Badass in Disguise (Shadow) novel Chapter 13

Badass in Disguise

Chapter 131

Author’s POV:

“I told you not to make this difficult on yourself,” Jade said, watching the Shadow Organization operative writhe

beneath her knife. The metallic scent of blood filled the air between them.

Blood trickled from the shallow cuts she’d made across his abdomen. Nothing fatal–just enough to loosen his

tongue.

92

“JOKER suspects you have a connection to Shadow,” he finally gasped, the words tumbling out in a rush. “Your fighting style, the way you move–it’s too similar. They think you might be one of their trained killers or… a replica.”

Jade pressed the knife deeper, her stomach visibly churning at his choice of words. The blade broke skin again, drawing a thin line of crimson across his ribs. “Replica?” The word came out with unmistakable disgust.

“That’s the theory,” he continued, wincing as the blade dug slightly deeper. Sweat beaded on his forehead, mixing with blood. “You suddenly appeared and took over as the new head of Titan Defense Group after Nobody–after Shadow disappeared. Your combat techniques match Shadow’s signature style. And then there’s your relationship with Chris Jensen.”

“What about Chris?” she asked, voice deliberately calm, though her grip on the knife tightened.

“He was Shadow’s closest confidant–practically joined at the hip for years. Now he’s suddenly best friends with you? It raised flags. JOKER thinks it’s too coincidental.”

“That’s disgusting,” Jade spat, genuinely repulsed. Something like bitter irony flashed across her features. The Shadow Organization had tried to create replicas of her for years–harvesting DNA, studying movements, even attempting to copy neural patterns in underground labs. And now they suspected she was a copy of herself.

These people had claimed to “raise” her, then attempted to dispose of her when she no longer served their purpose. They’d bound her with false loyalty, manufactured gratitude for “training” that was nothing more than systematic abuse designed to break and rebuild her into their perfect weapon.

“What does the Organization want?” Jade asked, twisting the knife slightly, just enough to send a fresh wave of pain through his body.

He gasped, his back arching involuntarily, “If you have no connection to Shadow, they want to recruit you. Your talents would be… valuable to the organization.” His eyes fluttered as he fought to remain conscious. “If you are connected to Shadow somehow-” he swallowed hard, “-then you’re to be eliminated. Immediately and permanently,”

Jade laughed, the sound sharp and humorless. It echoed off the walls of her apartment, cold and hollow, “How did

Shadow die?”

“Failed mission. Body lost at sea.”

1/2

11:09 Wed, Sep 24

Chapter 131

(92)

A cold smile spread across Jade’s face. A failed mission? Shadow, the world’s top assassin with a perfect record spanning years, supposedly died on a failed mission? Her expression revealed what she thought of that explanation -an insulting lie, a pathetic cover story. They couldn’t even honor her supposed death with something believable.

“Is there anything else you’d like to tell me?” she asked, already knowing the answer. Her hand had already decided his fate, fingers adjusting their grip on the knife.

He opened his mouth to respond, but Jade shook her head slowly.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify