Silhouette (Part One)

Chapter 16

I flattened myself against the brick wall in a narrow gap between two buildings. Sharp breaths of cold air stung my lungs as a tried to slow my racing heart. I could feel the adrenaline pulsing through my blood. It felt fantastic, but I had to stay quiet. Approaching footsteps brought my attention back to the task at hand. Hiding, running, killing, surviving.

I gripped a small pocket knife tightly, preparing for the person to round the corner. A black suited man rounded the corner, his head angled towards the street. So he didn't spot me. He passed the gap quickly, prompting me to shuffle out silently. My heart was thumping as I grappled swiftly grappled his head with one arm and drove the small blade into his throat. A gurgle of surprise passed his lips as I forced the blade deeper, blood welling up past my hand.

I laid him down as he struggled and gurgled to escape my grasp. Realizing it was almost over he shakily went for his gun strapped to his waist. He barely unlatched it before his breath clouded the air for the last time. He stopped moving, but the pool of blood kept growing, albeit slower than it was before.

Maybe I should move his body, but the trail of blood would mean he's going to get found.

A soft zip and small explosion of powder from the wall next to me brought my attention to the partner of the man I just killed. His silenced pistol was aiming right at me.

So no time to hide the body.

I took off at a dead sprint down the street, taking care to avoid the dead guy in the first few steps. I reached a corner and sped around it gathering my new surroundings as I raced by shops and stores. I took care to keep a mental map so I wouldn't get lost, but not everything goes as planned.

Two corners later and I was at the edge of town, where the buildings became small to non-existent. For a small town it was fairly large, but where are all the people?

I understand there being few to no people at night, but during the day? What is wrong with these people. They should be used to the cold. The tallest building I came upon was two stories high with a little shed attached to the side of its pale brown side. It's roof was flat and out of sight from the street, if only I'd grabbed that guy's gun instead of watching him bleed out on the sidewalk.

I crawled on top of the shed and jumped onto a small section of roof that stuck out of the side of the house. Hopefully no one is home. Grabbing the edge of the top roof, I hoisted myself over the edge. A flat roof with a raised edge.

Peering over the edge, the second guy rounded the corner and stalked down the street. His weapons half raised, as if that would do any good. A low hum vibrated through the street, its source unknown, but it held steady. Screeching tires accompanied it at intervals.

Someone is speeding through the town, and from the absence of the sound of a car crash they know how to handle a car.

The momentary interest in the unseen car faded, and he resumed stalking down the street, checking every nook and cranny so I couldn't surprise him like his partner. Only I wouldn't be surprising him like his partner. I had a special idea for him.

Rule #1 when hunting someone. Keep your senses alert at all times.

Rule #2. Look around every corner before sticking your entire body out there.

Rule #3. Look up often.

And that's what he wasn't doing. I pulled myself into a crouching position and peered over the edge at him as he slowly made his way in front of the house. The small porch wouldn't be a problem, unless he went under it. I stood up and stood on the edge. Taking a silent deep breath, I leaped off. The momentary weightlessness was amazing, but my feet were still angled down. At his head.

A laugh left my lips as the exhilaration overcame me. He looked up just in time for my feet to smash into his face, head-on. The fall came to a stop as my feet crunched into his face, knocking him over and my whole body landing on his. He crunched as I rolled off his body. That definitely wasn't a good sound, but I wasn't trying to make him feel good anyway.

And I can't say I felt good after a fall like that. My legs felt like they got thrown down a flight of stairs and my head got used a tether ball. My assailant didn't move as I moved to get up, pain pulsing through every muscle I had. The engine was getting louder, as was a slight ringing in my left ear. One leg supported me as I hobbled around the corner of the building to get out of sight of the road.

I wouldn't stay concealed if they rounded the corner, but I was out of immediate sight of the street. I couldn't fight them like this anyway.

The mysterious car that was squealing around town roared past, the sleek body of a dark gray Aston Martin blurred by. The engine noise died followed by the slam of a car door.

The face I thought I would never see again rounded the corner. Kaitlyn. She came back, but why.

"Oh my god! What happened?" She leaned down and wrapped her arm behind my back, supporting me as she practically dragged my to my feet.

"Oh, you know." I ground my teeth as fresh pain stabbed through my legs. "Killing bad guys while trying to stay alive. The last part I'm doing an amazing job."

"A smashing one it would seem. Pun intended." We reached the car and she pulled the passenger side open for me, then got me settled. I hate feeling helpless and dependent, but here I am. Completely dependent. I can't say helpless because I'm not.

"He looks like he's still breathing. What do we do with him?" She asked, drawing my attention to the very still man on the sidewalk.

"He has a gun. I can kill him so he won't be a problem when we leave." She looked at the silenced gun on the ground a distance away from him.

"Or I could do it." I froze. Wait what? "You don't have to hold the world on your shoulders you know. I'm here."

She retrieved the gun and put two rounds into his head before grabbing a few spare clips from his belt.

She just killed him, like she did that every day. Maybe there's more to this girl than she lets on. I found myself cruising down the road with Kaitlyn driving. After getting my stuff from the hotel we were back on the road.

"Those were the remnants of my father's personal security." She explained.

"How did they know where to find me?" Knowing full well how.

"The USB. While I was driving away, a loud noise brought my attention to a security alert that automatically told me where to find you. That is until you seemingly disconnected the device from the computer."

"So what now?" The pain radiating through me gradually dissipated, turning into a dull ache. The ringing in my ear also stopped.

"I thought you would have a plan?"

"Not at the moment."

"One thing is for certain. You need a little time to fully recover from your escapade."

"Agreed." Nothing else was said and the sun began to set. One day was all it took for everything to screw me over. So I shut my eyes and everything went away.