“I’ve lost sight of the target…” She said into her microphone. It was placed inside the collar of her V neck jumper, keeping it just out of sight. She put her hand to her ear to keep the receiver in place.
She turned another corner still waiting for a reply. She had never been through these streets but she had memorized every part of the maps.
“Target in sight at 31st.” Came Hanna’s calm and soothing voice. Her calmness gave 73 strength but at the same time her reply added to her problems. She had been running in the wrong direction. Quickly she stopped. Almost tripping over on the damp ground, because of her speed. She turned and began to run again. If Hanna was right (Which she probably was) then 73 only had 5 minutes to get herself into position.
She was the dummy. At that very moment Rupert would have been sitting at the window of a cheap hotel room with his gun all set up. As she ran, sweat covered her face, making her envy Rupert, for the bottles of water he would have set up next to him. Although she had to admit that when you were waiting to kill someone you did sweat more than you did after running for 20 km. She wiped the sweat out of her eyes and spoke into her microphone:
“Strawberry inquiring-where is the target?”
“Target approaching destination-be advised-hold your positions at 2 minutes.” Hanna replied.
73 ran faster. She still had to look around for a hiding place along the dark allies. The plan was simple: after the target had been shot, 73 was to make a sudden move and take the focus off Rupert so he could get away. She knew that if she failed Rupert would be in trouble,they would easily notice him. He didn’t exactly have the world’s best hiding place. She turned another corner and finally 73 could see the blue bins, behind which she decided to hide. An expression of pure frustration took control of her usually innocent features. She had to hide behind a bin? She gave the title of the worst planned mission to this particular one. Suddenly a strange feeling told her that something was gonna go wrong. She tried to get her breathing back into order but found it hard with the idea of being set up roaming uncontrolled in her head.
“All in position.” Hanna’s sudden comment startled her. Even though her legs were as weak as a new born calf, she never the less managed to get herself up and on the footpath at 36th street.
It was one of those noisy streets with all sorts of people walking around on the footpath, shaking their head at those who were sitting in their cars, which were not moving. Being on such a busy street 73 had a new fear. What if they didn't see her? What if they didn't follow her?
Suddenly the world around her seemed to come to a halt as a black limousine came to a halt across the street from her. Making herself look as suspicious as possible 73 made eye contact with the guards, who were gathering around the vehicle.
They were definatly going to be keeping an eye on her. 73 easily over took an earg to smile at how wrong they were.
The figure of a woman in a white coat appeared from the car, followed by the thicker figure of a man in a gray coat. She immediately recognized him as the target.
He was Adam Lowe. A multi billionaire, who made money by making the government and police force look like idiots, or so Mr Jones, one of the teacher figures had said. Lowe designed robberies, which were extremely fault proof. He imported and exported drugs in different countries with ease and when he killed it would be as though the victim had never existed.
The Pentagon FBI and CIA had spent years trying to mail him down but finally had decided to give the case to the United Nations Secret Intelligence (UNSI) since Lowe was an international criminal, and they had seen it fit to kill him and just get him out of the way. Silently 73 begged Rupert(62) to open fire. There was nervous energy building up in her, but she knew that when it was time to move she would find it hard to begin to run.
An answer to hey pray was heard when a bullet flew towards the target, cutting trough the air like a knife trough a body. It hit. With one hand Lowe covered the wound and with the other he reached inside his coat for a gun. There were two more shots and Lowe lay dead at the foot of his car out of 73’s view. 73 began running down the street. Not too fast to give them time to notice her, but fast enough to make sure she could get away.
She caught sight of two of the guards following her. Two? Why only two? What about the rest? What are they doing? Why aren’t they all following me?
Crazy thoughts roamed her mind freely.
73’s heart seemed to skip a beat as she heard the sound of a fourth bullet being fired. She had to turn around and see what had happened….
Curiosity killed the cat…
But cats have nine lives…
Without anymore hesitation 73 quickly turned around, completely oblivious to all the fear stricken people around her and even the two figures which were rapidly gaining on her.
What she saw wasn’t a sight for sore eyes. She watched helplessly as 62’s limp body fell from the window and dropped four stories before hitting the ground with a sickening sound.
A scream of horror was caught in 73's throat as two heavy bodies’ hit against her forcing her hard on to the ground. She managed to crawl out from underneath them with experience and ease. In one swift move She grabbed one of the guns. Tears filled her eyes as she fired at one of the men while kicking the other one and then turning to shoot him as well, hearing the sounds of the screaming bystanders brought her out of her shock. She dropped the gun and began running again sobbing uncontrollably as she watched 62 falling out of the window over and over and over…. With the sound of the gun roaring trough her ears…
