Fallen Angels

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Giuseppe Ronald. The name, so often announced on TV for the numerous crimes its owner had committed, rung in Madelyn's head. Only minutes ago it had been broadcast on live television following the man's heinous crime of murdering a 33-year-old widow who had three kids, still youngsters and dependent on their now dead mother.

Madelyn shoved her gun into the back of her jeans and shrugged on a jacket. She was dressed in all black; black jacket, black boots, black jeans and a plain black T-shirt. Jet black hair framed Madelyn's pale face, which held a pair of just as black eyes.

Looking in the mirror, she saw a stranger staring back at her, with cold, impassive eyes, the eyes of a murderer. They were the same eyes she stared into before shooting a bullet between them, for what now seemed like a million times. Her eyes weren't the warm, understanding eyes of the young woman she used to know.

Madelyn gulped, guilt seeping over her, at what she had become, at what her own self had turned her into. For a fleeting moment, her strength wavered, her knees threatening to buckle. But the moment passed as quickly as it had come. Madelyn stood straight, a hint of steely resolve and a sense of finality in her eyes. If she was doing this, she was doing this with all she had. No weakness. No backing down.

"Amelia." Madelyn turned towards the sleeping figure of her roommate, draped over the bed in an unladylike manner. Platinum blonde hair covered her face, drool escaping the corners of her mouth. "Wake up."

Madelyn's left eye twitched in slight irritation when she showed no sign of consciousness. It was well past midnight and Madelyn hadn't expected her to, but she couldn't help being annoyed, given the fact that she was already running late. "Amelia, wake up!" Madelyn shouted.

Hesitantly opening one eye, Amelia looked up at Madelyn. "Jeez Maddy, stop it. You're gonna wake the whole neighborhood." She groaned.

"Don't call me Maddy. It's Madelyn." Madelyn said in a steady but deadly voice. Anyone who remotely knew Madelyn would know that she despised nicknames, or any form of informality.

Luckily for Amelia, she was used to it, having lived with Madelyn for 6 years. "And my name is Mia, not Amelia." She said with a frown.

Getting no response from Madelyn, Mia just rolled her eyes and said, "What?"

"I'm going out. I need your eyes and ears open if anything goes wrong. If anything gets on the internet, I want it down immediately."

"Yes Sir." Mia saluted Madelyn with droopy eyes and a slurry voice.

Madelyn gave her one last look and jumped out the window.

She heard the usual "careful" from Mia but chose to ignore it, snaking her way through the thin alley where she landed.

Madelyn made her way through numerous lanes and alleys, rarely encountering anyone except for the occasional homeless person sleeping in the streets.

The cool wind of the night attacked her with incredible ferocity, sweeping back Madelyn's hair, with her fighting to keep her eyes open. She was almost tempted to give in, close her eyes, and enjoy the simple coolness of the wind against her skin. Almost.

She was passing by a small, dainty house, the residents of which were still awake, judging by the lights streaming through the gaps in the curtains, contrasting the eerie darkness of the night, and the unmistakable sound of a newscaster.

Not stopping to wonder what the aforementioned residents were doing awake at such an ungodly hour in the night, Madelyn continued on. But almost immediately something caught her attention.