33 ~ Didn't I Just Tell You? I Am Death

Brinda 

I can't believe the mysterious man outsmarted Bullet and I. While we ran away from the hotel earlier, the air seemed to vibrate with an otherworldly energy, as if he was a harbinger of secrets and hidden truths. 

His very presence seemed to command attention, drawing someone in with an irresistible force, like a moth to a flame. He had almost the same personality Francesco has. 

“I guess he's gone. We have to head back home.” Bullet said while tapping my shoulder. I let out a sigh as I watched the mysterious man vanish from my sight. 

The journey back home was peaceful because I already fell asleep and a hand tapped my cheeks before I flipped my eyes open though they were still heavy with sleep. 

My eyes darted around and it fell on Bullet who snapped her fingers right in front of me. “We are home.” 

“That fast?” I asked, my voice accompanied by a loud yawn. 

“If you wish to get married to the taxi driver. Then good luck.” She whispered, paid the driver and opened the door on her side and exited the taxi. Tiredly, I managed to get out of the car when the taxi driver shouted at me. 

I walked woozily into the compound after Bullet who did not look back a second. As I was about to step into the house, a current of headaches ran through my head. I held it tightly for some time before I shook my head and entered the house. 

One of Francesco's men was seated on the sofa while Bullet was before him and raising her voice. It was like they were both in an argument. I ignored them and stealthily found my way to the stairs before the man directed his question at me. 

“Brinda, don't try to escape. Francesco wants to see you both. Right away!” 

Bullet reluctantly joined me on the stairs then we both stomped our feets on the floor as we made our way to Francesco's room.

Getting to his room, we met him pacing back and forth in the dimly lit room, his mind was probably racing with every possible worst-case scenario. 

“Damn it, damn it, damn it,” he muttered to himself, running a shaking hand through his hair. His eyes darted wildly around the room, searching for an escape, a solution, or whatever. 

Suddenly, he stopped pacing and leaned against the wall, his palms pressed against the cool surface as if trying to anchor himself. His eyes squeezed shut, and he took a deep, shuddering breath.

“Calm down, calm down,” he whispered, trying to reason with himself. He opened his eyes and they fell directly on me. He gazed into my eyes, his expression soft and cute out of nowhere. 

My breathing came in hard gasp. 

Francesco rushed towards me, threw his arms around me and wrapped his hands perfectly all the way to my lower back. 

I felt a shiver run down my spine. It was as if my body had a mind of its own, responding to his touch even when my mind screamed warnings. His chest pressed against mine, and I felt my heart racing in tandem with his.

For a moment, I forgot about the reasons I should be afraid of him, the reasons I should stay away. All I could think about was the way his arms made me feel — safe, protected, and desired.

My body seemed to melt into his, as if I had finally found a missing piece of myself. It was a feeling I couldn't explain, couldn't rationalize, and couldn't resist.

And the headache? It disappeared into thin air. 

“Francesco…” I called gently as I rubbed his back trying to calm him down. “What happened? You can tell me.” 

“I… I'm sorry.” He said out of fright. “I thought I would have lost you. I was scared. I'm glad that you are back.” 

I dismissed myself from the hug and helped him to sit on the armchair close to the bed stand. Bullet quickly offered him a cup of chilled water. He gulped it down and let out a sigh of relief. 

“Phase one done and dusted however, we still have another job that has to be done right away.” Francesco said. 

“Right away?” Bullet and I chorused. “It's five in the morning.”

“Trust me when I say ‘right away’. If we do not pull this off, we all might not make it alive in the next twenty-four hours.” He explained while he sank into the sofa. 

~~~~~

Minutes later, Bullet and I, accompanied by five of Francesco's men, drove out of the Dante mansion and cruised on the highway. 

We have a new target to kill and that is Charles Blackwood. He is a high rank police officer who works directly with the C.I.A department. They are one that we shouldn't mess with. Thankfully, one of Francesco's underlings had dug out every information about him. 

“I will do this alone.” I told them as soon as the car came to a halt. “I can't risk your lives. The best person for this job is me.” 

I opened the car’s door and ran behind the fence as I took out the security around the house. My silent pistol did justice to that. My eyes were sharp and my ears were ready to catch any sound. 

As I got into the apartment, it was an eerie silence. I looked around, room by room before I heard moans coming from the room not faraway on the ground floor. 

I peeped through the handle’s lock and saw Charles slamming hard into a woman. Four other women were also there while they engaged in their sexual escapade. 

A smile cropped up on my face before I walked to the bar and opened a wine while I gulped some down my throat. I narrowed my eyes at the wall clock after some time when the moans had died down. 

It's time to kill! 

I slipped into the room and did what was in my mind. I left the room and knocked hard on the door with what was called ‘Impatience.’ A few seconds later, Charles rushed out of his room naked. In his hand was a pistol, he looked suspiciously around and found nothing as I was already seated on a chair in the dark corner of the open space. 

He moved around and walked to the middle where there was a glass that shielded the wild animals he reared. That's exactly where I want him. 

“Who is there?” He asked. 

“Death!” I laughed then I stood up and sashayed out of the dark area. “Are you scared?”

“Who are you?” He asked with a fierce look on his face. 

“Didn't I just tell you? I am death.” 

He pointed his gun at me and pulled the trigger but there was no fire. I had already removed the bullets in it when I entered his room. The best way to kill him is to make his death painful. 

“Goodbye!” I chimed then I shot him twice on his left knee. Same on the right then I shot the glass he was kneeling on. I rushed towards him and kicked him hard then he fell backward with a loud thud. 

The Sharks below the glass rushed towards him after perceiving blood that attracted them towards him. He yelled as he was devoured by the Sharks. I made my way out of the building and we zoomed off. 

Just then, a car sped past us and suddenly stopped before us. Our driver stepped on the brake suddenly and that sent the car tumbling thrice before it came to a halt. 

The two men on my left were dead already. I struggled to push the door open and crawled out of the smoky vehicle. 

The echoes of several footsteps behind me dawned on me. I turned my head and my eyes locked on a man who had uncut hair. He was also followed by a group of men. 

“See you in hell, Brinda Virginia.” 

That was the last I heard before I felt a sharp pain on my left chest. My eyes become teary not because of the pain but because of what just happened. 

This is not the first time I would have such a feeling, I had just been shot and that too in the area that my heart is. My breath came in short, sharp gasps, and my heart pounded in my chest like a jackhammer.