KILL SHOT

Silent Wounds

I slipped through the darkened streets, my body aching from bruises and cuts. The adrenaline from the fight still coursing through my veins, but my mind was elsewhere—back in that alley, replaying every moment with Aze.

My fingers traced the fresh wound on my shoulder, the sting a sharp reminder of the cut he had left me with. His blade was fast and precise, tearing through my defenses like they were nothing. But what really bothered me—was how he could block my attacks so easily.

The cold night brushed my skin, pulling me back to reality. I can't get distracted, not by this. Zayn would kill me if he knew I was even thinking about that bastard. I was one of his best assassins. Sharp, focused and most important ,always in control. I couldn't afford to waste another second thinking about him.

But damn him... He'd looked good. Too good for someone who had nearly killed me.

"Get a grip, May," I muttered to myself. The mission was over. The target was dead. That was all that mattered.

I reached the agency's safehouse, but something felt off. The familiar dull ache of returning to the base wasn't there. Instead, i felt a strange sensation, as if the fight hadn't truly ended. I could still feel the heat of Aze's body pressed against mine, could still hear his low voice whispering in my ear: "I'm Aze, by the way."

"Asshole," I swiped my keycard at the door.

The safehouse was quiet as always. Most of the Assassins were on missions or in the traingrooms. The Lobby was as cold and unfeeling as the lives we lived—precisely the way I preferred it. No attachments. No distractions. Just work.

"You're late," a gruff voice interrupted my thoughts.

Zayn , My Boss , stood by the entrance, arms crossed over his broad chest, his sharp green eyes appraising me. I have always looked up to him. He was my mentor, my guard, everything i can i owe to him.But no matter how much I respected him, Zayn was not quite an empath. He always was aware of everything , keeping a cold and firmly presence with an air of authority that I'd never dared to challenge. He didn't tolerate mistakes, but tonight... tonight, there was something different in his eyes. Something more than just professional concern.

"You look like shit," he said in a mocking tone.

"Nice to see you too, Zayn," i answered as I walked past him, heading for the medical bay. Every step sent pain through my body, but I gritted my teeth and kept moving. I wouldn't show weakness—not now.Not in front of him.

Zayn followed close behind. "Sit down," he ordered, grabbing a medical kit from the counter. "Let me see that shoulder."

I hesitated for a second, but the pain was catching up to me with every passing moment. With a frustrated sigh, I sank into one of the chairs. Zayn knelt in front of me, his hands moving to clean the wound. His touch was rough, there was no room for gentleness in our line of work. You patched yourself up and moved on.

"Care to tell me what happened out there?" Zayn's voice broke the silence as he pressed gauze against the gash in my shoulder.

I gasp at the sharp sting but didn't flinch. "The target is dead," I said, my voice cold. "That's all that matters."

Zayn wasn't buying it. He raised an eyebrow "And what else? You don't get banged up like this just taking down one guy. So what really happened?"

I clenched my jaw, unwilling to drag Aze into this conversation. But Zayn wasn't going to let it slide. I knew that look in his eyes—he wouldn't back off until he got the truth.

"There was another assassin," I admitted after a long pause. "He was there for the same target."

Zayn's hands stilled for a moment, his sharp eyes locking onto mine. "Describe him."

"Dark hair. Brown eyes. Tall, lean but strong. He knew exactly what he was doing—almost got to the target before I did."

Zayn looked at me curious "Sounds like a freelancer- or someone from a rival agency."

I shook my head. "No, he was too skilled. Too... familiar with what he does. It's like he was born to kill—his moves, his precision—it's almost like he was a shadow, slipping through the cracks."

Zayn finished wrapping my shoulder, then sat back on his chair, arms crossed, studying me with that calculating gaze of his. "Are you sure you don't know him?"

"No," I said firmly "I've never seen him before,,

He didn't look convinced. There was something about this situation that clearly bothered him.

"We'll find out who this guy is," he said finally. "If he's working for a rival agency, you know what that means."

I nodded, knowing that if this wasn't a coincidence, I'd have to kill Aze sooner rather than later. This wasn't over.

"Don't let this guy get to your head, May," Zayn said "We've got bigger missions coming up. Stay focused."

"I am focused," I snapped, more sharply than I intended.

Zayn gave me a long look, his expression unreadable. "Good." He was right, of course. I couldn't afford distractions, especially not from some arrogant bastard who thought he could walk into my mission and get away unscathed.

But this wasn't over. The next time we would see each other, things will be different. I won't hesitate. I'd finish what I started.

"It won't happen again," I said quietly, my voice cold and resolute. "Next time, I'll kill him."

Zayn smirked, a glint of approval in his eyes. "That's the May I know."

I forced a smile, but deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that this fight—whatever it was between me and Aze—was far from over.