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ONE MONTH LATER SEPTEMBER
"I've had a thought," I say, watching Tesoro dump the chopped-up onion in our ramen bowls before putting one in the microwave. "Well, I wouldn't call it a thought. It's more like a feeling."
"You have an idea, Iridessa," Tesoro retorts, tossing the cutting board and knife into the sink to wash them. "Out with it before you decide you don't want to tell me anymore."
"I don't know how to explain it. I've just had this feeling that I want to do something else with my life. Like, I do want to be Atlas's second in command, but I want to do more than that."
"You can still be an assassin."
"Yeah, but . . ." Suddenly, I get an idea. How I wish a light bulb could go off above my head. "Oh my god." I wait for Tesoro to take out the bowl from the microwave and put the second one inside before speaking. "Now, hear me out. What if you and I started our own company? Hold on, 'company' isn't the right word . . . organization!" I clap happily. "We can start our own assassin organization!"
Tesoro stares at me like I just grew two heads. She blinks and nods. "You know . . . I actually love that idea. It would be amazing. I love my life as an assassin, and I'm guessing you do, too. And it could help me track down the asshole who ordered Ambrose's kidnapping. It'll be a good distraction for me, too."
"You're being serious? You want to go through with this?"
"Yes!" she exclaims. "We can talk more about this over breakfast and the rest of the day. Maybe even tomorrow since I'm not leaving until tomorrow night."
