BURIED

EIGHT

B E L L E

I chased him until we reached a dead end, noticing him starting to climb the wall. Instinctively, I mirrored his actions, pulling him down.

"Urghhh, you piece of...." I grunted as he retaliated by hitting my nose with his leg.

Despite the stinging sensation and watering eyes, I managed to get him on the ground.

He wore a coat, still damp from the rain, his hands gripping my wrists tightly. I recognized him immediately, the man I had been seeing at the hospital. He was tall, it was intimidating. A thick jagged scar started at his nose and horizontally across his chin to his ear. He had a strong looking face with distinctive features, Not handsome, really. But attractive..

"You're the man from the hospital," I stated, more to confirm to myself than anything. His coat gave him out, I could remember the fadish brown colour of the coat.

"Hello, Officer," he grinned.

As he attempted to regain his footing, I seized the opportunity, grabbing his leg and pulling him towards me. With a swift twist, I caused him to lose balance and fall to the ground, maintaining my grip as he struggled.

Breaking free, he launched a flurry of punches aimed at my kidney, prompting me to realize I had dropped my gun earlier. With a swift maneuver, he threw me to the ground, causing my bones to crack. But then, he stopped.

Taking advantage of the momentary pause, I managed to switch positions, pinning him to the ground with his hands locked.

"Don't even bother. I'll be gone before you do anything else," he taunted. His long black hair now tucked behind his ears.

I applied pressure to his back, reaching for my gun while keeping him pinned.

I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins again. With excitement, my job finally felt like my job.

"You're not getting off the hook this time, you piece of shit," I spat.

"Yeah right, and what do you plan to do with me?" he asked smugly.

I retrieved the gun, putting it to his head, and warned, "I'll do whatever is needed."

"Ha! We both know you're not going to shoot me, darling."

"I've been trained to shoot when necessary. Don't piss me off!"

"Well, officer, I'm an assassin. I recognize murderous intentions when I see them, and you, darling, won't be able to pull that trigger."

That's when it hit me. I hadn't thought about why someone would just kill Alexei. This explained it. An assassin?

"Who sent you?!" I demanded, my grip tightening.

"I answer only to myself," he said.

"You being an assassin gives me more reason to shoot you on this spot," I hissed.

"You're cute," he laughed.

"Two murders in one night, same street, and you're leaving behind witnesses. We've seen worse criminals."

"Aren't you the police officer whose--" he started, but I added more pressure on his back to make him shut up. I knew exactly what he was going to say.

My grip loosened, making him realize that I was triggered. He spoke again, but I realized that I couldn't hear him, my hands frozen.

"Aww, was it that bad?" he asked, raising his head.

"Give it up. After you're behind bars, you'll have enough time to create more delusions."

He laughed. "You have a really sharp tongue, officer, bravery of the ignorant."

I pulled out my radio from my pocket, ready to speak into it, when he said, "You shouldn't do that."

"Why?"

"I know you want to get revenge, and I can help you. You'll help me in return," he started.

"Why would I do that?"

"Face it, you and the police department won't ever solve the case. You've been trying for how many months now?" he continued. "How much closer are you?"

"You really think I would be associated with someone like you?" I spat, though his words struck a chord. The department hadn't made any progress, no leads to follow. It was pathetic, and I felt lost on where to even begin if I were on my own.

"As much as I trust my own abilities, I need help, especially from a police officer, and you're a Lieutenant, aren't you?" he said, his voice firm, cutting through my frustration.

My grip had loosened, allowing him to slip away gracefully. Suddenly, the glint of a knife at my neck brought a cold shiver down my spine. His expression remained neutral as he delivered his ultimatum. "I'll give you 24 hours to think about it. If you're interested, meet me at the park tomorrow, at midnight."

With a deliberate step back, he sheathed the knife, leaving me standing there, watching him walk away with unsettling ease. My body felt frozen, a mix of fear and curiosity gripping me.

Three minutes dragged by before I finally radioed my team. "Sergeant Gabin here. I've lost the target."

✩.･*:｡≻───── ⋆♡⋆ ─────.•*:｡✩

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