Emerald tapped her fingers against her lips as she leaned further back into the concrete wall behind her, allowing the shadows in the room to envelop her completely as she closed her eyes and took in a deep, shuddering breath – seeing Samantha always left her grappling with all of the emotions she usually suppressed. Aside from the soul crushing sadness she experienced every time she looked at the multiple scars lining Samantha’s fragile skin, the sheer, crushing weight of guilt that Emerald experienced every time she looked into those childish, innocent blue eyes was enough to have her questioning herself all over again. Maybe should could have avoided that one scar under her eye, or the purple ones still lining her right arm? Maybe if she’d been quicker, if she’d been stronger – if, if, if. The guilt trip was never-ending.
Needless to say that the last thing Emerald wanted to be doing while those turbulent emotions were still wrecking havoc with her psyche was stand perfectly still in an abandoned warehouse, waiting for her new client to show up.
If all went well, this would be a one night gig that paid handsomely and didn’t require any serious attention – in and out and then back home to a nice, tall glass of brandy on the rocks.
Emerald twitched as she heard the sound of several pairs of soft footsteps wander into the building, followed by the sharp clicks of what she presumed were her client’s well shined shoes. She made sure that she was entirely covered in darkness, and let her breathing even out as she listened carefully, her sharp eyes already picking out the shadows of the newly arrived party.
“Is she here?”
“I don’t know, it’s too damn dark to see anything,”
“Fucking keep it down you two – jeez, if it ain’t her then we’d be fucked six ways from Sunday with you two idiots around,”
“Sorry boss,”
“Why wouldn’t it be her?”
“Could be some coppers posing around to try and make arrests – right, Sir?”
“Yes, Max,” The last voice was smooth and cultured, the words spoken with an authority that bespoke of a man who had been born into power, and knew how to wield it. Emerald estimated that there was now officially a 95% chance that this was indeed her client and not a “copper”. All she needed was a visual to make sure – she made sure to know all faces affiliated with all branches of the justice force, she would know an actor in seconds.
Finally, the party stepped into square of moonlight shining from a hole in the roof. One tall, imposing figure stood in the center, the others crouched around him, guns at the ready.
“She’s late,”
“Fucking women are always late. Just because this one kills for living don’t mean she’s an exception to that rule,”
There was a rumble of laughter, even her client was smirking. Right up until a knife was pressed against his throat.
“I’m glad you all think so highly of me,” Emerald’s clear voice was a stark and sudden contrast to the rough quality of the voices of the men around her. Comically, they immediately jumped up, tripping over each other as they tried to find the source of the sudden noise, their guns swinging wildly while they attempted to get their feet back under them. She watched all of this with an amused smile on her face, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from bursting out in laughter. Screw payment, this was priceless.
“Mr. Samwell, might I point out to you that your choice in guard is horribly inadequate. Had I been the enemy, your throat would have been slit exactly one minute and 58 seconds ago,” she said as she finally released her hold on the shocked man and slid her blade back inside of her sleeve before walking around to face her client.
