Assassination 2136

Chapter 10: The Dance of Danger

It was another brisk night. The air was still, motionless as I perched atop the skyscraper. I was back in my comfort zone, up in the clouds with my sight set firmly on the target.

The tracker had directed me to a small apartment in the busier district of Les Australis. The tracker had not moved from the time I had gotten the file to now, which made me feel unsettled. The positive side of my brain was trying to tell me that the target was laying low, not leaving the apartment in case someone was out to get them. Yet, the positive side of my brain rarely won out against the all consuming force of my negativity.

This is an odd experience for me. My goal for tonight was to protect the target, something I had never done before. I usually avoided bodyguard duties, they're too messy. It all starts with you guarding one person and before you know it the body count is stacked up around you. No thanks, I'll stick to my one contract one kill scheme after tonight. After tonight.

It was only 9pm, the sun had been down for some time. The streets were still full, the flow of people mimicking the flow of a raging river. All following one another, all flowing the same direction. Drones still littered the sky, some being used for delivery systems, others for cheap forms of advertisements.

"MASH; BECAUSE OUR GOVERNMENT CARES"

One drone boldly declared. I snorted at this, it's not as romantic when you see the other side of how it's made. In fact if I could take away my knowledge of how it's made, I would.

I pulled my attention away from the multicoloured drones and back towards the apartment. The curtains were drawn, and the lights out. The apartment itself was on one of the lower levels of the high rise apartment complex it was on, cramped in between a myriad of other small living spaces too small for animals, yet alone humans.

Looking at the screen on my left forearm, I confirmed that the target was indeed inside that room. Yet, something didn't feel right. There was a persistent gnawing in my mind, pulling on the threads of doubt that had already cropped up in my head. This job seemed too easy for this much pay, just as the last one had been.

Before I could ponder further I heard the door to the roof of my skyscraper slam open with a bang. I quickly pivoted around, to see another woman had joined me on the roof. She had a long scar running down her right eye, and a determined expression on her face. All I could do was sit on my ass, mouth agape as she sauntered over to me.

"Fucking found you, you little shit," she grinned, revealing saw tooth like teeth lining her gums. I realised then and there she was an assassin, and that I was in a whole load of shit.

"I don't know who you are, but this is my job," I declared boldly, my words coming out steadier than I thought they would. Face to face confrontation wasn't my shtick, rather preferring to deal with things from afar. Alas, I stood up then to my full height and stared down at the intruder. The girl laughed at me, a deep chuckle. She then drew two short knives from behind her back, brandishing them as she did so.

"You might be tall, but I know you're useless without a gun," she launched at me, quick as a blur. I threw my hands up to protect myself, my gun clattering to the ground as I was shoved back. I landed on my back, Shark tooth lady on top of me. She clasped both knives above her head, yet as she brought them down I swerved to the right. This knocked her off balance, and I was able to scramble out from underneath her.

"Where ya going hun?" She cackled maniacally as I ran towards my gun. Hand to hand combat wasn't my expertise, but I also knew I wouldn't be able to get a shot off if she was anywhere near me. I picked up the gun and turned to face the woman, but I was too late. She kicked me hard in the gut with the base of her boot, winding me and sending me flying backwards towards the edge of the skyscraper. She launched at me, landing on top of me and straddling my sides. One hand holding my neck over the side of the building, the other holding her small knife.