Kieran froze. “Wait.” He grabbed her by the hand. Pulling her towards the edge of the hill. “I forgot. Something’s happening here today.”
“What? What’s happening?”
“That.” Kieran stopped. Pointing below them, at where a pavilion lay just below them. A podium sat right underneath the tent. Red, white, and blue banners were spread all across the pavilion and a big white sign stared right at them.
“Welcome to Serenity, Mr. President.”
“Oh God.” Elena felt the words come from her mouth.
She raised her head.
Seeing the men in black who were hiding in the shadows of the forest all around them. Some in trees. Some behind trees. She spotted one laying in a large patch of grass. They were all holding rifles.
“It was never about me.” She whispered. “This is what he’s been planning all along, hasn’t he? To take out the president.”
“That definitely seems to be the case.
“We have to stop them.”
“I agree.” Kieran whispered, turning his head, staring at her. He withdrew his gun, and clicked off the safety. Then handed Elena her gun. “But just how are we going to go about doing that?” he raised his head. Counting. “There are eight snipers surrounding us. We can’t take them all.”
“Yes we can.” Elena whispered. “We split up.”
“Elena…”
“Kieran, there’s no other way. We have to take them out. If we don’t, and they kill the president, it leaves an opening for my father. An opening for him to take over the white house. Can you imagine what he could do with all that power, Kieran?”
“But there’s got to be another way. Couldn’t we just stop the president before he gets to the podium?”
“Seriously?” Elena raised a brow at him. “And just how do you plan on doing that? He’s got secret service agents all around him. And even if we were to get past them, we’d be arrested for kidnapping the president.” Elena stared at Kieran. “Tell me, how are we supposed to save the world from prison?”
Kieran sighed.
“So I guess it’s take out the snipers.”
“It’s take out the snipers.” Elena whispered. Taking the gun from Kieran and releasing the safety.
“It’s time.” She whispered.
Kieran nodded.
“Be careful.” He whispered. “And if you get into trouble, just yell, and I’ll be there.” He lifted a hand, touching her cheek. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I’m always careful.” Elena whispered. Smiling at him. At the concern in his eyes. “Stop worrying.”
“It’s my greatest flaw.” Kieran muttered. Dropping his hand.
“Are you ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
He nodded.
“Let’s go.”
Chapter Eighteen
She stepped into the forest. The darkness surrounding her, and she stopped. Blinking a moment. Letting her eyes adjust.
Her shoulder brushed against a large tree.
Her feet sunk into the long grass.
And she turned her head. Watching as Kieran raced off in the opposite direction. Away from her.
Her throat clenched.
Emotion filled her eyes.
“Good luck.” She whispered into the darkness. “And for goodness sakes, be careful.”
She turned. Taking another step forward.
Her eyes landing on the silhouette that stood behind a large tree. In his hands, he was holding a rifle.
One of Abel’s men.
A snicker escaped her throat.
A smile cracked across her face.
And she took another step forward.
“You know, you should really consider a new line of work, soldier.” She whispered in his ear, stopping behind him. Her hand wrapping around the rifle. “Because you really suck at this whole assassin thing.” And she yanked the rifle towards her.
The man jumped. Swinging his head around. His hands tightened around the rifle. Jerking it from her hands.
“You!” he whispered. “You’re supposed to be dead!”
Elena laughed. “Haven’t you heard? I’m like a cat. I have nine lives. I cheat death frequently. And I just keep coming back for more. Nothing can kill me.”
The man let out a growl, charging towards her.
Elena ducked, dodging his hands. Her feet sliding in the grass, and she slid to the ground. Falling flat on her butt. Raising her head, watching as he ran right into the tree.
A laugh escaped her mouth.
“Apparently, agility also is not one of your talents.” She whispered. Rising to her feet.
He turned his head. A growl escaping his throat once more.
She stared at him. Staring at the scar running down his left cheek. And watched, as he raced towards her again.
She pivoted on her heel, trying to dodge his hands again, but he moved with her. His hands grabbing her by the shoulders and slamming her back against the tree.
“I will not let you ruin this for Abel.” He whispered. His voice quiet, but deadly. Staring into her face, and raising a hand. His fist striking forward.
Elena gasped. His fist slamming into her cheek, and she winced as her head slammed backwards. Slamming back against the tree with a hard thud.
She licked her lips.
The taste of copper filled her mouth.
Her vision swam.
And she blinked. Staring at him through blurry eyes.
“You’ll never kill me.” She managed to whisper.
The man smiled.
“That’s what you think.” He whispered. Sending her a crooked smile.
Elena faintly caught sight of his knee moving upwards.
She struggled against his grip. Trying to wiggle her way out of his grasp.
And she gasped. His knee striking her in the midsection.
She felt the air leave her lungs.
She felt her body go lax. Slumping against the tree, as she fell to the ground, and she raised her head. Watching as his arms fell from her. Staring at him as he slowly backed away from her. His hands wrapping around the butt of the rifle, and aiming it right at her.
“No!”
She screamed. Jumping to her feet and racing towards him. Her hands wrapping around the rifle.
“You have to die, Elena.” The man whispered. “It’s what Abel wants.”
“Screw what Abel wants!” Elena screamed. Trying to jerk the rifle from his hands, but his grip was too tight.
Her hands slid down the length of the rifle.
Her hand brushed his arm.
And she raised her head, staring into his eyes. So dark. So cold. So emotionless.
She felt her fingers wrap around his arm, and she jerked it downward. Hard.
A crack echoed in her ears.
He screamed. The rifle falling from his hands as he fell to the ground. Clutching his arm. “My arm! My arm! You broke my arm!”
“If only that was all you had to worry about.” Elena whispered, reaching behind her and pulling her gun out from behind her. “Because, soldier, you have chosen the wrong side.” And she pulled the trigger.
The bullet landed in the middle of his forehead.
She heard him gasp.
And watched as his body fell against the tree in a heap.
“And that’s what you get for following Abel.” She whispered. Lowering her weapon and stumbling back a step. She lifted a hand, wiping it across her mouth and stared down at the blood.
He’d punched her good, she thought to herself. Dropping her hand and staring down at his lifeless body. Sadness rolling through her as she watched the blood pour from him. Hating that she had taken yet another life.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
A sob rose up in her throat.
She took a step forward. Crouching next to his prone body, and touched a hand to his pale, cold cheek.
“I’m so sorry.” She whispered, staring down at him.
“I am so sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you. But I didn’t have a choice. You were going to kill me. You were going to kill the president. You were going to help Abel destroy the world. I can’t let that happen.” She bowed her head. “I know that you don’t know what you’re doing. I know that you believe that Abel is trying to make the world a better place. But he’s not. He’s only going to make it worse, and I have to do everything in my power to stop him.” She raised a hand, closing his lifeless eyes. “And I promise you this. I will never be like you. I will never, ever give up my soul for that bastard. I won’t.”
She rose to her feet. Backing up a step, and staring at him for another moment, before turning and racing off through the forest.
Her feet raced along the long grass.
She weaved through what seemed like a million trees.
She raised her head.
Something shiny catching her attention.
And she stopped. Her feet slowing. Staring at a soldier who was sitting high up in the tree.
And she raised her hand. Aiming her gun high over her head and pulling the trigger.
She heard the man yell.
She heard a loud thump.
“You bitch!”
She barely heard the scream. Turning and racing through the trees. Not waiting to see the bastard die. She couldn’t watch him die. She’d seen all the death she could bear to see in the last eight years.
The less she had to see the better.
Raindrops fell from the sky. Splashing on top of her head.
Rain.
She laughed. Lifting her head to the sky. Feeling the rain run down her face.
And footsteps sounded in her ears.
“Well, well. Look who it is.”
She froze. Turning her head. Wiping her arm across her face, and watching, as one of Abel’s men came out from the trees and stopped right behind her.
“The little bitch who’s been killing us off one by one.” Another one of Abel’s men stepped out from the shadows. Stopping just to the right of her. He cracked his knuckles. “You know, she doesn’t look all that tough.”
“You’re right. She doesn’t. I wonder why Abel is having such a hard time getting rid of her.” Another man stepped from the forest. Stopping just to the left of her. Raising his head, his eyes narrowing as he stared at her.
Because, they were weak.” A fourth man stepped out in front of her. A smile spreading across his face. Showing her the gold tooth that lay in his mouth. “But we’re not weak, boys. We are strong, and we are going to take this bitch down! Let’s get her!”
Elena spun around in a circle.
Staring at the men, as they circled around her.
And watched, as they lunged towards her, like a pack of wild dogs.
“No!” she screamed, ducking. Barely missing the hands that reached for her.
“Do you really think we’re going to let you live, Elena?” one of the men asked. “You’ve killed our friends. You’ve killed our family. It’s only fitting that we kill you.”
Elena laughed. The sound dark and cold. “You’re going to kill me?” she whispered. Her eyes narrowing as she stared at them. “You’re not going to kill me. Those men. Those people you call friends. That you call family. They’re murderers! They’re killing innocent people. They deserved to die. You deserve to die. And so help me, if it’s the last thing I do, I will take you all down one by one. I will save this world from the grasp of Abel. I promise you that!”
She raised her head.
Watching as they charged towards her.
And lifted her hand. Aiming her gun towards them.
A hand wrapped around her wrist.
Her finger pulled the trigger.
And she heard the bullet hit a tree somewhere in the forest.
She stumbled back.
And felt fingers wrap around her shoulders. Slamming her against the tree, hard.
Her arms stretched out.
And it slammed back against the bark of the tree.
She screamed. Pain running through her arm, as the gun slid from her hand. Falling to the ground.
She raised her head.
Another man raced forward, grabbing her by the other arm.
She gasped, struggling against their grip. Wincing as her injured arm was bent awkwardly, and lifted her head, watching as another man walked towards her.
“Well, well, look at this.” he whispered, lifting a hand, touching a stray strand of her long hair. “Look at you, Elena. You’re not much when you’re being held down now, are you? You’re just a girl. A girl, who is not going to get out of this forest alive.”
“You’re wrong!” Elena whispered. Lifting her head, smiling at him. “You are so wrong. You’re not going to kill me. You don’t have the balls. You don’t have the strength. I don’t know how, but I know that I’m going to get out of this. I know, that despite how much I hate it, I am going to kill each and every one of you. I’m going to stop you from killing the president, and soon I’m going to kill Abel. I’m going to put him down like a wild animal for what he has done. For what he has put me through. For what he has put my sisters through. For what he has done to the people of this world. He deserves to die.”
“He doesn’t deserve to die, Elena. He’s a good man. He’s saving the world.”
“Saving it?” Elena laughed. “You pathetic fool. He’s not saving it. He’s destroying it!”
She turned her head.
The rain pummeled down on her. And she blinked, as it ran down her eyes. Her face.
She raised her head, staring at the men around her.
And something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention.
She stopped.
Staring into the trees.
And she ducked.
Crack!
She lifted her head. Staring at the man in front of her. Watching as blood spread across the front of his chest, just before he fell to his knees.
“What the hell!”
“Shit!”
“There’s someone out there!”
“We’re under attack!”
She heard them yell.
And another gunshot echoed through the air.
She jerked her head up.
And brought her uninjured arm back, hard behind her.
She head the breath whoosh out of one of the men.
She felt his grip loosen.
And she spun on her heel, slamming her other arm into the chest of the man holding her injured arm.
His hand loosened around her arm.
She jerked it free. Spinning on her heel, and bringing her leg up. Striking the man in the groin.
The man stumbled back. Lifting his head. Staring at her.
Elena stared back at him.
And she let out a yell, lunging forward, shoving him back, hard.
“You bastard.” She whispered. The rain stopping, and she pushed her hair out of her eyes. “You think you can try to kill me and get away with it! I’m trying to do the world good. I don’t deserve to die.” And she lunged forward.
The man stumbled backwards again.
He tripped over a twig lying in the ground.
He fell to the ground. Rolling over. Staring at her. Holding his hands up.
“Please. Please don’t do this!” he cried. “I don’t want to die.”
“You don’t want to die?” Elena whispered. Taking a step forward. Reaching down to pick up her gun. “Now tell me, do I look like I want to die? Tell me, why should I let you live?”
“Because you still have a soul.” The man whispered.
Elena froze. Staring at him. Her arm lowering.
And the man lunged forward, his hands wrapping around her throat.
Elena gasped. The gun falling to the ground. Choking a little, as his fingers tightened around her throat.
And her back hit something hard.
Another fucking tree, she thought to herself, raising her head. Staring into his dark eyes, cold eyes.
&nbs
p; He was going to kill her, she thought to herself. He was going to fucking kill her!
As if she were going to die without a fight.
She lifted her hand. Reaching behind him. Her hand wrapping around the handle of the knife that lay in the small of his back.
And she raised her hand, stabbing it upward.
The knife plunged into the back of his neck.
She felt him jerk.
His hands loosening around her throat.
She jerked the knife free from the back of his neck. Watching as he fell to his knees in front of her, and stared into his eyes.
He lifted his head.
Lifting a hand. Touching the back of his neck. Staring at the blood.
“You’re right.” Elena whispered, staring down at him. “I’m not like you. I do have a soul. But that doesn’t mean I won’t do what needs to be done.” And she raised the knife, slashing it across his throat.
And his body slumped to the side. Falling in a heap right in front of her.
Elena rolled her eyes. “You’re so predictable.” She whispered, tossing the knife to the ground. Stepping over his prone body. Staring at the blood. At his lifeless eyes. Reaching a hand down, closing his eyes.
And a hand grabbed her by the back of the neck.
She started.
Watching as her feet left the ground. Turning her head, staring down at the man under her.
“Elena, Elena.” He shook his head. “You just don’t know when to stop, do you? You just keep on killing us, yet more of us keep coming. Don’t you understand? You’ll never get away with this. I’m not going to let you get away with this.”
“You and what army?” Elena whispered, staring at him. “Because as I see it, Abel’s army is withering down one by one, and you won’t be any different.” And she spit in his face.
He jerked his head back.
His hand loosened around her neck.
Elena screamed. Her body falling with a thud on the hard ground.
She winced. Holding her injured arm, as it throbbed, and turned her head.
And dove forward, as he lunged towards her, reaching for her with his hands.
She fell to the ground.
Rolling onto her back.
Scrambling backwards. Watching as he stalked towards her.
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