183 days of revenge

pte

ew

rs trying to make sense of it all. The letter left behind felt so impersonal, so unlike the woman who ha

lenched into fists. First, her parents and siblings were take

t the door bro

ce was calm but fi

dn't a

're upset. But keeping yourself loc

d hard, her

his voice gentle but carrying a weight of finality. "But pe

ead against the door,

said, his tone shifting slight

hat before. Something was unsettling in his voice-not anger,

ed for the doorkn

small frame, curled into herself like a wounded animal. For a moment, he sighed as if

th, controlled. "But crying won't bring

-rimmed eyes to him. "But why

e answered without hesitation.

a blade. She bit her lower li

lowering. "Do you think they're out there mourning your family? No, Elma. They a

, anger flickering

id this, don't you?" he pre

d, hesitan

t. Do you want to let your parents' murderer

led into fist

it made Elma's heartburn. She thought about her parents' lifeless bodies at the morgue, abo

she whi

s subtle but fille

"Stronger than the police, stronger than the crimi

swall

osh continued. "But

this? Could she become someth

said, standing up. "But remember, ti

ting them settle in her mind like

still struggling with what her u

make her choice and that choice is finding everyone involved in her family's death and the on

, Elma made

documents. He didn't look surprised when she wa

her voice steady despit

irked.

inded her that she was doing it fo

aining

the sun, dressed in a fitted black outfit, her hair tied b

hidden gym with various weapons, punching bags, and obstacle courses.

Josh said. "Your body must be stro

ing laps around the gym, doing push-ups until her arms gave out,

h ropes, hurdles, and walls to climb. Every time she hesitat

Elma! You won't have time to thi

e was tired and weak but every time she stumbled, she thought of her p

defense-how to break out of a grip, how to use an opponent's weig

t him, he dodged easily. Every time she attempte

coldly. "You hesitate. That h

ears, pushing

to weapons-knives first, then guns. She learned how to disarm opponents, how

covered her body, her muscles ache

he final le

ed a live rabbit in front o

t," he

ng at the trembling a

asked, folding his arms. "This is what separates the weak from the s

hard, grippi

the blade. The rabbit squirmed

n eyes and brough

the rabbit was still.

n approval. "

es the Per

he helpless little girl Josh had taken

s feared despite being a woman they know she is capable of killing hundreds of men with the swift of her finger.

cks transport his cargo. Nine go to his warehouse, one go

g the route and everything that

bike to the location. The ten trucks moved li

trafficked girls separated fro

breath as the road blurred beneath her. When the truck slowed near a roadblock, sh

ired a silenced shot between his eyes. His body slum

his gun, but she was faster. She p

truck," sh

obe

k the back, revealing d

," she told

efore dashing in

she continued to Jacquard's estate, pre

iver with the pistol and kept him in position as if

mansion. She made her way to the stairs slow but steady, getting to Jacquard's

n his office, talking o

e sight behold him he reached for his gun but Elma noti

r shoe to press his leg a

ot him in t

he hole in his forehead, and slipped a

leaped through the window, landing in the water below, where Josh

mission wa

just the