Thorn's POV

From my position on the roof of the building across the road, I could see clearly as the two figures talked, occasionally glancing at the men within the small grocery store.

It was close to two in the morning and Mason had received a tip a couple hours earlier that some dealers were dealing on my territory without my permission so of course, here I was to sort it out.

My second and third flanked me as I watched the scene unfold below. First, a wicked smile from the dark-haired beauty, then the gunshot, then the small conversation before a knife of some sort was throw and found a nice new home directly in one of the guys' jugular. It was astounding accuracy but it didn't surprise me at all. Not after seeing on multiple occasions what the Scarlett Assassin was capable of.

It was also another reason why I decided to make the journey down here tonight to see if she would show. After all the girl -no, women - had a tendency to show up in my business and pretty much kill the people I wanted alive.

I wanted to know who she was because perhaps if I knew her identity I could manipulate her into doing my bidding but I knew that she would never let that happen. The Scarlett Assassin was her own women and would never allow herself to be controlled or tamed. I would have happily leave her too it too, if she didn't keep killing my men or shoving her nose in places it did not belong.

"Damn she has skill," Jake muttered from beside me, watching the scene unfold too. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes as he looked down and that look alone told me how desperate he was to join in.

I shifted my stare back to the store and watched as the assassins partner strolled up beside her. There wasn't much I could gather about him. I assumed it was the same man that was with her at the tracks, he did have the same height, build and connection to the assassin. Especially as she grinned and smiled at him in a way that declared they were similar in so many fucked up ways.

The women looked as spectacular as usual. She'd ditched the wig and simply tied up her silky raven hair. Wearing tight faded skinny jeans, a black tank that hugged her body and a leather jacket that I was pretty certain I had seen before. Her knee high boots were heeled slightly giving her a taller build, she was probably at least six foot now. There was also an ornate black mask covering her most distinguishable features.

There was something familiar about her but I couldn't pinpoint it.

Deciding that I wanted a better view I spun on my heel and headed towards the door. My second and third followed me silently until we reached the grocery store itself. Nobody noticed we were there so I simply leaned my back against the red Saleen S7 which I once again assumed belonged to the pair currently talking as if they weren't about to commit mass murder. 

I took deep delight in watching Miss Assassin and her friend take these men down. There a was no stopping her, I had realized so I decided to just watch.

I had missed what had been said a few seconds before but apparently, it wasn't good as the five remaining men all pulled out their guns and aimed them at the man and women.

"Why is it always violence? They never chose to just talk it out." The assassin sighs, having the nerve to turn her back on the men who had an easy chance to kill her. Not even I had that much confidence and that was saying something.

The women pulled out a second gun from her boot and clicked the safety off. "I guess we'll have to do this hard way." She says in a way that makes it seem as though it was anything but a burden.

"You say that if you don't enjoy the hard way." The man in the hood mutters, not appearing to be bothered by the men with guns either.

"I'd enjoy it more if it was actually hard. Something tells me this is going to be anything but."

Then a gunshot goes off and both the man and the women slide in opposite directions, the bullet narrowly missing the assassin's arm. Beside me, Jake sucks in a breathe.

The hooded man sprints over to the counter, faster than I thought was possible and places a hand on the top before vaulting over it landing a swift kick to one man's temple, knocking him aside with a yelp of pain. He pushes the clerk to the ground and pulls out two fighting knives.

So he likes to kill up close and personal. Interesting.

The man he kicked spins around with fury obvious on his face but before he can even aim the gun correctly the hooded figure slice his blade down with surprising strength, severing the gunman's hand completely from his body.

His yells of pain reverberated around the small store and the hooded man grins from within the depths of his hood. 

Jake lets out a low whistle and the corner of of his mouth tilts up in glee. I am totally not the only one enjoying this. From my other side, Mason remains as silent and as stone-faced as normal but the dark shine in his eyes gives me enough reason to believe that he likes what he sees too.

Turning back to the scene I see that at least three of the original six are now dead. There was a lot of blood and not enough dead bodies.

My eyes fixated on the dark-haired women as she laughed, actually laughed while she kicked her heel out tripping one of the dealers and then shooting him behind the back of the head once, twice and then three times. Jeez, she was insane.

Four dead and two to go. The last two were the ones that looked completely and utterly terrified when the pair had made their dramatic entrance. Now, however, there was no fear left, just pure hatred and a promise of violence on their faces. With blood coating the pair of assassins like a second skin they walked towards each other, still holding their favored weapons.

"What do you think? Torture for info or just straight up kill them?" The women asked, wiping some blood from her face.

The hooded man shrugged. "Either sounds good to me."

"As indecisive as ever." Was the last thing said between them before she lifted her gun and shot the larger one of the two men still standing. He fell to the ground quickly and she strides toward the small man.

To his credit, he didn't move backward or beg for his life. He had no bullets left in his gun and he had a nasty slice to his arm. The man knew there was no hope. He knew he was going to die.

"Tell me what you know about Caspian Adler and I'll make your death quick, if not then..." She glanced at the butchered bodies of his friends, the corner of her mouth tilting up, "Well you've seen how good my partner is with a knife."

He stayed quiet. The assassins arm shot out and gripped his wounded one, digging her nails into the damaged flesh, he cried out. The man stumbled backward and the women held on to him with unbelievable strength.

"You seem like a good guy. Despite the fact that you're a drug dealer and work for the Crime Lord himself, you fight hard and are loyal. Those are qualities I greatly respect so I really don't want to hurt you. Why don't you just make this easier on both of us?"

Again he said nothing and she huffed out a breath. Letting him go she spun on her heel and turned towards her associate, "End him."

As quickly as that the hooded figure sauntered over the kneeling man. He looked up at his executioner and a small smile spread upon his face. "You won't find him. Caspian finds you." He then closes his eyes just as the other assassins blade slices his head from his body.

There was silence as the head thudded to the ground and the body fell shortly after.

"Nothing. Fucking nothing." The assassin spat.

"It's not nothing. We know Caspian is here. Wherever his lackeys are so is he."

"He's waiting. Waiting for something and I don't have a clue what," The Scarlett Assassin pulled out a playing card from her back pocket and threw it carelessly on the pile of bodies.

The hooded man slung his arm around her shoulders wincing slightly. "You're the Scarlett Assassin. You're the countries most wanted criminal and the second best damn person I have ever known. You also have me. The best person to ever walk to the earth so yeah we'll figure it out. "

With a laugh she elbowed him in the ribs but hugged him back nonetheless, neither seeming to care about the amount of blood they both had on them.

"And you call me arrogant."

There was then a small whimper and both of the assassins' head snapped toward the sound. The clerk from before slowly peeked his head out from behind the counter and then literally threw up at the sight before him.

"Oh, I almost forgot you were there." The women walked over to the vomiting man and dragged him up by his collar. "If you throw up on my boots I will kill you." She said with lethal calm.

The clerk nodded his head trying to avoid looking at the bodies and the blood which was hard considering both assassins were also covered in it. "I'm going to ask you some questions and your going to answer them. Do you understand?"

He nods again.

"What's your name?"

"Adam," He murmured, his voice shaking.

"Why were these men here Adam?"

Adam makes the mistake of glancing at the bodies on the floor again and pales more so than before. With quick reflexes the women released him and retreats far enough so Adam can promptly throw his guts up again.

After another few minutes of vomiting the Scarlett Assassin grips his collar again and spins them around so he can no longer see the bodies.

"Why are they here?" She grumbled, clearly not impressed with the amount of vomit close to her.

"I owe them money." He replied.

"For drugs I assume?"

Adam nodded.

The Assassin released him and he fell slightly, gripping the counter to steady himself.

When the Assassin walked back to her partner Adam blanches. "Y-you're not gonna k-kill me?"

She laughs at his words. "I only kill the guilty Adam and the only thing you're guilty of is making poor choices. Get some help. Drugs will only get you killed. I suggest you get out of here too. And if you even think of speaking if this then A) no one will believe the word of a guy who's high B) I will find you and I will kill you. Do you understand?"

Again he nodded, swallowing deeply. "Good. Until then I suggest you find a mop." And with that she walked back to her partner who waited near the back of the store.

"All done?" He asks as she stepped  beside him.

"Pretty much." She confirmed. The hooded male nodded and grips his arm as if in pain.

"Did they hit you?" The women said, immediately looking at his arm. The anger and slight fear in her voice surprised me.

"A bullet just grazed my skin. I'm fine." He said pushing her off.

She pouted but sighed. "Fine let's just go home and figure out a game plan. After I've slept."

As they turn to face us I give a slight jerk of my head and my second and third follow me into the shadows where I know we won't be seen.

The pair go straight to the trunk and pull out some spare clothes. "You know he's gonna talk right?" The man said wiping his bloodied blades on the small scrap of clean fabric left on his clothes.

After he places them carefully in the trunk and searches through a duffel bag to pull out his own clean clothes.

The Assassin laughed and she replaced her bloodies jacket with a new one and peeled out of her jeans without a care in the world.

I took the time to appreciate her legs. Creamy white skin, marred with many vicious scars and bruises. I wondered for a moment how they would feel against my fingertips or wrapped around my waist but I squashed that urge straight away.

I glanced at my second and third to see where they were looking. Mason was silent, eyes on out surroundings as usual checking for any other threats other than the killing machines in front of us. Jake's gaze was set firmly on the man though, he didn't even seem to notice the half naked women in front of him.

"You're right Ax he could but he won't. He'll be too scared. I have the tendency to impose fear wherever I go." The Assassin offers a murderous smile to her companion as she pulls a card of some sort out of her back pocket and hoto it up. "And anyway if he does talk I have his drivers listen so it's not gonna be hard to track him down."

The man just chuckles. Silence then settles over the pair as they search through the trunk. The hooded figure then freezes for a moment before leaning into his partner and whispering something in her ear. I ignored the small amount of jealously that welled in my stomach.

Why the fuck was I jealous? I didn't even know who she was.

I watch as the female assassin simply grins before whispering something back.

They pull back and the hooded man just shakes his head with a chuckle muttering something I couldn't make out. As she pulled on some leggings she smiled at her partner. "Why do you wear that hood anyway? I'm still surprised it's up after all that."

The man then pulls his hood back and I hear Jake gasp slightly beside me. I recognized him immediately. He was Genesis's friend and Chelsea's 'boyfriend'. What the hell was he doing here? And killing people as if he'd been doing it for years?

Did Genesis know her friend was an assassin and spent his nights killing drug dealers? Or was she in the same profession and this was why she was disappearing all the time? No she couldn't have. I know killers and Genesis wasn't one of them.

The man - what was his name?- simply stared at the women for a moment studying her. Perhaps he didn't know who the women behind the mask truly was and was just as confused as me. However as the assassin smiled sweetly at him there was something in the way his own lips curved upwards and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders with such ease that convinced me there was no way he didn't know who she was.

There was also that underlining of insanity in his gaze that made it clear that he was just as or more so as sadistic as her. I had watched as he fought, as he sliced and diced those men as if they were simply pieces of meat.

Yes, the two assassins in front of me were a matching pair and something told me that if they really wanted they could tear the world in two with their bare hands.

"I wear it the same reason you wear your mask." He said, finally speaking after that long moment.

"I don't think so Axel." Ah so that was his name. "I just think you wear it 'cause you don't want blood in your hair. Vain bastard,"

Axel simply threw his head back and laughed so loud that it echoed in the empty car park. There, that was the teenager I had seen, the one who's only worries were homework and the future, not about the mass murder he had just committed with his partner. No, now he just looked carefree and right at home, as if this was something he did every night.

"So do I have permission to sit in your car now?" She asked spinning so he could see every part of her.

He gave her a critical once over and simply gave a jerk of is chin. "Zip your jacket up and then your good to go. If I find even a speck of blood in my car I will gut you,"

Despite the grin that the previous statement had been said with a tone that had dropped several octaves in a way that sent even a slight shiver of fear down my spine. I had no doubt that if it came to it he would gut her without a thought.

Still the masked women simply smiled in her own malicious way, not at all seeming to be afraid of the man in front of her. "I'd like to see you try."

Axel took a step forward and rested his hands on the women's waist, leaning in so that his lips touched her ear. He said something too quite for me to hear but whatever was said made her run her hands up his biceps and to his neck before replying in another low voice.

Nothing else was said until they parted and strode to separate sides of the car.

I was shocked to a stand still when the Scarlett Assassin turned to glance over her shoulder and looked into the shadows I was stood, directly at me. "Please clean up the trash boys. We'd really appreciate it."

My jaw dropped slightly and I took a minor step forward but she was already climbing into the vehicle and the driver was speeding away into the night. Leaving me to wonder what the hell I had just witnessed.

----
Omg thank you so much for 5K I didn't even expect a few readers when I started this story so thank everyone so much and thank you to everyone who has read this book throughout and continues to stick around for more. I love you all so much, you're amazing.

Also I know I said I'd probably do the rest of this book in Genesis's POV but I got sudden inspiration for this chapter in Thorns POV so I hope y'all don't mind.

Anywhooo I hope you enjoy this chapter and I made it a little longer as well. Please vote and comment, I appreciate every one of them.

Until next time my Lovelies

-Em
Xoxox

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