Chapter 4 NEW PARTNERS

"Sis, are you sure they're the surprise Dad was talking about? It just feels like we took advantage of two men who never actually intended to hurt us," Lisa said as we waited for Uncle Smith to arrive.

"He said he was going to leave a clue, and the one we found pointed to them, so we had no other option. Let's wait until he gets here," I replied, glancing at the two men we had captured.

After what seemed like forever, Uncle Smith finally joined us. He walked up to the two men we were holding captive and began talking with them.

"Finally! Can you tell your bodyguards to let us go? It's pretty obvious you sent them. Just look at my face-it's bleeding," Mark said, his tone annoyed.

"Mark, that's enough. Mr. Smith, can you please explain what's going on here? You told us to meet up with you, but instead, you sent people after us like we're your enemies. Yet, you were the one who said you needed help with your next project," Ken interjected.

"I'm so sorry, gentlemen. Allow me to apologize on behalf of my daughters. They were only following instructions and doing what they do best-fighting. But believe me, I had no idea they would actually engage you in combat, so please pardon me," Mr. Smith said in a calm voice.

"Dad, you know them?" Lisa asked, a suspicious look on her face.

"Yes, they're here because of me. I wanted you all to meet, not fight, so please, release them," Mr. Smith replied.

Lisa walked up to the men, removed their handcuffs, and then returned to stand beside me. I had been observing the situation quietly the whole time.

"Wait, did you say they're your daughters?" Mark asked, astonished.

"Yes, they are, and they're the ones you'll be working with on this mission," Mr. Smith said.

"And girls, you can unmask now. They're on our side. Please, welcome your new partners," he added with a smile.

"What?!" Lisa and Mark exclaimed in unison.

"Wait, we have to work as partners with your daughters? That wasn't part of the deal, Mr. Smith," Mark said, his face serious.

"Of course it was. Remember, I said you'd be working with my partners, and what belongs to me belongs to my daughters," Mr. Smith replied, still smiling.

"Girls, let's introduce ourselves, shall we?" he said, turning to Lisa and me, who still had our masks on.

Ken had been quiet the whole time, knowing something like this might happen. But it wasn't all that bad-if Mr. Smith's daughters could fight, who was he to refuse an extra hand? Still, he was curious to see the faces behind those masks.

"To introduce myself, I'm Mr. Smith Alexander, but you can just call me Mr. Smith. I'll be your boss until the mission ends, and with the help of my daughters, Lisa and Bella," he said, calling us over to stand beside him as we removed the masks covering our faces.

The one introduced as Bella was the one I had fought with. She was quite small for a fighter, but her eyes were cold, and just looking into them made me shiver. Those eyes were as blue as the sea-a cold sea that would freeze you if you entered it. Then she turned and our eyes met. She smirked before looking away.

Lisa, the other one, was tall with a slender build and lively brown eyes, in stark contrast to Bella's cold blue ones.

I had to admit, they were beautiful and didn't look like they'd ever been in a battlefield before.

"Bella, this is Ken, your partner. And Lisa, I'm leaving Mark to you. Is that settled?" Mr. Smith asked, but no one replied.

"Mr. Smith?" Ken spoke up.

"Yes, Ken? Do you have something to say?" he asked.

"Let me get something straight. First, you don't own us, and neither do your daughters. We're not objects, and we agree to be their partners, but the payment will need to be doubled."

"And why should it be like that? It's not like you're babysitting us," Bella commented.

"Deal. I'll double the payment, but on one condition: no harm should come to either of my daughters," Mr. Smith said.

"Sure, sir, I'll make sure they're perfectly safe at all times," I replied.

"But Mr. Smith, why is the small one among your daughters so mean?" Mark asked, his curious expression quickly fading when Bella walked up to him and said, "Call me small again, and I'll make sure you lose a tooth."

"God, she is so mean," Mark muttered as Bella walked away toward her bike.

I watched her as she left. She wasn't small, just average, but she looked tiny compared to me and Mark, who were both quite tall. I saw her take off on her bike, with Lisa following. They didn't look like siblings to me-maybe they were stepsisters.

"Come on, I'll give you guys a ride," Mr. Smith said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I got into the car with Mark, and as the driver took off, I wondered what kind of hell we had stepped into this time around.