Operation: One percent

Chapter 3

 Margaret

His tailor-made midnight blue suit accentuated the muscle of his wide back and shoulders, and I thanked my cowardice for not running to the couple's aid. The consequences would be dire for me otherwise.

He was well built, taller than me, and to top it off, he smelled of Calabrian bergamot and pepper, in other words intoxicating, despite being intimidating. 

"Pardon me." He said, paying no attention to me as he passed me by and went his own way, keeping his head forward. A man on a mission is how I would describe him. Probably to wreak havoc in his steps like a shark when it smells a drop of blood.

I would have sighed my soul out if I could because I was so relieved.

As he was walking off, I told myself I would not look at him, in fear that he would turn around and maybe deem my interest in him as suspicious. Turning on my heel, my steps changed from walking to a sprint, so that I could hide behind a nearby wall.

Blood boiled in me due to a simple realization: he has everything that he could possibly want, and he is playing loan shark with mere folk.

Perhaps, I would truly do the world a favor if I ended his life.

I punched the wall, frustrated at myself and the petrified reaction of my body at the mere notion of him. Gritting my teeth at my deer-in-front-of-the-headlights state of being, I clenched my fists and started punching my thighs at the vexation this man brought me. Bitterness enveloped my state of mind, but regardless, I needed to check if the air was clear.

As I was about to try to sneak a peek at my target, a voice startled me.

"You dropped your wallet miss."

Its owner was no other than Mr. Ace Mountangue himself. Hairs on my body all stood up in unison at the possible danger that he posed to me. It didn't matter to my body that the tone of his voice was far gentler than the one that I heard back in the café. 

How the hell did he sneak up on me?

"Thank you." Relaxing my hand so he doesn't see me shake, I wanted to keep my head down so that he would not see my goddamn face, but then I thought, maybe that would be even more suspicious.

So I faced him with determination and politeness. 

But my breath hitched at the sight.

He did look quite handsome in the photograph, but compared to him in person, they did him no justice. 

Once again, his sharp cheekbones neatly styled dark brown hair, midnight blue suit, and overall put-together appearance, truly reminded me of a shark, but at the same time, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes, prompting me to think of a fallen angel depicted in the long lost Alexandre Cabanel's painting. The smell of his cologne was permanently etched in the bark of my brain.

He only smiled gently at me, and as if to say something, I promptly interrupted him. I had no desire to be near him as my heart felt like it was going to jump from my chest.

Fight-or-flight situations usually meant flight for me, even if this particular situation to most looked like just an individual trying to be decent to a stranger.

"Sorry, I need to catch a bus."

If he was thinking of my interrupting as odd, he did not show it.

"You are welcome, but the buses are not that way." He grinned gallantly, the previous glint of sadness quickly replaced by amusement. 

He deemed me entertaining while I deemed him terrifying it seems. That didn't matter, because I knew that I accomplished my missions the easiest when they underestimated me. Regardless, even though he was entertained, I didn't allow myself to be lax at his apparent letdown guard. Not underestimating the enemy was of the utmost importance to me. I drilled this into my head a long time ago, especially when high stakes are involved.

"Yeah, I know. I need to take a shortcut." A quick lie. 

"That is a one-way street miss...?" Raising his eyebrow, and the way he enhanced that Miss part, I assume that he wanted to know my name, and if anything, I learned how to play dumb.

"Oh! I see, thank you once again for the info and the wallet, but I really gotta run."

I took my wallet from him, and I ran in the opposite direction.