After disposing of the two men in the alley way I take a quick look in a broken window to see my reflection. I smooth out a stray hair and walk into the bar. The air hits me like a wall, the smell of cigarette smoke and sweaty preversed men. It a smell that instantly brings back memories of my past, but I'm used to it. The bar is loud with drunk patrons, there's not a seat that isn't filled. Just another typical Tuesday.
I walk to the bar, ordering a drink while scouting the crowded room for David. I hear a glass hit the table pulling my eyes back to the bar. "Here ya go, little lady," the bartender says as he places the glass in front of me.
I take the drink and raise it to my lips, sipping while I try to spot David within the crowd. The whiskey burns on the way down, I can feel it causing a warmth to go through my body already. That's when I spot him. David, with some half-dressed women draped across his lap. He plays with the tips of her hair while she has her arms around his neck.
I roll my eyes."Idiot," I mutter into my glass, taking another sip.
I count five men scattered through the room who scream "bodyguard," watching the place, not drinking, all muscle, no personality. My eyes flick back to David. He catches my stare and smirks, brushing the girl off and sliding a bill into her garter like it's a damn stage show.
I push off the bar and start making my way toward the back. The lounge is our target. If we can slip back there without alerting the guards, this might actually go smoother than planned.
David is on his way to the back casually walking as if to go to the bathroom before heading to the lounge. I am keeping my eyes on the guards while I try to also make my way without being noticed.
But then I see it. One of the guards takes notice and is turning toward David, making a beeline in his direction. Shit.Shit. SHIT.
I pick up the pace and push through a few patrons to get in front of the man. "Aahh!" I cry out, pretending to stumble and crashing onto the floor right in front of the guard.
He stops immediately, crouching beside me. "You okay?" His voice is rough. I glance sideways—David's gone, slipped behind the wall.
"Oh my, yes," I giggle, doing my best drunk girl impression. "Just a little too much to drink." He helps me up, and I flash a grateful smile.
But before I can make my exit, he grabs my wrist, tight.
"Wait," he says, eyes narrowing. "You look familiar. Where have I seen you before?"
My pulse ticks up. Can't tell if he's got the wrong girl or if I've actually crossed paths with this asshole on a past job.
I tap a finger to my lips and look up thoughtfully. "Mmm, I don't think so, mister."
He doesn't buy it. Instead of letting go, he yanks me back hard, his face inches from mine.
"No, I've definitely seen you. I'd recognize that red hair anywhere... and those dead green eyes." His lip curls. His eyes start to grow like everything just clicked into place.
"You really thought I wouldn't recognize the bitch who slaughtered my old boss and all his men like they were nothing, but pigs for slaughter?"
He spits in my face.
I can't help the shit eating grin that is plastered to my face. I can feel his grip on my wrist tighten and it makes my blood being to race.
"I killed him like the pig he was," I say, voice low and sweet, "and the pussy-ass men who followed him. I'm flattered you remembered me." I move closer to his ear my lips brushing him. "Tell the others I said hi."
Before he can say anything I twist my wrist free of his grasp. I grab his shirt with one hand, and with the other drive one of my daggers straight through the base of his jaw, up into his skull. Blood gushes out seeping down onto my hands, blood spraying across my face. He chokes, spitting blood as he tries to breathe.
Screams erupt around us.
"AAAHHH!"
"SHE KILLED HIM!"
"RUN!"
People scatter, trampling each other in a panic for the door. I roll my eyes, yank the spike from his head, and let his body drop like trash.
I let out an exaggerated sigh, "and here it thought this could be a subtle job for once."
Before I can turn, someone grabs my shoulder. "You bitch!"
I react instantly, grabbing his arm and hip-tossing him over my shoulder. He lands hard, right on top of his dead buddy. I scan the room there are three more guards left. They're trying to push through the fleeing crowd, but for now, I've got a small window.
The guy I tossed is trying to get up. I go to stab him, but he kicks me in the stomach, hard. I fly back and hit the floor, gasping for air. Broken rib? Probably. Shit.
I scramble back to my feet, just in time to see another guy charging at me. I glance behind me, shit, the other two are almost here. I'm surrounded.
Where the hell is David? He should have finished the job in the back by now!
I make a break for it, sliding across the floor and grabbing a broken glass bottle. I look back, they're closing in fast. I hurl the bottle at the closest guy's face. It smashes across his face and he roars.
I jump onto the bar, grab a full whiskey bottle and oh and look, lucky me. A lighter.
"WAIT!" I yell, throwing my hands up. They pause. What idiots.
"Why can't we just get along?" I say sweetly. "How about I spare your lives and you let me kill your boss?"
"You fucking bitch," one snarls. "You think we'd let you get near the boss? You're gonna die here. We know your reputation, Scarlet the Assassin."
I laugh so hard I nearly double over. "Oh my god, that was hilarious! Okay, okay, tell another one." My hands are flapping at them to go on.
They keep advancing.
"You're gonna rot in hell for what you did," one says.
I tip the bottle back and chug.
"Well," I say, wiping my mouth, "you're right about one thing, I'm gonna rot in hell. But not today."
I spit the whiskey at them and light it. The flames ignite instantly.
"AAAHH!"
"SHIT!"
"DON'T STOP, GET HER!"
I run straight at them, jumping off one guy's head. Mid-air, I whip out my dagger and impale another through the back. He drops.
"What the fuck?!" I hear David's voice, finally.
"About time!" I shout, dodging a punch and slamming my knee into a guy's face.
David's already going at two of them, blood dripping from his mouth. The flaming guy is screaming on the floor, spreading fire across the alcohol-soaked ground.
"Well excuse me for actually going after the target!" David yells. "I wasn't playing house!"
I shove the guy off me, half his teeth gone, blood pouring. Another grabs my hair and yanks.
"Get over here, you fucking bitch," he growls. "I'm gonna wipe that pretty smirk right off your face."
I pry at his fingers, but he punches me straight in the mouth. My lip splits. fuck the hurts! He grabs my face to look at me again.
I smile up at him while blood drops from my lip. "I'm gonna have so much fun pleasuring myself to the sound of your screams tonight."
Before he can question what I just said I stomp my foot, releasing a blade hidden in toe of my boot. I kick him in the shin.
He screams in pain.
I drive a fist into his gut causing him to let go of my hair. I jump back, grinning. "Mmm, that scream? Already making me wet. Keep singing for me, would ya?"
Then I stomp his face. Once. Twice. Blood pools fast. His bones crunch under my boot.
"Scarlet!" David shouts. "We need to get out of here!"
I look over and he has already taken down one, another's crawling, and the flaming corpse is... definitely a corpse. But the fire's spreading.
Shit.
I nod and glance down, my guy's dead. I bolt for the door, but flames are licking at the entrance.
"David! The door's blocked!"
He looks around, grabs a chair, and hurls it through a window. "Over here!"
I pull my hood up and start heading toward him, but something catches my eye.
Under a table, a woman. Half-naked. Terror is written across her face.
"Shit."
I run over, reaching for her, but she shrinks back. "No! No! Stay away, you killed those men!"
"David!" I call. "There are women here...help me!"
He runs over, reaching for her. She screams again pushing away from us.
"Hey," I say, kneeling down. "Listen, we won't hurt you. But this place is burning. If you stay, you'll die."
She hesitates looking around at the bar being engulfed in flames. I offer my hand one more time.
"Please," I say, softer now. "Those men and their boss were monsters. We're trying to stop them. Let me help you."
Finally, she nods and grabs my hand, I help lift her to her feet, but cries out in pain. "My ankle, someone stepped on it!"
David doesn't hesitate, he throws her on his back. We jump out the window just as the flames roar behind us.
We land in the filthy back alley. Sirens are already echoing in the distance.
"We need to go," I tell David.
He adjusts his grip on the girl's thighs. "What about her?"
I glance at her face. She looks lost. "Do you have anywhere to go? Any family?"
She shakes her head. "No… this was my home."
I sigh, already knowing the answer. "Alright. We'll take her with us. We will figure it out later."
David nods.
And we vanish into the dark.