The city was a maze of shadows and neon. Rain fell in torrents, drenching the narrow alleyways and creating a cacophony of noise as it hit the metal rooftops and slick pavement. I darted through the darkness, my movements swift and precise, my breath steady and controlled.

The treacherous mission was finally complete. Nicolas, the fucked up mafia crime lord lies dead in his precious penthouse which he had purchased from his illegal brothel money. Bet the gunshot to his forehead wasn't what he had expected when he ordered a prostitute.

Everything had gone flawlessly, but the aftermath was far from over. The moment the alarm was raised, his men would be hunting me, desperate and furious.

The glow of neon colors from street lights cast an eerie finish to the already dead streets. The wet asphalt mirrored the chaos above, and my boots splashed through puddles, leaving ephemeral marks quickly washed away by the relentless rain.

My earpiece crackled to life, and a familiar voice broke through. "Nora, what's your status?" It was Marcus, my partner from the clan.

"Target is down, now headed to secondary extraction," I replied, my voice calm and steady.

The roar of the engines and the screech of tires signaled the start of my pursuit. My mind worked like a machine, calculating the fastest route to the extraction point. I vaulted over a low wall, my leather gloves gripping the slick surface with ease. The sound of footsteps echoed behind me, the heavy thud of armed men giving chase. Fuck.

"Got a bit of heat on my tail, Marcus. Tell the driver to be ready," I said into the earpiece, my breath controlled despite the sprint.

"Copy that. Keep moving, Nora. You're almost there," Marcus responded.

A dark figure emerged from a side street, a guard who had predicted my path. His flashlight beam sliced through the rain, illuminating me for a split second. At that moment, our eyes locked.

"You're not going anywhere-" Bang!

"Right in the chest," I mumbled confidently, lowering my gun down as the man fell down with a thud. They are nothing compared to me.

Blood poured out of his wound as he spluttered for a moment, his breathing becoming slower and slower, letting me know he was gone. I had done this way too many times to know he wouldn't be getting up.

Hearing the light screech of the black SUV pulling up at the end of the street, I put my gun inside my band and approached them.

The man jumped back into the driver's seat and the SUV roared to life, tires spinning on the wet pavement as we sped away.

Through the rain-streaked window, I watched as the city lights blurred and faded behind us. I allowed myself a small, satisfied smile.

"Good work Belova," Marcus congratulated me, giving me a fist bump making me chuckle.

"When have I ever done bad work?" I teased him as he snickered, staring at me. "What?"

The stare, the one he used years ago.

"Nothing, I'm pulling up the confirmation details now. Should have the green light from HQ any minute."

Marcus moved his eyes back to the iPad he was using to track me, his expression turning puzzled making me move over toward him. "Wait a minute," he muttered, a frown creasing his forehead.

"What is it?" I asked, straightening up, my senses sharpening again.

Marcus tapped a few more times, then turned the iPad so I could see. On the screen was a live feed from the mafia's penthouse, showing a body lying on the floor-my handiwork. But something was off. The man's face, partially visible, didn't match the dossier photo. "The fuck?"

"This isn't right," Marcus said, his voice tinged with confusion. "The facial recognition scan isn't matching our target. This guy... he's not the one we were supposed to take out."

"No," I whispered as I watched the man's face, trying to see who it could've been but I couldn't recognize him in any way.

Suddenly my phone rang and my blood ran cold.

Svetlana. Shit.

"Nora, I want you back at the HQ right now." Her sharp vocals voiced through the phone as she hung up immediately.

The driver took a sharp turn, and Marcus continued to tap away at his tablet. Suddenly, a new window popped up with a notification. "Nora, look at this," he said, urgency lacing his tone.

I leaned in, eyes narrowing at the data streaming in. It was a heat map, showing unusual activity in the financial district. "What's going on there?" I asked.

Marcus zoomed in on a specific building. "It's the illegal brothel Tower. We've got multiple reports of increased security measures being deployed. Could be our guy setting up a temporary safe house."

I processed the information quickly. "If he's there, he's not planning on staying long. He knows we'll find him."

Marcus nodded. "We need to move fast. This might be our only window."

But before I could wear my mask again, his hand stopped me. "What?"

"I don't think we should go. Svetlana doesn't want that," I smiled bitterly, removing his hand from my shoulder.

"And I don't think I can let this bastard get away. Those innocent girls need to be avenged."

Marcus blinked for a moment as the rain palpated above the SUV. The driver stopped near a dark deep alley waiting for my command.

I sighed, wearing my gloves and pulling my hair back up. "Trust me, I'm going to get him."

"But you're not following Svetlana's command. She'll be mad," he tried to convince me but I wouldn't budge.

I looked back staring at him. Same old Marcus.

Nearing toward his figure, I looked up and held his cheek. "I'll be okay," I said, staring into his eyes.

He blushed, his skin highlighting in a red hue making me smile. "I'll see you back at the HQ."

{Word Count- 1026}

A/N

Ahh the first chapter is finally here. What do you think? Please leave your reviews.

Finally, I was able to update. Please vote and comment.

See ya next Sunday!

xoxo

-lily