Chapter 158: Eve Maccaro
Just as the Godmother had predicted, John returned only a few days later.
And he wasn't alone.
A young woman followed behind him.
Eve Maccaro.
The very same Eve Maccaro currently carrying a five-million-dollar bounty on her head.
She wore dark clothing—almost black, but not the deliberately dramatic kind favored by movie assassins.
It looked more like a practical choice.
Low-profile.
Unremarkable.
Functional.
The fabric fit closely, the tailoring was clean, and every detail seemed designed for movement rather than appearance.
The moment Ethan saw her, a single thought popped into his head:
She looks like a smaller version of John.
John greeted Ethan with a nod before immediately being pulled into a long-awaited embrace with Helen.
Standing nearby, Ethan couldn't help sighing quietly.
They've only been apart a few days.
You'd think it had been months.
Then another thought occurred to him.
A terrifying one.
If John ever actually retires and spends every day hanging around the clinic with Helen...
What does that make me?
A third wheel in my own clinic?
Absolutely unacceptable.
His gaze shifted back toward Eve.
She looked slender.
Almost delicate.
Nothing about her appearance suggested she was one of the most hunted people on the planet.
Then he remembered the Godmother's earlier suggestion.
After a moment of consideration, he found himself thinking:
Maybe she's not a bad candidate after all.
---
Once the greetings were over, Ethan finally shook Eve's hand.
"Hey," he said.
"You're basically a walking five-million-dollar paycheck right now."
Eve couldn't help laughing.
"Yeah. Five million."
The number still sounded strange even to her.
"I've completed a lot of contracts."
"The highest bounty I've ever seen before this was seven hundred thousand."
She paused, a trace of self-mockery entering her voice.
"I never imagined my own life would end up being worth this much."
"Your market value went up."
Ethan nodded seriously.
"It means you're improving."
Then he glanced at John.
"Of course, compared to him, you've still got some catching up to do."
"Keep working at it."
A faint smile appeared on Eve's face.
…
The injuries were obvious.
Ethan brought her directly into the examination room and motioned for her to sit.
Without asking a single question, Eve began removing her outer clothing.
Her movements were quick and efficient.
No hesitation.
No embarrassment.
Like someone who had spent years getting patched up in rooms exactly like this one.
She stopped only after reaching her underwear.
Under the examination lights, the damage became impossible to ignore.
Old wounds.
New wounds.
Layered over one another.
The most obvious injury was a large burn scar stretching from her shoulder across much of her upper back.
The skin coloration was uneven.
The edges were hardened.
Classic thermal damage.
There were several gunshot wounds as well.
The bullets had been removed, but the treatment work was crude.
The stitches wandered unevenly across the skin.
A few areas hadn't fully closed at all.
The worst injury was a knife wound.
Whoever had inflicted it hadn't held back.
And judging by its condition, it had recently been torn open again.
Blood still seeped slowly from the deepest section.
Ethan studied the injuries for a while.
"These were treated pretty carelessly."
Eve nodded.
"They were treated enough."
That answer alone explained a lot.
Ethan's gaze shifted toward her back.
There, a tattoo came fully into view.
A hand-drawn cross.
Simple.
Slightly rough around the edges.
From the center of the cross emerged a pair of wings.
Spread wide.
Yet somehow still bound to the symbol they grew from.
Above the tattoo was a line of Latin text.
LUX IN TENEBRIS.
Light in Darkness.
Ethan found himself looking at it a little longer.
The phrase reminded him of one of the teachings associated with the Holy Light.
Darkness cannot survive before the Light.
"That's a pretty cool tattoo."
His compliment was completely sincere.
Eve blinked in surprise.
Then smiled faintly.
"Thank you."
Though it probably disqualifies you from civil service exams, Ethan added silently to himself.
He shook the thought away.
"Alright."
"Let's begin."
"Okay."
Eve closed her eyes.
Ethan raised his hand.
Holy Light blossomed within his palm.
Gentle.
Steady.
Warm.
The glow slowly spread across her body.
And the burn-damaged skin began to change.
The charred, hardened tissue faded away rapidly.
The damaged skin regained a healthy, even tone, warm and natural once more.
The ragged edges of the gunshot wounds began sealing themselves shut. Torn flesh contracted and reformed, as though time itself had quietly reversed.
The knife wound disappeared last.
That deepest, most vicious gash slowly closed beneath the Holy Light, layer by layer, until not even the faintest scar remained.
The entire process was silent.
Eve never moved.
Only her breathing gradually became steadier and more relaxed.
When the glow finally faded, her body recovered almost immediately.
She lowered her gaze to her arm, then turned toward the mirror.
Every wound was gone.
As though none of them had ever existed.
She stood there in silence for several seconds before looking back at Ethan.
"So..."
"This is what John meant."
"The best doctor."
"Uh..."
For a moment, Ethan wasn't sure how to respond.
Apparently John had been doing an excellent job advertising the clinic.
Good.
Extra chicken leg for Employee John later.
Eve rolled her shoulders experimentally.
The movement was smooth.
No stiffness.
No lingering pain.
When she looked at Ethan again, her eyes seemed clearer than before.
"I owe you one."
Ethan instinctively started to say No need, but caught himself before the words escaped.
"You're welcome to come back anytime."
Anyone John personally brought to him was almost certainly more than they appeared.
At the very least, she clearly had exceptional skills.
"I will."
Eve slipped her jacket back on.
This time, her body no longer felt like a weapon being held together by sheer willpower.
It was whole again.
When she asked about the medical bill, Ethan shook his head.
"You just said you owe me a favor."
"Consider that payment."
Then he added:
"Besides, you're currently one of the world's most wanted people."
"Keep your money."
"Staying at the Continental every day isn't cheap."
Eve nodded and didn't argue further.
The three of them stepped out of the examination room and chatted for a while.
From what John explained, the Godmother still hadn't made up her mind about launching a full-scale war against the Cult.
Even though its leader was dead, it remained an organization built over decades.
Its remaining members were still dangerous.
As for Eve's bounty...
John was practically an expert on that subject.
There were only two solutions.
Either convince the person who issued the bounty to withdraw it—
—or make sure they were no longer capable of maintaining it.
And if that didn't work?
Then kill enough hunters that nobody else wanted the job.
Eve listened with complete attention.
The admiration in her eyes was almost impossible to miss.
She was very clearly one of John's biggest fans.
Every word he said seemed to be permanently stored in her memory.
---
The conversation eventually shifted to the young ballerina the Godmother had brought to the clinic.
The moment Ethan mentioned Tatiana's name, Eve froze.
"She's my best friend."
"We grew up together."
For the first time, genuine emotion entered her voice.
"Tatiana was always the best dancer among us."
"She was never suited to become an assassin."
"So she chose professional ballet instead."
Ethan silently awarded the Ruska Roma a point.
At least they allowed people to choose their own path.
---
Not long afterward, Eve left.
Ethan had assumed John would escort her to the Continental.
Apparently not.
After thinking about it, Ethan decided not to ask.
Then again...
Wasn't it a little ridiculous for him to worry about someone carrying a five-million-dollar bounty?
Instead, he asked a different question.
"If a war with the Cult really happens..."
"Will you help?"
"No."
John answered without hesitation.
"I'm retired."
Then, after a brief pause, he added:
"But if the Director asks, I will."
Ethan nodded.
Internally, however, he couldn't stop himself from complaining.
Your retirement life seems suspiciously busy.
---
John didn't appear to have any serious injuries this time.
Still, Ethan cast a Recovery spell on him anyway.
Partly because Helen insisted.
And partly because the employment contract clearly stated:
Employees receive free healthcare.
As a responsible employer, he had a duty to care for both the physical and mental well-being of his staff.
"What are you planning to do next?" Ethan asked.
"Renovate my house."
John sounded as though he had already decided.
"It was blown up."
"I never got around to rebuilding it."
"Now I finally have time."
Ethan nodded.
Alright.
Now that sounds like actual retirement.
Not international assassins.
Not secret wars.
Not five-million-dollar bounties.
Just fixing up a house and enjoying life.
That was more like it.