As the name Isabella passed Marcus's lips, he observed a flicker of surprise in her eyes. It was a small, but one that made him realise that Isabella wasn't any good person .
"Im afraid I must leave" Diana said, rising from her seat and making her way towards the door. But as her hand gripped the doorknob, Marcus spoke up.
"What if I were to inform your employer that you failed to complete your duties?" It was a threat, one that Marcus hadn't intended to make, but he needed answers, one way or another.
Diana paused, her hand still on the doorknob, and turned to face him.
"We are forbidden from disclosing any information to clients"she said firmly.
"I don't require you to tell me anything else"Marcus replied. " I only need to know who Isabella is."
Diana hesitated, glancing over her shoulder before locking the door.
"Isabella is a fighter"she said, her voice low. "She was once a champion, but since Zeke's passing, she has been without a partner."
Marcus felt a sense of confusion wash over him as Diana continued.
"The fighting ring typically requires two partners against two, a woman and a man. When your partner passes away, you cannot continue unless you find another."
Marcus had been thrown into the world of underground fighting since he was fifteen, but Diana's words left him confounded. It was all so ridiculous, the idea of relying on someone else in the ring. He sighed, deciding he'd heard enough.
"You can go now"he told her, and Diana quickly made her exit.
Not long after, there was a knock on the door. It was Paul, a smug look on his face.
"I hope you found Diana... to your liking" he said, and Marcus couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"I couldn't care less"he replied.
Paul took the hint and continued. " I've arranged something for you to eat. I know you must be hungry."
Marcus didn't respond, and Paul took it as his cue to leave.
"See you tomorrow morning. Be awake by six, inorder to prepare for your initiation fight"he said before disappearing.
Soon after, a plate of food arrived, carried by a servant- a slab of beef, mashed potatoes, and a glass of milk. Marcus's stomach growled, and he devoured the meal. Afterward, he made his way to the bathroom and washed off the day's grime before climbing into bed.
Tomorrow would be a new day, and he would meet Isabella for the first time. Marcus closed his eyes.
Flashback...
The sound of gunfire echoed through the air, as four men, clad in sleek suits, took aim at an unseen person. But these were no ordinary men; they were skilled bodyguards, their eyes scanning the surroundings with practiced precision.
Hidden behind a nearby wall, a lone figure watched as the guards moved to encircle him. With a steely gaze, he loaded his pistol, taking a deep breath before rolling out into the open, his movements swift and calculated.
Bullets whizzed by, missing him by mere inches, as he narrowly avoided being cut down. He dove behind a nearby car, his heart pounding in his chest.
Peering out from his hiding place, he spotted the foot of one of the guards. In one fluid motion, he sprang up, aiming his pistol at the guard's feet. A loud grunt sounded as the guard collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain.
Without hesitation, the assassin took at the guard's head and pulled the trigger, ending his suffering. He then moved to claim the guard's weapon, adding it to his own.
The remaining three guards fell quickly in a struggle that took only five minutes, their bodies hitting the pavement with a sickening thud. The assassin then approached the house, his boots echoing on the cobblestones. He had to find his target before the police could arrive.
As he entered, he found the place empty. With a grim expression, he moved through the house, searching.
As he moved through the dimly lit corridor, the assassin's footsteps were hushed by the drab gray carpet beneath. His grip on the pistol was firm. He approached the first door to his right and slowly pushed it open, revealing a sparsely furnished bedroom.
He scanned the room, but it was clear that his target was not present. He moved on to the next room, and then the next, each one as empty as the last.
Just as he was about to enter the third room, he felt a presence behind him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he heard the voice of his target.
"Drop your weapons and turn around slowly" the man commanded.
The assassin complied, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a plan. He slowly set his weapons on the ground and placed his hands on his head as he turned to face his enemy.
Frenkie stood before him, clad in brown trousers and a black shirt, his curly brown hair disheveled. In his hand, he held a gleaming revolver.
"Remove your mask"Frenkie said, his voice low and dangerous.
The assassin did as he was told, revealing his face, it was Marcos.
This was the first time Marcus met Frenkie, who after seeing how good of an assassin Marcus was, decided to use him as his own hitman. It was just a glimpse, of Marcus dark past, before he met Sofia, the love of his life.