Vixen - a dark romance story

Chapter 9

Ray Valentino

Perched on a building's roof and hidden by the shadows, Ray was watching a target through the lens of her sniper rifle. Her body was positioned in the classic stance of an assassin pursuing its victim, and her eyes remained fixed. In her ear, her teammate's well-known voice crackled over the communications.

"Target is within range,"

She nodded to herself, taking a steadying breath. She could see the target walking down the street below, completely unaware of the danger waiting above. Ray rotated the sniper, scanning the nearby alleyway.

"Status ?" the voice in her earpiece asked.

"Single," Ray replied with a small smirk, never taking her eyes off the target.

She readjusted her grip on the sniper, making sure her aim was straight and steady. Her finger hovered over the trigger, ready to strike and waiting for Felix's notice.

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a soft chuckle.

"Vixen." Felix said, his voice tinged with amusement. "Now isn't the time for jokes."

He spoke again and it was clear from his voice that he was still focused on the mission at hand.

"Target is approaching the intersection. Be ready."

Ray nodded, steadying her aim. She contemplated her options, her voice still hinting at playfulness. "Roger that. Pick your shot, Lix."

There was a moment of silence again before Felix spoke, his voice serious but tinged with a hint of amusement.

"Headshot, like always. Cleaner shot, less chance of making a loud mess."

There was a pause, and then he spoke again, his voice a bit lighter now. "Or maybe you could do a heart shot this time. Just to mix it up a bit."

Ray let out a small chuckle at his comment, her finger tightening fractionally against the trigger. Trading banter amidst a dangerous mission was always a guilty pleasure of hers.

"Tempting," she murmured.

She heard a quiet exhale of breath on the other end of the line, and could almost imagine the look on Felix's face: a hint of tension mixed with an amused eye-roll.

Ray shifted position to get a better vantage point from the rooftop.

She pursed her lips, waiting a few more seconds before settling on the head. She held her breath to focus the shot and pulled the trigger with the utmost precision.

Chk. Chk. Boom.

The crack of the shot was loud in the quiet night, but it was drowned out by the general noise of the city.

Ray watched the target fall to the ground, his lifeless body collapsing before he even made contact with the concrete.

After another moment of radio silence, Felix's voice crackled through the comm, more curious than anything else.

"Was that a head or a heart shot?"

"Cock shot."

There was a loud bark of laughter on the other end, followed by a few moments of coughing and sputtering.

"What- Seriously?" Felix gasped between laughs. He seemed to be struggling hard to keep his voice down, his attempts at being professional completely wrecked.

Ray smiled to herself, feeling a little surge of satisfaction at his reaction. She liked to catch him off guard with her responses, to keep him from being too focused on being serious all the time.

"No. Maybe next time, though."

There were still sounds of muffled chuckles on the other end, and she could practically see Felix shaking his head in amused disbelief.

He cleared his throat, attempting to regain some measure of seriousness in his voice. It was a failed attempt.  "You're a menace, Vixen."

Her lips twitched into a tiny smile, the familiar banter being almost as comforting as it was exhilarating. "Part of the job description,"

Ray glanced down at the target below and satisfied that it was a successful, clean kill, she started to pack up her sniper and gear.

Felix knew her well enough to recognize the sound of her humming through the radio static, and it always made him smile. Her nonchalance in the face of danger, the way she never lost her cool or her sense of humor, was one of the things that he admired about her.

"Done ?"

"Uh-huh. Check the station."

Felix took a few moments to confirm her words, the sound of tapping keys and low curses coming through the comm line as he double-checked.

He let out a low whistle, then spoke again, a note of awe in his voice. "That was quick. Target is confirmed dead. Nice shot, Vixen."

Ray couldn't help but feel a surge of pride at his words, a feeling of satisfaction coursing through her system. She might be a trained killer and a skilled agent, but hearing praise always felt good.

"Thanks, Lix." "Heading back to the base."

Ray finished packing up the last of her equipment, and she made her way downstairs, moving quietly through the building, and slipping out to the moonlit streets.

Felix was still on the other end of the comm line, his voice warm in the ear. "Alright. See you."

There was a burst of static, and the line went dead.

The walk back to Stray Kids's HQ was quiet, the night cool, and the streets mostly deserted.

Ray moved swiftly through the night. She carefully stuck to the shadows, blending in like a ghost. The moon shone brightly above her, guiding her through the darkness.

When she finally arrived at the HQ, she was greeted by the usual sight of the imposing building, a large compound structure that seemed to loom over her. Her footsteps reverberated quietly through the deserted hallways as she made her way inside.

All the lights in the base were off except for the soft glow of the dim night lights as it was late, and most of the members were probably asleep by now.

Still riding high on the thrill of the mission, Ray made her way to Division 1's rooftop, her safe haven.

The fresh night air greeted her as she stepped out onto the roof, the skyline sprawled before her in the distance.

The city's usual hustle and bustle were replaced by a peaceful calm, a stark contrast to the earlier chaos of the streets.

Ray took a deep breath, savoring the quiet night air. The lingering adrenaline in her veins made her hyperaware of her surroundings, on high alert.

Seated on the railing, she stared out into the night. The skyline of the city was beautiful under the moonlight, a sea of colorful blinking lights against a starry sky. The breeze felt cold on her skin, giving her a welcome shiver while also calming her anxiety.

Despite the late hour, her mind was still racing, going over the mission's events again. She couldn't help but nitpick every small detail, dissecting her performance and thinking of what she could have done better.

A quiet rustling of clothes and a light shuffling of feet came from behind her as she sat there lost in thoughts. Her hand instantly reached for the dagger strapped to her thigh as she jerked around. Decades of training had her reacting on instinct before she even had time to think.

She was greeted not by an assassin or a threat, but by a familiar face. He stood a few feet away from her, looking calm yet amused.

Chan.

He held up his hands in a non-threatening gesture, his gaze steady on her, a small smile on his face. "Easy, it's just me,"

The tension in her shoulders released a bit at the sound of his silky voice.

Ray let out a soft breath and withdrew her hand from the blade, turning back to face the view. Though she'd never admit it, it was reassuring to see him sometimes.