Jokers

1

7th April 2022.

Aria's pov:

No, no, no. A little bit more longer. My legs wouldn't listen to my desperate pleas. My shaky breath now quickened as I forced my legs to run. I can't stop now, not after everything I managed to pull of and by some miracle managing to escape. 

Pain flooded my chest as I stumbled on forward. "Shit" I groaned as the oncoming stitch stabbed my lungs. I crumpled to the floor and gasped for air, my chest feeling tight and the stitch now at its worst. I was never good at running.

As my breathing calmed I took a moment to take in my surroundings. All I could see were layer upon layers of trees, all standing in zig zag lines. It was quiet. Weird. How didn't they know I was gone yet? and the fire? 

Well, I'm not complaining, gives me more time to make my escape. "shit" I sighed again. I was lost. I scanned the overwhelmingly green area to figure out where to go but there wasn't anything that looked familiar.

I slowly got up and grimaced at the bruises on my arms and legs, this was going to be a problem. I sank down against the tree, giving up on running and reached into my pocket to pull out my beloved set of matchsticks and grinned. 

It was his fault anyway. I warned him enough, he simply didn't understand. when I told him that one day I'd burn his house and hopefully him also inside of it, I meant every single word. 

I groaned as I leant my head back on the hard bark of the tree and shut my eyes, listening to the odd screeching of the bird. Fuck birds. 

My early adrenaline disappeared and all the was left was the aching of the bruises and stabbing pain in my chest that I felt often enough, yet however many times I felt it, I could never get used to it. 

I heaved over in pain, the tree was the only thing that was holding me up at this moment and soon enough I felt my eyes watering and closing. 

Leo's pov:

"Shoot him" I ordered as I walked back to my car. I didn't have time for this. I rubbed the temple of my head I could feel a headache coming up. Shit. This whole day was just shit.

"You alright, lee?" I looked up too see Chase grinning at me.

"Of course." I snapped at him. 

His smile only widened.

I turned back to see what was taking them so long to shoot the damn guy when I heard yelling and saw as the man broke free from one of my men, who's name was useless to remember, as I had no need to, darted into the trees surrounding him. 

I looked at my men waiting for one of them to move or run after the guy but they just stood there all tentatively looking a me. 

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ALL LOOKING AT ME FOR? GET HIM NOW. OR DO YOU NEED A FUCKING INVATATION?" I shouted as they all finally started running into woods.

 I looked at the tall pine trees that towered above me and sighed.

I shivered as a strong wind brushed my black hair over my face, impatiently I pushed it out and paced the clearing of the forest, letting anger get the better of me.

The night was cold, clawing at my arms. Desperateness in the trees were evident, they seemed restless as the wind tormented them, pushing them side to side in hopes to perhaps push them over. It was oddly quite. Not an animal to be heard. It was always like that when I was around. 

Quiet. Not a sound to be heard. No one dared to speak in my presence, it was just the way I like it. 

Voices spoke of from behind me in murmurs, clearly not wanting to get my attention, so I decided to see just who the fuck had the guts to talk.

I turned around to see them carrying a....girl?

That same man who let the other one go, held the girl in his arms and walked up to me, "Sir, she was just lying there unconscious, shes still breathing but..."

"So," I hissed "Shes not my problem."

"But-"

"I DONT FUCKING CARE, WHERE. IS. THE. GUY?" I roared impatiently. these people were doing my head in. I just wanted to go home and here he brings a girl.

I looked over to Chase, I couldn't deal with this right now and as my right hand man he ought to do something.

However when I looked over at him when he didn't say anything he was looking at the girl with shocked expression covering his face. 

"Take her back. Take her back with us." He ordered. 

"What the HELL do you think your doing?" I asked his practically ready to slap him 

"Trust me Leo. There's something that I need to check. If I'm wrong then we give her a compensation and send her somewhere else." He looked at me intently wishing for me to understand what the fuck he was on about. 

I couldn't telepathically know what he was on about, I guess i'd just have to wait till he decided to tell me.  

I shook my head, feeling all the anger pulse back into my head, the fact that he knew that I couldn't contradict him in this matter made it even more infuriating, I just wanted to go home, or at least the dusty place that was supposed to be one.

I breathed out a frustrated sigh and looked at my best friend in the eye knowing how annoying he could be at times like this and gave up 

"Do what you want, Chase." I saw as his face changed to a smirk and as he ordered men to get the girl into the car.... god what had I just allowed?

Kyro would have wanted me to help her out. I knew that.

I froze, I kept doing this. I kept thinking of him.

" Boss....im sorry i wasn't able to get the guy he...he, ran away" I looked up at the voice that cut through my thoughts to see the guy looking at me and running his hand through his hair.

I glared at him coldly. Was he really going to ask for forgiveness after he was stupid enough to let a prisoner out.

Well, Lucas would have to deal with whatever procedures he'd have to give or put in or whatever. It was Lucas's problem not mine,

I sighed and gave him a wave of my hand, Indicating that he was dismissed.

I pulled the passenger door of the car open as Chase had decided he wanted to drive today. He looked a bit odd, he was quiet during the drive back to base which was definitely weird because this man never shut up. 

When we drove out today, I thought we'd return back empty handed, the guy finally dead and me with some peace. 

I never imagined returning back with another person. 

A girl that too. What the hell was she doing in the Russian woods? In the middle of nowhere? 

I pushed back the thoughts when I realised that I just didn't care.