Rowan Nightshade's Short Stories

Swiper Hood

The woman in front of my extended her gloved hand. "The name's Saya. Saya Hoode. But you can call me Swiper."

"Swiper? That's your nickname?" I snorted. 

She grinned, and held something up, glittering and dangling. My hands reached for my empty neck, and I snatched my necklace out of her nicely manicured hands.

"Get it now?" Swiper flashed a brilliant smile at me, before turning away.

"Thief." I muttered insultingly. "Where are you going?!" I suddenly shouted after her, trying to keep up with her brisk pace in my high heels. "You haven't answered any of my questions!"

No reply.

"Why were those men in my house? And where is my husband?"

Swiper turned so fast I almost slammed into her.

"You are so stubborn." she sighed. "Those men, the ones in your house, were assassins from al Qaeda. They-"

"Why did they target me and Brad?" I interrupted. Swiper narrowed her eyes menacingly.

"You were simply in the way."

"Who were they? What are their names? Did you kill them?"I asked breathlessly, fingering my curled, black hair nervously.

"Yes, they are dead. The rest is confidential information. That's all I can tell you." she turned.

"Where is Brad?" I asked again. She glanced over her shoulder, rolled her eyes, and tried to walk away.

"Swiper!" I snarled, grabbing her arm roughly. She whirled around, and the next thing I knew there was a loaded pistol two inches from my face.

"Let. Go. Of. Me." Swiper hissed through clenched teeth. I did so, and the gun vanished into her jacket.

"Now," Swiper said more calmly, dusting off where I had grabbed her. "Your husband, Brad, is on his way to the Highland Hospital."

She pulled out a black iPhone, turned it on, and scrolled down something I couldn't see. "He will be undergoing surgery in exactly 47 minutes, if all goes planned." She looked at me, slipping her phone into her pocket. "You might want to be there," she pointed out.

The sound of a car invaded our conversation, and I turned around. The taxi stopped, and Julie threw herself out of it.

"Brad's in the hospital. Hurry!" Julie grabbed my hand, and pulled me to the taxi. I looked back, just a fleeting glance over my shoulder, but even before I looked, I knew Saya 'Swiper' Hood would be gone.

And she was. She just.... disappeared.

But after all, that's the trademark of CIA members, right?