Like an electric current running through her body, causes her severe muscle tension from the top to the bottom.

Who? Who could be these guys?

Police? Police doesn't put dagger at someone's throat. Could be some foreign gangsters? Not likely, there's no way for them to get active-duty weapon.......All those faces, everyone she had encountered, every acquaintance, everybody she had met on the street, are filming like a merry-go-round in front of her, floating in the dim twinkle light.

No......I don't......

I don't remember......

No respond, only the sound of her heart-beat punches the rib, like a prisoner punches the wall, trying to get escaped.

OK, calm down......let's just, not to irritate them first.

"Bitte, Herrn......" the girl says in whisper, "Ich bin nur......"

She almost gasps to choke, bites her lips to bleed. Before she could speaks the whole words out, the blade incises her neck skin, right at the place where her artery lies beneath.

"Do I allow you to talk?" The man behind her approaches her right ear, "Am I not telling you, not to move a finger? One more time, and you die. Clear enough?"

The girl closes her eyes, feeling the unprecedented dread. It's a dirty move, which argot calls "blood-letting" among the underworld. A little skin-cut, medium deep, let the blood constantly pouring through the groove, but keep a safe distance away the deadly artery, that's how professions do, to create extreme pressure on their victim.

Fighting back would be a suicide move, she decides not to taking the risk.

"Blinks if you understand."

The girl follows the order.

"Good. Now take the lead," Some thing pushes her in the back, "When I say stop, you stop, otherwise keep moving. Is that clear?"

Blinks.

"OK, go."

Could be a gun muzzle, likely with a silencer attached......the girl sighs slightly, tries to pacify her nerve as quick as possible, and keeps her step steady, amenable, like a real civilian would react.

"Stop." The man behind her orders. They stand by the middle of the corridor, right aside by the big clock.

The room 308.

"Floor clear."

"Roger that. All units attention, tango might carry lethal weapon." The man gestures the girl, "Knock the door."

With heisitate, the girl touches the door and clicks it.

"Harder."

The girl blinks as an affirmative. Three knocks later, a vague voice comes through the wall.

"Who's there?"

The girl looks at the man. "Makes her out." The man whispers by her ear.

Blinks.

"Who's there?" Weiss asks again, "Natasha, is that you?"

The girl coughs a little, "Yeah......" she mumbles, "It's me."

"What happens? You're sounds not good."

"Nothing......" the girl has no idea why she keeps licking her lips, "I......I'm sorry."

She clenches tightly, for the man turns the safty off.

"Natasha, are you in trouble now?" Weiss' voice sounds worried, "Is......the landlord presses on you again?"

"Would you help me out, Weiss?"

A few moment silence, Weiss speaks.

"Sure, but I may not have too much money left."

"He just wanna see you, talk to face."

"He's still there?" Her step is closing in.

NO! NO BODY IS THERE, JUST ME AND THREE GOD DAMN GUNNERS. DON'T TRUST ME! DON'T OPEN THE DOOR! HIDE! HIDE WHEREVER POSSIBLE!

"Yes." the girl pauses in a huge gap, "Yes."

Then the door is open.

A narrow line of light slices into the darkness of the corridor. Central on the girl, the light abruptly expands. Beside Weiss' blanch face, the three gunners no longer conceals themselves: face full-covered in tactical mask, with G36-C carbine on hand and a Glock in holster, all exposed on the light.

The man grabs the girl's shoulder and pulls her back. She could not help but falling down, her arms hit the clock, her skin is cut by the fragment of glass and start to bleed.

Almost simultaneously----

"Polizei!"

The man blows the door, chokes Weiss at her throat against the wall.

"Klar!"

"Klar!"

The other two members storms in, searches for the room in a flash. The girl leans her beside the broken clock, watches that man covers Weiss' mouth, almost makes her suffocated.

"Sir, we've found this," One team member reports, with the crescent pendant hold in hand, "Seems like she's the tenant here."

The lead man takes off the mask and gets closer.

"No, far from it," he says, "She shouldn't be taken down so easily."

"What's wrong with you!" Weiss says in a guttural voice.

"Woman, I only ask you once," The lead man takes on the mask again, shakes the pendant on her face, "Do you own this thing?"

"What?"

"DO YOU OWN THIS THING!"

Weiss looks at the girl in the shade. Their eyes contact with each other.

"No, " she says, "Never seen it before."

"Never?"

"Never. Mine is a Libra, not crescent."

"You live here alone?"

Second eye contact with the girl, Weiss nods her head.

"Does she live with you?" The lead man points at the girl.

"Ehh......I have nothing to do with this, right?" Before Weiss could speak, the girl holds her hands up, with trembling sobber, "I live by the corner. We're just some......first-met, I don't know anything she had done or participated, sir. I swear......"

As she defending herself, she glances at Weiss' face. What kind of expression is that? Surprise? Puzzle? Or hatred? She lowers her head, away from the sting sight, also protects her face from exposure.

"Good, take her up," The lead man gestures his companions, "Let them deal with her."

"Where do you take me for?" Weiss struggles, "Stop! I'm a citizen of the Confederation of European States! You have no right to......"

With her head covered by a black hood by them, her strong accusation softens into a bedtime story. They shackles her hand back, and pushes her along into the elevator.

"What about her, sir?" one team member looks at the girl.

"Please, bitte!" the girl struggles to move back, "I won't speak out, won't tell anyone!"

The leader man stares at her. A cruel sneer comes from his mask.

"5 minutes, Igor. Make it quiet."

He makes a throat-slitting gesture, then turns around and steps in the elevator.