The Man between my crosshairs (girl X assassin)

Chapter 17/Clean up on isle 4

 Zoe slung the weapons into a sports bag. She picked up the smart mine she named 'Titbit' stroked it and carefully placed it in the bag. Mohab handed over a pin pad.

She typed a pin code on an authorization pad and the transaction was complete. Then singing her goodbyes she left. She emerged back through the bead curtains into the hostile bar. People were waiting for her to emerge. Eyes tracked like gun turrets as she walked towards the door.

Next to the door was a large grey man who was 50% cyborg and 100% bad ass. From the way he stood with his arms crossed he was waiting for her. He had a dense flat face.

Zoe stepped forwards towards him. He held his hand against the door.

"Where is a pretty little girl like you going?" He said in a low voice.

"I don't know about you but the front door, seems a pretty good option" Zoe said.

"Don't you like a drink? I have a proposition for you? I have some work for you." said the man blocking to door. He towered over her. Zoe looked him over. Cyborg' arms titanium with the artificial skin tattered at the knuckles. Probably attached to a reinforced spine. Not military grade but good. Powered by fule cells, so stamina but might have hydrogen inside. He looked to lead with his right given the knuckle damage he didn't get fixed. His legs were thick originals but with an exoskeleton. So he wore baggy trousers to cover them. He had grown up on a high gravity planet but the exoskeleton should slow him down.

"I already have a job, they call me speaker with numbskulls, it's nt " said Zoe.

"but with my job you can work on your back." Said the man.

Zoe bit her lip then spoke "Tempting. Does it come with free dental?"

The man started to laugh then stopped and his face turned mean "no but I can knock all your teeth out. Still I like them feisty." He flicked the lock on the door. "Bitches out."

At this point all the women in the room who were showing more skin than clothing began to rush to a door leading to a staircase upstairs. Zoe put her black weapons bag down.

"You know many scientists think it's a lack of vitamin C. As a child which causes sudden unprovoked bouts of rage and anger in adult life," said Zoe. While she spoke her high heels morphed into flats.

"See that's where you're wrong. I had a good mother. I had plenty of orange juice as a kid." sSaid Mr Rage.

At this Zoe moved side ways. Jumped to the wall she pushed off the wall and back. Soon she was on Mr Rage's back strangling him.

"I didn't me you. I meant me," she said into his ear.

Mr Rage was taken back by this. He waved his arms at her but his mussels meant he couldn't reach behind his head where Zoe was hanging. His face turned blue. Mr Rage's friends began to stand up.

"Yeah Hah" said Zoe waving one hand in the air "I've always wanted to be a cowgirl."

Mr Rage got smart and with his last breath turned around and ran backwards into a pillar. This stunned Zoe enough to loosing her grip. Mr Rage took advantage of this and flipped her over his head. He threw her across the bar and On to the floor. Zoe was clearly winded at this point.

"That's good." She coughed "Hey you know what happens in all the movies at this point? We both laugh. With our new found mutual respect we get drunk together and become best friends. " Zoe Said panting.

"Ha" said Mr Rage. "I think instead I'll just fuck you."

"Sorry lover. I have a thing. I don't do cyborgs" Zoe spat back.

He ran forwards and jumped trying to land on her like some wrestling match move. Zoe rolled over avoiding Mr Rage's attempt to squash her.

"That was close. I'll never be mean to a squeeze ketchup bottle again" said Zoe scrambling back into a table while Mr Rage tried to figure out what had happened.

Mr Rage got off the floor grabbed a glass whiskey bottle. He smashed one end turning it into a sharp jagged weapon. Zoe avoided the temptation to do the same. Most of the time you ended up holding a bottle neck in an embarrassing way.

"Time to rearrange your pretty face. Good news is most of my customers don't look there" said Mr Rage. He waved the bottle at her like a knife.

Zoe leapt to her feet before Mr Rage could get to his. She did a couple of expert kicks. Mr Rage unbalanced staggered but not by much. He fell through the glass door of the bar into the street. Zoe went out. She looked behind her to check no one could see her next moves. She then kicked the back of Mr Rage's knees. He fell down on the floor again. She kicked the bottle out of his hand and kicked him on to the ground.

"Say you won't disrespect women again and I won't kill you" said Zoe in a ready stance. Fists made ready by tension forming tight balls.

"Fuck you" said Mr Rage who then spat at her.

"That's a no right?" Zoe said.

Zoe expertly jumped and landed on Mr Rage's neck breaking it with her body weight. Mr Rage didn't move. She checked his pulse like a nurse. Dead. Zoe went back into the room. When she arrived she saw the bar man going round with a tray handing out little yellow tablets of Rohypol 15. People made a big show of taking the tablets. With that they weren't a witness. The pill would wipe today's memories. Zoe walked around and picked up her bag of weapons. She held up her watch to her ear. The system dialled a number.

"Clean up on aisle seven. This location" she said calmly. This was another bureau courtesy. Disposing of bodies was a slow time-consuming task which required good local knowledge. A disposal and cleanup squad or at least the number of reliable group was gold dust. In this case they would drop him under leading tank track. It would take several hours the crushing of many huge tank tracks. But his body would-be almost unrecognisable. With the absence of any bullet holes the police would record accidental death.

"What already? Jezz" said Mohab's voice as he walked in the room.

With that Zoe strutted out of the bar, flung her leg over her bike and casually left.

*skitzals = Idiots but 

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Thanks for sticking with us. We might take The man between to visit action for a few weeks and see what happens. Hugs RK+Reb.