xiv. STRANGER DANGER

Flames in a wildfire spread onto every inch of my body. I stand, paralyzed by shock, among the now frantic crowd of Times Square. A twistedly beautiful blood-red river rippled onto the streets, sprouting from her heart.

The people responsible for her death fade into the frenzied sea.

A pair of forest green eyes stand out among the hazy crowd.

His eyes lacked malice, but were instead coated with a predatorial glaze. The man started to approach me—I run.

Because, you know, stranger danger.

I turn down blocks and corners until I make it to a cramped alleyway. My hands grip the sides and try to pull my body up, but from my injury, I'm significantly weakened.

Goddamnit Octavia don't you know from movies to never go into an alleyway?

The man with green eyes catches up to me. He tilts his head in amusement at the trap I've boxed myself into, and slowly, he circles me in.

I pull out my pistol and point it in his direction.

"Get away from me," I spit.

No matter how much I try to hide it, there is a trace of fear welling up in my voice. The man registers this and continues to prowl in my direction.

"You're adorable, Darling."

His voice is the lackluster oil slowly drowning my lungs. He begins to corner me in.

A loud bang reverberates in the alleyway as I pull the trigger to my gun, which the man effortlessly doges.

Green-eyes swiftly knocks the gun out of my hands and slams me against the wall. He then boxes me in with his arms.

I'm trapped between the cool stone wall and the assailant.

Under the dim glow of a single streetlight, my attacker's features seemed to change into shadows.

He had jet ebony hair, and if possible, even darker eyes. His pupils were undetectable against his somber green irises. He and Ace were complete opposites.

While Ace reminded me of the day, he was the living embodiment of night.

"Who are you?" I grimace. "And what do you want, asshole?"

His face is only inches away from mine; we're so close that our breaths intertwine. A smirk tugs on his features when I'm unable to fight back and kick his ass.

"Call me Thirteen, Darling."

"I'm not your fucking Darling," I struggle. "What kind of name is Thirteen anyway? Were one to twelve taken?"

Thirteen chuckles deeply. His breath and fingers are hot against my skin as he traces my waist. A vile grin passed on to his face as he examined me from top to bottom. A concoction of hunger,  lust, and power filled his dark eyes.

"Let's just say that after killing Eve Miyazaki, I should really change my name to Fourteen to keep up."

I bite my tongue. His name was a death count of how many murders he had committed.

Not only that, but I was staring into the eyes of a man who had circumvented the CIA and orchestrated the death of an agent.

"Well I guess if you let me go and make this a fair fight I'd change my name to One," I spit.

"I have to admit, I didn't expect you to be so brave, Octavia Snow."

A coldness seeps into my veins. I stop struggling immediately as he utters my name.

"How... how do you know who I am?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

A realization suddenly hit me.

"You... You were the one at the diner. How long have you been following me?" I whisper.

He then roughly pulled me into him like a snake vice strangling his prey.

"Prometheus stole fire from the Gods in order to give it to mankind. He committed the ultimate sin by helping the pathetic mortals—" he emphasized the words as if he was superior "—and was punished accordingly."

I'm taken aback. "What does any of this have to do with me?"

"I'm Prometheus, and you're my fire."

~

A dryness enters my throat. Thirteen spoke in tongues, sick, twisted, metaphors that I didn't understand. What was worse is that the man had the means to essentially track me down.

"I have to admit, I didn't expect our first meeting to be so... violent," Thirteen smiles. "After all, we'll be working together soon."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you're... you're sick."

"Not sick, just enlightened. But for now Miss Snow," Thirteen continues, "I think you have something that belongs to me."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I demand while staring daggers.

He restrains me with one hand while patting me down with the other. Finally, his hand digs into my pocket to pull out a USB.

A USB that was not there earlier tonight.

"How did you get this?" Thirteen scowls.

"I—I seriously don't know."

"Bullshit. I'm known to have a short fuse, so don't make me do something I'd regret Darling."

Then it hit me. Eve Miyazaki.

She must have ran into me on purpose before she died in order to give the object to me. I felt like it was my duty to find out whatever was on it, to make sure she didn't die in vain.

Suddenly, a bullet whizzes past my head and hits the concrete wall.

Taking the momentary distraction, I try to run from Thirteen, only to be dragged back by my wrist.

I turn to see Ace Blackwell—an unparalleled anger in his golden eyes—as he cocks his gun again.

"Give it up," Ace spat. "One movement and I'll pull the trigger."

Thirteen takes out his own gun and points it not at Ace, but instead at me, using me as a hostage. Cold metal presses against my temple, threatening to put a bullet through my head.

Well this is officially one of my worst Friday nights ever.

"Ace Blackwell—the golden boy of the agency; I haven't seen you in ages," Thirteen smiles.

The usually kind expression is devoid of any humor.

"Let go of her you bastard. I should have killed you when I had the chance," Ace snarls.

Do they know each other?

"Who is she to you? A damsel in distress?" Thirteen laughs while pulling me closer to taunt Ace.

The laugh, although empty and hollow, reverberated in the alleyway; it was unlike anything human. A shiver struck my spine from his shift in tone.

"She's my... recruit."

Thirteen smiled in amusement at Ace's expression of anger when he pushed his lips against my neck. I felt violated, disgusted, and enraged.

Thirteen was using me to get to Ace.

"I said let go of her."

Blood coursed through my skin and energy buzzed through every vein as I met Ace's golden eyes. He nods in my direction. I guess it's now or never.

I quickly jabbed my elbow into Thirteen's grip, and at the same time the first gunshot rang, slicing the crisp of night. Ace had directly hit Thirteen's kneecap.

I take back the USB within the commotion.

Ace moved like fire. He was reckless, destructive, but powerful.

After all, flames burn everything they touch.

Thirteen had formal training. He moved like the night. He waited for openings, and when his opponent slowed, he attacked.

Between the two it was difficult to tell who would win. They were both equally skilled, equally fit, and their attacks almost mirrored one another's.

But after a few direct blows and Thirteen's injured knee, it was clear he was going to die.

Then Thirteen quickly shot the streetlight, shattering glass along the proximity. With a spark the alleyway was plunged into darkness.

Under the mask of darkness Thirteen disappeared.

Ace quickly runs to me and embraces me. I collapse into his arms, paralyzed by the initial wave of shock.

"Everything will be okay, Cupcake. I'm here now."

Ace: "Vote and I'll beat up Thirteen. Actually, I'd beat him up regardless."