The car sped along the totally vacant highway, cutting the deadly silence by the melodious music coming from the stereo. The couple sitting inside the newly purchased Ford talked over the music about the place they were headed to.

"How much more?" The woman with honey-blond hair asked her husband.

"Almost there" the man turned his head away from the road, to look at his beautiful wife, and gave her a sly smile.

She rolled her eyes and pressed her lips together, "you said the same 15 minutes ago. Do you even know the correct location of wherever you're taking us?"

"Of course, honey" he winked at her.

Mrs Creed looked at her wristwatch for the umpteenth time and sighed in defeat. It was their little princess' first birthday in a couple of hours and instead of resting a bit, before the start of the most awaited day of the year for them, they were driving on a deserted road. All thanks to Mr Creed and his surprise.

She twisted a bit in her seat to get a view of her little girl, Amelia, who was buckled up carefully at the back seat. She was in deep sleep, her head lolled to a side with the movement of the car. The girl had honey-blond hair, just like her mother, that was swept back using a flowery headband.

Mrs Creed turned off the stereo, not wanting to wake her daughter up from her sweet slumber. The only sound left now was that of the car's engine. She looked at Mr Creed again, "Lia is so adorable. I can't believe she is going to be one so soon".

Mr Creed smiled looking at their bundle of joy sleeping peacefully, through the rearview mirror.

The Creeds were happy, talking and planning on how they were going to celebrate their daughter's birthday oblivious to the threat that was following them. Or following their car, to be precise.

"She is going to love this surprise," Mr Creed said driving on the not so vacant highway now.

"I would love it too if only you'll tell me about this surprise thing. You've been driving for an hour now, and we're on a road surrounded by forest and cliffs on either side. Where are you taking us exactly?" The annoyance in his wife's tone could be noticed effortlessly.

"When Lia grows up, I'll tell how her father spoiled her first birthday" Mrs Creed continued.

She really wanted to know more about this big surprise thing by her husband. A few hours ago when he came and told her that he had a surprise planned for their daughter's birthday, Mrs Creed was elated but now, after an hour of sitting inside a car, viewing trees after trees pass by them and not knowing where they were headed to, made her lose her patience.

"Calm down, hon..."

A car zoomed past theirs, made a screeching noise and came to a halt at a short distance. Mr Creed pushed the breaks quickly to prevent the collision. Their car skidded a little and stopped just a metre away from the other one. Mr Creed took a deep breath whereas Mrs Creed turned around to look at Amelia. She was safe and still sleeping.

"What the fuck!" Mr Creed cried. He was breathing heavily, anticipating what could have happened if he didn't push the breaks at the right time.

No cussing was allowed near Amelia, awake or asleep, but for the first time, Mrs Creed let go of it. She stared furiously at the car standing in front of theirs. They could have killed her husband and daughter.

Two people walked out of the black Jaguar, dressed in full black suits. Their hands were covered in leather gloves. For the briefest second, the thought of them being thieves crossed Mrs Creed's mind but they looked anything but thieves.

No thief drives a Jaguar.

Their faces weren't covered but the darkness around them did the job well. They moved towards the Creeds with confidence, unbothered that they almost killed all of them a few seconds ago.

Both the men came towards Mr Creed's side and knocked on the window. Their face was now visible. It was scarred and they both looked to be in their early-thirties. The men were too muscular in comparison to Mr Creed's lean frame but that didn't stop him from yelling at the guys.

"Are you drunk?! You could have killed us all!"

"We're here for that" the man with fiery red hair smirked and gestured with his index finger for Mr Creed to get out of the car.

"Are you out of your min…"

"Get out of the car" the man said sternly, cutting him off.

Mr Creed moved his gaze to the black Jaguar on the empty highway then back to the men, who had a determined look on their face.

"No" he almost whispered.

The other man, with a big scar across his right cheek, pulled out a pistol from inside his coat and pointed it at Mr Creed.

"Get out" he repeated.

A horrified expression crossed over the couple's face. She clutched his hand not wanting her husband to go. He turned to look at her and gave an assuring smile.

This was it. Mr Creed walked out with his hands in the air as in surrendering himself. He knew who these people were, or at least who had sent them. When he started working on the project, almost everyone warned him about the little threats he was going to face but no one warned him about a deserted highway, muscular goons and guns.

"You're here to ask me to stop my work, isn't it?" Mr Creed tried to sound confident but failed miserably.

Both the men ignored him and turned towards his wife, "you too, get out".

"No. Not her" Mr Creed cried but the next moment he felt a cool metal resting between his brows.

Mrs Creed screamed that resulted in waking up her daughter. Amelia seemed shocked and scared by her mother's cry. She made a face that indicated she was about to cry but her mother reached out and patted her, making her feel she was close and safe.

Once Mrs Creed was sure Amelia won't cry, she got off the car. Her hands automatically went up in the air just like her husband's.

"Look, it was all me. Please, let them go" Mr Creed said, aware of the gun lingering above his forehead.

"Should have thought that before".

"You do it" the man who was holding the gun to Mr Creed's head, ordered the other goon.

The second man pulled out a gun as well. He pointed it towards Mrs Creed. Without missing a beat he pulled the trigger cracking the air as loud as thunder. The bullet hit the woman directly in the head.

It took Mr Creed a few seconds to process what just happened. Once it did, he screamed on the top of his lungs and ran towards his wife, who now lay on the road. Lifeless.

He didn't care that one of the men still had his gun pointed at him, he didn't care about the baby, sitting inside the car who was now crying hysterically, he didn't care whether he lives or dies all he cared about this moment was holding his wife close to him before she took her last breath but, he was late. She was dead.

He kneeled next to her and cried his heart out, holding his wife's body close to him. The men came and stood beside him, now both the guns pointed at Mr Creed. He was going to die. A feeling of helplessness consumed him. His wife was dead, his child was crying inside the car and he was just a few seconds away from death.

He wanted to get up and hold his daughter for one last time. To kiss her and tell her that it was going to be alright. To show her the surprise which he had planned for her first birthday. To hug her tight for one last time and tell her how much he loved her and how sorry he was.

Unfortunately, the two men standing with guns in their hands won't allow him that luxury.

No was else was to blame but him. He did it, he put their lives in danger and now he was the reason why they all will be dead. He stroked his wife's hair with hands covered in her blood.

Their lovely daughter would never get to know the world she was born in. She would never see the surprise her dad had planned with so much love and affection as she would never turn even one. All because her father was…

There were no more thoughts as for the second time that night, the sound of a gunshot filled the air. Another headshot and Mr Creed lay dead next to his wife.