The smell of coffee and old wood assaulted my nose as I began to regain consciousness, then it was the muffled sound of voices, two to be exact.

"Why is there a guy tied up in the backroom, Dion?" A voice I don't recognize.

"He got involved," it's the guy from the alleyway, "wrong place, wrong time."

The voices began to sound clearer as I regained my senses. I could feel rough rope tied tightly around my wrist and ankles, pinning me to an uncomfortable wooden chair. What the hell? Am I tied up right now?

"Why bring him here? He's a witness that needs to be disposed of," the unfamiliar voice stated.

Shock sparked through me, slowly peeling my eyes open. Disposed of?! Are they talking about me?! My eyes were met with a bright light that stopped my vision from focusing. I forced my gaze to settle on the blurry figures in front of me. Squinting didn't really help, but eventually, my eyes shifted the figures into focus.

"Well look who's awake," my eyes moved to the older gentleman, mid-forties at least, with golden brown hair tied into a messy bun at the top of his head, glasses balanced on the bridge of his nose.

I shifted my gaze away from him to the man from the alleyway, Dion, his cold green eyes meeting my own. This guy is unreadable, I can't guess what his thinking at all! Numbness washed over me at the situation that I seemed to have found myself in.

I shifted my gaze back to the older man who had taken a few steps closer to me. He was close enough that I could see the individual hairs that made up the stumbly beard on his face.

"Are you going to kill me?" I asked through the exhaustion that clouded most of my mind.

The man paused, something like surprise flickered through his eyes, but when he blinked it was gone, so I couldn't entirely be sure. I shifted my stare back over to Dion, a plea hidden within it. I mean, he did just save me there has to be a reason why.

"Well, you did just see something you weren't supposed to see," the man stated, running a hand along his stumbly jaw, "what else would you suggest we do."

My stare shifted from the man to Dion then back to the man. Dion didn't betray a hint of emotion. I was on my own, I have to do something, say something!

"Let me work for you!" the words escaped my lips before I could think.

Silence fell over the room and I could've sworn I saw Dion's eyebrow twitch. What am I saying?! I can't work for people like them.

"From what I've gathered, Dion must be some sort of hitman," I sent a pointed look towards the murderer that saved my life, "you don't strike me as a hitman though, the way you hold yourself and the stale coffee smell clinging you tells me that you must own the coffee shop that we are in."

I pause and look the man in the eyes to see amusement twinkling in his grey eyes. Jesus, what am I doing?!

"If you own the shop, that most likely makes it a front for whatever agency you actually work for," I keep my voice steady, "so you must be the one who gives out the jobs."

"What makes you think I'll hire you?" the man asks with a smirk.

"Those bags under your eyes," I state clearly, "obviously, I'm not a murderer, but I'm pretty handy with a computer, I'm an Information Security Analyst, and my entire job is breaking down computer security systems to make them stronger."

A grin begins to spread across the man's face, "so you're a professional hacker is what you're telling me," the man clarifies.

"I can get you any information you could possibly want, if it's connected to the internet, I can get it," I state, rolling my eyes.

I was unable to catch the exasperated sigh that escaped my body, "no, I have the same capabilities as a hacker, sure, but I'm not a professional hacker."

Anxiety courses through my body, I clench and unclench my fists in an attempt to stop my hands from shaking. The assessing stare the old man raked over me made me think that maybe I shouldn't have corrected him. I definitely should just let this guy think what he wants! He's willing to kill me! I need to learn when to shut up. Thoughts raced through my head as the old man observed me for another minute.

"Alright boy, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself," the man grins and steps back, "Dion, watch the kid, I'll be right back."

The man walks behind me and I hear the door open and close behind me. A heavy silence fell over the room. I have so many questions, yet my tongue feels so heavy, what would I even ask? Who are you? Why did you kill that man? Who do you and that guy work for? The numbness that had washed over me washed away as fast as it came.

I could feel the shock and fear hit me all at once, my heart started to race and my lungs began to constrict. I looked to the floor to see blood dripping from my head onto the wooden floor between my legs. Why am I bleeding? Have I been bleeding this entire time? Everything slowly started to spin around me, I think I'm hyperventilating!

Cool fingers gently wrap around my chin and tilted my head up. I could feel the blood running down the side of my face as my eyes met Dion's.

"Breathe kid, you're still alive," he reached into his pocket and pulled out a white bandage.

I watched as he unwrapped it and gently brushed my hair away to put the bandage on the cut across my forehead. The questions still raced through my mind but I could feel my body relax. I'm still alive. I tried to voice the questions that swirled in my mind but the first thing that came out of my mind wasn't what one of them.

"I'm twenty-five, not a child."

Dion paused for a moment before letting out a ghost of a laugh. A twinkle of surprise momentarily broke through the shadows in his cold green eyes, "really, you look no older than twenty!"

Embarrassment flooded my cheeks, did I just say that? Did he just laugh? I turn my head away for a moment to collect my thoughts, glancing at him through the corner of my eye. That's not it.

"Do you always carry band-aids on you?" I ask trying to switch the subject.

A half smile creeps along Dion's face, "not usually, I grabbed one after I noticed you were bleeding, I was going to give it to you, but well your kind of tied up right now."

"No kidding," I muttered, unable to meet his gaze, "why did you save me? I mean you could've let those other guys shoot me, it would've saved you a lot of hassle."

Dion's smile faded and he went quiet for a moment. Before he could answer, the man returned carrying a laptop and a small piece of paper. Dion quickly stood up and walked back to his spot against the wall.

"Alrighty kiddo, let's see if you can back up all that big talk."