I stood in the church, dusty and bloody. The man smiled grimly at me. He wasn't exactly my favorite person in the world. And, he definitely wasn't invited to this party.
"Rosa," he smiled. "I've missed you."
I sighed, "I wasn't expecting you."
"You called my contact and didn't think he would tell me about it." He chuckled. "You know I couldn't miss an opportunity to see you. Especially when I met you, your name was Lola. I wanted to see the new you."
Manuel Rodriguez, former child prodigy, newly appointed hitman for the Peruvian government, and my ex-boyfriend.
Honestly, I don't think we actually broke up.
"Nice setup you have going here. You should have called me."
"Why? So, you can have the first crack at killing me." I snapped.
"No." He said, sincerely.
I rose my eyebrow and looked at the pistol, pointing at me.
"What, this," Manuel lowered his weapon. "It was just so you won't try to kill me before I got to talk to you."
I sighed, "So, what do you want?"
"I want to help."
"I don't need your help," I snapped.
"The tow truck outside says you do," he smiled. "You have a lot of people hunting you down and I'm assuming you don't have much time to get it done. Am I right?"
I rolled my eyes.
"I'll take that as a yes. And, I bet none of them know you sent the burn notice..."
He stared at me, waiting for an answer. When I didn't respond, he already knew. There wasn't much I could ever keep from him. That's what I hated most about him.
"...Instead of having them all chase the real target, you have them chasing you." Manuel continued. "Then, you could take them out one by one. Nice. So, what was the plan?"
"Everyone has routines and they all had meeting places that I was going to be." I smiled. " I just had to bet them there."
He shook his head. "How many?"
"How many what?"
"How many of our friends have you killed," he asked.
"They aren't my friends."
"How many?" He yelled.
I sighed. "Today, four."
Manuel huffed. "How many left?"
"Six."
"Does that include me?"
"Yes."
"So, five," He exhaled, looking at the ground. "How long?"
I looked at my watch. It was now 1:12 and time was still running.
"Just over 45 minutes."
His head popped up, "What? That's not much time."
"That's why I need to stop talking to you and get going."
He rushed forward and I stepped back, pulling out my gun. His golden eyes grew wide.
"Are you going to shoot me?"
"Don't tempt me," I whispered.
Manuel slowly walked to the first pew. He pulled out a dufflebag and slid it over to me. I looked at it, hesitant.
He snickered, "It's not a bomb. Just open it."
I frowned. I leaned down, keeping my gun raised, and looked into the bag.
"My equipment," I yelled, shockingly. "Were you trying to steal my stuff?"
"Not steal, rescued." He snapped. "I got it out the car before the tow truck came. I knew you might need it."
I search further in the bag and found extra clothes. But they weren't mines.
"...and new clothes," I rolled my eyes.
He smiled and shrugged, "Just like our first date. Dirty Dancing, I believe."
I finally lowered my weapon and pulled out a leather jacket. Manuel walked closer and picked up the bag. As soon as I put the jacket on, loud banging came from the back door. The cops were trying to get inside.
"Time to go," he whispered, clutching my arm.
Manuel took me through a secret passage under the church. It lead to a parking lot, about a block away.
"So, where's your car?" I asked.
He clicked his alarm and I saw his vehicle.
I curled my lip, "You got to be kidding me."
He smiled and grabbed my hand. We were on the road in a breeze. The wind wrapped around us, as we zipped in and out of car on his motorcycle. I held on tight and we flew passed buildings. Everything was a blur. He dropped me off at my next destination. We exchanged a few words and he was off. He had a brilliant idea that would cut my time in half. I really didn't trust him, but I don't have any other options. I got into position and called Frank.
"Hey, I'm back." I said, sitting at a table at a nearby coffeehouse.
"You had me worried when you didn't call. Thought you were..." Frank shuttered.
"Nah....I'm okay," I assured him, sipping a cup of java. "But we have a new player. He will be on our frequency soon."
"He? Can you trust him?"
I sighed, "No. But I need him. We'll use numbers."
Frank huffed. I texted Manuel our encrypted line. He jumped on the line and Frank remained quiet. He doesn't like newbies, especially Manuel. I knew he would recognize his voice. He didn't like him very much, but what choice did I have.
Time: 13:27:03 pm
Place: Queen's Square
Target: Viktor the Victorious (Sweden), Sébastien aka The Destroyer (Canada), and Thomas aka Bomb-a-Rang (Australia)
"Hey Six. I'm in position." Manuel said, steadily. "I'm ready whenever you are."
He positioned himself on one of the tallest buildings in the area. It was the quickest way to eliminate multiple targets without detection.
"Thanks, Seven." I said.
"So, what's the new plan?" Frank asked.
I gladly explained, "Seven just changed locations for each of them. So when they get close, Seven will take them out, from afar."
"And if he can't?"
"Don't underestimate the sniper," Manuel huffed.
Frank sighed, "Fine. Tracking."
"I have three in sight," Manuel announced. "11 o'clock, 1 o'clock, and 2 o'clock. They are holding steady. I can take them now..."
I snapped, "No, not til they move."
"Okay. You're the boss." He joked. "So, tell me about this guy that made you burn yourself."
"He's no one."
"He's a really special no one for Miss Six to protect him so hard."
"I'm not having this conversation with you." I demanded.
"Okay," Manuel replied. "...You love him?"
"1 o'clock is moving." Frank interrupted.
"I got him." Manuel sighed.
I heard a gentle pop in my ear. Then, he cocked the rifle for the next hit.
"Target is down." He finished, "You do, don't you?"
I huffed, "I'm not answering that."
"Can you two focus? 11 o'clock is moving." Frank said, frustrated.
Another round was release in our ears. Then, it was silent again.
"Do you like him more than me?" Manuel whispered.
"Are you kidding?" Frank snapped.
I chuckled, "Let it go."
"Just answer the question," Manuel demanded.
"I will not."
"2 o'clock is moving." Frank told us.
The line was silent. Manuel didn't take the shot.
"What are you doing," I asked.
"He's closing in on you, Six." Manuel teased. "I suggest you answer the question, or I won't be taking the shot."
I was sitting out in the open, surrounded by tourist and innocent bystanders. This was not a time to play games. I looked up at the tallest building. I knew Manuel could see my facial expressions through the scope on his rifle.
"I'm really not in the mood for this."
"1200 kilometers and closing," Frank added.
Manuel argued,"It's not a hard question. Do you like him more than me? I mean, you are really going out of our way to protect him. Would you do all this for me?"
"If you remember, I did." I hissed. "You wouldn't be alive, if I didn't. He's innocent."
"If you had the choice, would you do it, again?"
"What?"
"I was innocent, once." Manuel reminded me. "You tried to save me, but I still turned dark side. Would you still have saved me, knowing I would turn out the same?"
"He's not the same as you."
"800 kilometers," Frank interrupted, typing in our ears.
Manuel laughed, "He's exactly like me. I read his file. He has potential."
"You read it?"
"Of course. I always read your files. I have I make sure they are safe enough for you to take them."
I shook my head. "So, what does it say?"
"Answer mines and I'll answer yours."
"300 kilometers." Frank added.
I frowned, "You're just a dick."
"Is that your final answer?" Manuel joked. "I have a visual and he's moving fast. Now, 90 kilometers."
"No," I yelled. "I wouldn't change a thing. But if I had to choice between the two of you..."
"40 kilometers." Frank continued.
"...If I had a choice..."
"...10,000 meters..."
"...I would choose..." I sighed.
"...1,000 meters..."
"...I'd choose..."
Before I could answer, the last shot rung in my ear.
"...Zayn." I exhaled. "I would choice Zayn."
Manuel sighed and cocked his gun, "Last target down."
Time: 13:42:16 pm
Death: Sniper Kills
I was breathing slightly heavy, but very relieved. It was already awkward talking to my ex about a guy I like, but, for that same guy to put my life in danger, don't make it easier. I looked up at Manuel, on top of them building. It was the most quiet, I've ever heard him.
"Okay," Manuel finally said, breaking the silence. "Let's get you back to him."
"You're not gonna try and kill him, are you?"
"No," Manuel laughed. "Not unless he hurts you, then he's dead."
I rolled my eyes. I took the last sip of my coffee, before moving to an awaiting car. Frank manage to score me a new vehicle. As soon as I entered the car, Frank's computer starting whirling in our ears.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"Someone is trying to hack me." Frank panicked. "Another target just arrived, and my system cannot identify him. We're flying blind, guys."
"So, he could be anywhere," I sighed. "Seven..."
"I'm on it," Manuel said, scanning the area.
Then, it was silent. The same type of eerie silence that happens after a bomb explodes. Everyone stopped cold. A horrendous feeling came over me. The same feeling I got when Aaron disappeared. Something was horribly wrong. I sat at the wheel, scanning the streets for anything suspicious. A woman pushing a baby stroller. A man walking with a bouquet of flowers. Another woman carrying shopping bags. Another man with an umbrella. Any one of them could be my gunman.
Just then, I heard Manuel yell, "Lola, 12 o'clock."
I looked in front of the car. The man with the bouquet was pointing his flowers at me. It would have seems odd to anyone, except me. He was loaded. I stepped on the pedal with all of my might. The car shot forward, slamming into him. I held the wheel with one hand, as I tried to put my seatbelt on with the other. He held onto the car smiling, as we passed the intersection. I gave him a grave looked before smashing into a brick wall, down an alleyway. The accident knocked me out for a few minutes. Luckily, the seatbelt reflect most of the impact. I only received a minor bump on my head and a few cuts from the broken glass. When I looked up, the man was pinned and laying motionless on the car. I leaned back, and released my seatbelt. I closed my eyes for a quick second and sighed. When I opened them, the man raised his flowers. Through the roses and baby breathe, I clearly saw his silencer. In the blink of an eye, two rounds were fired.
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"Six....Six..." Manuel cried. "Six, Answer me...Lola?"
--
"...Stop yelling in my ear." I replied, tired.
He exhaled heavily in my ear, "Are you alright?"
I swung open my door, and fell out the car. I pushed myself onto my feet and stumbled to the front of the car. I gazed at the man with the flowers. Then, I lifted his head. He was shot twice: once in the heart, once on the head. It was Malak from Morocco.
"I am now," I sighed. "Thanks to you."
Time: 13:48:17 pm
Death: Sniper Kill
Manuel chuckled, "Nobody puts baby in a corner."
I couldn't help, but giggle. It's been over two years since I saw Dirty Dancing with him, and he still remembered that line. My ribs still ached and my legs were shaky. I slowly strolled to the intersection.
"I'm packing up and coming to get you." Manuel announced.
I leaned against the wall, on the corner, and tried to catch my breath. So many attempts at my life was wearing on my body. I hurt in place, I never knew existed. I knew I wasn't out of the woods, yet. The final throw-down was happening at the concert. That was a sure bet. I just needed to get there. Manuel was riding his motorcycle towards me. Not my favorite mode of transportation, but it was better than nothing. He was a few meters away when a black van approached me. The door slid open, and two masked man jumped out and grabbed me. I tried to fight them off, but they were stronger than me. One of them smelled familiar, but I couldn't place that odor. I was dragged into the van and it sped off down the street. That was the last thing I remembered until...
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Oh man. Serious action and even more drama. Okay, so I wanted to apologize for not updating. I had a few personal things that had to get straight first. Can't exactly write, if I feel like crap. Anyway, Delilah's plan to take out ten assassins by herself in two hours was completely suicidal. There was almost no way to pull it off, even with the help she got. And she said, she do t have friends. Yeah, right. And, who just kidnapped her? I mean, the girl was on a roll. Injured, but alive. Then, this. Will she make it back to the concert in time, or will she break her promise? Was he betrayed by Manuel? Is he the one who is really after her? These answers and more coming in the next chapter. Happy Hunting.
~ Imm1025
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