The Assassin's Bargain

Av

ever do. I'd spent my whole life pulling off jobs with precision, alwa

re so

. Victory was within reach. We'd slipped past security, navigated every obstacle with

tor had the leverage to dismantle his bi

with Victor beside me, a sense of uneas

I he

crack of

cked, gun in hand. Another bullet whizzed past-way too close. A few steps ahead, Vic

turned to face the darkness. There were too many of them-more than I'd expected. My instincts

red

aimed at one of the shadowy figures. He fell immediatel

ted, already moving in a different

rowd earlier. Someone had been watching u

etermination. I ducked behind a crate just as more shots rang out, the deafeni

tor, taking another shot. I aimed for

Victor replied, his tone icy.

now: the car. But I wasn't going down without a fig

ndicated someone was reloading. I couldn't help but smile-big mistake. I sprang up from behind the crate, m

took found its target. I was in my element, surrounded by chaos, and the

re ringing out as he match

of screeching tires made my heart race. Mor

f the figures trying to flank us. I fired

a lot more than th

ust as Victor joined me, a grim loo

un for it, a figure stepped out of th

nder him with a swift kick. He hit the ground hard, but I didn't give him a chance to recover. My el

and nodded to Victor. "We're

as he scanned the scene

rom over, and now we were deeper in

r as we sped away from the chaos, but I wasn't fooling myself. There

rror. Headlights

ind you." I turned. The cars were gaining on us. "It

--

ict

ed this much resistance. I should've. I'd been around long enough to know that

esitation. In that intense moment, she revealed

dator. Her skills were honed, and her instinct

chaos, and I was starting to wonder if she

had blood on her hands, blood that wasn't her own. She was an excellen

Because once someone like her entere

wanted to make it through, she'd have to come to

ad. There would be no simple escape, but