SNAKESKIN (Tangerine) ✓

二十三

The Cobra

I took a deep breath as I pressed myself into the luggage rack, drawing the curtain in front of me to conceal my whereabouts. Tangerine was in the bathroom opposite me and we were waiting silently for the White Death's associates to board the train.

We were in the gangway between cars fourteen and fifteen. Lemon was in the driver's car and it was mine and Tangerine's job to stop the soldiers before they could reach the front of the train. Piece of cake, right?

The sound of hurried footsteps reached my ears and I pulled my knife from my jacket pocket, holding it at the ready. I was prepared to jump from my hiding place at a moment's notice, my ears honed in on the approaching footfalls. The whoosh of the gangway door opening was the only signal needed. I raised the knife above my head, taking a deep breath, before I jumped out from my hiding spot, slashing blindly in front of me.

"What the fuck?" My knife made contact with something tough, slicing straight through it like butter. I blinked at the man in front of me as blood began to pour from the gash in his arm. I dragged the knife towards his wrist, tearing open the skin as he screamed in pain. He reached out with his other hand and grabbed my wrist, yanking my hand away from him and pinning it above my head.

I stumbled backward. The masked man was far stronger than me, but I had mastered the art of overpowering people who were bigger and stronger than me. I dropped the knife in my hand, letting it fall for a moment, before I immediately lashed out with my free hand, grasping the hilt. With forceful purpose I lunged forward, lodging it square in his chest. The blade tore through the fabric of his suit jacket as I dragged it down, relishing In the man's agonised screams as it ripped through his flesh.

"Take that, bitch," I hissed as he dropped to the floor. I stepped back, letting out a long breath as Tangerine emerged from the bathroom, a confused air about him. I glanced up at him, an irritated look on my face. "Nice of you to help."

Tangerine looked through to car fourteen-the door was still open as the dead body blocked it from closing. "I didn't hear him coming." He glanced down at the body, his face void of any sort of shock or surprise. "Doesn't look like you needed my help, anyways."

"Whatever." I brushed past Tangerine, shooting him cheeky grin, so he knew I wasn't actually mad at him. "Might want to step up your game, Tang." I looked at him over my shoulder as I entered the next car. "This isn't really giving best in the business."

I flipped my hair over my shoulder as I continued down the car. I entered the gangway just before the driver's car. Lemon was visible through the window, scrambling around with the controls. I didn't enter the car though; instead I ducked behind the gangway door, prepared to stop any more intruders.

"You can be a bitch, you know that?" I snickered as Tangerine pressed his back against the wall on the other side of the door. He had a look of mock annoyance on his face, as he held his gun in front of him. The safety was clearly off. "You know I'm the best in the fucking business!"

"I don't think so," I retorted, grinning widely. I peeked around the doorframe, just enough to see three men in masks heading down the aisle of the previous car. "Shit. There's three of them coming now," I observed quietly, all humour draining from my face, replaced by a serious expression of determination. "After you?"

"Why, thank you, love." I rolled my eyes as Tangerine jumped out into the doorway, shooting three times, before ducking back into the gangway. "I got two of 'em," he said, cocking the gun again. "The last one has a gun too."

I nodded, sending Tangerine a wink, before launching myself into the car. I ducked into the first booth, hiding behind the seat, as multiple bullets pierced the wall above me. With a deep breath, I raised my arm above the top of the seat, knife in hand. Before the man had the chance to pull the trigger again, I threw the knife, my breath stuck in my throat, until the relieving thud of a body hitting the floor reached my ears.