. Turns out a lot of people want other people dead. Who would’ve thought?

I’m going to kill Kane, but before I do, I’m going to do whatever I have to in order to get the truth out of him. After all my digging, after all my bribery and blackmail, there’s still one question I haven’t answered, and that’s who the hell paid for the hit in the first place.

Cooper Enterprises deals with a whole host of things. Researching cures to various diseases, finding new and useful ways to gather renewable resources, and even growing genetically modified crops that can withstand long periods of heat, droughts, and high humidity. The company has done a lot of good, but just like any company, it’s all about the profit. I’m sure there are countless of people who have it in for Cooper Enterprises and anyone who might work there.

Luckily, I chased a few good leads, and now I have a plan. I know what I’m going to do. I leave tonight. I’m all packed up and ready to go.

As much as I want to leave early, I can’t, so I force myself to workout at my home gym to kill some time. I might be short at five-foot-one, but I can pack a pretty hefty punch. I have abs, and my ass is killer. Every part of me is toned, strong, and ready for what’s about to come. That assassin has no idea what’s heading his way.

I’m in the middle of a routine on the punching bag when Howard walks in. I don’t stop what I’m doing, which causes the man to get closer and say, “You go at that thing pretty hard, Miss Cooper. One of these days you might just knock it off the ceiling.”

I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes. It’s something he’s said a million times before. “What do you want?” A quick glance in his direction shows he’s holding onto a tablet.

Howard is a refined man of sixty years. His hair is short and gray, and his eyes are brown, their corners graced with a few wrinkles. He always wears a suit, regardless of the day and what he’s doing. All in all, the man looks good. He takes care of himself—but that’s not hard to do when you have money.

“I’m aware you’re…” He pauses, as if he’s weighing his words carefully. “Leaving for a holiday trip tonight, and I realized you haven’t signed off on the Christmas bonuses for our execs—”

“Why do they need Christmas bonuses when they’re already getting paid more than enough?” I hit the bag harder after that. I saw the email requesting my digital signature, and I purposefully ignored it. People on the board of Cooper Enterprises don’t need any more money.

“Tis the season and all that,” Howard says dryly.

I hit the punching bag again. “I’d rather give the money to random people on the streets, you know, people who could actually put the money to good use. Maybe I’ll do that—”

“Miss Cooper, that is simply not done. This is how the company has run since its inception, and you know it, yet you give me a hassle over these bonuses every single year. Frankly, I wonder if you’ve come to enjoy my lectures.”

I would never, ever claim Howard became my second dad, or even an uncle. He’s more like a butler that knows way too much about everything and acts like it.

Glancing at him with a frown, I mutter, “Don’t flatter yourself.”

He must detect I’m no closer to signing now than I was before, because he sighs and steps closer. “You are… idealistic. It’s commendable, it is, but you are aware that this house, that your life and all of your pursuits are funded by the company, aren’t you? You wouldn’t be able to afford any of it if it weren’t for the men and women on the board—”

“No, I wouldn’t be able to afford any of it without the people actually doing the work, not the ones overseeing the work,” I correct him, finally pulling myself away from the hanging bag and turning toward him. “And I tried to give everyone a raise, and every single member of the board rejected it. So, Howard, tell me why I should give a shit about their Christmas bonus when they couldn’t even approve a cost of living raise?”

Howard heaves the world’s most explosive sigh before he holds out the tablet in my direction. “Please, Miss Cooper, just sign off on the checks. I won’t let you leave for your little getaway until you do.”

We have a staring contest for a bit, and even though I don’t want to sign the damned thing, I have to if I want to get out of here on time. Howard’s not lying. He’ll find a way to fuck this thing up, and then I’ll have to wait God knows how long for another chance at my parents’ killer.

Nothing is going to stop me from killing Kane. I sign the damned tablet screen with my fingertip.

“Wonderful,” Howard says as he shuts off the screen and holds it against his chest. “Thank you. I do hope you have a good vacation.”

It’s not a vacation, but whatever. To get him to leave, I just smile and say, “Thanks.” It’s only after he walks away that I resume my workout. I might punch the bag a bit harder after that.

Before I know it, it’s time to shower and go. I’m already packed. I have everything I need. Before night falls, I’m on the road, beginning the long drive to my destination: a tiny cabin in the middle of the mountains.

I know, I know, but it’s not the same cabin. It’s a different one, and unlike the last time, the circumstances around this cabin are different. Way different. Let’s just say it took a lot of greasing the wheels on my end for the owner to look the other way.

Kane is spending his holiday alone, in a remote location with shitty cell service. If that’s not an invitation for me to finally kill him and avenge my parents, I don’t know what is.

The next morning, I load myself up on coffee and take a short break from driving while I eat a breakfast burrito. My file on Kane rests in the passenger’s seat, and even though I’ve gone through it a million times already, I glance through it again.

It’s mainly blurry pictures of Kane around the world, undercover, when he’s tracking targets and whatnot. From what I could find, the man’s been busy these last thirteen years. How many people has he killed? How many kids has he orphaned? It’s not something I want to think about, but those thoughts plague me regardless.

I close the folder and toss it onto the seat next to me as I finish up my coffee. Whatever Kane’s done, it doesn’t matter. I’ll be face-to-face with him soon enough. The encounter could go a few different ways, and honestly, I am curious to see if the man will recognize me.