However Long The Night

SIX: Never reveal your true intentions

The words made Rosario freeze for a fraction of second before she managed to compose herself. Then, she released the branches slowly, providing herself with the cover of them once again.

You truly aren't who you say you are.

She tried to turn, but when the clink of blades met her ears, Rosario knew nothing good would result in it. Either way, she knew who she was dealing with. The voice was logged into her mind.

"That would make two of us," Rosario said, testing the waters for his reaction.

They didn't have much time. The thieves were getting ready to leave. Making a plan she couldn't focus on with Kirschtein threatening to slice and dice her.

"No," Kirschtein laughed. "I'm exactly who I say I am. A Scout. A soldier. You, on the other hand, would rather watch one of your squad members die without trying to stop it."

Ah, crap. Had they been part of her squad?

"Had I jumped in, it would be two bodies in that river. I don't have for inpulsive idiots."

"You're supposed to work together."

"You watched too," Rosario shot back, completely unaware if her statement had been true. It wasn't until Kirschtein sucked in a breath that she knew she'd hit the nail on the head.

Yatzee, Rosario thought. Now to drive her point deeper and get this over with.

"His head was getting smashed in and you just watched me do nothing. Why didn't you jump in, soldier? Why didn't you risk your own life for an imbecile that anyone with half a mind would realize was going into certain death? Are we both just smart in seeing a trap where there is one, or are we both soulless dirtbags who'd watch our comrade die bloody for the sake of leverage and an advantage?"

Kirschtein didn't say a word and Rosario had no patience to wait around for his conscience to kick in. She jumped through the bushes, not giving Kirschtein or the five criminals any time to react before she sliced one right through the stomach. His guts spilled onto the rock and grass before his body followed suit.

That moment of shock was enough for Rosario to take advantage and kill more. She hooked her wires onto the wooden legs of the bridge and propelled herself at two of them, cutting so deep into the throat of one that most of his head detached off his body, holding together just by one strip of skin at the back of the neck.

The other criminal cut her wires, leaving her with no advantage over the remaining three of them. He tackled her onto the ground, lodging a knee in her stomach hard enough to expel all her air.

Like she expected, Kirschtein chose that moment to come out, taking the criminal off her and throwing him to the side. Before she could stand, Rosario threw a blade at one of the remaining two that was charging their way. The blade lodged itself in her chest. As she fell, it drove deeper, coming out through her back.

The final one was too easy. As Kirschtein tended to his conscience by keeping the one he handled alive and restrained, Rosario moved into the last of them. She put away her blades, walking toward the man as he walked toward her.

Confidence like that isn't faked. He saw what she could do. Saw there were more out there helping her. He knows he's outnumbered. He didn't jump in to save his own people.

Everything Rosario did was to scoop out the leader of this pack. She knew without a doubt he was standing in front of her. And all the information on their operation and if there were more was inside his perverse mind.

Being a soldier, hated and underestimated by the criminals of the island, wasn't such a bad thing when you knew how to use it against them. The leader charged in, hoping to catch her off guard and end her. Rosario knew of his knife before he took it out and had no problems dodging the attack as it came. She took his arm and twisted it behind his back, swiping her leg under his, sending him to the ground.