Without A Trace

Seventy-Five.

February 28.

I stare at the clock on the wall while everyone slowly makes their way into the dining room. Tensions are already high and none of us have even spoken to each other this morning. I blink out of my thoughts and look around at everyone as Thomas takes a seat next to me.

"Good morning," he begins. "Todays task is simple. Kill Zamira and don't make a fucking scene about it. We've gone over this plan so many times you should be able to recite it in your bloody sleep."

"Stick to your prospected areas. If anything goes wrong you come find one of us. You keep her people away from the girls and I and let us do our thing," I say bringing my cigarette to my lips and taking a long drag off of it. "We need to get their early, so to get ready and meet back at the cars," I say before raising from my seat and walking away.

Once we all gathered at the vehicles again and have departed from the house I can tell the girls are nervous. I'd be a fuckin liar if I said I wasn't in the same boat as them. Once we reach the campaign sight the girls and I file out and slip into the crowd to blend in. The guys make their way around the parameters and scope out her guards.

My eyes meet one of the coppers on our payroll thats standing at the entrance to the hotel. He clenches his jaw and slowly turns his back away from the girls and I and we slip inside. Before entering I speak to him briefly, "This street better be empty in 20 minutes or its your fuckin head," I threaten him before closing the door behind me.

I draw my pistol from my hip as Anna takes the lead in front of me. As we round a corner, one of the biggest men I've ever seen reaches around and grabs Anna, slamming her against the wall causing her weapon to fall.

I pull my gun up to shoot as a door opens right in front of me blocking my shot. The two men pull her into the room, locking it behind her.

"Fuck!" I yell as I toss my jacket on the ground. Ivy grabs her picks out of her pocket and kneels down to start picking the lock.

I whip my head over to the sound of footsteps and shoot the two other men running towards us. Ivy flinches and fumbles with her picks, muttering to herself.

"I got you Iv just keep working," I say trying to slow my heart rate.

Inside the room they slam Anna on the desk and she yells in pain gribbing onto the mans wrists.

"Boss will be please with your head," one of them chuckles as they send a blow across her face.

Anna turns her head back to them and spits the blood in their face thats pooling in her mouth, "And I'll be fuckin pleased with yours," she says before she digs her nails into his wrist. She pierces the skin causing the man to cry out. Before we left the house she mixed a toxin in her nail polish that takes effect immediately, a recipe she found that the boys mom used to use.

She reaches up and sticks both of her thumbs in his eyes causing him to scream and fall back on the bed. The second guy grabs ahold of the back of her head and slams her back against the wall. He pins her hands above her head with his free hand and moves his other hand to her throat and starts to squeeze.

Annas heart rate increases quickly and she can feel an episode starting to creep up. He grumbles trying to continue to breathe, tears swelling in her eyes. She closes her eyes for a moment and thinks to herself:

No. You're not fucking weak. You're Anna fucking Shelby

She opens her eyes again with fire in them as she swallows her anxiety. She swings her legs up and starts to kick the guy in his abdomen but he doesn't budge.

Ivy manages to get the door open. As soon as he's remotely visible Ivy yells out, "ANNA DUCK." Anna moves her head the best she can and I take my shot. He drops Anna and slumps to the ground as Anna gasps for air. Blood stains her face and Ivy and I look at her with concern as her breathing quickens again.