TARGET [Tom Hiddleston Fanfiction]

Chapter 9 : Headshot

Were they safe? Had he gone? Tom risked a look, lifting his head up slowly, looking through the glass of the fish tank to see if the coast was clear. It wasn't. Tom's heartbeat froze as his mouth became dry, time seeming to stop. The gunman was right there, and he was looking straight at him, a malicious grin on his face. He raised his gun, pointing it directly at Tom's head from the other side of the tank.

Tom's eyes widened as he stared down the barrel of the gun on the other side of the glass. He watched the sneer on the man's face as he laughed at him, taunting him as he squeezed the trigger. He knew this was it. He was about to die. Tom squeezed Tina who was clinging onto him, her head pressed against his chest. He knew she couldn't see what was about to happen, and just hoped that the man would leave her alone after he had finished with him. He knew the police were on their way, but they would not get here in time to save him. Luke was powerless to do anything being trapped on the other side of the building. His family would be heartbroken, not to mention all of his friends, and the fans. Oh god, he couldn't even bring himself to know how distraught they would be. He didn't want to leave any of them. 

All these thoughts and emotions flew through Tom's terrified brain in a single second as realization struck. Tina was unaware of the danger they were now both in, thinking the coast was clear. She held onto Tom, trembling in fear and cold, listening to the pounding of his heart, the burning of the building, and the distant sirens of help approaching. Tina's quiet whimpering had ceased now, feeling safe in the arms of this kind stranger who was trying to keep her safe from the gunman. Tom felt afraid, not just for his safety, but for the young girl who he was now trying to keep out of death's way. He had stared death in the face before a few years ago, but now, there was no escape. No hope. Nothing. Just the inevitable.  

"Lights out", they chuckled, and pulled the trigger.

The gun clicked. The mechanical slide on the gun fired forward. The bullet never came. The chamber was empty. The gunman's eyes widened in annoyance and realization. He'd used the whole magazine of bullets. Tom remained routed on the spot, frozen in a state of shock, looking at the empty gun. Tina knew something was wrong now, and looked up from Tom's soaked shirt to follow his gaze into the fish tank, straight at the gun. That's when they both saw a red laser dot bounce off the glass of the fish tank, before the side of it exploded.

A wall of broken glass and water collapsed down onto Tom and Tina as they both screamed, grasping hold of each other as the freezing cold water fell down onto them. They were both knocked down to the floor with the force of the water, getting completely soaked and covered in glass and flapping fish and plants. Within seconds of the fish tank smashing, part of the fallen roof rubble was pulled away, revealing a frantic Luke and Gareth as they scrambled to fight their way through. "Tina! Tom! Quickly!", Gareth and Luke yelled, scrambling forwards towards them, Gareth grabbing hold of Tina's arm, hauling her to her feet. Tom leaped up to his feet too, grabbing hold of Tina's other arm, pushing her forward ahead of him as they all ran towards freedom as the smoke from the growing fire thickened, choking them. Tom and Gareth risked a quick look over their shoulder as they ran for the exits, and felt sick at the sight they saw. The gunman was lying flat on his back, the gun in his hand, a dead fish on his chest, a faded grin on his crooked lips, with a bloody bullet hole in the centre of his head. 

[3rd Person POV]

Never in all my years of training or service have I had to put a bullet through the wrong head. I'd watched the whole event happen, right up until the point he was about to kill. I knew he hadn't counted his rounds, and I was proven right. He'd unloaded his whole magazine of bullets at those two clueless bodyguards, so hadn't any to kill our target. I saw the terror in their eyes at the point they thought they were about to die. It made me feel sad knowing that it wasn't my gun barrel they were staring down, but then Max was stupid and clueless. He probably did have a back up way of killing them, either strangling them or slicing their throat open, but I didn't want to stall any longer. 

I'd lined up my laser sight with Max's head, moving it off my targets, and pulled the trigger. The sight of the tank exploding with all the water flowing out did look like something out of a movie. At least it would be something for me to replay over in my head on the journey out of here. I watch my target and being ushered quickly out of the building through an exit, straight into the back of a waiting car with their bodyguard. I knew I'd failed my assignment in not sticking my bullet in their head, but knowing that Max was no longer going to be a problem was the only thing I was most concerned about. Besides, I'd saved my targets life ... for now. 

After watching them leave via police escort and the rest of the emergency services arrive to start dealing with the burning restaurant and terrified diners, I make myself scarce. Packing up all my equipment, I make sure I have left no trace of evidence in the hotel room, before leaving, leaving the key so no link of my can be traced back. Slinging my bag over my back, I head towards the emergency stairwell, pushing open the fire door, leading straight outside the back of the hotel building. I quickly head down the metal staircase, being careful to avoid making too much noise, before walking through the crowds of people below, all gathered around, wanting to find out what had happened across the road. 

It wasn't long before I had traveled all the way down toward the river, making sure to pull my hood up and walk at a slower pace so to avoid suspicion, occasionally glancing over my shoulder. That's when my phone rang. Reluctantly I picked up

"I see that your bullet found the wrong head. I should have known you'd make payback before agreeing to my terms"

My employer sounded mad. Truth be told, I hadn't done what he'd asked, but then again, he really bugged me and sounded like a arrogant idiot with too much money on his hands. Perhaps my next bullet should be in his head instead. I suspected he knew how mad he'd made me by not telling me of his other plans, so quickly continued. 

"Look. I can see that I should have told you 'all' of my little details. I don't want to get on your bad side, so here's the deal. I can guess you have grown tired of my little notes and messages, running along with my game. So this is what you can do. I am giving you the chance to meet me. Face to face. In person. No tricks"

Tempting. It would make it a lot easier now to put a bullet in his head. At least I wouldn't have to track him down and stalk him like what we he has done with me. "Where are you then?", I ask him after walking for a little while further, keeping silent in thought before answering. If he is lying, then god help him. 

"The Sherlock Holmes Pub. Order a peacemaker. I shall see you soon"

He chuckled over the phone, a deep throaty laugh before the line went dead. I knew that this was going to be a trap, but I had nothing to loose now. I had questions that needed answering, and I was prepared to get them, with bloodied hands or not. Besides, I was armed and dangerous. No one was going to try and win over me. No one. 

[ A / N : Tom's alive! He lived! Hurrah! So they managed to get out of there alive, all thanks to ... the other assassin?!?! No one wants a angry assassin, and I think things are going to get very dark, very quickly now ... well at least Tom is safe now ... right? ;) Leave your thoughts/comments below everyone xxxx love you all ]