The sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden sheen over the bustling city streets. The air was alive with the hum of activity, vendors calling out to passersby, and the occasional honk of impatient drivers. I stood amidst the crowd, staring at my phone screen, rereading the cryptic message I'd received earlier from the unknown number:
[Follow a man rumored to be involved in the previous mission. He'll be at the city center to conduct a transaction. Further details will follow.]
Sliding my phone back into my pocket, I glanced across the street. There he was—the supposed suspect. He seemed ordinary enough, almost painfully so. His unassuming posture and casual demeanor didn't scream "criminal" to me.
"They said he's a suspect, not the suspect," I mused. "Probably just a wild goose chase. I should head back."
Just as I turned to leave, something caught my eye. A shadowy figure approached the man, handing him a document. The interaction was brief, but it carried an air of secrecy I couldn't ignore. My curiosity flared, and with a quiet sigh, I resolved to follow him a little longer.
Crossing the street carefully, I merged into the throng of pedestrians, keeping him in my line of sight. He moved with a natural ease, blending seamlessly into the crowd. As he ducked into a corner store, I followed, careful to remain unnoticed. Inside, the scent of aged wood and cold refrigeration greeted me. He walked to the freezer, plucked a carton of milk, and made his way to the cashier.
They exchanged words—hushed, almost conspiratorial—but the murmurs were too faint to decipher. Moments later, he left the store, his laughter echoing faintly as the door swung shut behind him. I trailed him outside but stopped in confusion. He was gone, as though he'd vanished into thin air.
Frustration bubbled up, and I quickened my pace, scanning the nearest alleyways for a glimpse of him. My instincts paid off. In the distance, I spotted him crouched down in the shadows. I crept closer, hiding behind a dumpster and peering around its rusted edge. What I saw surprised me.
There he was, kneeling on the ground, feeding stray cats. The man smiled warmly, gently pouring milk into a dish as the cats swarmed around him. The sight melted away my suspicion, leaving only a pang of guilt for doubting him in the first place. I was ready to leave, to let him be, but then I saw something that stopped me cold.
A shadow slithered behind him, moving with predatory intent. My heart leaped as I recognized it wasn't just a trick of the light—it was a person. Before I could think, I sprang from my hiding spot, tackling the figure to the ground just as they lunged toward the man. We crashed into a pile of garbage bags, the impact softened by their bulk but still jarring.
The man stood, startled, his eyes wide. "Oh my!" he gasped, his voice quivering with shock.
I glanced down at the person I'd tackled, a woman with striking features. Her eyes were a mesmerizing shade of honey, her lashes bold and dark, framing her sharp glare. It was the woman from the mission.
"Look what you did!" she hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "I had him!"
"He's not your guy," I shot back, breathless but firm. "Trust me, he's innocent."
"What's going on here?" the man demanded, his voice now carrying a sharp edge.
I turned to him, fumbling for an explanation, but the words froze in my throat. My blood ran cold as he reached into his long brown coat and pulled out a pistol, leveling it at us with unsettling calm.
"You almost had me," he said with a chilling smirk. "Thanks for the save, kid. But now it's time for both of you to die."
As if to punctuate his words, a small tabby cat brushed against his leg, seeking attention. Without hesitation, he kicked it viciously, sending it hurtling into the wall. The sickening thud left me momentarily stunned, rage boiling in my veins.
The woman didn't hesitate. She launched herself at him with a series of sharp, precise kicks. But he was ready. He deflected her strikes with calculated efficiency before grabbing her leg mid-air and throwing her toward me.
She collided against me, and I caught her before she could fall completely. She shoved away from me almost instantly, her eyes blazing with disdain. For a brief moment, we locked eyes, a silent understanding passing between us: we were outmatched, but we weren't done yet.