As the assassins closed in, I turned the corner and let my shots fly. Some took cover but I managed to take down four, dropping to the ground and rolling towards one of their bodies. I picked them up and used them as a human shield as more shots were fired. The body jerked with the force of the hits and blood was spluttered across my body but I just sucked it up and lifted my head, trying to shoot the other two.

I managed to hit one and he went down with a groan of pain.

"We are being attacked in the upper north side of the mans-" I shot the guy who was talking into the walkie talkie and the place went silent once again.

"No one likes a snitch," I said throwing the body I was using to the ground. I stood up and was making my way down the hall when I noticed some movement. I quickly darted to the side but it was too late. A bullet grazed the side of my left thigh and I dropped to the ground with a thud. I didn't miss a beat, lifting my hand and shooting the person responsible.

It was one of the people I just shot and thought was dead. I had now hit him in the arm and he cradled it, making pained sounds. Shifting to sit on my butt, I made sure to shoot him in the neck and he slowly chocked on his own blood.

"I'm severely anaemic you asshole," I grumbled, tearing the bottom of my shirt and tying it tightly around the wound on my leg, preventing as much blood loss as I could. I stood up, supporting myself on the wall, a gun in hand. I started limping down the hall again.

Iron deficiency anaemia. It sounds so simple and probably not as bad a leukemia or something but in the line of business I have been thrown in, it meant everything. Before, it was just dizzy spells at school and extreme fatigue but after the one time I felt like I had a heart attack in PE, Violet had forcefully taken me to the hospital with her mom.

It was nothing serious at the time really so I didn't dwell much on it but once I was taken to the "safe house" I can't count the number of times I almost died. They fed us with these nutritious bars which had iron and everything was under control but sometimes, I wanted to put myself out of my own misery. Sometimes, it was too much to hide.

There was a girl who found out about it. Her brother apparently had the same thing and she was going to tell on me. I couldn't let that happen. I had no intention of being killed that day so I had to stop her. I knew her as the Smiling Jackal. That's what they called her anyway and she was my first kill. I was still fourteen and I'd silently mourned for a long time until it just didn't bother me anymore.

Death wasn't anything new. I'd seen it, I'd caused it and sometimes, I controlled it. There's a time when you just get so tired of mourning, of having that hollow pit in your stomach so you just tell yourself to get over it and you can't tell then but you don't feel much after that. Everything just becomes so useless. Money doesn't bring you joy, the things you once loved then seem like a burden and you just die inside. You can't control it, it just happens and it honestly sucks.

Seeing all these deaths today, it's been like a reality slap to the face. I wasn't safe anywhere I went. I mean I was one of Jordan's creations. I'd always be on the run, always be hiding. That is until I killed the fucker which I planned on doing.

I didn't feel it but my walls that were once just brick and stone were now coated in lead and steel. My emotions had shut off as fast as they were beginning to return. The memories of the laughs Faye and I shared now seemed like a distant memory in the back of my mind. Shit was real now and I'd be damned if I was ever taken by surprise again.

I barely felt the pain in my thigh as I stumbled back to where I'd left Faye. I didn't bother to hide my presence for the three men in the living room. I just shot them down, one by one. Faye came out of her hiding spot and I could tell just by the way her eyes run over my injured and bloody frame that she was shaken.

"Secret door. Now," I said and it seemed like she was snapped out of a trance. Rushing to the painting of the woman in a red dress, Faye pushed it and a door was revealed. She was about to make a move inside but I grabbed her hand.

"The plan still stays. What is the name of the diner?" I asked her.

"Roadhouse," she responded and I nodded, letting go of her and motioning for her to go through the door which she did, me close behind.

The place was dark and I kept close to Faye but she seriously seemed to know where we were going. After a while, she stopped and I heard her grunt before the sound of moving cement sounded in my ears and light broke through a crack in the wall.

Faye slipped out first and I went next, my eyes adjusting to the light. The older woman quickly strutted forward, to one of the many black cars inside here. We'd landed in a garage and Vittore seriously had some class.

I limped forward until a shot rung through the garage, echoing in the empty space. I lifted my hand and shot the gun at the two idiots who came for me. There was one more and I stopped once I saw he held Faye against him, a gun at her head.

"Bloody perfect," I whispered lowering my gun. "What do you want you lumbering oaf?"

The man holding Faye smiled. "You sweetheart," he replied easing up a bit. I noticed a snake tattoo, prominent on the side of his neck.

"Why? What's so special about me?" I asked.

"What should I know gorgeous? I just follow the boss' rules."

"So your boss wants me?" I asked confusion lacing my tone.

"Alive, so you best get that pretty little ass over here," the man said, motioning at where he was. For someone with a gun against her head, Faye was pretty chill. Her whole stance was relaxed and she didn't even bat an eyelash.

"That's all I needed to know," I said and raised my gun, shooting the man in the head. Faye didn't jump at the shot but merely sighed.

"Weren't you scared or something?" I asked moving closer to where she was.

"You have no idea how many times I've been in that situation. You get used to it," Faye said and I frowned but didn't comment.

"Take one of these cars so we can move on," I said, pointing at the wide variety of black automobiles. Not going to lie, Vittore had taste.

Faye grabbed keys from the wall and clicked them, a black truck lighting up. I grabbed keys too, pressing them and a sleek black benz lit up. Nice. I escorted Faye to her truck and she jumped in. I held the door open for support since my leg had started to ache.

"In five minutes, I want you to start this car and drive into town. Don't stop for anything until you reach the diner," I told her, my face blank and words holding no emotion.

"I get that you're trying to protect me Dalia but I can't just leave you," Faye said her tone sounding almost motherly.

"I know but you'll just be a burden to me if I'm trying to kill the assholes who broke into the mansion and make sure you're fine at the same time," I said, not even willing to sugarcoat the words. She had this downcast look on her face but she still nodded.

"Good. Count them. Five minutes," I said holding up five fingers and closing the door. Faye started the engine and I looked at her, hoping it wasn't the last time. Slowly limping to the black benz, I got in and settled in the seat, my breathing ragged.

Dots danced in my vision and I was dizzy for a second but I blinked and it passed. Taking a deep breath, I threw my gun to the passenger seat and started the engine. I was glad it was my left leg that was hit because I used my right to drive.

I put the car into reverse and drove out of the garage. God if Vittore doesn't give me some sort of reward for this, I'm killing his fine ass.