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0 | 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙇𝙊𝙂𝙐𝙀
I've had to kill my best friends. I have had to scale a building with only my bare hands. I've jumped out of planes without parachutes and I've gotten shot nine times. I will do anything to get a job done, but none of the conditions were too bad. I can deal with blood on my hands and sweat soaking my clothes. I don't have any weaknesses.
Except high heels.
I fucking hate these fucking shoes, I seethe in my mind, but keep a neutral smile on the exterior as I walk down the illuminated streets of Tokyo. My sparkly red dress catches every light I pass. Normally I wouldn't go for something so flashy, but this job requires a little more class than my usual leather jacket.
With my heels clicking and my hand tightly clutching my handbag containing my handgun, I continue walking through the busy night until I spot the sign I'm looking for.
ナイトクラブ
I grab the stainless steel doorknob and pull. As soon as I walk in and close the door behind me, the smell of drugs and alcohol fill my nostrils and I hold back a scoff. Something about drugs and alcoholic beverages gets on my nerves. Even if SWAN allowed those substances, I wouldn't dare touch them—they would just hinder my skills.
Men stare as I pass by them. I'm not used to the attention since I'm never in this attire, but when you work for SWAN you can't have a comfort zone since you're constantly doing things you don't want to do. I've learned to not care and do whatever they assign no matter what. No questions asked. If wearing these damn heels, curling my hair, and stuffing my body into a skin-tight red dress is apart of the job, then I'm going to do it with my head high. I ignore the stares and flip my dyed blonde hair from my shoulder so it swishes against my bare back.
My eyes scan the venue. There are plenty of drunk and high people that flood the dance floor and bar, but even after a full sweep, I don't see the face I'm looking for. I quickly glance down at my purse and pull out a small device, looking at the image of my mission even though his face is burned in my mind. I put the device away and scan the room again.
A door with a male silhouette on it opens. My attention is immediately drawn to the movement as the man from the picture walks out, wiping his hands on his suit.
His face has the same clean-cut beard, bushy eyebrows, and pudgy cheeks. He steps up to the crowded bar and sits next to a middle-aged man with graying hair. As he sits the older man looks at the target and says something that makes them both laugh.
I don't hesitate to make my way to the bar of the nightclub and scan the stools for an empty space. Unfortunately there is only two stools left, both on the other side of the bar, so I adjust the diamond bracelet on my wrist and roll with the punches, taking the seat closest to the target. I conspicuously keep my gaze on him as I trace the grain in the wood with my manicured finger. It takes a few seconds for him to feel my eyes on him and to look up from his friend. When his eyes meet mine, my gaze intensifies and he smirks. He calls a bartender over and points at me, saying words I can't hear over the music blasting in the nightclub. The bartender nods and then makes a drink. He brings it to me on the other end of the bar.
I take the drink but don't take a sip. I keep my gaze on the target for a moment before letting my lips turn up in a ghost of a smile as I stand. My left eye winks, and then I turn to leave, my drink untouched.
I weave through the crowd and inhale the fresher air when I step outside. The deafening music is muffled by the door closing behind me.
Ignoring the ache in my feet from the tall heels, I turn the corner and walk down a small, dirty alley. My ears perk at the sound of footfalls behind me.
"Leaving so soon?"
In one fluid motion I pull my handgun from my purse, turn, and shoot. The man has no time to react before the bullet is lodged between his eyes and he falls to the ground.
I let my hand with the gun fall to my side as my eyes stay trained on the lifeless body in front of me. I lift my diamond bracelet around wrist to my mouth.
