Above All, Faith

Chapter Four

The night was cold and uninviting. The starless sky was painted pitch black, shades of grey parting the darkness every here and there. Mercedes pulled her coat closer to her and quickened her footsteps.

This stranger would be waiting for her at the end of the tunnel, or so Theo said. Which right now, Mercedes didn't want to believe.

She buried her hands inside her pockets, and walked faster. The irritating feeling of someone watching her, monitoring her every step, hearing her every breath without her knowing chilled her to the bone.

She hadn't reloaded her gun, but she still had her knives buried under her boot. She'd still have a way to defend herself when trouble came.

Guards weren't likely to roam around these parts of town. There weren't any houses, nor were there any signs of life. Just an old tunnel, and rusted train tracks no train ever crossed paths with.

But that didn't calm the rising hairs on her arms, nor did it lessen the rapid racing of her heart.

Every now and then, Mercedes would feel for the empty gun in her belt, the feel of cold metal somehow giving her some sense of reassurance.

The tunnel was dark, long and certainly gave the typical horror movie vibe. Where the monster peeps up from behind you and does that weird creepy smile.

Mercedes thought, 'Well, say, if I do die tonight, at least I'll get to haunt everyone who pushed my buttons. Especially Theo Goodwill.

Why am I trusting him again?'

'Because you're stupid. That's why.'

She shakes her head, and shuts out the unwanted voices invading her mind once again. Instead, she focuses on the black fog a few meters in front of her, where the tunnel ended.

A man stood tall and lean in the middle of the train tracks, hand in his pockets.

He leaned on the hood of his car, no doubt waiting for his prey.

'But why on earth would he park in the middle of the railroad?' She wondered.

Again, she shook her head. It didn't matter. What mattered was her and the desk she was about to make.

When she got closer, she saw that the man was a few inches taller than she'd expected. His shoulders were strong, broad, muscles popping from underneath the sleeves of his dress shirt. A black diamond earring on his left ear.

"It's pretty cold this time of night." He says. It was a deep velvety voice, but hoarse, as if he hasn't spoken in days.

"Why don't we cut the courtesies and get to the point?" The corner of his lips lift into a half smile before he grabs a small card the size of a palm, from his chest pocket.

"My bad, I was looking forward to a little bit of get to knowing. I was told many things about the Mistress of death, you see." She arches a brow.

"And I suppose I should say the classic 'all good things I hope?'". The stranger chuckles and rants a hand through his well kept hair.

"Mistress, I don't think any good comes with being a well-known murderer."

"There can be if you look hard enough." Says she. A loud, humorous laughter bubbles from the stranger's mouth.