From the moment my eyes fluttered open the next morning, my mind was centered around one thing: the black-haired man. I tried my hardest to erase him from my mind, but his image wouldn't budge. My job was already challenging as it is, but with the constant picture of his glittering eyes and chiseled jaw plastered in my head, the work day got even tougher. 

   I didn't understand why I was so obsessed with him. He was just some handsome guy I happened to see. Loads of guys like him walk through the door of the cafe every day, but something about the black-haired man made my heart thump faster. 

   "Hey! HEY!"

   I blink and look at Sowoon startled. "Did you even hear what I was saying?" she huffed. I shook my head slightly. Sowoon groaned, rolling her eyes. 

   "As I was saying," Sowoon shot a glare my direction, "I heard a shit ton of gunshots last night. I ended up ignoring them and going to sleep. Come morning, I run into Mrs. Jen, who's house was next to those gunshots, and I ask her who the hell was making those noises."

   Sowoon takes a large gulp of her drink and shoves a handful of chips into her mouth. I lean onto the wall, shielding my eyes against the sun with my hand, and listen intently. 

   "And you're never going to guess who it was," Sowoon continues, her voice eager, "it was Neo City. The Neo City. In our part of the city." 

   I couldn't tell if Sowoon was terrified or thrilled that one of the biggest and most notorious criminal organizations was here in downtown Kingston. Her grins stretches from ear to ear, but she jumps at every little sound. 

   "Sowoon," I took her hands into mine and squeezed them gently, "it's going to be okay. They are probably here for one thing, and that thing only. They'll be gone before you know it." I give her a sweet grin. Sowoon nods, her grin disappearing, but reappearing with a smirk.

   "You're just saying that because scared too and you don't want to admit it!" she laughs, playfully pushing my chest. 

   "Yeah right," I chuckle, sipping my soda. 

   "Oi girls! Lunch is over, so back inside!" a deep, hoarse voice shouts followed by the slam of a metal door. 

    I lock eyes with Sowoon. We both laugh, tossing our lunches into the dumpster and tying our aprons back around our waists. 

   I drag my feet across the concrete, the scrapping sounds of my shoes echoing throughout the barren streets. 

   Tonight is strangely quiet, almost too quiet. There hasn't been a pop of a gun or the shouts of drunk people the entire night, which was odd seeing as Neo City was sighted in my part of the city. But I decided to take the long way home; tonight was the coldest its been in Kingston for months, and I couldn't pass up a long walk in the cold. 

   I kick a pebble, the pebble darting along the road and ramming into a metal trash can, a high-pitched ring filling the alley behind it. I glance up from the pebble just in time to see a shadow move. I stop dead in my tracks, my body frozen in fear. I remain still, my eyes locked onto the alley. My eyes search the poorly lit side street, looking for any evidence what I saw was real and not my mind playing tricks on me. 

   Another shadow moves, this time in the silhouette of a man. I inhale sharply, my heart threatening to jump out of my chest and run. 'Move! Run! Get your ass out of here!' my mind screams at me, but my feet don't move. It's as if my feet are glued to the concrete, not wanting to move in fear of being heard. 

   And what appeared in my mind made my heart beat faster. 

   The black-haired man.

   I let out a shaky breath. 'What if that was him? I can finally get another look at that ethereal face of his.' I nibble at my lip; my mind tells me to run, but my heart says to move towards the shadow. I sallow dryly. 

   My feet start moving, my mind unaware , and I end up crouched behind the metal trash can inside the alley. Shadows lurk in every corner, trash litters the ground, and the stench is unbearable. The side street breaks off into another street off to my left, a dim light spilling from around the corner. Soft, hushed noises come from the alley as I creep closer. As I near the wall's edge, the whispered noises turn into whispered voices. And the voices sound exasperated. 

   I press my back against the cool brick wall, inching as close as I can to the corners edge without being seen. I strain my ears, trying to make out what the faint voices are saying.

   "We don't have anytime to waste. Tonight is our deadline, and if we come back empty-handed, out asses are going to get torched."

   "I searched him twice, and the money wasn't on his person. Sicheng and Ten are scanning the building and should be back any minute."

   Someone groans, the cocking of a gun bouncing off the walls of the alley. 

   A wave of terror rushes through my body. The talk of money and the sound of the gun was enough for me to figure out who was standing around the corner. 

   Neo City.

   My body is stiff with fear, my heart beating out of my chest. I inhale silently, gathering all my courage, and peek around the corner.

   My heart drops. I was right.

   Two men stroll out of the building my body is pressed against, four briefcases dangling from their hands. 

   "Took you long enough, damn," a white-haired man grumbles. He snatches a briefcase from a short, blond-haired man and unclips it, inspecting its contents and smirking, before tossing it back to the blonde man. 

   "Sicheng, Ten, take those back to the van. Our work here is done."

   I couldn't believe my eyes. It was him. The black-haired man; the man I thought I'd never see again. And he was standing about 50 feet in front of me. I lick my lips, continuing to spy on the men. 

   "But what about him?" a tall man commented, nudging something laying on the ground.

   The three remaining men glance at the ground, my eyes following theirs until they land on something horrifying. A man lays motionless on the concrete, dried blood coating the side of his head. I feel the color drain from my face; Am I looking at a dead body?

   The taller man crouches down, pressing two fingers against the other man's neck. 

   "He's only unconscious," the tall man stated. I press my back against the brick wall, my hand clutching the fabric of my shirt, and let out a relieved sigh. 

   I freeze, realizing the stupid thing I just did. Instead of bolting straight out of the alley, I remain plastered against the wall, listening for any confirmation that any of the three men heard me. I hear the clearing of a throat and the shuffling of feet, then silence. I swallow hard, trying my best to control my breathing.

   "I'm going to do a final sweep of the building, Boss, I'll catch up with you in a bit."

   His footsteps grow quiet, and I wait a few seconds before turning around. I start crawling away as quietly and as quickly as I can. The small window I get to run away was quickly torn away from me as I come face to face with the taller man from the other alley. His dark eyes pierce my soul, a smirk painted across his lips. 

   My mind goes blank, my body comes to a halt, the air I once had drains from my lungs, and I feel sick to my stomach. Before I could regain myself, a white cloth is shoved over my mouth, his hand pressing the cloth up my nose. His grip on my jaw was strong, impossible for me to rip away from his hand. I inhale sharply through my nose, the potent smell of chemical filling my nostrils. Tears pricks the corners of my eyes. Almost instantaneously, the world around me starts spinning, my vision becoming fuzzy, black blobs sprouting here and there. 

   Two other figures come into view, my vision being too blurry to make out their features, but I know it's the other two men. My body goes limp, falling into the arms of the taller man, the cloth stilling covering my mouth. The black blobs start to take over my eyesight, soon black being the only color I see. 

   "See you soon princess," a deep voice purrs.

   I then pass out cold. 

Thank you for reading!!!