I could hear Scar and the men with him also shooting as I aimed at one of the snipers and fired, hitting him straight in the eye. Then I turned to the second one and aimed but missed as a felt a bullet whooze past me, so close to my left ear.
"What the hell!" I shouted at Ava.
"You're welcome," she said as she continued firing at them.
I turned to the direction the bullet went and saw a gunman falling on the floor, then I understood. I aimed at the second sniper again, who also had his gun positioned at me.
"Well lets dance," I said and fired. He also fired. My bullet hit him at the forehead and his bullet grazed my neck. I fell down out of impact.
"Shit," I heard Ava cursed, then slide down to my direction, still shooting as she took three men at once.
"That was impressive," I said once she was beside me.
"Shut up," she said as she checked my neck wound.
"Don't worry I'll live," I told her as I started getting up, but felt a sharp pain in my shoulder reminding me I had a bullet in there.
"Stay still," she said as she opened my jacket, blood oozing out of the bullet hole in my shoulder. I watched her as she tore a piece of cloth from her jacket and applied pressure on the wound with it. She reminded me of Cassie. I hissed trying to pry her hands off me.
"I'm fine," I gritted out.
"I need to stop the bleeding or you'll pass out," She said.
"I said I'm fine!" I shouted at her. She stopped and stared at me. What have I done.
"Okay," she said, standing up and dropping the cloth on me, "suit yourself,"
"A...," I called but stopped when I saw Scorpion watching us. I can't say her real name in front of him. That was when I noticed something off.
"Where are the gunmen," I asked Scorpion who was standing beside Scar and the two other men. One was leaning against the other for support. I think he's been shot. But that wasn't what caught my attention. What did was the fact that they were all standing up and out in the open and nothing happened.
"They're all dead," Scorpion said. I exhaled, but what about Don, "He fled," Scorpion answered before I even popped the question. I nodded and turned to Ava who wasn't even glancing at me. I sighed.
Great Kayla! you just had to screw everything up, don't you?
"But you both saved my life even though I almost killed you. Tell me why," he said.
"I don't know, we just felt like it. Besides you're not the first person who had us at gunpoint so...," Ava said and I admired her for some reason.
Scorpion laughed, "Impressive I say, really impressive. And you both have amazing skills, not everyone could shoot like that," he said referring to me.
"Told you I had a special set of skills," I said to him. He nodded.
"Indeed. I'll tell you what, why don't you both come work for me. You've already seen what I do so, consider it as an offer for saving my life," He said. I became surprised. Well that was easy.
"Thanks but we'll pass," Ava said nonchalantly. I looked at her with questioning eyes but she didn't even glance my way.
"You sure? I pay handsomely," he said which surprisingly caught her attention, she was faking it of course. Then I understood what what she was trying to do. Play hard to get, so you don't become an easy suspect. Smart.
"Like...how much?" She said more softly this time, like she really cared. Scorpion laughed thinking he had her attention now money was involved.
"Why don't we discuss that at my place huh?" He said smoothening his hair.
"And why should we trust you?" I asked.
"Babe it's okay, he said he's gonna pay," Ava said touching my right arm. I was glad that she didn't totally ignored me, but then remembered she was acting which means she didn't actually mean it. I ignored the endearment she gave me.
"But how can we trust him? He tried to kill us, remember? I don't want to loose you" my voice cracking up a bit when I said the last part, as I thought of the last time I said it. Ava features softened a little, before it went back to fake assurance.
"Nothing is gonna happen to me. Besides, no one can kill this hot tigress, am I right?" She said, gesturing at herself. I smiled.
"Of course you are," I said and hugged her but remembered that was a mistake as I felt the pain in my shoulder, "okay stop," I groaned out.
"So now that it's sorted out, I think we should leave before the police gets here," Scorpion said.
"On two conditions," I said, "First, you ensure our safety. Secondly, that pay better be good," I said because I wanted him to think we agreed only because of the money, which will make us even less suspicious.
"Deal," he said, "now let's get going,"
We entered the car. Scar, Ava and I entered one car, while Scorpion and the other men entered the second car. Then we left the site.
Scar was driving while Ava and I were at the backseat. Ava sat at the end of the seat looking out the window, not sparing me a glance. I guess I deserve that. I looked out the window letting my thoughts slowly drift off to the times I had with Cassie. Her smile, her face, her dark sense of humour. I think Ava has that too. I sighed. When Ava was attending to my injury it just reminded me of how Cassie died, neck wound. And thinking of her just bring out all the pain and guilt I tried to bury, so I snapped. I could hear Ava and Scar talking but I was too tired to hear what they said. I thought of how she looked like Cassie when focused, except that Cassie always bit her lower lip when focused. I paused. Why am I comparing both of them? But I didn't have time to dwell on it as I felt myself slowly slipping out of consciousness.
"I love her," was the last thing I heard Ava say before I passed out.
----------
I opened my eyes and was met with a bright light. I tried blocking the light from my face but couldn't use my right hand for some reason. Then all the events of last night came rushing in, giving me a headache. I touched my shoulder and saw that it was bandaged and my neck, stitched. I looked around the room I happened to be in. It was pretty much empty, except the desk that was beside the bed I was on and the built-in wardrobe. I sat up, careful not to open up any stitches. I noticed I was only in my sport bra and black jeans, the rest of my clothes on the floor. I went to pick them up, then the door opened.
"Finally decided to wake up?" Ava asked, carrying a tray and shutting the door.
"What happened?" I asked as I sat back on the bed.
"Oh, you passed out after losing a lot of blood, just like I said you would," she said sarcastically.
"Hey, I'm so sorry for acting like a jerk last night. I know you were only trying to help, I just...," I sighed, "I'm sorry,"
She dropped the tray on the desk and faced me, "Look, I understand that you don't like being partners, but we have to learn to trust each other for the sake of this mission...,"
"What? No, it's not that," I said. She sighed and sat down beside me.
"Then what is it? Ever since I came I've noticed you were often distant and seem to space out a lot. What's bothering you?" She asked with concern. I was surprised cause I really didn't think she'd notice but then again, she's a behavioural analyst so she should've.
"I'm sorry if it affected you in any way, but I don't really want to talk about it," I said, hoping she'd understand. She slowly nodded.
"Sooo, about last night...," she said, scratching the back of her neck nervously. I raised an eyebrow. Why is she nervous?
"When we...you know...," she said. I narrowed my eyes, before realisation hit me.
"Oh...oh shit, um...I...uh-," I stuttered out, suddenly feeling nervous. This is awkward.
"It's...okay, it was just at the heat of the moment so...it's not a big deal," she said quickly. Okay it's definitely a big deal, for her. "But I must say, you're a really good kisser,"
I turned blushing, she smirked. "By the way while you were unconscious, Scar grew suspicious of us and asked me some questions concerning our relationship," she said, handing me the tray. I opened the covered dish and lighted up, I love pasta. "I didn't know what you'd like so...yeah,"
"Are you fucking kidding me? I love pasta," I said, digging in. She lightened up by the action, "so what did you tell Scar?"
"Just made some story up, though he didn't seem to buy it but we're good, for now," she said.
"Okay," I said, her phone rang. She looked at the screen and stiffened, growing nervous all of a sudden. She stood up almost too quickly.
"I...uh, I have to take this, I'll be right back," she said, leaving through the door.
Weird.
I checked on my phone since she obviously won't be back for a while. I had four missed calls from Mark and two more from an unknown number. Strange. I texted Mark.
Me: What's up, why'd you keep blowing up my phone?
I saw the three dots to show he was typing back. Then my phone rang. I chuckled and answered it.
"Hey Mark, how are you doing?"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER YOUR PHONE LAST NIGHT!" He yelled. I pulled the phone away from my ear and winced.
"Bro chill, that's probably because I was unconscious," I said.
"I heard what happened, are you okay?" He asked in a less loud tone.
"Yeah, a little sore at the shoulder but, I'm fine," I said.
"God, I knew letting you go on this mission was a bad idea and now...,"
"Hey hey, stop it okay? Stop blaming yourself, I'm totally fine Mark," I cut him off. God he always blames himself for everything.
"But...,"
"Look I appreciate you looking out for me, but you really need to stop treating me like some kind of responsibility. I can take care of myself," I told him. He sighed.
"You're right. So, I heard Ava stitched you up," he said, changing the subject.
"Yeah she did, and she's surprisingly good at it," I said, wondering how she knew how to treat a bullet wound.
"Sooo, are you guys like...a thing?"
"What? No, why would you think that?"
"Well since you both kissed I figured...," he said.
What?
"How the fuck did you know that?" I asked.
"There were cameras, remember? James, Amanda and I saw that," he said. I facepalmed myself.
Of course, the fucking camera.
"Listen, it's not what you think...,"
"I wasn't thinking anything and even if I was, lets just say the whole gang knows about it," he said.
"YOU TOLD THEM?!"
"Whoa chill, I didn't," he said, "Amanda did,"
"Oh no...,"
"Apparently she had a bet with Derek if he was gonna get with Ava so in order to win the bet, she told them," he said. I'm so screwed.
"Ava and I are not together, it was just...at the heat of the moment," I said, using Ava's words.
"Why do I feel like that was rehearsed? Anyways I gotta go, James is not in a good mood today,"
"Wait I...," he hung up. Fuck. This just got more complicated.
Then my phone rang again.
"Look Mark, I know it seems...,"
"Who's Mark?" A different voice asked. I looked at the screen and saw it was the unfamiliar number. Shit.
"Who's this?" I asked slowly.
"It's me, Cole. I'm at the agency, where are you?" I exhaled. Wait.
"What are you doing there?!" I asked, checking the windows before heading to the bathroom. I locked the bathroom door. "Are you crazy? It's dangerous, what if someone sees you,"
"I needed to talk to you," he said.
"Listen Cole, I'm on a secret mission that has something to do with drug dealers and mafias. So I won't be at the agency for some time," I explained
"You're being targeted. You can't go on a mission especially one that deal with drug lords, what if someone there recognises you?"
"I'll take my chances, besides I can't just say no to an order simply because my life is at risk. The agency doesn't work that way Cole,"
"Fine, but be careful. I met Ian today and he tried to crack the safe, but it was designed that it could blow up if anything like that should happen. So we have to find the code,"
"And you're sure Cassie told me this code,"
"Ian did mention that Cassie said the safe should be handed to me in case anything happens and that you'd know the code. It's like she already knew what was going to happen to her,"
"Yeah, she did," I whispered.