The Assassin's Bargain

Av

ace unreadable, as the shadows of the alley enveloped him. His hand lingered on my shoulder, and for the first time since our paths

mind, but one thing was clear: my employers, the ones I had loyally served for years and who had once confided in me

n trust. I was barely clinging to my own survival, and if th

lp," I managed to say, my

g eyes locked onto mine.

e had his own agenda. The worst part was that I had no idea what it was, and being t

llingly. Because your precious employers-" he spat the words with contempt, "-are still hunting fo

was trapped. Again. Different cage, different

ach a reminder of the hell I had just endured. I could run. Right now. The door wa

t in this alone. I have my contacts. They'll help us. But for now..." He paus

'd made over the years were closing in, and Victor was the only one

" I said throug

ce. "Good." He stepped back and gestured toward the alley's exit, where the streetlights cast long shado

ion he mentioned-whatever it entailed-was my chance to survive another day. But it

he kind of man who thrived in darkness. And whether I liked

through my mind. I leaned back in the leather seat, my gaze fixed on the streaks of city lights, trying to piece together everything that h

ce together everything. I needed a plan- but first, I needed answers. We turned off the main road, navi

lack-tinted windows, softly illuminated by the streetlights. It

ow him. I paused for just a moment. There was an absence of life around us, yet the place

d us up several floors. The ride felt like a gradual plunge into a new reality, wh

ng view of the city below. The space was minimal yet sophisticated-soft lighting, luxurious leather furniture, and exquisite art ad

," Victor said, his tone calm. "It

e to stay?" I asked, my voice coming out sharper than I intended. I wasn't accustomed

ving nothing away. "For now, you're safe. Rest

f the skyline that made the outside world feel distant. The bed looke

me the room. He mentioned he'd retu

ant by the mission, but one thing was clear-if I didn't play along, I might not survive this. I had no a

opened it, a man in a black suit stood there, holdin

flatly, placing th

I wasn't hungry. I wasn

other word, his footsteps

m it. This wasn't the world I once knew. I felt trapped, ensconced in velvet, uncert

y undetectable-drifted through the hallway, but it wasn't footste

. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as

ing to breathe. Just as I reached for the handle, the so

esting on the door,

th

re. No footste

le hum of the

like a weight. But then- just as my eyes began to close- th